Be sure to visit a website outlining much more information on the Chase-Rowe families mentioned in the following piece.
Narrative of Eli Chase

1808-1851

An Ellisburgh (NY) Family's Journey to the Great Salt Lake

From Microfilm 0000048 - LDS Library at Salt Lake City - sent to me by a Van Dyke Researcher.

(Handwritten across the top of the page was “Eli Chase died in Salt Lake City in the year of Feb. 30* (sic), 1851.”)

I, Eli Chase was born in Ellisburgh, N. Y.

Sept. 10,1820 my father and family, consisting of my mother and brothers Silas, Darwin and Stephen, and my sisters Sophia, Orpha, Orryanna, Harriet N., took water for the state of Illinois on our own boat 7 or 8 tons burthen. Crossed Lake Ontario from Sandy Creek to Niagara River from thence in to Lake Erie. Went up Lake Erie, crossed into Chautauqua Lake & went the outlet into the river Allegheny at the town of Warren (Penn.) & went down the Allegheny to Pittsburgh, then down the Ohio to Cincinnati, where we stopped through the winter & we buried brother Stephen there.

In the spring of 1821 we got into our boat again (uncle Benonie Haskin* joined us from Lebanon, Ohio with his family, who had a few months previous moved from the same town we left) from thence we moved down to its junction with the Mississippi (River). Thence up the Mississippi to the mouth of Illinois River thence up that to the mouth of Crooked Creek where we buried my sister Harriet and uncle Benonie's daughter Laury Do (Rowe). From thence we proceeded to the mouth of the Spoon River then up Spoon River to the bluffs where we buried my sister Sophia & formed a settlement in Lewistown in 1821. Here we resided until the year 1831.

(1832) The next year I joined the Church of Jesus of Latter Day Saints together with father & mother and brother Darwin and in the month of April (1832) we left for Jackson Co., Mo. & formed a settlement 12 miles south of Independence where we felt the hand of persecution in consequence of our faith in the doctrine of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, and our gathering together unto him and worshiping God according to the dictates of our conscience, for we believed in revealed religion, we believed in a prophet, even a Prophet Joseph. We believed in apostles after the order of Christ, for we believe in the restoration of the Holy Priesthood with all its attendant blessings. We also believed in the ordinance of Baptism, faith in Christ and his promises to us through all the Holy Prophets since the world began. Finally we claimed all the gifts that are contained in the Gospel of Christ. Consequently we, a body of people en masse, was persecuted, robbed, and driven from our homes to the county of Clay, east of the Missouri River. Independance (sic) is west of the river and Liberty is the county seat of Clay. We continued in Clay until persecution planted us in Caldwell County in the year 1835, about 35 miles from the river, where we lived until 1839.

The last six months (1838-39) we were under a dreadful persecution, which terminated in the expulsion of fifteen or twenty thousand soul (sic) to the state of Illinois where the church was received with kindness and sympathy, N. B. I was shot and wounded. The persecutors took delight in shooting and killing.

Jan. 12, 1839 I was ordained under the hands of Joseph Smith, Senior, and Brigham Young to the Eldership.

The 18th (January 1839?)I left in company of my brother-in-law Ferdinand Van Dyke for Quincy, Ill. 200 miles distant.

On April 6, 1839, we held a conference in Quincy, where I was ordained under the direction of president Joseph Young into the quorum of Seventy.

I took my mission May 27th, 1839 into the East. I traveled through upper Canada and in various parts of the state of New York. I ended my travels in the county of Madison, (now Fort Madison) (Typist's note: Most likely Madison County, Iowa) where I formed an acquaintance with Olive Hills, the daughter of Amasa and Eunice Hills, and married her in the year July 25, 1840.

In July 3, 1841, I returned to the church in Hancock Co., Ill., having traveled the distance of 3000 miles exclusive of the circuitous route to and fro that I do not memorize it, but suffice me to say that I traveled much. My health was poor and I was much lame at the time, in consequence of the hardships I passed through while in the state of Missouri, for I took an active part in defending the cause of our faith in God and preserving the lives of our people. I tracted, preached about 100 times and baptized 4 persons up to July 1845.

May 8, 1845 I saw the Capstone of the Temple laid in the city of Joseph and there were supposed to be 13,000 inhabitants in the city in 1845.

June 15, 1845, I was called from the 3rd quorum of Seventy and ordained president in the 27th quorum (messenger to the nations) and was ordained under the hands of Pres. Joseph Young and John D. Lee, general recorder.

Aug. 23rd (1845) the dome was raised on the Temple of the Lord in the city of Joseph.

Sept. the 4th, 1845, the mob commenced burning houses in Hancock Co. and driving the saints together to the city of Joseph I was called out by order of the High Sherrif (sic) and served ten days in supporting the law against those treasonable characters, Rev. Williams at their head.

Oct. 4th (1845) I received credit on books for labor on the temple 3 yrs. and 6 months.

December (1845) the work of endowment commenced in the temple. My father and mother received theirs Dec. 15, 1845.

Jan. 3rd (1846 ?), I, Eli, and my wife Olive received our endowments.

Jan. 6th Darwin received his endowments.

Jan. 30th Hiram Barry Chase received his endowments.

Jan. 30th Mary Chase received her endowments.

I have paid one day's work on Joseph Young's house.....................       $1.50
I have also paid $1.50 in cash........................................................                  l.50
I paid penny tithing for my wife Olive for the temple......................           1.00
I paid on oil for the endowments in the temple.................................             .37
I paid on wine prepared for the dedication of the temple..................       .25
I paid towards book in the third quorum to Sam Brown...................         1.25

Jan. 23, 1846 father and mother were sealed in the temple in the City of Joseph, Hancock Co., Ill. by H. C. Kimball. I, Eli and my wife were sealed at the same time by A. Lyman.

Feb. 10, 1846 I left Nauvoo with the camp of the saints

and on the 10th evening (would this mean Feb. 19th) on Sugar Creek about 10 miles from Nauvoo.

On the (February) 26 I left Sugar Creek in company with a portion of the camp and traveled 15 miles and camped on the waters of the Desmond.

27th (February 1846) we traveled 8 miles and camped near Dewilts Mills (sic)on Reeds Creek, on the waters of the Desmond where Gen. C.C. Rich and his family overtook us and we joined with him about 20 men of us and about 8 or 10 wagons and teams, and we had no tent. Gen. Rich had a tent which convened his family. The team men laid in their wagons and about ten of us lay in the open air for the remainder of 45 days (until about April 13, 1846), we had to work to support the teams on our journey.

May 8th we left the mill and traveled 4 miles and camped.

9th (May 1846) we traveled 15 miles and camped on a branch of a creek.

10th (1846) we traveled 4 miles and overtook the principle camp which left us on Reeds Creek.

12th (1846) we moved 3 miles and camped on the waters of the Fox River.

19th (1846) we traveled 15 miles and camped.

20th (1846), 12 miles and camped. 21st we camped on the west banks of the Chardon river, a distance of 16 miles.

26th (1846), I received my discharge, and left Chardon River, distance 100 miles from Nauvoo.

29th (1846), I got home to my family in Nauvoo.

May 3rd ( 1846 - possibly this should have read 30th) we left Nauvoo for the west, myself, wife and child, father, mother and sister Mary and uncle Wm. Rowe and his family, 18 souls in all in company.

Arrived at Council Bluffs June 17th (1846)

Hiram (Chase) volunteered under Colonel Allen July 4, 1846.

August 1st (1846) we left the Bluffs,

2nd (1846) we left Council Point, 8th we arrived on a small stream camp branch six miles above the line on the new purchase, where we designed for winter quarters.

Jan. 14, 1847 I went to the main camp west branch of Missouri River. I received $12 in goods and $8 in cash, sent by Hiram Chase to his father, volunteer in the United States Service (Santa Fe headquarters).

My father, Stephen Chase, died Feb. 11, 1847. Buried on Indian land about 40 miles from Council Point, six miles north of the Missouri line, about 12 miles above the ferry on Niskorabotna river called Huntsucker's ferry, on the ridge road about one half mile north of a stream called Camp Branch, 210 feet northwest of the boiling spring, our cabin standing about 120 feet above the head of the spring. The names of the brethren that built the coffin and buried my father are as follows: Samuel Gates, Martin Bushman, Aaron Dolph, Wm. Crazier (possibly, Frazier), Wm. Redfield, Wm. N. Rowe.

April 23, 1847 we moved 30 miles on the road north and west leading to the bluffs. Bro. Clarkson Chase moved us and left us with brother Isaac Behunning, where we were kindly received in the Laharp branch, and after planting,

Some time near the 1st of June, we moved in a cabin that Wm. Sperry gave to mother.

This summer 1847 I fenced and cultivated five acres of ground, 4 acres of corn, 1 acre of beans, potatoes, cabbage and sundry articles, and built a house and moved in it Sept. 23, 1847.

About the 1st of June (1848) I left Council Bluffs,

Arrived in the City of Great Salt Lake Aug. 25, 1849. My mother, brother Darwin, sister Mary and my own family, 8 souls in all, including Helen, the third daughter (?) who was born on the Platte River.

We moved into an adobe house I bought, price 60 dollars. Block 17, Lot 3, Oct. 11, 1849.

June 2nd Harriet L. Chase was baptized in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the age of 9 years. (questionable as to whether narrator was reflecting upon the previous June of 1849, or actually sped up the account to June of 1850.)

Note: This ends the portion of the transcript as typed for electronic reproduction by webhost/typist, Shirley Farone ([email protected]). It should be noted that the narrative which appears above was sent to me in November, 1998, by Joseph and Mary Perreault of Torrance, California. This may be a portion of a larger article read from microfilm and transferred to paper; however, what appears above, pertains to the Chase family of Ellisburgh, N. Y. Mrs. Perrault, a Van Dyke researcher and descendant, included the following paragraph to show her connection to the Chase family - that being Stephen Chase of Ellisburgh was married to Orryanna Rowe., the sister of an aunt married to a Haskin. Although this paragraph seems highly incorrect in several aspects, its inclusion here may generate a worthwhile e-mail exchange. (write me at ([email protected]).
*The family of uncle Benoni Haskin, b. July 25, 1788, who married Eleanore Rowe, sister to Eli Chase's mother, Orryanna, comes from Dorwyne or Dunryne, Bung or Buny Co., N. Y. Eleanor Rowe was born Feb. 12, 1794 in Providence, Junction County, N.Y. (All children were born in N.Y. except one born on Sep.. 22, 1812 in upper Canada.)
Also, in the text sent to me was the following list of names:

*Mary Ann Browning died June 23, 1878, age 28 years 4 mos., 2 days.

Eli Chase died in Salt Lake City Thursday Feb. 20 (sic), 1851, age 42 years, 3 mos., 11 days. (Note that the 20th is the day of the month, instead of the 30th mistakenly written across the page on the microfilm. Without seeing the microfilm or determining from another source Eli’s date of birth, it seems more likely that the Feb. 20th date is correct.)

Eveline Browning

Typist's Interest In This Account: My paternal grandmother was of the Wallace family who migrated to the Town of Lyme in Jefferson County, N. Y., in the year 1832. It has been researched that Aseneth Chase, b. 1804, lived at Ellisburgh in Jefferson County, N. Y., before her marriage to David Wallace, b. 1799, in the County of Onondaga, N. Y. A biographical sketch in Child's Gazetteer of Jefferson County, N. Y. indicates she was the daughter of a Henry Chase of Ellisburgh, N. Y.. There has been dispute as to whether the Child's Gazetteer family sketch concerning the parentage of Asenath Chase Wallace is correct. The 1820 Census shows no Henry Chase in the Town of Ellisburgh. Some researchers believe that Asenath was the daughter of Stephen Chase, not Henry Chase. Thus, my interest in this account written by the Eli Chase, who may have been a younger brother of Asenath Chase.

The Family of Stephen Chase and Orryanna Rowe Chase *

Daniel, b. July 25, 1800 Manlius, Onondaga Co., NY
Silas, b. June 4, 1803 Saratoga Springs, Saratoga Co., NY
Asenath, b. August 25, 1804 Providence, Saratoga Co., NY
Sophia, b. April 9, 1807 Ellisburgh, Jefferson Co., NY, d. 1821 Lewistown, Fulton Co., IL; buried: Same place (she died en route to where Lewistown now is)
Eli, b. Nov. 9, 1808 Ellisburgh, NY, d. Feb. 20, 1851 Salt Lake City, Utah
Orpha, b. Jan. 27, 1811 Ellisburgh, NY (Married Elijah Henry according to a descendant, Carol Crandell)
Orryanna, b. April 30, 1813 Ellisburgh, NY **
Darwin, b. Feb. 25, 1816 Ellisburgh, NY
Harriet, b. Oct. 27, 1821 Ellisburgh, NY
Stephen, b. Aug. 27, 1821 Ellisburgh, NY
Hiram Berry, b. March 14, 1823 Lewistown, Fulton Co., IL
Mary Mariah, b. March 29, 1825 Lewistown, IL

*Stephen Chase was born April 9, 1779 in Duchess County, N. Y. and Orryanna Rowe was born June 1, 1784 in Sharon, Dutchess County, N. Y. Note: November 9, 2007 - for anyone researching the Chase or Rowe families, I strongly suggest that you visit the following website. This is truly one of the best websites of its type that I have ever seen.

**Orryanna (daughter of Orryanna and Stephen) Chase married Ferdinand Van Dyke on Jan. 13, 1828 in Lewistown. The person who sent me this list had no information on a Henry Chase.

As I understand it there is an Ancestral File in the LDS Library which goes back 12 generations to John Chase, born in 1460.

I, personally, did not research the Chase family. What appears in my files was sent by others. My database and notes, showing the Chase family connection to my family, is available on the internet via WorldConnect. Send comments and queries to Shirley Farone.

Shirley Wonders......
Why my Grandmother Minnie never told me her great-grandmother, Orryanna Rowe Chase, and her family went west with the Mormons? Was she not aware at age 13 that the mother of her dear grandmother, Asenath Chase Wallace, was still living in 1880 - but way out in Salt Lake City? Had there been a family disconnect over Mormonism? Was such information withheld from my grandmother? Was the matter treated as hush-hush forever? Who wouldn't have interest in the trek west with the Mormons amidst the most extreme hardships, losses, pain and suffering?

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