McAllister, Daniel Handley

File — Box: 3, Folder: 5

Identifier: I

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Northern Arizona Period, 1876-77. This journal begins with a short autobiographical sketch of McAllister's life up to the point when he volunteered to go to Arizona to "make a settlement." He went with the William C. Allen Company, which started the trip February 1, 1876. He kept a record of miles traveled each day from Salt Lake City to Arizona and mentioned in his diary where they camped, the weather conditions, etc. It snowed during much of the trip and the road was very rough. They arrived at the site destined for settlement on March 30, 1876.

April 1, 1876: Chopped trees down for house foundations. Hard looking country.
April 10, 1876: Drove team and hauled brush for the roof of the house. Hauled some rock to build a cookhouse.
McAllister's diary is primarily concerned with the different work projects in which he was involved while getting the settlement underway. He worked at the masonry, the dam and the ditch; helped build a bridge for the mail to cross the water ditch; built a bowery to hold meetings in; hauled rock for houses; planted corn and irrigated; began construction of a fort; and hauled logs to build a corral. He records a trip to Kanab for provisions. McAllister asked permission to return to Salt Lake City and obtained it. He began his journey home March 8, 1877. His last journal entry is dated March 31, 1877. Bound volume. 16 pages.

Dates

1857-1986

Conditions Governing Access

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.