- Veteran/Musician of Mormon Battalion
Biography
Elisha Averett, Sr. was born 12 December 1810 in Gallatin, Sumner County, Tennessee, United States to John Averett (1780-1847) and Jennette Hamilton Gill (1786-1855) and died 22 October 1890 Glendale, Kane County, Utah, United States of unspecified causes. He married Dorcas Willis (1810-1843) 15 January 1838 in Steer Creek, Caldwell County, Missouri, United States. He married Sarah Jane Witt (1831-1875) 19 January 1846 in Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois. He married Margaret Stewart (1814-) 20 December 1878 in St. George, Washington County, Utah.
Elisha and his twin brother Elijah were body guards for Prophet Joseph Smith.
Black Hawk War (1832)
History - Dorcas (Willis) Witt, (she was a cousin of Joshua T. Willis) was the widow of Robert Witt who was killed in an affray or fight in McLeansboro, Hamilton County, Illinois. Robert Witt had come to McLeanboro when he was nineteen years of age. He became one of the blacksmiths for the town. Robert also served in the Black Hawk War in 1832.
Elijah and Elisha Averett were also soldiers of the war and in the same county company as was Robert. The brothers were nearby neighbors to Robert and his family living in the Mayberry Settlement just nine miles south of McLeansboro. The Averett family had moved to Illinois from Maury County, Tennessee. The Witts became members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints soon after it was organized.
Mormon Battalion Veteran
Participant in the march of The Mormon Battalion. This unit of the US Army served in the Mexican-American War and was the only religiously based infantry unit ever created by Presidential order. It consisted of nearly 500 men recruited exclusively from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly called the Mormons). They undertook the longest infantry march in U.S. military history (as of 1847) and in the process marked out and creating the first continuous wagon road to California which linked the future states of New Mexico, Arizona, and California to the United States. Most members served an initial 12 month term (Jul 1846- Jul 1847) with some members re-enlisting for an additional 12 months afterwards.
Elisha was in the Mormon Battalion in Company A. Elisha Averett, Musician
(See Bliss Journal, June 20, 1847 arrived at San Diego from Purbelo) Married to Dorcas Porter Willis. "Sun 20th The ship came in to Port yesterday about noon & this morning after Dress Parade Some 7 of us borrowed Capt Fitchs Sail Boat & viseted the Shiping; went on board of the Loo-Choo a merchant vessil bought a variety of articles. took dinner & Sailed back to San Diego. on the whole it was a pleasant Sail though the Bay was rough; on our return to quarters found Bros [Elisha] Everett [Company A] & [Stephen M.] St. John [Company E] from the Purbelo to visit us" excerpt from Robert Stanton Bliss diary
Children
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| William Averett (1839-1909) | |||
| Daughter Willis Averett (1841-1843) | |||
| Daughter Willis Averett (1843-1843) | |||
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Dorcus Averett (1846-1907) | |||
| Elisha Averett (1848-1912) | |||
| Sarah Jane Averett (1849-1893) | |||
| Jane Averett (1850-) | |||
| Kizzie Ann Averett (1852-1924) | |||
| John Harvey Averett (1854-1917) | 8 March 1854 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, United States | 5 May 1917 Logandale, Clark County, Nevada, United States | Susan Emeline Allphin (1861-1890) Mary Barkley (1854-) Mary Jane Connelley (1869-1956) |
| Elijah Averett (1856-1868) | |||
| Eliza Averett (1856-1868) | |||
| Emily Losana Averett (1859-) | |||
| George Averett (1859-1939) | |||
| William Averett (1860-) | |||
| Robert Wesley Averett (1861-1936) | 6 April 1861 Heber City, Summit County, Utah, United States | 29 June 1936 Missoula, Missoula County, Montana, United States | Cathern Leonor Allphin (1869-1943) |
| James Lafatett Averett (1863-1943) | |||
| Lucy Lavinia Averett (1866-1931) | |||
| Jeanette Eliza Averett (1868-1946) | |||
| Byron Averett (1871-1954) | 2 April 1871 Washington, Washington County, Utah, United States | 3 September 1954 Twin Falls County, Idaho, United States | Sonora Elizabeth Averett (1875-1948) |
| David Averett (1875-1876) | |||
Siblings
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Mary Averett (1807-1871) | |||
| Jennett Averett (1809-1887) | |||
| Elijah Averett (1810-1886) | 12 December 1810 Maury County, Tennessee, United States | 2 September 1886 Springerville, Apache County, Arizona, United States | Cherrizade Bernice Grimes (1812-1896) Johanna Christine Nielsen (1837-1924) |
| Elisha Averett (1810-1890) | 12 December 1810 Gallatin, Sumner County, Tennessee, United States | 22 October 1890 Glendale, Kane County, Utah, United States | Dorcas Willis (1810-1843) Sarah Jane Witt (1831-1875) Margaret Stewart (1814-) |
| Eliza Averett (1814-1853) | |||
| Sarah Averett (1816-1841) | |||
| Pyrena Averett (1819-1852) | |||
| John Averett (1821-1852) | |||
| George Washington Gill Averett (1824-1902) | 20 January 1824 Maury County, Tennessee, United States | 14 January 1902 Washington, Washington County, Utah, United States | Nancy Ann Turnbaugh (1836-1909) |
| Patrick Gill Averett (1827-1827) | |||
| Alexander Murray Averett (1828-1875) | |||
Residences
See Also
- Elisha Averett
- Averett Family
- Soldiers of the Mormon Battalion
- Averett in Caldwell County, Missouri
- Averett in Washington County, Utah
- Averett in Kane County, Utah