Jesse O. Ballenger letters
Scope and Contents
Photocopies of typescripts of four letters by Ballenger, three addressed to President Brigham Young and one to Apostle John Taylor outlining conditions in the settlement at Sunset Crossing, Arizona. Content includes relationship with local Native American tribes. Dated 1876-1877.
Dates
- 1876-1877
Creator
- Ballenger, Jesse O. (Jesse Oglestone), 1824-1881 (author, Person)
- Tanner, George S. (transcriber, Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Open for public research.
Conditions Governing Use
It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances. Permission to publish material from Jesse O. Ballenger letters must be obtained from the Supervisor of Reference Services and/or the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Board of Curators.
Biographical History
Jesse O. Ballenger (1824-1881) was an early Mormon farmer in Utah and colonizer in northern Arizona.
Jesse Oglestone Ballenger was born November 20, 1824, in Jamestown, Kentucky, to Mary Ann (Polly) Hartley and Thomas Ballenger. He married Virginia Steveson Jones on March 9, 1869, in Salt Lake City, Utah, and they had one child together. He worked as a farmer while in Utah. In 1876, he was one of four leaders of companies to help establish Mormon settlements in northern Arizona along the Little Colorado River. Ballenger's settlement was first called Ballenger, but was changed in 1878 to Brigham City. The community was based on the United Order system of organization, and at its peak had about 275 people. By 1881 many became discouraged and it was disbanded, the settlers scattering to other Arizona communities, or leaving Arizona all together.
Jesse O. Ballenger died December 31, 1881, in Springville, Utah.
Extent
1 folder (0.1 linear ft.)
Language of Materials
English
Custodial History
Donated by George S. Tanner, who collected these letters while researching on Mormon settlements in northern Arizona.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated; George S. Tanner. Date of acquisition unknown.
Appraisal
Utah and the American West and LDS cultural, social, and religious history (19th Century Mormon and Western Manuscripts collection development policy 1.V, November 2013.)
- Ballenger, Jesse O. (Jesse Oglestone), 1824-1881 -- Correspondence
- Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
- Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -- Arizona
- Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -- Missions -- Arizona
- Frontier and pioneer life -- Arizona
- Indians of North America -- Arizona
- Latter Day Saints -- Colonization -- Arizona
- Letters
- Missions and Missionaries
- Taylor, John, 1808-1887 -- Correspondence
- United orders (Latter Day Saint churches) -- Arizona
- Young, Brigham, 1801-1877 -- Correspondence
- Title
- Register of Jesse O. Ballenger letters
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Patsy Shin Hernandez
- Date
- 2010 July 20
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English in Latin script.
Repository Details
Part of the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Repository
1130 HBLL
Brigham Young University
Provo Utah 84602 United States