Joel Stonebraker & Mary Ann Phelps

Picture taken at St. Charles, Mo. Bank in the 1840's
John Jay Johns at left, John Stonebraker behind window in hat.

            Joel W. Stonebraker was born in Ohio in 1815 to John Dietrich Stonebraker and Jane Williams.  Joel and Mary Ann Phelps were married in Nodaway County, Missouri on 21 June, 1849.   Joel's brother Joseph was married just one month prior, on 17 May 1849, to Mary Ann's sister Phebe.  Within just a one month period, the Phelps family and the Stonebraker's had joined forces in matrimony twice.  
            Very little is known about Joel's family and life.  The Stonebraker family moved from Ohio to Missouri, but it is unclear when.  There were several Stonebrakers in Missouri in the late 1840's.  It is unclear if any other family joined the church, but we do know that only Joel and his brother Joseph made the trek out west.

Mary Ann Phelps

Close-up/enhanced photo
 of John Stonebraker in hat

In the spring of 1850 Joel and Mary Ann Phelps joined Captain David Evens' Company  at Winter Quarters and started for Utah along with the rest of the Phelps family and Joel's brother Joseph Stonebraker.  This took three months to reach the Salt Lake Valley. They arrived Sept. 15, 1850. This entire company went to Ogden, as they were asked to do. The Phelps and Stonebraker's settled near where the Ogden depot now stands. The 1850 senses lists Joel's occupation as blacksmith.  Joel's brother Joseph Stonebraker was a miller by trade and helped establish flour mills in Utah.

            Joel and Mary had their first daughter shortly after arriving in Ogden. They had three more children after that. Joel and Mary were divorced three years after having their last child. Mary was remarried to another divorcee, Captain Rufus Allen. It is unclear if Joel ever remarried. Joel passed away on 22 Aug 1903.

            Marry Ann Phelps was born on 1 July, 1831 in Cincinnati, Hamilton, Ohio to John Phelps and Mary Leachman Phelps.  In 1843, John and Mary Phelps were baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints. Mary Ann was also baptized on that date along with her sister phoebe and brother Alma. This family was probably converted by missionaries who had been sent out from Nauvoo to preach the gospel. Mary Ann's mother and the Prophet's wife Emma were good Friends. 

            After her divorce from Joel W. Stonebraker, Mary Ann was married to Rufus Allen of Conneticut on 3 June 1861 in Ogden Utah.  They had an additional eight children together.  Rufus Allen, came to Utah with the Brigham Young Pioneer Company 1847 at the age of 33. This original pioneer company consisted of 142 men, 3 women, and 2 children, and 72 wagons when they left the outfitting post of Winter Quarters, Nebraska. They covered the 1031 miles of the trail in 111 days. Rufus Allen was one of the original Utah pioneers of 1847 and President of the 76th quorum seventies.

The Following are photos of three of Mary and Rufus' children

Harriet Allen

Alma Allen

William Allen

Marry Ann Phelps passed away on 7 February, 1912 in Riverdale, Weber County, Utah.