Levi Savage Jr.

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Levi Savage Jr. was born 23 March 1823 in Greenfield, Huron County, Ohio, son of Levi Savage Sr. and Polly Haynes. He was the second of fifteen children. He grew up in southern Michigan having moved there from Ohio.

Picture of Levi Savage Jr. - [1]

Levi Savage was apart of the early westward movement of the Mormon Church into Utah. Levi's key activities include:

• A member in one of the earlist 1847 Mormon wagon trains migrating to Utah
  
• One of 500 members of the famous Mormon Battalion to assist the U. S. Army in the Mexican war 1846-48
  
• An early Mormon religious missionary to Burma and India in the far east
  
• Circumnavigated the world between 1852 – 1856 at the age of 33 years old
  
• A leader and surviving member of the ill-fated 1856 Willy hand-cart company moored in winter storms in Wyoming
  
• Writer of an important personal journal from 1852-1903 that is quoted and referenced by many for his involvement in the early western Mormon migration and examples of life on the fronter
  

Levi was a farm boy with some schooling. He became a teamster, soldier, teacher, pioneer and missionary to the Far East, India and Burma. He finished his life as a farmer in southern Utah.

In the early 1840's his father and mother became affiliated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS) generally called Mormon. The family moved from Michigan to Nauvoo, Illinois and later moved with the Mormons to Salt Lake City, Utah in 1847.

During the move from Nauvoo, Illinois to Salt Lake City, Utah Levi Jr. was enlisted in the U.S Army as a part of the Mormon Battalion. Levi's enlistment was for one year July 1846 – January 1847 in Company D of the battalion. The battalion marched 1,400 miles from Council Bluff, Iowa to San Diego, California.

Levi's family was a part of the Abraham O. Smoot/George B. Wallace wagon train company of 1847. Levi's mother, Polly Haynes Savage, died on the wagon trek to Utah. Levi did not find this out until after he finished his enlistment with the Mormon battalion. Levi arrived in Salt Lake City, Utah via San Diego on 16 October 1847, just three weeks after the family had arrived in Utah. Levi's father had brought Miss Jane Mathers on the wagon trek to cook for the family. Levi had formed an acquaintance with Jane before his Mormon battalion experience. When Levi connected back with the family, he and Jane renewed their acquaintance and were married 23 January 1848.

Levi and Jane had their first and only child on 11 January 1851 named Levi Mathers Savage. Jane died 29 December 1851 leaving Levi Jr to raise their infant. In October 1852, Levi Jr. was called on a Mormon mission to the Far East country of Siam. This required Levi Jr. to leave his 21 month old son with his sister Hannah Maria Savage Eldridge while he served a four year mission in the Far East.

Levi left for Siam 21 October 1852 by traveling through Las Vegas, Nevada to Los Angeles, California and then by boat to San Fransisco, California. On 30 January 1853 Levi left San Fransisco headed for Siam. After the boat left, Levi was struck with small pox but survived the outbreak. Levi arrived in Calcutta, India 25 April 1853 and then went on to Rangoon, Burma but spent most of his time in Calcutta. Siam was experiencing a civil war and thus Levi never reached Siam. Levi served 2 1/2 years in the Far East mission and started home for Utah on 12 October 1855. He travel from Calcutta, India to Boston, Massachusetts by going around the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa. Levi arrived in Boston 28 February 1856 and went on to Ohio and Michigan to visit family. From his journal Levi writes on 19 June 1856, “I have circled the globe.”

On 10 July 1856 Levi was in Iowa City, Iowa and joined the ill-fated Willy hand-cart company that was planning to travel to Salt Lake City. Levi was one of the “sub captains” of the group. On 13 August 1856 Levi is quoted as telling the group that going so late in the season was dangerous. According to a narrative of this fatal journey given by John Chislett, when Elder Savage was overruled he said, “What I have said I know to be true; but seeing you are to go forward, I will go with you, will help all I can, will work with you, will rest with you, and if necessary, will die with you. May god in his mercy bless and preserve us.” Over one fifth of the group died from freezing and starvation before they arrived in Salt Lake City, Utah on 9 November 1856.

Levi had returned to Salt Lake City some four years after his trip around the world. His son Levi Mathers Savage was now over five years old.

After all of Levi's world experience he moved to Lehi, Utah for seven years and then on to Toquerville, Utah where he lived the last 45 years of his life with his three wives and three children. Levi and his family lived in a little adobe house sharing all the common illnesses, ordinary difficulties, deaths of children, grandchildren, sacrifices to send boys on Mormon missions and children to school, weddings, special family dinners and being helpful to their neighbors.

Levi kept a very lengthy journal starting 6 October 1852 to 16 March 1903 and one of his last entries is February of 1903, “This date shows that I have neglected to note daily occurrences in my journal for some time past; however, it is better late than never.”

Levi Savage Jr. passed away on 13 December 1910 in Toquerville, Washington County, Utah and is buried in the cemetery in Toquerville.

Secondary Source Links

A DOCUMENTED, RESEARCHED ROSTER OF THE MORMON BATTALION - [2]

Mexican War 1846-48 - [3]

Rescue of the 1856 Handcart Companies (Excertps)- [4]

They Came by Handcart By Paul H. Peterson - [5]

A HISTORY OF SIVOGAH TO DRAPER CITY 1849—1977 - [6]

History of Toquerville, Washington County, Utah - [7]

External Links

Resources used to write article.

Levi Savage Jr. journal - [8]

Levi Mathers Savage (Son) journal - [9]