Duncan Spears Casper
Encyclopedia
Duncan Spears Casper was an early Mormon
pioneer and one of the first settlers of Holladay, Utah
, the United States
.
Casper was born December 8, 1824, in Bellville, Ohio
, the son of William and Avarilla Durbin Casper. His mother joined the Campbellite
s when he was eight years old, and a year later, after Mormon missionaries came through their area, his older brother William Wallace joined the Mormons. Casper's parents joined two years later and in 1837 they moved the family to Missouri
, where they purchased a home.
Mobs drove the Latter Day Saints from Missouri, and Casper's parents had to leave their home behind. They rented a farm near Fairfield, Illinois
, then moved on to Carthage, Illinois
. In 1841 they moved to Nauvoo
, where Duncan was finally baptized at age 16.
In May 1845, 20-year-old Casper married 24-year-old Matilda Allison, a fellow Ohioan and a descendant of Thomas Miner
. The next year, Casper and all of his brothers left Nauvoo for Missouri as mobs were preparing to drive the Latter Day Saints from Illinois. His parents stayed behind with the two unmarried children because someone had stolen his father's horses. That summer, his father fell ill and died at age 62. Casper returned to Nauvoo and brought his mother and two siblings back to Missouri, where they stayed for nine years.
In 1855, Casper crossed the plains with his wife, children, and mother in Captain Hindley's Company. In Utah, they settled in Big Cottonwood (present-day Holladay), where they owned a home and land. Casper also raised stock and sheep on land he purchased in Idaho
. He served as a trustee in the Big Cottonwood School District.
In 1867, Casper was called to help the struggling Muddy Mission
. Due to his wife's poor health, she stayed behind and died in 1871. They had nine children together.
Casper married Elizabeth Ann Clark, English immigrant, in 1872. She had two children from a previous marriage. Casper adopted her children and the couple went on to have seven more together. Casper did not practice plural marriage
. He died on May 20, 1898, and is buried in Holladay, Utah.
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
pioneer and one of the first settlers of Holladay, Utah
Holladay, Utah
Holladay is a city in Salt Lake County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Salt Lake City, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 26,472 at the 2010 census, a significant increase from 14,561 in 2000. The city was incorporated on November 29, 1999 as Holladay-Cottonwood, and the...
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Casper was born December 8, 1824, in Bellville, Ohio
Bellville, Ohio
Bellville is a village in Richland County in the U.S. state of Ohio. It is part of the Mansfield, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,773 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
, the son of William and Avarilla Durbin Casper. His mother joined the Campbellite
Campbellite
Campbellite refers to any of the religious groups historically descended from the Restoration Movement, a religious reform movement in the early 19th century in the United States...
s when he was eight years old, and a year later, after Mormon missionaries came through their area, his older brother William Wallace joined the Mormons. Casper's parents joined two years later and in 1837 they moved the family to Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, where they purchased a home.
Mobs drove the Latter Day Saints from Missouri, and Casper's parents had to leave their home behind. They rented a farm near Fairfield, Illinois
Fairfield, Illinois
Fairfield is the county seat of Wayne County, Illinois, United States, the site of Frontier Community College, , , and Airtex; an auto parts manufacturing facility...
, then moved on to Carthage, Illinois
Carthage
Carthage , implying it was a 'new Tyre') is a major urban centre that has existed for nearly 3,000 years on the Gulf of Tunis, developing from a Phoenician colony of the 1st millennium BC...
. In 1841 they moved to Nauvoo
Nauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. Although the population was just 1,063 at the 2000 census, and despite being difficult to reach due to its location in a remote corner of Illinois, Nauvoo attracts large numbers of visitors for its historic importance and its...
, where Duncan was finally baptized at age 16.
In May 1845, 20-year-old Casper married 24-year-old Matilda Allison, a fellow Ohioan and a descendant of Thomas Miner
Thomas Miner
Thomas Miner or Minor was a founder of New London and Stonington, Connecticut, USA, and an early New England diarist.-Early life and marriage:...
. The next year, Casper and all of his brothers left Nauvoo for Missouri as mobs were preparing to drive the Latter Day Saints from Illinois. His parents stayed behind with the two unmarried children because someone had stolen his father's horses. That summer, his father fell ill and died at age 62. Casper returned to Nauvoo and brought his mother and two siblings back to Missouri, where they stayed for nine years.
In 1855, Casper crossed the plains with his wife, children, and mother in Captain Hindley's Company. In Utah, they settled in Big Cottonwood (present-day Holladay), where they owned a home and land. Casper also raised stock and sheep on land he purchased in Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
. He served as a trustee in the Big Cottonwood School District.
In 1867, Casper was called to help the struggling Muddy Mission
St. Thomas, Nevada
St. Thomas, Nevada, is a ghost town in Clark County, Nevada, near where the Muddy River flows into the Colorado River. St. Thomas was purchased by the US Federal Government and abandoned as the waters of Lake Mead submerged the town. It is now located within the Lake Mead National Recreation...
. Due to his wife's poor health, she stayed behind and died in 1871. They had nine children together.
Casper married Elizabeth Ann Clark, English immigrant, in 1872. She had two children from a previous marriage. Casper adopted her children and the couple went on to have seven more together. Casper did not practice plural marriage
Plural marriage
Polygamy was taught by leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for more than half of the 19th century, and practiced publicly from 1852 to 1890.The Church's practice of polygamy has been highly controversial, both within...
. He died on May 20, 1898, and is buried in Holladay, Utah.