Son of Abraham Hunsaker and Eliza Collins

Married Susannah Dunn, 24 Apr 1859, Brigham City, Box Elder, Utah.

Children: Martin Leroy Hunsaker, Eliza Hunsaker, Abraham Hunsaker, Jacob A. Hunsaker, Allen "D" Hunsaker.

Married Eveline Silver Dunn, 5 Oct 1868, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah.

Children: Emmeline Maud Hunsaker, Lewis Hunsaker, Letitia Hunsaker, Eva Louisa Hunsaker, Amy Hunsaker, Harriet Vessie Hunsaker, Aleen Hunsaker, Ethel Hunsaker, Lilly Mary Hunsaker, Lorenzo Snow Hunsaker, Oscar Hunsaker, Nephi Hunsaker, Simeon Atwood Hunsaker, Harold Hunsaker, Susie Hunsaker, Margaret Hunsaker, Adeline Hunsaker.

History - Allen was only six years old when the Saints were driven out of Nauvoo in 1846. With his parent he went to Winter Quarters and remained there with his mother while his father went with the Mormon Battalion. Allen was eight years old when his family emigrated to Utah.

Allen was with his father at the time Lewis was captured or killed by Indians at Utah Lake. At the time, a number of other people were killed and Allen used to tell his children that he was afraid to look at each body he discovered for fear that it would be that of his brother Lewis.

While Allen and his father were looking for Lewis, some soldiers arrived from Salt Lake City to help them. The soldiers turned wagons over for protection against the Indians and to provide a safe place from which to shoot. It grew dark, and when Allen and his father returned after their fruitless search, the soldiers thought they were Indians and their captain gave the order to fire. The hand of providence intervened and the soldiers' guns failed to go off.

When Abraham went to settle Carson Valley, Nevada, Allen went with him to helf in this endeavor. They were recalled to Utah, and Allen and his father were among the men sent to Echo Canyon to stop Johnston's Army from marching into Utah. This group built fortifications and delayed the army in the canyon for four weeks. During this time the Saints were advised to move south into Utah County and the soldiers then were allowed to enter the Salt Lake Valley. Allen was detailed to the group of men whose responsibility it was to burn houses and farms if the soldiers showed any further hostility. Many Indians had joined the army and serious trouble was feared.

Allen moved to Honeyville with his father. There he met Susannah Dunn married her on 24 April 1858 at Brigham City. In 1864 he was called to go to the Missouri River to get a threshing machine and two pianos. After returning from this trip he made his home in Brigham City until 1869 when he moved back to Honeyville.

On 5 October 1868, Allen married Eveline Dunn, the sister of Susannah, in a polygamous marriage, in Salt Lake City. He continued living in Honeyville until 1879 when he moved his families to Elwood, which was then just a sagebrush flat. At this time he kept a large herd of sheep.

In 1887 the raids of the federal marshals against the polygamists started, and in order to avoid being arrested, Allen and his wives had to stay in hiding away from their homes most of the time. Allen was finally caught, however, and sent to prison for six months. After he was released and had been home only a few months, the marshals arrested him several times more. These arrests were made to harass Allen, and as they could find no new charges to make against him, he finally left in peace.

At the time he was serving his prison sentence, there were many other Mormons there, among them Rudger Clawson and Lorenzo Snow. Allen formed a lasting friendship with these men which endured the remainder of his life.

Allen was very active in the affairs of the Elwood Ward. He was ordained a High Priest and Presiding Elder by President Lorenzo Snow and held this position for ten years. The meetins were held in his house, and his house and his house also served as a school for many years. Allen paid a teacher to live there and teach the children.

About 1900, Allen disposed of all but a few of his sheep which he kept at Clarkston. He had been losing his eyesight for some time and in 1914 he went blind. His blindness was very hard on him as he could not get around as he was accustomed to doing and as a result his general health failed very fast. Despite this, Allen was always cheerful. He used to enjoy sitting in his big chair for hours at a time while he sang his favorite songs of Zion.

Allen died on 25 October 1917 at Elwood. He was buried in the Brigham City Cemetery. - Written by Aleen Hunsaker Hansen