Charles Allen

Charles Allen was an early convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He, along with Bishop Edward Partridge was tarred and feathered during the mob violence against the Saints in Jackson County, Missouri, in July 1833. This is mentioned in a talk given by President James E. Faust.

On July 20, 1833, Edward was sitting at home with his frail wife, who had just given birth. Three mobsters burst in and dragged him into the bedlam of the street and then into the square, where they had already taken Charles Allen. A mob of about 300 demanded through their spokesman that Edward and Charles either renounce their faith in the Book of Mormon or leave the county. Edward Partridge responded: “If I must suffer for my religion, it is no more than others have done before me. I am not conscious of having injured anyone in the county and therefore will not consent to leave. I have done nothing to offend anyone. If you abuse me, you are injuring an innocent man.” The mob then daubed Edward and Charles from head to foot with hot tar containing pearl ash, a flesh-eating acid, and then they threw feathers that stuck to the burning tar.[1]

Allen was born on December 26, 1806, in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. He was a farmer and auctioneer. After joining the Church, he moved to Independence, Missouri. By 1841, he moved to Nauvoo, Illinois. He was appointed quartermaster sergeant in the Nauvoo Legion in May 1842. By May 1850, he moved to Pottawattamie County, Iowa (later named Council Bluffs). He had three wives, Eliza Tibbits (married approximately 1832), Rebecca Winslow (May 1850) and Sarah Gaylord (June 1856).

He died sometime around 1870 and never denied the Book of Mormon.