Inez Knight Allen

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Amanda Inez Knight Allen
Personal details
Born(1876-09-08)September 8, 1876
Brigham Young Academy
Spouse(s)Robert Eugene Allen
Children5
ParentsJesse Knight
Amanda McEwan Knight
Signature 

Amanda Inez Knight Allen (September 8, 1876 – June 5, 1937[1]) was a Mormon missionary and a Utah politician. In 1898, she became one of the first two single women to be missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).[2]

Amanda Inez Knight was born near

Brigham Young Academy (BYA). By the age of 22, Knight had completed her studies at BYA and had moved to St. George, Utah, where she was involved in family genealogical research.[2]

Missionary service in Great Britain

On April 1, 1898, Knight was

Deseret Evening News, missionary Joseph S. Broadbent wrote that "Sisters Jennie Brimhall and Inez Knight, both of Provo, Utah, each spoke at some length on Utah and her people and bore strong testimonies on the restoration of the Gospel and the divine mission of Joseph Smith. There were about 800 people present and a pin could be heard drop."[4]

Knight and Brimhall not only traveled extensively in England, but throughout other parts of Europe as well. Knight reported having spent "a month visiting the principal cities of France, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, and Holland.[6] Knight believed that one of her main purposes as a missionary was to dispel the belief, common throughout Europe, that Mormon women "were downtrodden slaves".[6] Knight and the other missionaries were not always welcome, however. In February 1899, Knight was in attendance at a church meeting in Bristol when all of the windows were broken by anti-Mormon rioters. Knight, her companion, and the other missionaries had to seek protection from the local police.[7] Although Jennie Brimhall returned to Utah in November 1898 due to poor health, Knight continued her mission until 1900 with several other companions, including Liza Chipman and J. Clara Holbrook, both from Utah.[7] Due to the scarcity of lady missionaries, however, at times Knight served alone. She recorded in her journal one meeting in which "I was the only girl. I felt more conspicuous by the elders beginning their remarks; my brethren and sister."[2] Areas in which Knight served included Cheltenham, London, Kent, and Bristol.[6][7][8] Knight returned home from Britain in June 1900, after over two years service throughout Britain, Scotland, and Wales.[6]

Personal life and community work

In June 1902, Knight married Robert Eugene Allen, a prominent local banker and community developer, in the

Brigham Young Academy where he met Knight.[10][11] They had five sons, including W. Eugene J. Knight,[12] Robert K. Allen, Joseph Knight Allen, and Mark E. Allen.[13][14][15]

After her marriage, Inez Allen was active in various areas within the church and the community. From 1927 until her death (10 years) she was a member of the Relief Society's general board.[16] Allen was also extensively involved with Brigham Young Academy for several years following her mission to Great Britain. In 1900, just a few months after returning home, Allen was named matron for "Missionary Theology for Girls" of the academy.[17][18] Allen was the matron of the school for two years despite personal setbacks, which included falling ill with smallpox in October 1900.[17] Allen helped initiate the community welfare department in Provo and was active in the Red Cross organization of Utah County.[2]

Allen was frequently honored for her role as one of the first two single female missionaries for the LDS church. In 1934 she and

Jennie Brimhall Knight were honored by Church President Heber J. Grant at a meeting of the Yesharah Society.[19] In addition to her leadership in the Relief Society and membership in the Yesharah Society, Allen participated in various other activities and clubs, including the Nelke Reading Club.[20]

Political work

Allen was also active in the

Cleveland, Ohio. Because her husband was a Republican, Allen's political experiences were sometimes unique. For example, in 1924, Allen attended both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions, the first she attended as a Democratic national committeewoman, the second she attended with her husband, who was acting as a delegate from Utah.[16] Additionally, Allen was elected to the National Women's Democratic Committee in 1928.[2] Allen was frequently recognized and honored for her political efforts, and was named Utah's "Goddess of Liberty" at the 1898 or 1900 Provo Fourth of July Celebration.[25]

In 1937, Allen died unexpectedly in her home in

Relief Society General Board, and faculty of BYU in attendance.[26]
She is buried at the Provo City Cemetery.

Legacy

Inez Allen and her husband passed on a legacy of participation in local, state, and national politics to their children. Robert K. Allen served nationally as a U.S. Treasury agent from 1934 to 1945, working both in the United States and at the U.S. Embassy in Paris. He served locally as well, running for Provo City Council in 1961[13] and for mayor of Provo in 1965.[27] Both Mrs. and Mr. Allen donated generous amounts of money to Brigham Young Academy. Inez Allen began donating as early as 1897. A year before her mission, she donated $10,000 to the institution, the only woman among the ten significant donors that year.[28] As a donor, Allen was asked to give a speech at the 1897 ground-breaking ceremony of the new college building, again being the only woman invited to do so.[29] A men's dormitory hall was named in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Knight in 1937.[30]

Publications

  • "Conference Addresses". Relief Society Magazine. 15 (1): 22–24. January 1928.
  • "Jennie Brimhall Knight". Relief Society Magazine. 15 (12): 646–688. December 1928.
  • "Relief Society Conference: Saturday Afternoon". Relief Society Magazine. 7 (6): 353–358. June 1920.

Notes

  1. ^ State of Utah Death Certificate: Amanda Inez Knight Allen, utah.gov
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Diane L. Mangum, "The First Sister Missionaries", Ensign, July 1980.
  3. ^ "Women's Dormitory to be Named Amanda Knight Hall". The Sunday Herald. Provo, Utah. November 6, 1938. pp. 1, 4. Retrieved March 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^
    Deseret Evening News
    . Salt Lake City, Utah. p. 9. Retrieved July 27, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. The Salt Lake Herald
    . Salt Lake City, Utah. April 3, 1898. p. 6. Retrieved July 27, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Miss Inez Knight Writes of her Experiences in Great Britain- Mobbed by Women". The Salt Lake Herald. July 8, 1900. p. 9. Retrieved March 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ a b c "Temple and Tabernacle". The Lehi Banner. Lehi, Utah. February 18, 1899. p. 1. Retrieved July 28, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Misses Jennie Brimhall and Inez Knight". The Lehi Banner. May 10, 1898. p. 6. Retrieved March 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. Deseret Evening News
    . Salt Lake City, Utah. June 14, 1902. p. 28. Retrieved July 27, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ a b c "Leading Provo Banker, Developer Dies at 89". The Daily Herald. Provo, Utah. April 27, 1967. p. 4. Retrieved March 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. Deseret Evening News
    . Salt Lake City, Utah. April 7, 1910. p. 2. Retrieved March 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ Binheim, Max (1928). Women of the West; a series of biographical sketches of living eminent women in the eleven western states of the United States of America. p. 171.
  13. ^ a b "Robert K. (Bob) Allen Files for City Council". The Daily Herald. Provo, Utah. October 2, 1961. p. 2. Retrieved March 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Stanford Awards Degrees to Three Provo Residents". The Evening Herald. Provo, Utah. April 12, 1939. p. 1. Retrieved March 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Active Provo Business, Community Leader Dies". The Daily Herald. Provo, Utah. April 23, 1976. p. 2. Retrieved March 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ a b c d e "Inez Knight Allen Services Wednesday: Beloved Provo Woman Succumbs to Acute Gastritis Attack Saturday Night". The Daily Herald. Provo, Utah. June 7, 1937. pp. 1, 8. Retrieved March 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^
    The Salt Lake Herald
    . October 11, 1900. p. 5. Retrieved July 28, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. Deseret Evening News
    . Salt Lake City, Utah. December 15, 1900. p. 52. Retrieved July 28, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "Church Honors Early Workers in Mission Field: Five Women Entertained at Breakfast Meeting of Yesharah". The Salt Lake Tribune. June 10, 1934. p. 61. Retrieved March 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ "Nelke Reading". The Daily Herald. Provo, Utah. October 13, 1936. p. 3. Retrieved March 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ "The Primaries: Delegates Elected to Attend the County Convention". The Evening Dispatch. Provo, Utah. August 8, 1895. p. 1. Retrieved July 28, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. The Ogden Standard-Examiner. August 20, 1931. pp. 1, 2
    . Retrieved March 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ "Inez Knight Allen". The Daily Herald. Provo, Utah. June 7, 1937. p. 4. Retrieved March 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ "Official Ballot: For Delegates to Convention to Reject or Ratify the Following Proposed Amendment to the Constitution of the United States". The Salt Lake Tribune. October 30, 1933. p. 18. Retrieved March 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ "You're an Old-Timer if you Recall These Events". The Daily Herald. Provo, Utah. July 22, 1976. p. 24. Retrieved March 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ^ "High Church Officials Pay Tribute to Inez Knight Allen". The Daily Herald. Provo, Utah. June 10, 1937. pp. 1, 2. Retrieved March 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  27. ^ "It's Time for a Change: Elect Bob Allen Mayor". The Sunday Herald. Provo, Utah. October 30, 1965. p. 13. Retrieved March 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. The Salt Lake Herald
    . Salt Lake City, Utah. December 31, 1899. p. 20. Retrieved July 28, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  29. Deseret Evening News
    . Salt Lake City, Utah. September 28, 1897. p. 5. Retrieved July 28, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  30. ^ "'Y' Dormitory to be Named Allen Hall". The Daily Herald. Provo, Utah. December 8, 1937. p. 1. Retrieved March 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.

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