Amanda Melvina Sagers 1821-1848

Amanda, the youngest child of John and Amy Sweet Sagers, was born in Hanover, New York. May 5, 1821. Nothing is known of her youth. We do know that when 12 years of age she was living in Elk Creek, Eric County, Pennsylvania. March 28, 1833, she was baptized by Evan M. Greene and John B. Boynton. See Journal History for that date. She followed her mother to Kirtland where she remained at least two years.

We do know that her sister, Mariah Sagers Fisk, moved to Missouri in August 1835, so we can easily believe that Amy Clothier and Amanda were in the same wagon train.

After the death of Mariah [Sagers Fisk] in September. 1835, we believe Amanda accompanied the Clothiers to Far West. We know Amanda lived in Far West till 1838 for that is where she met and married Lysander Gee. September 5, 1838.

Fifty-two days later. Governor Boggs issued his famous exterminating order, which gave the Gees and all Saints the choice between banishment and death. This was not a pleasant prospect for the newlyweds. Amanda and Lysander met the challenge by moving to Quincy, Adams County, Illinois. In Quincy their first and only child was born, Orlando Lysander Gee, December 12,1839.

After the arrival of Orlando we do not know how long the Gees remained in Quincy. We do know that Lysander was ordained an Elder April 6. 1840 by William Smith. The General conference of the Church was held at that day in Nauvoo so the author believes the ordination took place in Nauvoo.

Lysander served as a Missionary in Iowa in 1844. In 1845, he was made a member of the 31st Quorum of Seventies. Lysander was born in Austinburg, Ohio, September 1, 1818, the son of Salmon and Sarah Watson Crane Gee. His pedigree, with 56 known ancestors, shows he came from the same progenitors that  Joseph Smith did. His father, Salmon, was a member of the First Seven Presidents of Seventies from April 6, 1837, to March 6, 1838.

The author believes the Gees moved to Nauvoo before the April Conference of 1840. The Nauvoo Temple records show that Amanda was endowed the same day she was sealed to Lysander (February 4, 1846). Lysander had previously been endowed (January 6, 1846). Lysander believed in polygamy, as proof the Nauvoo Temple records show he married Theresa Rowley [Bowley] February 12, 1846.

How long the Gees remained in St. Louis after her passing is unknown. The Journal History solves this problem. That reliable authority reports (July 4, 1849), that Lysander Gee, wife Theresa, son Orlando, and daughter Rosilia [Rozelia], left the Missouri River in George A. Smith's Fourth Company for the west. They arrived in the [Salt Lake] Valley October 27, 1849. A nephew of Amanda was in this same Company, John Sagers Eaton.

Lysander and family remained in Salt Lake City about six years. Meanwhile. February 10, 1850, Lysander went into polygamy again. He married Marzella Rowe [Maryette Rowe Gates]. About 1855, the family moved to Tooele, there Lysander spent the rest of his life. In the August election of 1878, Lysander was elected the first Prosecuting Attorney of Tooele County.

Lysander died June 27, 1894 - exactly 50 years after the Prophet's death. At the time of his death, Lysander was the father of 11 [21] children, the grandfather of 16 [79]. His son Orlando, married Mary E. Bates. In 1888, Orlando moved to Oakley, Idaho, where he spent the rest of his life.

[The Author of this history is not cited]

The cause of Amanda’s death was not stated and I do not have any history that suggests a cause of her demise. Lysander and Amanda moved to Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois by 1840 because he was baptized a member of the church there 10, February, 1840.

There is information on a brother Gee in an autobiography of John Lowe Butler published in Salt Lake City by Aspen Books in 1993 entitled "My Best for the Kingdom". A copy is found in the Family History Library. In Chapter 6 pages 52, 58 and 60 the skirmish at Gallaitin, Missouri election was documented and Lysander was mentioned. He (John Butler) mentions that a brother Gee drove with him to the election and then drove his team of horses home to John Butler’s wife and it is stated that brother Gee walked home. The election was held in August of 1838 so this brother Gee that was mentioned was most likely Lysander. Lysander was not married until September of that year.

When he was asked to carry the note from Liberty Jail (March 1839) to the people plotting to release the prophet from jail he was married and still not a member of the church.

In March of 1842, while living in Nauvoo, he was called on a mission and left his wife and two year old son and traveled on foot to preach the restored gospel and strengthen the saints in Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. He left a journal describing his experiences.

While living in Nauvoo they lived as tenants in Block 46 lot 1, which is on the corner of Hirum and Page Street.

He was on a mission in Iowa at the time that the prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum were martyred in Carthage. He did not leave an account of this, or if he did I have not been able to find it.

When the Saints were driven out of Nauvoo, Lysander and his two wives and his son Orlando went to Saint Louis, Missouri. Theresa was 17 years of age at the time and Amanda was 25. Theresa’s first child Rozelia was born 2 years later (1 June 1848) in St. Louis, Missouri. Amanda died four and one-half months later.

His neighbor Hyrum Gates left for the gold fields of California in December of 1849. Shortly after Hyrum left, a warrant was issued for his arrest for the kidnapping of Emily Rockwell, the daughter of Orrin Porter Rockwell. He left his wife Maryette and her two children in Salt Lake. He also left his second wife Sarah Maria Sayles Gates and her living children in Salt Lake.

Maryette had three of her nine children by Lysander while they were living in Salt Lake City. The other six were born after she and Lysander moved to Tooele. After the birth of her last child she developed complications and died the following day and was buried in the Tooele Cemetery. We have one picture, and not a very good one, of Maryette. She died at the age of 37 years, having given birth to 11 children and been abandoned by her first husband. There is little history that I have been able to obtain other that that which is here given.

During the time of the Utah war they moved south to Goshen, but returned.

He moved to Tooele, Tooele, Utah by 31 May 1857 where Mary was born. Helen Gee Woods places the date of moving to Tooele at 1849, but Augustus Gee the son of Maryette Rowe was born in Salt Lake on 27 September, 1854, but Audeca Gee the daughter of Theresa Bowley was born in Tooele 18 October 1851. This birth place is probably incorrect. A death notice from an unnamed newspaper [presumably Salt Lake City] reads thus:

"Two pioneers gone. Word was received in the city of the death of Lysander Gee at his home in Tooele. The deceased came to this Territory in 1849, was a lawyer by profession, and was one of the most respected citizens of Tooele, where he resided since 1855. The cause of his death was malignant cancer of the throat."

The "Biographical Record" places the date of removal to Tooele in 1855. In light of the above variations when he moved with his family to Tooele, it is my opinion that the date was in 1855. Lysander Gee was not listed in the records of the 6th ward In Salt Lake City in 1855 or 1856. These reports were usually compiled and sent to the church headquarters at the end of the year.

He is listed in the 1880 census in Tooele and died there in 1894. Maryette Rowe died in childbirth in 20 Dec 1866 at the age of 35 having had 2 children by Hyrum Gates and 9 children by Lysander Gee. Robert Gee, the baby, was given to a couple by the name of Hale to raise. She had recently lost a child and Lysander and Theresa gave the boy to them. The story that has been verbally circulated is that he went to the temple to receive his endowments and they asked him his name and he said Robert Gee Hale. He was told that he would have to go through the temple with the name of Robert Gee rather than Hale. He went by the name of Robert Hale Gee thereafter. In the papers of Lysander Gee he (Lysander) states that he had the endowment and sealing work done for Robert after his death in the Logan Temple, so the verbal tradition is obviously in error.

After the death of his wife Maryette he and Theresa continued to live in Tooele and raise the remaining children.

They spent time in Logan during the later years of their lives doing temple work. He left a detailed account of this in his papers. He died of cancer and she outlived him by almost 8 years. Theresa died as a result of a fall down stairs at her daughter's (Sarah) home in Provo and broke her neck.

Source:

Descendants of Solomon Gee by C.E. Benjamin, page 231

The history by Emma Gee Blomstrom states that Theresa was born in Carthage, Franklin, Maine and I am inclined to believe this. I have not followed up on this. Here is the quote: On February 12, 1846 he married Theresa Bowely of Carthage, Maine. To this union were born the following named children: Rozelia, Eudora, Audeca, Electa, Newton. Elias, George and Louisa - a beautiful woman who took the Utah State prize at one time for being the most beautiful woman. Her carriage was tall and stately; her features were deep and prominent-- penetrating to the eye. Her hair was black and heavy; and hung in natural waves below her hips. She had large, brown impressive eyes; and her reverential attitude was typical of the sturdy pioneer stock that characterizes the pioneer woman. Her sister, Sarah, was a gifted artist in dramatics, having served in this field for many years in Salt Lake City and San Francisco.

The youngest boy is named Almon.

There are pictures of both Theresa and Maryette, but none of Amanda.

        Theresa                                              Maryette

In New Family Search there are other wives listed and because people have asked me about this I have added the information below to this document. It will perhaps explain the additional spouses listed for Lysander. During the years of 1888-1891, Lysander and Theresa spent time in Logan doing proxy work for their ancestors and children that needed it. At this time he had 5 additional women sealed to him as indicated below.

[Item below copied from new.familyserach.org:]

Sealed posthumously to Lysander 19 September 1888 in the Logan Temple. Eliza Strickland and Lysander Gee are 1st cousins. Their common ancestors are Zopher Gee and Esther Beckwith.

No duplicates in NFS. 4 combined records.

No duplicates in NFS. 7 Combined records

No duplicates in NFS. 4 combined records.

No duplicates in NFS and no combined records.