Amanda Melvina Fisk
1832-1888

	Husband: Allen Joseph Stout
	Children: 14 children, including David Fisk Stout
	Father: Alfred Fisk Mother: Maria Sager Show Pedigree

Amanda Melvina Fisk, daughter of Alfred and Mariah Sager Fisk, was born in Silver Creek, Chautauqua County, New York, June 12, 1832. Silver Creek lies on the shores of Lake Erie in western New York. Her parents joined the L.D.S. Church soon after it was organized and moved to Kirtland Ohio. Amanda was given a blessing by the Prophet Joseph Smith. Her father Alfred made the long march in Zion's Camp to the banks of the Missouri River. Cholera took his life, which is mentioned in church history. He was buried June 29,1834. One year later his wife also died on the banks of the Missouri and she was buried near him. Amanda was only three years old when she was orphaned. She lived with her grandparents. They were driven out of Missouri in 1839 and her grandparents also died due to the exposure and suffering.

It was during a very difficult and dark time of Allen Joseph Stout's life that this lovely young girl. Allen had married Elizabeth Anderson in 1843. He had worked as a Policeman at Nauvoo and a body guard to the prophet Joseph Smith. He had helped with the building of the Nauvoo temple and had worked as a carpenter and teacher at the Masonry Lodge. After their third child, Martha Ann, was born in Omaha on January 25, 1848 Elizabeth died five days later.

Allen relates: "in a benighted condition without a wife, with three little helpless babies, and a journey of 1100 miles to perform without an animal to help me, and what to do I did not know. So I continued to pour out my soul in prayer to God day and night for him to open up some way for me to support my little ones and get them to the Valleys of the Mountains." That prayer was answered when Amanda came to his aid as hired help to watch over his children. She was only 16 years of age when she began to work for him on April 8, 1848. After a short courtship, Allen asked her hand in marriage and she accepted. They were married April 30th, 1848 by Brigham Young. They moved to Pigeon Creek, Iowa and planted a garden and prepared for the trek west with the help of the Perpetual Immigration Fund. When she met Allen, we are not sure who she had lived with but we assume it was some church members. She named all of her children with the Fisk middle name to keep her family's name.

By July, 1851, Amanda, Allen, and the children were ready to leave for the Rocky Mountains with Alfred Corden's company. On March 9, 1851 Amanda gave birth to her first baby, a son named Alfred Fisk Stout. He was only four months old when they started the long journey. It was October 2,1851 that they entered the valley of the Great Salt Lake. Amanda was so sick that she had to be carried into the house. She was endowed at Endowment House in Salt Lake City the following July 23, 1852. During the time of Johnston's army threat to peace, the Stouts resided at Pleasant Grove, Utah for a short while.

The Prophet Brigham Young called the young family on a Cotton Mission to Southern Utah. They took the long wagon trip. A darling boy, David Fisk Stout, was born at Centerville Utah before they headed south. Amanda lived in the Wagon box until they could build a cabin in St. George. Allen staked out a claim near a place we now call Mt. Carmel, and named the place "Lydia's Canyon" after his eldest daughter. It is still so named today. After arriving at St. George, Allen farmed and helped build the St. George tabernacle. Amanda made all the clothes for the family. She was a large woman who gave much for the settling and serving her husband and the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints. She had fourteen of her own children and raised three step children. They ate cornmeal as their principal diet. She and Allen lived in Rockville for over 21 years and found the weather there good for their health. When Brigham Young came in 1974 he organized the United Order there. They accepted it and enthusiastically joined the order. His son, David was called on a mission to help build the St. George temple. Amanda and Allen spent many hours drying their produce as well as the weaving and farming.

Amanda died of a stroke on September 21, 1888 at the age of 56. Allen died just one year after Amanda on December 18, 1889 being true to the faith, valiant to the call of the prophets and very great parents to a wonderful posterity.