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Blackett · Averett · Stephens line (Jerry's mother's side)

Jeduthan Hardy Averett

The Battalion Man

A Carolina boy who joined the LDS Church in 1843, volunteered for the Mormon Battalion's nearly 2,000-mile march to California in 1846–1847 — the longest infantry march in U.S. history — and arrived in Utah as a pioneer in 1852. He lived long enough to see Utah become a state.

At a Glance  Has open questions

Born
June 12, 1816, North Carolina
Died
January 7, 1902 (age 85)
Parents
Hardy Averett & Drucilla Meador
Spouse
Holly Jane Tingle (married August 11, 1836, Alabama)
Children
Including Elizabeth Jane Averett (b. 1854, Salt Lake City), William Clark, and Jeduthan Hardy Jr.
Family line
Blackett · Averett · Stephens line (Jerry's mother's side)
Relation to Jerry
Jerry's 3rd great-grandfather on his mother Fern's side

How sure are we? Well documented — LDS Church and U.S. Army records confirm his Battalion service and 1852 pioneer journey.

Still to find out
  • His grandmother Rebecca Stephens's parentage — the link to General William Stephens — remains undocumented.

Read about Jeduthan in…

The Battalion Man · The Family Tree

Sources for this page

  • LDS Church History Biographical Database
    Institutional archive
    Confirms Hugh Johnston's death (Sept 29, 1854, age 54, Empey Company), James Johnston's 1890 British Mission, and the Blackett family (John William Blackett ID KWCF-N6M; Robert Collingwood Blackett Sr. ID KWJH-KQV).
  • U.S. Army History — The Mormon Battalion
    Institutional history · 1846–1847
    The Battalion's nearly 2,000-mile march from Council Bluffs, Iowa to San Diego remains the longest infantry march in American military history.

Notes from the family

Remember something about Jeduthan? A story, a photo, a correction, a date? Even a messy note helps. Just open the plain-text file research-notes/jeduthan-hardy-averett-notes.md and type it in — or tell Scott (or Claude Code) “add this to Jeduthan’s page,” and it will be woven in properly, with the source recorded.