The History of Christiana Dolbell Riding

(An Extract from “The Hearts of the Children – The Story of Reuben Lister & Ella Elvina Allphin”, by Joyce Kay Allphin Goodrich)

Christiana Dolbell Riding was the daughter of Christopher Lister Riding and Eliza Adelaide Dolbell. She was born on December 8, 1857, in Provo, Utah. She died on April 18, 1925, in Lovell, Wyoming, in the home of Adelbert Asay, her son.

Christiana was born in one of the first two-story buildings in Provo. When she was three days old, the building caught fire and her mother carried her out of the building.

Her father was called to Dixie and he took his two families there while Christiana was still a baby. When she was 16 months old, her mother gave birth to another baby and Christiana was set out in the yard to play. An Indian took her and headed for his tepee, however, her father rescued her before she entered the tepee with the Indian.

She was very fond of her father and as she was able to walk, she followed him to and from his tin shop. When she was two years old, she was following him and he went further than his shop, across a swift canal, crossing only on a pole. When she tried to cross, she fell in and was carried down stream. Her father’s first wife saw her fall in and rescued her.

She loved nature. She never was known to lie in bed after the sun came up. When she was too young to work, she would rise early and pick flowers until her mother got up. She was part of a large family and her mother had to card and spin wool to make clothing for all of the family. Her mother didn’t have time to teach Christy to cook and sew, but she wanted her daughter to learn some of the finer skills. So Christy went to work in some of the wealthier homes and learned many of these finer skills. She pleased many of her employers. She worked for one of Brigham Young’s daughters, Susa Young Gates. She learned how to make beds with fine linen and how to polish silver and wait on tables properly.

She had olive skin; an abundance of black hair, brown eyes, was of medium height, and was always pleasant. When she was 16 or 17 she met a young farmer, Edwin Asay, and fell in love with him. They married in her father’s home. Her brother Taylor married at the same time.

Edwin and Christiana moved to Arizona, but soon returned to live with Edwin’s mother. Shortly thereafter their first child, Frank, was born. As soon as Frank was old enough the couple, the young family went to the St. George to be sealed. Their 2^nd child was born and died in St. George. They moved to Long Valley, but eventually settled in Mount Carmel, where they built a log cabin and planted apple trees. Here their first girl, Eliza Adelaide, was born. When Addie was nine days old a heavy rainfall came down the valley. The men tried to turn the stream that was threatening their grain. Christiana was alone with two little ones as the flood came down past the house and washed away the corral, the chickens and pigs. Inside the house the young mother found only one spot where she could keep her baby dry.

In the summer of 1884 Christiana was expecting another baby. In May of that year Edwin took sick. He tried to help his wife as much as he could, as she wasn’t feeling well either. On June 5, 1884 Edwin died of appendicitis. Just 10 days later Christiana delivered a baby girl and named her Ruth. Christy’s confided to her brother George, who was living with them, that she needed medical care. So she sold her farm to Bishop John Eager, traded a yoke of oxen for a span of horses, and on 15 July 1884 she loaded up her wagon and left Arizona with her young family. They arrived in St. George four weeks later.

In the autumn of 1884, Christy was ill, newly widowed, with six children to care for. She was only 28 years old. An elderly gentleman named Israel Dodge Allphin came calling. Christy opened her door to him. Israel was older than her father and was twice a widower. All of his children were grown. He promised Christy that he would “put shoes on her children’s feet” and “give them an education.” She accepted his proposal and they were married April 22, 1885. If his young wife thought of him as only a provider, she was surprised to have her virile old husband father four more boys; George, Reuben, Owen and Donovan.

In the summer of 1902, Delbert Asay and George Allphin, prevailed on Christy to leave Panguitch, UT and move to the Big Horn Basin of Wyoming, where Delbert and George were currently living. In May of that year Christy with her three remaining boys and daughter Addie Asay, in company with Mr. John C. Houston, began the 750-mile trip to Lovell, Wyoming, a trip that took eight long hard weeks to complete.

On April 18, 1925 Christiana died at the home of her son Adelbert Asay. The following is a quote from her obituary.

“Grandma” Allphin was known to all as a patient, uncomplaining devoted mother. She had striven through continued trials and hardships rearing two worthy families, to be stricken seven months before her death with paralysis, which affliction rendered her entirely speechless and helpless yet conscious to the last, and showing appreciation, no matter how much pain she was enduring, by a smile.