The following was written by his Granddaughter, Norma Jensen Easton

David Levi, Merchant and Farmer, was born on May 16, 1833 in Gospeil Essex, Ontario, Canada. He was the 1st child of Frederick and Julia Ann Carl (Karl) Levi. He married Ann Gillispie in July of 1858 in Ogden Utah. They had six children, five girls and one boy. He married Christine Gillies in 1871. They had seven children, all boys. Ann Gillispie was born on July 25, 1842 in Glasgow, Scotland to John and Janett Sinclair Gillispie. Christine Gillies was born on May 8, 1852 in New Castle, On Tune, England, to Robert and Ann Gillispie, Gillies.

David had three sisters, Mary Ann, Barbara Jane, and Charlotte; and one brother Joseph. When David was only five years old, the family moved to Illinois. The settled in Keg Creek, Hancock County and this is where David's parents joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. In 1847, the family moved to Mt. Pisgah, Illinois, and this is where David was baptized in 1853.

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The Frederick John Levi family traveled from Keg Creek, Iowa to Salt Lake City, Utah in the James Holt Company in 1852.

Members of the company were the following:

Name	Age	Date of Birth	Death Date
Holt, Franklin Overton	Infant	31 July 1852	10 November 1929
Holt, James	48	10 February 1804	25 January 1894
Holt, Joseph Overton	3	8 October 1848	2 November 1853
Holt, Leroy Payne	14	27 March 1838	10 November 1910
Holt, Mary Ann	12	11 January 1840	22 February 1916
Holt, Nancy Catherine Overton	1	28 October 1850	25 April 1931
Holt, Parthenia	31	12 July 1821	7 May 1906
Holt, William Alma	9	25 August 1842	11 May 1920
Levi, Barbara Jane	15	24 July 1837	13 May 1909
Levi, Charlotte Ann	12	20 December 1839	20 September 1872
Levi, David	19	16 May 1833	8 January 1909
Levi, Frederick John	51	17 October 1800	11 April 1865
Levi, Joseph Hyrum	7	30 December 1844	29 June 1902
Levi, Julia Ann	42	17 August 1809	3 March 1887
Levi, Mary Ann	16	30 July 1835	3 March 1872
Smith, Dr. William	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown

David Levi

Taken From
Chapter 2 of the book: "John Frederick Levi
and His Family (1800-1864)"

When David Levi was born on May 16, 1833 to Frederick John Levi and Julia Ann Carroll, the family likely lived on the farm owned by his parents about one half mile west of the Ruthven Post Office on Lot 8 of the Second Concession, Township of Gosfield, or possibly on Lot 230 South of Talbot Road West in the Township of Mersea about 4 miles East of the Leamington Post Office and about half way between the present City of Leamington and Wheatley. Both of these farm properties were owned by Frederick and Julia Ann Levi at the time. The Ruthven and Leamington Post Offices, both on Talbot Road are about 2 miles apart making about 7 miles between the home and the farm. Why I believe they lived on the farm close to Ruthven and in Gosfield Township is that the deed upon sale of Lot 230 in June, 1836 to Issac Russell the deed recited" "Frederick Levi of the Township of Gosfield, County of Essex and Western District of the Province of Upper Canada, Yeoman, and Ann his wife". It would appear that they lived in the Township of Gosfield, or were they were of Gosfield but were conveying their land in Mersea to Issac Russel. The Township line between Gosfield and Mersea township runs between the two Post Offices.

David was however, only about three years old when he moved with his parents to Toronto. He probably lived with his mother, Julia Ann and Father Fred, but his two half brothers, William F. Boring and Henry Boring may also have lived with them.

The family probably moved to Toronto, either before or after the farming season in the summer of 1836 when the year's crops were, according to history, a disaster. Their land in Gosfield (lot 8), the probable home, was not sold until October 1838 (possibly about the time they departed Toronto for Missouri). Before they moved to Toronto, he had been joined by a little sister, Mary Ann, she was also born in Gosfield (and not Mersea) on July 30, 1835.

Where the family lived in Toronto is unknown, but probably above the mercantile business in Market Square. Their stay in Toronto was short and by 1838 they were moving again when David was barely 5 years old. While there he was joined by another little sister, Barbara Jane, born on the 24th of July, 1837. David probably remembered very little of the moves to Missouri and to Illinois, but possibly remembered the hardships and good times, some of which are related by his sister Barbara Jane, later in a history of her life.

The family probably arrived in Missouri and then the Nauvoo area by 1839 and may also have moved several times in Nauvoo before their departure in 1846 so David grew to a lad of nearly 13 years of age before that wintry trip across the Mississippi River. While in Hancock County, Illinois, his family was blessed with a sister Charlotte, born December 20, 1839 in Chili, which lies at the very southern border of the county, 13 miles directly south of Carthage. This was probably their first home in Illinois. It is believed, however, that it was not their only home in Hancock County. A brother Joseph Hyrum was born December 30, 1844, at Keg Creek, which is believed to be about 2 to 3 miles directly East of Nauvoo along Parley street, close to the then Joseph Smith farm.

A total of about 6 years would be spent in Iowa, probably at or in the vicinity of Mt. Pisgan, and on the plains of Iowa, Nebraska, and Wyoming before arrival in the Salt Lake Valley in 1852. It is believed that David may have made a trip to the Great Salt Lake Valley in 1848, before his family came in 1852. He would then have been about 15 years old and his brother William F. Boring 18.

After a few days in Salt Lake, the family was directed to Ogden, where they were to make their new home. David, who was to young to be baptized into the LDS Church when his father or his mother were baptized, was baptized by Thomas Dunn in 1853 and was ordained a Seventy by Joseph Young and became a member of the 1st Quorum of the Seventies in 1854.

We learn that David worked on the North Ogden Canal which was dug in 1856-1857 bringing irrigation water to farms in the Northern Ogden area. Apparently, both men and women worked on this important project. John Q. Blaylock in his History of North Ogden is quoted as saying: "Women helped dig the canal. Old notes state that Mrs. John Cardon worked alongside her husband while digging the canal along the cut from the mouth of Ogden Canyon to Twelfth Street. The following helped build the North Ogden Canal, David Levy, Isaac Riddle, ... and others.

 Construction on the canal was stopped during the first winter of digging. Traditions says the Cardon family and the Dan Stahli family pitched tents in protected spots in the bed of digging and lived there during the winter.

Chapter 2