• The roster of John's initial emigration company (the James W. Cummings Company of 1851), indicates that he served as the clerk of company and was traveling with four people. He crossed the plains again in 1856 as a returning missionary. Immediately after arriving, he turned around and went back out to participate as one of the rescuers that were sent out to assist the members of the Church stranded in Wyoming.

  After serving a second mission in the eastern states, McAllister planned to return to Utah with a group of members he had accompanied from the east to Florence. As indicated in the Milo Andrus Emigrating company journal, McAllister was elected to serve as captain of the company on 1 July 1861, but was released from that responsibility that same day, as he had been asked to travel to England to help accompany the saints in Europe back to the States, which he did. He returned the next year and traveled with his group in the Ansil P. Harmon Company in 1862.

  His initial trip to the Valley is mentioned in the obituary of his son, Moroni and that of his son John Daniel Handley McAllister.

James W. Cummings Company (1851)

• Age at Departure: 24
• Head of Household

George D. Grant Company (1856)

• Age at Departure: 29
• Returning Missionary

Rescue Companies (1856)

• Age at Departure: 29

Ansil P. Harmon Company (1862)

• Age at Departure: 35
• Returning Missionary

Sources

• Alfred Cordon Emigrating Company journal, 1851 June-September.
• "Arrivals," Deseret News [Weekly], 8 October 1856, 245.
• "Dies Suddenly From Gastritis," Salt Lake Herald-Republican, 29 October 1908, 12.
• Freckleton, John Orr, Reminiscences and journal, 1900-1902, 8-10.
• Handcart Veterans Association. Handcart Veterans Association scrapbook, 1906-1914, folder 6. 
• Handcart Veterans Association. Handcart Veterans Association scrapbook, 1906-1914, folder 7. 
• J[aques], J[ohn], "Some Reminiscences," Salt Lake Daily Herald, 8 December 1878, 1.
• Journal History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1 September 1856, 1-2.
• Journal History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 28 October 1856, 1-2.
• Journal History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 30 July 1861, 3.
• Journal History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Supplement after 31 December 1851, 3.
• Journal of George M. Ottinger, 150-73.
• "Journey from Florence to G. S. L. City," Deseret News , 22 October 1856, 258.
• Lever, W. H. History of Sanpete and Emery Counties, Utah: With Sketches of Cities, Towns, and Villages; Chronology of Important Events; Records of Indian Wars; Portraits of Prominent Persons, and Biographies of Representative Citizens (Salt Lake City: Tribune Job Printing Co, 1898), 157
• "M. H. M'Allister Dead of Apoplexy," Salt Lake Telegram, 6 Mar. 1919, 12.
• McAllister, John Daniel Thompson, Autobiographical sketch, in St. George Stake, High Priest Quorum Genealogical Records, 1872-1906, reel 6039, 90, in Record of Members Collection 1836-1970.
• Milo Andrus Emigrating Company journal, 1861 April-May and July-August.
• Missionary Department Missionary Registers, 1860-1959, Volume 1.
• Priest, William, "A record of my life, 1828," 42-62.
• "Reminiscences, 1851-1853." In John D. T. McAllister journals 1851-1906. (MS 1257, Reel 1, Box 1, Folder 1), 6-7.
• Saints By Sea: Latter-day Saint Immigration to America
• William Ajax diary, 1862 February-1863 December, 118-78.
• William Thorn, Life sketch, reel 12, box 16, fd. 11, item 8, 5.