Obituary of Samuel William
Obray as it appeared in the Journal on June11th. , 1910.
GOOD PARADISE MAN PASSES TO REWARD
Paradise June 8 - It becomes our duty once more to record
the demise of one of our esteemed citizens, Samuel W.
Obray, who passed peacefully June 5, 1910. Old age and heart trouble
were the cause that brought on death.
Samuel W. Obray was in his
82nd year. He was born at South Wales 18 June 1828. He came to this
country in 1848 and worked on a steamboat as a ships carpenter. His work
took him from St. Louis to New Orleans and back on the Mississippi River.
He came to Utah in 1854 and was a resident of Tooele
County. He was an early settler of Wellsville and has been a resident of
Paradise about forty-six years. While in his native country in his early
manhood he joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Later-day Saints. He has
kept the faith and died in full fellowship, holding the office of High Priest
at the time of
his death.
During the early settlement of Cache
Valley Mr. Obray took an active part in defending the inhabitants from the
depredations of Indians and other enemies. He was fearless and had a
great influence with the red men. At one
time before Old Paradise was settled and while the Indians were quite hostile,
he went up to the south of where Paradise is now and got in to their camp and
induced the Indians to come to Wellsville and have a feast and make peace,
which they did. He passed through the trials and difficulties incident to
pioneer life patiently and unflinchingly. He was impulsive, but kind
hearted and generous to a fault. Such men as he were needed at that
time. He was
married three times and his last wife survives
him. His descendant's number about 176 was follows: 10 children,
87grandchildren, 75 great-grandchildren and 4 great-great grandchildren.
Funeral services over the remains
were held in the Paradise meetinghouse June 7, 1910. A large congregation
was present to show respects to the departed. The beautiful white casket
containing the remains was covered with a profusion of flowers placed there by
loving hands.
Bp. Peter O. Hansen presided and services commenced by the choir singing
"When First the Glorious Light".
Invocation was offered by Elder Gideon E. Olsen, Jr.
Consoling, instructive and eulogistic remarks were made by the following
Elders: William Bishop, William Humphrey's, John P, James, Samuel Oldham,
Orson Smith and Bishop Peter O. Hansen.
Benediction was pronounced by Elder Edward D. Miles.
A large cortège went with the remains
to the cemetery where the dedicatory prayer was offered by George S. Obray.
Information gathered from the following
sources:
1.Family group sheets of Samuel William Obray and Eleanor Bainbridge;
Joseph Bainbridge and Jane Welch.
2.Millennial Star, Vol. XII page 58
3."History of a Valley"
4."An Early History of Cache County" pages 94-97
5."Windows of Wellsville"
6.Obituary in The Journal (Logan, Utah)
7.The Herald Journal (Logan, Utah) - Dec 24, 1987 "Looking
Back" by
A. J. Simmonds
8..Interviews with Vernal Obray Norman
Compiled by Diane Norman
Parker a great grand daughter in 1982, and updated in 1994.
Samuel William Obray
The following was compiled by: Mildred Danielson Obray,
and John F. Kendrick.
Samuel William Obray was born 18 June
1828 at Landreth, Pembroke shire, Wales, his father was John Barnett Obray or
Aubrey, his mother was Ellinor or Eleanor Allen. Samuel William was
christened 12 July 1833 at the Parish of St Mary, Pembroke in the county of
Pembroke shire, Wales. The families were known early as Awbrey then later
as Obray.
The
brothers and sisters of Samuel William Obray were:
(1) William Awbrey - born in
1813 and died at age 4
(2) Maria Awbrey - born 8 September 1814
(3) George Aubrey - born 1 September 1815
(4) John Obray - born 8 January 1818
(5) Elizabeth Obray - born 12 August 1820
(6) Thomas Obray - born 23 July 1821
(7) Robert Obray - Christened 6 October 1824
(8) Samuel William Obray - born 18 June 1828
(9) Elinor Jane Obray - Christened 15 June 1834
The last 7 children were
christened at St Mary's Parish, Pembroke, Wales. All 9 children were born
in Pembroke, Pembroke shire, Wales.
The 1841 Census of St Mary's Parish, Pembroke, Wales
lists:
NAME
AGE OCCUPATION
John Obray
54 Shipwright
Ellinor
Obray 54
John
Obray
22 Shipwright
Betsy
Obray 20 Shoe binder
Robert
Obray
17 Joiner Apprentice
Samuel
Obray
15
Eleanor
Obray 13
Thomas Obray (also known as Thomas Lorenzo Obray) being on a LDS Mission
in Malta at this time; Maria Obray and George Obray not listed in the census.
Samuel William's mother Ellinor Allen Obray was baptized on 10th.June
1844, also his brother Thomas was baptized 25 September 1844. His sister
Maria was baptized 22 May 1845.
Samuel William was baptized 6th.
February 1846 and brother George was baptized 8th. June 1850, making
5 members of the family, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day
Saints, up to the year 1850.
The 23rd of November 1846, Samuel
William Obray, of full age, a bachelor and with the profession as a Shipwright,
and his residence being Pembroke Dock, Pembroke shire, Wales. His father
being John Obray, and his profession a Shipwright, Samuel William married
Margaret Harris, of full age, a Spinster, her residence being in Pembroke Dock,
Pembroke shire, Wales, her father being Joshua Harris, and his profession being
a Shipwright. Their marriage being
solemnized at the Parish Church, in the St Mary's
Parish, Pembroke Dock, Pembroke shire, Wales. (This information taken from a
certified copy of an entry of marriage,
in the possession of Mildred Obray).
On 11 April 1848, a baby boy, Thomas William, was born to Samuel William
Obray and Margaret Obray, formerly Harris, at Queen Street, Pembroke Dock,
Paris of St Mary. (This information taken from a certified true copy of
an entry of birth,, in the possession of Mildred Obray). It is said another boy
named John was born to Samuel and Margaret Obray.
On 29 January 1851, Samuel William Obray, age 23, and his son Thomas
William, age 3, sailed on the ship "Ellen Maria" for the United
States. It is said that his wife Margaret would not come with him so he left
her and a baby son behind.
Sometime between 1851 and 1853, Samuel William Obray married Eleanor
Bainbridge.
On 15 June 1853 a daughter, Ellen Jane
was born to Samuel William and Eleanor Obray at St Louis, Missouri.
In 1854 Samuel William and Eleanor Obray, with Thomas William and baby
daughter, Ellen Jane, along with Samuel Williams brother Thomas Obray, who was
returning from a LDS Mission in Malta, set out from Fort Leavenworth in that
they could gather with the Saints in Utah.
On 24 June 1854, Samuel William's brother Thomas Obray married Louisa
Shelton at Fort Leavenworth. Louisa died three weeks later. She got
the measles, and was commencing to get better when she took a back set and
died. Thomas took this pretty hard. (This was taken from the
"Biography of Eliza Shelton Keeler", as written by herself, who was a
sister to Louisa Shelton.) (NOTE: This was also written about in John
Bagley and Margaret Mary Jane Allen Bagley's History in the book "History
of Bear Lake Pioneers" the following is quoted from this book:
"One morning our captain, Thomas O'Hara, a young Welshman, lost his wife,
Louisa Shelton, a bride of three weeks. We had to bury her beside the
road without a coffin. That was the first I ever saw buried this
way. Less than six miles farther on we had to stop and bury her niece, a
girl twelve years old. By that time every man in camp was ill, so the
Aunt and I rolled her in a blanket and buried her." Unquote. John
Bagley remembered Thomas
to be O'Hara instead of Obray. (The book "History of Bear Lake
Pioneers" is in the possession of John and Lydia Mae Obray Kendrick).
On 29 September 1854, they arrived in Salt Lake City, Utah. Thomas Obray then married his first wife's
(Louisa) sister Martha Shelton, while in the Endowment House, Thomas Obray
had Louisa sealed to him and then had Martha also
sealed to him on 17 October 1855.
Thomas and Martha Obray, and Martha's little brother, Albert Shelton,
traveled to Tooele, Utah to find a home.
Probably Samuel William and Eleanor Obray, and his son Thomas William
and their baby daughter Ellen Jane, must have gone to Tooele, Utah, when Thomas
and Martha Obray did. For on 16 August 1855 another daughter Louisa was born to
Samuel William and Eleanor Obray at Tooele, Utah.
On 17 October 1855, Samuel William and Eleanor Bainbridge Obray were
sealed in the Endowment House, in Salt Lake City, Utah.
On 5 December 1857, another daughter,
Emma was born to Samuel William and Eleanor Obray, at Ogden, Utah.
On 21 November 1859, another daughter, Hanna Maria was born to Samuel
William and Eleanor Obray, at Wellsville, Utah.
In the 1860 census for Cache County Utah
listed the following:
Samuel W.
Obray Laborer age
28
Ellen
Obray age 26
M - Thomas
W. 12
F -
Ellen 7
F -
Louisa 5
F -
Emma 2
F -
Mariah 8/12 months
On 13 February 1862, another daughter, Elizabeth was born to Samuel
William and Eleanor Obray, at Paradise, Utah.
On 17 March 1864, another daughter, Adalaide was born to Samuel William
and Eleanor Obray, at Paradise, Utah.
On 24 September 1867 a son, Samuel Napolen was born to Samuel William
and Eleanor Obray, at Paradise, Utah.
On
27 April 1869, another daughter, May was born to Samuel William and Eleanor
Obray, at Paradise, Utah.
Samuel William and Eleanor Obray's daughters Ellen Jane and Louisa
were sealed to them on 22 April 1898 in the Logan Temple, in Logan, Utah.
Samuel William and Eleanor Obray homesteaded a farm north of Paradise,
Utah. The log cabin they built to live in was located where the double
garage is presently located, where William "Bill" and Mildred
Obray are presently living (1995). The address is 415
West 8700 South, Paradise,
Utah.
Eleanor Bainbridge Obray died 2 April 1902 at Paradise, Utah.
Samuel William Obray died 5 June 1910
at Paradise, Utah.
They are buried in the Paradise Cemetery, Paradise, Utah.
Samuel William Obray was a High Priest in the LDS Church.
Samuel William Obray had a plural wife, Deborah Preator; they were
married and sealed on 25 April 1870, in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City,
Utah. There were no children from this marriage.
Samuel William Obray
served time in prison for polygamy
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