Sunday, May 26, 2013

This started as a quest to find some information on the Oakey family for my son Brady Landon. He has the opportunity to travel to Martins Cove this summer, 2013. I wanted him to know about his history and wanted to bring them to life for him to see that real people did these things, real people that suffered far more than he does. And real people that were willing to suffer those terrible trials because of the love they had for their older brother, Jesus Christ. I pray that my family understands and appreciates the things these people did so we could have a better and free life. I for one and so very thankful to them and appreciate them so very much. I have a stronger testimony of the Savior and the Gospel because of them. I hope you can come to love and appreciate what your ancestors did for you. LaDawn Williams Landon The story of the Oakey family begins in Worcestershire, England. Thomas Oakey was born in Eldersfield, Worcestershire Englang on 21 Sep 1813. His wife Ann Collett was born in Gloucester, Glcs., England on 12 Jan 1812. They met and were married on 30 September 1836. Soon after being married they became members in the church of the United Brethren, a breakaway Methodist group. Later Thomas became a preacher for the United Brethren. While preaching one day Thomas stands in one of their meetings to deliver a sermon, a thing which he had done many times, but instead of preaching he startles the congregation by announcing: "No, I haven't the authority. I will never preach again until I have the proper authority given to me." At this time Thomas is 27 years old, he and Ann had 3 children. At this same time some eighty miles to the north, another preacher stands in a religious meeting and startles his congregation with the announcement: "This is the last meeting I will hold with you for some time. The Spirit of the Lord has said to me, 'Go south'." His name is Wilford Woodruff. It is his birthday, and he is 33 years old. Wilford Woodruff records in his Journal: I traveled eighty miles; went into the south of England. As soon as I arrived, I met John Benbow. It was clearly made manifest to me why I had been called thither. I had left a good field, where I was baptizing every night in the week. When I got to this place, I found a people–some 600 of them–who had broken off from the Wesleyan Methodists and formed themselves into a sect called the United Brethren... I saw that the Lord had sent me to them. They were searching for light and truth, but had gone as far as they could, and were calling upon the Lord continually to open the way before them and send them light and knowledge, that they might know the true way to be saved. I went to work amongst them and ultimately baptized their superintendent, forty preachers and some 600 members. (JD 21:315) The first to be baptized, on the 9th March 1940 was Elizabeth Bromage Collett, mother-in-law to Thomas Oakey. Later on April 5th Wilford Woodruff baptized Thomas and Ann Oakey. Four days later Ann’s sister and brother, Elizabeth and Daniel were baptized with their spouses. Now, armed with the authority to preach he had been seeking, Thomas Oakey began preaching again and baptizing others. He was shortly appointed leader of the small branch of the Church at Frogsmarsh, a small community near Eldersfield. On the 25th of November that same year he baptized his father-in-law William Collett. Ann’s brother, Daniel and his wife Esther Jones left England very soon after their baptism and settled in Nauvoo. They encouraged the rest of the family to join them. Sadly, the Mother, Elizabeth Bromage Collett, the first of the family to have been baptized by Wilford Woodruff, died in Eldersfield one year later, 24 May 1841. Before the others in the family could make the trip to America the Saints had fled Nauvoo and Daniel and Ester were now writing from Salt Lake City encouraging the rest of the family to come there. In the meantime, however, Thomas and Ann Oakey's family had grown to eight living children: Ann Collett (22), Charles (19), Jane (16), Heber Thomas (15), Joseph Lorenzo (12), Rhoda Rebecca (11), Ruben Hyrum (9), and Sarah Ann (4). Two children had died young. Thomas was a hired farmer and had no means to purchase passage for such a large family from England to Salt Lake, and remained on the farm in Eldersfield. Early in the year 1856, however, the word was sent to England that inexpensive travel to Salt Lake City was possible through the Perpetual Emigration Fund if the emigrants would travel from Iowa City with handcarts. Ann’s father William Collett who was 76 years old felt himself too old for the journey. He wanted to stay where his wife was buried. But with their small savings and help from the PEF, the Thomas and Ann Oakey family in the spring of 1856 left the green pastureland of Eldersfield, left Father Collett, and began their momentous journey to Zion. Their funds provided for train passage to Liverpool, where they met up with many other Saints from all over England and also a group of Saints from Denmark. Together they all boarded the ship Thornton for New York City, then took train and steam-boat passage from New York to Iowa City. In Iowa City they helped construct handcarts and sew tents for their family. The leader of their company had been with them from Liverpool. He was returning from a four-year mission in England. His name was Captain James Willey. The family was assigned, to the Willie handcart company. With faith and love for God and the Savior, they were determined to get to Zion. In the deadly Wyoming snows, Ann, who was a nurse, did what she could to help those who were sick. The youngest Oakey daughter, Sarah Ann, later remembered their suffering: There were many people in camp who died but we fared fairly well until we reached the deep snow in Wyoming. Our father froze his feet and hands and his toenails came off. Though the family suffered many hardships we always held our family prayer. Ann Collett Oakey,age 43 had stayed up all night nursing Thomas Oakey, age 42. When Ann called the children she discovered Rhoda's lifeless body. Rhoda had walked the entire distance only to die one hill away from the Valley. 67 people died out of an original company of 500 persons on this journey, little Rhoda was the last to die. Thomas was so sick that Ann had to leave him with Rhoda’s body and take the rest of the family on to the city. When Ann had settled in Salt Lake City, she went back to get the rest of her family. She was allowed to bring Rhoda’s body back and bury her in Salt Lake City. Thomas and Ann suffered many trials and hardships, one of them being, on his family’s overland trek to Salt Lake City in the winter of 1856 Joseph (12 or 13) had gotten separated from his family and ended up being taken in by a family who took pity on the young lad and brought him up as one of their own. His last name was changed to O’Kee. During that time he had married and raised his own family. There are several stories as to the circumstances connected with both his disappearance and how he was located about 20 years later. The following account was written by Mary Ann Passey Oakey: After travelling for some time they were surprised one night to find that their son Joseph, age 13, had disappeared from the company. A search was made, but without success and he was given up as lost. He grew to manhood, served through the Civil War and when President Charles C. Rich, and his son Joseph were east at a family reunion they advertised for him in Iowa, and he was discovered. In April 1876 he came to Paris, Idaho to visit his parents and kindred. After entering the Valley, and enduring many hardships, the Oakey family was reunited with Ann Collett’s brother Daniel. They settled for a few years in Lehi and were then called to help settle the Bear Lake area. Thomas Oakey the preacher of the United Brethren who had been baptized by Elder Wilford Woodruff was ordained a patriarch by President Wilford Woodruff. In recent years, a family member found the site of the unmarked grave of Rhoda Rebecca and placed an appropriate marker on the grave. On the 6th of June, during a family reunion in the Salt Lake Cemetery, Rhoda’s grave was rededicated. The daughter of Thomas and Ann Oakey, Ann Collett, married Charles Price. Their daughter Adeline Price married William Riley Egbert. Their son James Daniel Egbert married Elsie Estella Carson. Their daughter, Thelma Leona Egbert married, Charles Howard Williams, later married Vestal James Empey. Their son James Howard Williams married Colleen Nielsen. And I am the oldest of Jim and Colleen Williams.

3 comments:

  1. What a neat story! Thanks for sharing!!!!

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  2. This was great to read. Thank you for posting it. I, too, am a descendant of Thomas Oakey, through his daughter, Jane. Could you post where you got this information? I am not skeptical, but I like to gather as much information as I can, and as close to the source as possible. I love reading stories about my ancestors!

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    1. Snottzoid,

      I also come through the Jane line. I'm trying to find stories about the Oakey's. I would love to hear what you have gathered. I'm struggling to find much on Jane.

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