Thomas Lorenzo Obray (1821 - 1899) Profile

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Thomas Lorenzo Obray

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Malta Mission manuscript history and historical reports, 1852-1855, Church History Library

Malta Mission manuscript history and historical reports, 1852-1855, Church History Library.

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959, October 10, 1881, Vol. 1, Page 56, Line 2406.

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959, October 10, 1881, Vol. 2, Page 61, Line 2406.

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959.

Bagley, John, Reminiscences, in Edith Parker Haddock and Dorothy Hardy Matthews, comp. History of Bear Lake Pioneers [1968], 53

Bagley, John, Reminiscences, in Edith Parker Haddock and Dorothy Hardy Matthews, comp. History of Bear Lake Pioneers [1968], 53.

I left New Brunswick May 10, 1854. Two weeks later I was at Fort Leavenworth on the Missouri River. Three miles out we camped on a little spring creek, called at that time Salt Creek, where I saw and passed through the cholera. There were about forty church wagons and about as many independent wagons, and there was one sick to every one well in camp. My cousin, a woman with six children, got cholera and died about one o'clock in the morning. Two of her children were dead the next morning and one of her sister's children also. We buried these four in one grave as they were dying so fast. The government furnished caskets as long as we were in reach of Fort Leavenworth. About this time our leaders told us to move out and go as fast as we could. One morning our captain, Thomas O'Hara [Obray], a young Welchman, 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 his 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.
About this time Brother Pratt's company had lost so many teamsters I was asked to go back and help them, as I was alone. I walked back the fifty miles, and it was back at their camp that I was stricken with the cholera. I soon recovered and drove a team for my board. Several times I was offered a job for fifty dollars and my board the year around, but when I was confirmed a member of the Church I was promised I should live to get to the home of the Saints, and I valued this promise more than gold, even though I was poor, alone, had no money, and was very scantily clothed. We arrived in Salt Lake City the fourth day of October 1854.

Transcript for Bagley, John, Reminiscences, in Edith Parker Haddock and Dorothy Hardy Matthews, comp. History of Bear Lake Pioneers [1968], 53

Hezekiah Mitchell journal

Hezekiah Mitchell journal, June 1854.

Transcript for Hezekiah Mitchell journal, 1854 June-September

Hezekiah Mitchell journal.

Keeler, Eliza Shelton, Autobiography and journal, [ca. 1886-1898], 10-12

Keeler, Eliza Shelton, Autobiography and journal, [ca. 1886-1898], 10-12.

in the Spring of /54, on the 10
th
 of May we started for the land of the Saints, leaving my Dear Old Father and sister Lucy behind, my Brother Charles [Shelton] and family and little Albert [Shelton] was then 8 years old, and 5 of us girls, with all our little branch started[.] it was a great trial to leave our Father, and he took it so very hard too, he went to live with Lucy and he lived with her as long as he lived, Pa's <eye sight> was getting worse all the time, and he was afraid he would be more trouble than good to his children before he got to Utah, he had a good deal owing to him; there that he expected to collect and then he thought he could serve the Lord there as well as to come to Utah to do it, so we left him with tears and sorrow, I imagined it would be very nice to travel on the cars and steamboat, but I got enough of it, Just before leaving home we got a letter from William[.] we were already to start, he wrote that he done pretty well for a while. got good wages, then he fell sick and it took all he made and more too to pay the doctors bill &c he was not able to work yet, he begged Pa's forgiveness, and wanted to return home, Oh joy[.] Pa's prayers was answered, he shed tears of joy, he answered his letter immeadiately, forgive him, and desired him to come back; he came home but it was after we had left, Oh how bad I wanted to see him, he taught school and boarded at Lucys, for some time, then he left home on a fishing tour, finally married and w[r]ote to us, but I have not heard from him now for a long time, when we got to St. Louis we bought our teams and wagons, cows, provisions and all our outfit for traveling on the plains, Charles and his family occupied one wagon and us girls and brother Albert the other, my sister Martha [Shelton], Louisa [Shelton Obray,] Emily [Shelton], and I were baptized at fort Leavenworth by Alonzo [Alondus D. Lafayette] Buckland on the 24
th
 of June 1854 [4 June 1854] with some others, Louisa was married to Thomas Obray the same day, by the same man, Thomas was returning from a Mission from Malta coming to Utah, with his brother Sam[uel Obray] and family, we got the measles, all of our family except Charles & Sam, they were the only ones that had already had them[.] we suffered very much, Rebbecca [Shelton], (my brothers wife) had the Cholera morbus, suffered dreadfully till death came to her relief, my sister Louisa first had the measles. she was commencing to get better with them when she took a backset[.] Cholera set in and she worse off after being a bride just 3 weeks, Thomas [Obray] took this pretty hard, also my brother Charles was worn out with waiting on the sick and his children died one after another till 5 were layd away all but his oldest son Alfred, it is hard to imagine that mans feelings, I dont know how the poor man stood it, a great number of our company died, and us girls continued very weak and poorly[.] not much appetite and Diareah [diarrhea] all the way to the Valley, we traveled on under trials and difficulties till we arrived in Salt Lake City 29. Sep. 1854, pretty well worn out, and also our teams, nevertheless was much rejoiced to view a city after our long march full of hope for the future, for now we were to the end of our journey and among the saints of God,

Transcript for Keeler, Eliza Shelton, Autobiography and journal, [ca. 1886-1898], 10-12

Shelton, Charles, Autobiography, 1857-1882

Shelton, Charles, Autobiography, 1857-1882.

In the Spring of 1854, when the majority of the Branch left for the vallies of the mountains, I took my departure with them in the Steamer, John Warren, arrived at Fredricton @ 5 P.M. May ll
th
. My father, eldest Sister Ann[,] Martha, Eliza, Emily and Albert my youngest brother, were there awaiting our arrival. my father was at that time nearly blind and it was with great reluctance that we left him behind but we had to do so, and trust in Providence for the future. We all left the Province but him my Sister Lucy and Brother W[illia]m 
May 11th 1854 We left Fredricton New Brunswick for St. Johns on our Way to Boston, en Route for Utah T[erritor]y. We arrived at Boston on the 13th at 4 P.M. and Immediately engaged our passage to Chicago at 9 dols. per head in Williams' and Co's train baggage to be moved free of Charge. All hands safely lodged in the Buffalo House until monday morning, train to start at 1/2 past 7. A.M. Spent the Sabbath at Boston in a pleasant manner.	
Monday morning, May 15th Started in the Cars as per arrangement arriving at Albany 1/2 past 5 P.M. Stopped at the Boston Hotel, fare 7 Dols.	
Tuesday 16th continued our journey travelling all night and arriving at Buffalo 12 noon[.] got on board the Ocean Steamer Lake Erie 9 P.M. Started for Detroit, (Here we lost a quantity of baggage) (very valuable), Arriving at Detroit 5 P.M. Stopt at the Eagle Hotel (fare 8 Dols.) 
On the 19th Started for Chicago, 1/2 past 12 traveling through the night Arriving on the 20th[.] next day Sunday Stopped all day they charged us $16.50 	
Monday the 22nd Started for Lasalle at 7 A.M. Arrived there at 1/2 past 5 P.M. Started from there in the Steamer Ben Campbelle on the Illinois River at 2.50 per head[.] Sailed down the River to its mouth in the Mississippi Arriving at St. Louis at 4 P.M. on the 24th. Here we found Bro. H. S. Eldridge who engaged our passage up the river to Fort Levensworth, the camping ground of the Saints. On our arrival at Camping Ground the Diarhea just attacked my little son David Booth finally Cholerea carried him off. My wife was also taken with it and our youngest child and both died. So that my wife and two children were buried near the camping ground and as soon as sickness would permit we started forward on our journey, in hopes to get out where a healthier atmosphere pervaded. My little girl died on the way and was buried while on the road with our teams, next my little boy Wm. Slason was taken and the last one Charles Edwin died at big blue and buried there. Thus I left on the way to Zion my wife and five children.
We arrived at Salt &lt;Lake&gt; City Sept. 19th 1854[.] After being in the City a short time I went to work for Bp. Haywood and my Sister Ann was sealed to Elder J. W. Crosby and My Sister Martha was sealed to Elder Th[oma]s. Obrey. (My Sister Louisa died on the way) She had been married to Elder Obrey at the camping ground before we started.

Transcript for Shelton, Charles, Autobiography, 1857-1882

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Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire, Wales, United Kingdom

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Louisa Shelton

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Paradise, Cache, Utah Territory, United States

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