Ann Collett Oakey

ANN COLLETT OAKEY

        Ann Collett Oakey made her first cry in this world on November 9, 1833, in the little farming community of Eldersfield, Worcestershire, England.  She was the first child born to Thomas Oakey and Ann Collett.  As time went by, she helped tend and care for her nine younger siblings.

        Ann’s parents were very religious.  They belonged to a branch off of the Methodists who called themselves The United Brethren.  Her father, Thomas, was a minister for this church. 

        When she was seven years old, her parents were converted and baptized by Wilford Woodruff. Shortly afterwards, her father became the first branch president of the Frogmarsh Branch. 

        While in England, her father “cradled grain” and farmed.  She helped her mother at home with the children.  She witnessed two brothers leave this world very young. James was born and died on May 27, 1849, and Walter died when he was just less than a month old in 1854.  They worked and saved for many years to make the trip to Zion and join the saints in Utah. 

Finally, in 1856, with the help of the Perpetual Emigration Fund, their family was able to realize their dream.  Ann, who was 23 years old, boarded the ship Thornton and crossed the Atlantic Ocean with her family.  According to the LDS production, Faith: The Musical, written about their family, she left a beau behind in England.

Her family joined the Willie Handcart company and set off on their overland journey to “the valley” in July, 1856.  Ann helped her sisters pull one of the handcarts while her brothers pulled the other one.  She witnessed her brother, Joe, leave their family determined not to leave that season and watched as her parents moved on with the hopes that he would come the following year.

The first Indians that they met came up to their carts, pushed them away, and pushed their carts into camp laughing at them.  Two times on the trip there were so many buffalo that they had to split the company so that the buffalo could pass through.  Sometimes the Indians would come at night and trade buffalo for salt and clothing.

Ann helped take care of the rest of the family while her mother took care of their ailing father and others who were sick in the company.  Towards the end of their journey, her sister, Rhoda, became sick.  Rhoda passed away the night before they arrived in the Salt Lake Valley.  Ann must have helped her mother a great deal as they pushed their carts into the valley that morning leaving their father and her sister’s body behind.  After they found her mother’s brother, Daniel Collett and his family, Ann helped the rest of the family while her mother returned for her father and Rhoda’s body. 

Before leaving for Lehi, Utah, where her uncle lived, they buried Rhoda in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.  They made the 29 mile journey to Lehi where they were cared for and recovered.  While there, Ann met Charles Price.  He, too, had hailed from England.  He had also been a member of the Cheltenham Stake. Although he was 33 years older than she (13 years older than her father), she agreed to marry him.  They traveled to Salt Lake City, and on February 19, 1857, she and Charles were married by President Brigham Young in the Endowment House.  She was not the only one.  Charles was sealed to his first wife, Mary Jane Shelton, and was also married to Caroline Gaston on the same day.  Little is known of Jane, but it is believed that she had passed away beforehand. 

Ann’s first child, Charles Christopher Price, was born on Dec. 6, 1857, in Lehi.  Her mother was not there to deliver him as they had moved to Kaysville earlier that year. This precious son passed away in 1859.

Charles moved Ann to Harrisville, Weber, Utah, and there their second child was born.  Her name was Esther Ann Price.  She was named after her aunt Esther Collett (Daniel Collett’s wife). Esther came into this world on July 14, 1860. 

Two years later, Ann had another daughter, Adeline Price.  She was born in Slaterville, which is just adjacent to the west of Harrisville, on January 24, 1862. 

The following year brought both joy and sadness.  Ann’s sister, Jane, passed away in July, being only 23 years old.  A son was born on October 31, 1863.  They named him Samuel Daniel Price.  He, too, was born in Slaterville.

Ann became ill and passed away on February 2, 1865, in Slaterville.  Charles had not been home, but came as soon as possible.  She was buried in the Slaterville Cemetery.  This cemetery was built on wetlands and was used for only a few short years before graves began to sink.  Those that could be moved were relocated to the Ogden City Cemetery; however, Ann’s was not one of them.

-Written by: Dari Peterson Thacker (3^rd Great Granddaughter through daughter Esther Ann Price Perry) on February 23, 2014.