Charles Price

Charles Price came into this world on Monday September 1st, 1800.  When I visited Nauvoo, Illinois a few years ago, I had the opportunity to stop at the Records Office.  They had a lot of info about him.  From the early church records, I learned that his father was James Price.  His mother's first name was Mary.  That is all that I know about his heritage.  One of the treasures from those records I got in Nauvoo was a history of him in a compilation titled Ten Men of Nauvoo, written by Faye V. Bell (1986).  Here are some excerpts:

A SONG IN THE SILENCE

CHARLES PRICE

"Think not when you gather to Zion

Your troubles and trials are through

That nothing but comfort and pleasure

Are waiting in Zion for you;

No, no, its designed as a furnace,

All substance, all textures to try,

To burn all the "wood, hay and stubble",

The gold from the dross purify."

Charles Price, born in Kimbolton, Herefordshire, England (1800) was in the prime of his life when he heard the gospel from the apostle, Wilford Woodruff.  As the honest in heart everywhere are touched by the word of God, so was he. From his first patriarchal blessing given by the Patriarch, Hyrum Smith, at Nauvoo, September 13, 1841, com the words that proved his life, "Your name shall be had in honor unto future generations."

For the first time, Charles Price, was baptized in 1802 and the event is recorded in the Register of the Parish, Kimbolton, Herefordshire, England.  His tender years, according to general family knowledge, appeared to be managed by an orphanage in the shire.  His mother is believed to be Mary Price.  Beyond that, his beginnings are nebulous.

Kimbolton, England, is about 40 miles from the highest mountain peak near this part of Great Britain, the Penterfau in Wales.  The River Wye runs with salmon and flows near Kimbolton's green rolling hills.  Often the weather is sunny and splashed with rain.  Typical ten-foot hedges and a three-toned green panoramic view is visible from any direction.

When Charles was seventeen years old (1820), he was a member of the British military.  He enlisted in the 53rd Regiment and joined the Depot of the Regiment oat Aleany BArracks, Isle of Wight, January 5, 1820.  Nine months later, he was waiting embarkment for India.  Exactly thirteen months later, October 25, 1821, he landed in Madras, India, just a month before a notable hurricane hit the China Sea.

Thereafter, Charles served in Bangalore, Camp Chiltoor, and Ft. George in Madras and Calcutta.  At first he served simply as an occupation soldier but later he fought in the Burma War and was stationed six months at Arracan-- an unhealthy site where he was in and out of the hospital with malaria.  While on the Ganghes (Feb. 15, 1826), he was promoted to Corporal, but finally was recommended for return to England for recovery.  Five months of illness prompted his return and he took ship from Calcutta, January 17, 1827, and arrived back at Chatham, England April 17, 1827.  He appeared before the Chelsea Hospital Commissioners and received a discharge with an out-pension which was certified for two years only.  At this time Charles was 23 years old.  His military service recorded 6 years, 136 days.

For the first time, his military records describe the young soldier: 5 foot 7 1/2 inches tall; dark brown hair; gray eyes and fresh complexion.  A one-word character description is fitted to him: good. [During this time he married Sally Andrus. Nothing is known about her death. I assume no children were born to this union].

Between 1826 and 1840, he built up a business. [The history says that there were no records about this and assumes that he was a farmer; however, I found a record for 1840 stating that he owned a pub].    By 1840, Charles was listed as a preacher with the United Brethren.

In 1840, when the apostle Wilford Woodruff went to John Benbow's farm, Charles was among the group of United Brethren who were baptized.  Charles was baptized by Wilford Woodruff on March 6, 1840, at Hill Farm (property of John Benbow), Herefordshire, in a makeshift pool for the occasion and confirmed by the apostle on March 8, 1840.  Subsequently, he was ordained an Elder 21 June 1840, under the hands of Wilford Woodruff and Willard Richards.

As soon as he was ordained, he was placed in charge of the Churches at Ledbury, Moore-End Cross and Ridgeway Cross.  His circumstances were such that he was a full-time missionary and set apart at Manchester.  

Charles Price left Liverpool on the ship, North America, September 7/8, 1840, and landed in New York harbor on October 12, 1840.  He went to Nauvoo.

He began his tithing labour on the temple on November 23, 1840, and worked five and a half years on it.  Much of this time he was sick.  It is not known if his malarial issues returned or if he suffered greatly from hunger.

[On October 9, 1841, he married Mary Jane Shelton.  Elder John Taylor performed their ceremony.  

They welcomed their first child, Benjamin P. Price, into their family on August 11, 1842.  Their second child, Mary Jane was born on December 22, 1843.]

On December 23, 1843 he paid $40 for a one half acre lot in the city boundaries.  He was a member of the Nauvoo 4th Ward. [He served in the Nauvoo Legion]. 

Charles was ordained a member of the 10th Quorum of Seventies in 1844 by Joseph Young.  

[Their third child, Sarah Ann, was born on September 5, 1845.  He and Jane received their endowments in the Nauvoo Temple on December 18, 1845.]

On April 4, 1846, he sold the land he owned in Nauvoo for $300. [The following month brought tragedy for their family.  Sarah Ann passed away in May.]

He would go to Council Bluffs, to Pleasant Grove, to Lehi, to Harmony, Utah, wherever he was called.  He consecrated all of his property to the Church in 1872 from Lehi, Utah.  Furthermore, he would add to his career as a military man by fighting Indians in Utah.  Charles Price was a true man of Zion for Zion was where Charles was.

In addition to this history:

Their dear Benjamin passed away in October of 1850 somewhere between Nauvoo and Utah.  They had another daughter, Sarah W., born in 1849 in Kanesville, Iowa, but she died before they reached Utah as well.  

In 1851, they came in an independent wagon train and settled in Lehi.  Here he buried his beloved wife.  So, from his first marriage, only one child lived to adulthood.  

On February 19, 1857, he married two women- Ann Collett Oakey, whose family he had close ties with in England.  Her family were also members of the United Brethren.  Her father also served as a minister for that order and as the first Branch President of the Frogmarsh area in England.  The second woman was Caroline Gaston Blakey.  She was a widow with children of her own.  

He and Ann had 5 children. Their first, Charles Christopher, was born in Lehi and lived for less than 2 years. The remainder of their children were born in Slaterville, Weber, Utah.  

He and Caroline's first child, Emily Maria, was also born in Lehi.Their other child was born in Slaterville.  

Tragedy struck again for Charles when his dear young wife, Ann, 31 years old, died in February 1865, in Slaterville.  

Charles was the county surveyor down in Levan, Utah.  He served another mission later in life. He passed away on 27 May, 1873, in Harrisville, Utah.  His burial place is unknown.  It is known that he was not buried by any of his wives; however, at this time it is not known where his grave resides.