Thomas & Ann Oakey

In the spring of 1840, Thomas Oakey, a preacher of the United Brethren, stands in one of their meetings to deliver a sermon, 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." He was 27 years old. On 5 April 1840 Wilford Woodruff baptized Thomas Oakey, along with his wife, Ann Collett Oakey. Thomas Oakey began preaching again. He was soon appointed leader of the small branch of the Church at Frogsmarsh.

Most members after 1840 travelled to Nauvoo. 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, word was sent to England that inexpensive travel to Salt Lake City was possible through the Perpetual Emigration Fund if the emigrants would travel with handcarts. Thomas, Ann and their family of 8 Children left the green pastureland of Eldersfield in the spring of 1856, to begin their journey to Zion. 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 sewed tents for their family.

Willie handcart company. After leaving Eldersfield in the spring, the Oakey family found themselves in the high plains of Wyoming in October, buried in snow and struggling for their lives. They all survived, but on the morning of the 9 November 1856, on Little Mountain, one day from the end of their journey, their eleven-year-old Rhoda Rebecca died. Rhoda Rebecca Oakey was the last death on the trail of the Willey Handcart Company.

The following spring, after the Oakey’s were strong enough, they briefly moved to Kaysville where they built a home and had a farm, then finally settled in Lehi, Utah. In the spring of 1865, they were called to help settle Paris, Idaho in the Bear Lake Valley, where they served in this remote mountain valley home; Thomas as a church patriarch and Ann through her countless hours as a midwife for the rest of their lives. 

“Faith”, the Musical – The story of the Oakey Family was portrayed in the musical put on by the Cheltenham England Stake and the Glenmore Utah Stake in August 2011 at the conference theatre in Salt Lake City.

Thomas died at Paris, Bear Lake, Idaho on 15 April 1890 – Age 77.

Ann died at Paris, Bear Lake, Idaho on 14 April 1892 – Age 80.