Samuel and Elizabeth Matthews
Information comes from the History of Bear Lake Pioneers, pages 438-439 in addition to census and death records.
Samuel Matthews was born in Northill, England, May 4, 1843 to William and Elizabeth (Flinders). He was the oldest of three boys, his younger brothers were George and Tim. In 1850 they left their home and went to Liverpool, staying there several days and then sailing for America in October. Elizabeth Matthews suffered with tuberculosis and died after being at sea for about a week. She was wrapped in a sheet, which was covered with a tar preparation to make it waterproof, a weight was tied to her feet and she was placed on a plank and slid into the sea.
While on the ocean there was a terrible storm for three days and nights and the family was not allowed on deck. The ship was nearly wrecked. After seven weeks they landed at New Orleans, November 22, 1850. They took a steamer the Amarauth up the river to St Louis. On board they had some very hard oatmeal crackers to eat. Sam remembered soaking his in vinegar so that he could eat them. They landed at St Louis on December 4. William had met Sarah Ellington on the ship and they were married Christmas Day.
Sarah Matthews had a baby boy which lived for only a few days. They had a woman, Charlotte Swift, who as a LDS come to stay with the family and take care of the boys. Sarah died. In the spring William married Charlotte Swift. In 1855 they started across the plains and when they reached Fort Laramie, Samuel was hired by William S Godbe to drive one of his teams. He was now 12 years old. His parents left him and arrived in Salt Lake in two weeks. He arrived October 26, 1855. The family lived in Salt Lake only six weeks and then went to Grantsville, Utah.
When Samuel was 20 years old he and John Martin drove a wagon to Florence, Nebraska to bring back a load of immigrants. On the 12th of October 1864 Samuel married Elizabeth Keetch. The Keetches were going to Bear Lake and Elizabeth wanted to go with them. But Samuel liked Grantsville and rented a farm for two years. Samuel Jr. was born there.
Children of Samuel Matthews and Elizabeth Keetch
Samuel W Matthews b-25 Aug 1865 in Grantsville
Elizabeth Ann Matthews b-5 Feb 1867 in Grantsville; d-24 Mar 1903 in St Charles
Emily M
Matthews b-9 July 1869 in Grantsville; d-19 July 1957 in Logan Utah; br-Paris
Cemetery
Eliza Ann Matthews b-1873 in Grantsville
Ella Matthews b-June 1880 in Liberty
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Children of Samuel Matthews and Annie
Kennington
Alonzo Henry Matthews b-20 Apr 1888 in Liberty; d-26 June 1981
Annie Ada Matthews b-5 July 1890 in Liberty
Edna A Matthews b-5 July 1890 in Liberty; d-23 Jan 1937 in Soda Springs
Harvey Kennington Matthews b-4 Sep 1895 in Liberty; d-24 Apr 1980
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In 1870 Samuel and his brothers, George and Tim were called to go to Bear Lake. They were 12 days getting to St Charles where they stayed for two days. The rest of the family came in July and Samuel built a home in Liberty by winter. He built a milk house in the back so they could store 50 pounds of milk. In 1879 Samuel and his family moved to East Liberty buying land from Thomas Peterson. Samuel was called to be a bishop in Montpelier November 11, 1883. On February 28, 1884 he married Annie E Kennington and moved her to Montpelier.
The marshals were after him for seven years before he was arrested but the manifesto was issued before he had to go to jail. Samuel worked in the Logan Temple and was one of the organizers of the Bear Lake State Bank. He was a commissioner for Bear Lake County. In July 1915 he was called as a member of the High Council and in 1919 was called as Patriarch.
Samuel Matthews died May 6, 1927 and was buried
in the Liberty cemetery. Elizabeth died 11 Apr 1893 and was buried in the
Liberty Cemetery.