Two of Samuel Obed Crosby's children wrote short sketches of their father. The first was written by John S. Crosby for the Bunker Family History. The second was written by Elida Crosby Haycock. While each sketch presents a different perspective, there are a number of striking similarities, which seem to stem from their being the two oldest surviving children of the family. For example, only Elida and John would have had any recollections of the family's years in Bunkerville, Nevada.
Samuel Obed Crosby was born in Salt Lake City, where he lived until he was twelve years of age. I recall of hearing him tell of herding cows with John Henry Smith. [1] At the age of twelve his father Jesse W. Crosby, was called by President Brigham Young to the Dixie Mission because of his expert as a molasses maker. It was a time when sweets were hard to get in Utah. The molasses cane that could be very successfully grown in Dixie offered a partial solution to this lack problem.
So Samuel O. Crosby spent his teens and young manhood in St. George. The social conditions in St. George during these years were excellent. I believe those in Salt Lake City were no better. Education, music, and splendid entertainments were fostered. An excellent teacher of those days was Richard Horne, who taught a really good High School. To whom father had the privilege of going. Here he got some splendid musical training, and got to be an accomplished base singer. Because of his musical ability he led the choir for some years in Panguitch and later in Bunkerville. He sang base in the choir led by William T. Owens until he developed a little throat trouble, and base singing irritated it a little.
In St. George he met and courted, and married [2] Hannah Adelia Bunker, in the Endowment House in S. L. City, who was the daughter of Bishop Edward Bunker, who was called to preside over the Swiss emigrants in the Santa Clara. As the Santa Clara and St. George were only about two miles apart the young people from both communities mingled together freely.
I understand to start with that some of the Crosby's thought that Sam might have done a littler better in the selection of his wife. But I also understand that they all changed their minds. No Crosby boy or girl, ever married better than Sam.
Soon after their marriage, Samuel Obed and Hannah Adelia Crosby moved to Panguitch, which was then a young community. There was an opportunity to secure land and water. The range was virgin and excellent. There was an excellent opportunity to get in the live stock business.
Here they built two homes. One a log house, a little later, as their accumulation grew, they built a little better.
About this time Edward Bunker had a burning desire to establish the United Order. He wanted to go where Bunkerville now stands, where there was plenty of land and water, and set up the order of Enoch, and asked Samuel O. Crosby and his wife to come and join him, an invitation they accepted.
In the meant time Sam Crosby, as he was called, had studied a good deal and had gone to the Brigham Young Academy at Provo, and studied under Karl G. Maesar so he was qualified to teach school.
This afforded him a little ready cash, and he had done a little mining and sold a claim he had for a thousand dollars. With this money he purchased the ground on which Bunkerville stands with its adjoining fields. Then the land and lots were deeded to the people of the community and latter they reimbursed him for his initial expenditure.
With this money he went into the mercantile business, and had the only store in Bunkerville. This store was not only patronized by the people of Bunkerville, but people from Overton, Saint Thomas, St. Joseph on the Muddy did most of their trading there.
After a few years the Order for some reason broke up. Every one was given back the property they had put into it and their share of what ever accumulation had been made.
Bunkerville is very warm in the summertime. As he was a fleshy man that was hard on Sam Crosby. He would gald [3] under the arms. His wife’s health wasn't too good either, and as the united Order had broken up, the things they went there for, they decided to come back to Panguitch. A thing they did in 1888.
On coming back to Panguitch they went into the furniture business and farm machinery and wagons. They also acquired a fair sized farm and some cattle and a very few sheep.
Before they moved back to Panguitch Sam made a trip and bought a large brick home on Main Street from J J Page. So when they came they had a home to move right into.
Later as accommodations weren't too good for travelers they made this home into a hotel. This was a good paying business until Sam died. [4] At this writing this place is called the Blue Pine Hotel.
To Samuel Obed Crosby and his wife were born eleven children. Samuel Obed Jr., Elida, Kendall, John Silas, Rhoda Adelia, Edward Wintworth, William Rowell, Eunice Naomi, Eurie Glen, Stephen Abbot, and Bulah.
After coming back to Panguitch Sam Crosby taught school a number of years.
In about 1894 to 1896 he filled a two year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in England. At the end of that mission he spent some time in Maine working among his mother relatives. During his whole adult life he was always in some Church service. He was a member of the Panguitch Stake High Council for years.
The fact that Samuel Obed Crosby was exceptional successful in his administration to the sick has been attested by many faithful ones.
The story is told of a man who was in Salt Lake City and wanted to get some merchandise from George A. Low, but he wasn't known to Low. Low asked if there was any one in town who could recommend him. Well replied the man, “I don't know of any one here who knows me but S. O. Crosby.” “What”, asked Low, “Sam Crosby? You couldn't get a recommendation from any man on earth that would go farther with this institution than Sam Crosby's.” [5]
Samuel Obed Crosby, the third child of Jesse Wentworth and Hannah Elida Baldwin Crosby was born August 26, 1849 in Salt Lake City, Utah, while his father was in England [6] on a mission for the L.D.S. Church.
His childhood days were very much like all pioneer children, all must work. He herded cows, pulled weeds, did chores and assisted his father in making molasses out of sugar cane. While he was feeding [the sugar cane] mill, the first finger of (I believe) his left hand was taken off.
In 1862, [7] or when he was twelve years old, his father was called to help settle Dixie. To this call he [Jesse] responded taking the three older boys. After one year they had rock houses built, land cleared, bridges built and roads made passable. The mother was brought. Times were hard and very few opportunities for education, just a few months in winter. His first teacher was Aunt Ann [8] (his father's plural wife). When he was twenty-one years of age, Richard Horne established a high school in St. George; his father offered to fee, pay tuition and buy books if he could buy his own clothing and go to school. This offer was accepted and course finished, he later took a course under Geo. Dodds, a highly educated Scotchman. With these opportunities and his own efforts, he was able to get a certificate to teach, which he did for a number of years. Then he went to Provo taking a short course under Karl G. Measer.
He married Hannah Adelia Bunker in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City, Utah, June 10, 1872, traveling all the way in a wagon accompanied by his mother. They settled in Panguitch, Utah, after the place had been abandoned once on account of the Indians. Frost took the crops for a few years, but range was good and they were full of hope. Finally they overcame the obstacles, were doing well, when they decided to move to Bunkerville, Nev. where they still pioneered. Later they moved back to Panguitch in 1888 on account of wife's poor health.
They were parents of eleven children: Samuel Obed, a wonderful boy, who died at age of sixteen years; Elida Emily, still living and the writer of this sketch; Earnest Kendall, who died young, believed to be poisoned from eating peach pits; John Silas, still living, a good man and father of large family of boys; Rhoda Adelia, died very young; Edward Wentworth, still living and has fine family; William Rowell, died from flue pneumonia, January 30, 1919 at Wendell, Idaho, leaving two children; Unice Naomi, still living, mother of three children; Uny Glenn, her twin died at seven weeks; Stephen Abbott living and raising some good children; Bulah, living, mother of a big family.
We are very proud of our parentage. Our father was strictly honest in his dealings and very careful to keep his credit good. One of our townsmen went to Salt Lake City to buy some machinery. George A. Lowe asked if there was not some one who could go his security and he said; “I know of no one but Sam Crosby”. Lowe said; “If Sam Crosby will call me up and O.K. you, he need not sign, his word is as good as his note.” He was very strick with us, if we borrowed any thing, we must return it in as good a condition as when we got it. Was a man with a lot of faith and power when administering to the sick. Filled a mission in England leaving fall of 1894. [9]
Farming, stock raising, mercantile business, including machinery and furniture, and school teaching were engaged in. Although not as successful financially as some of his brothers, his family were well cared for. Was a Black Hawk Indian War veteran, for which service, his wife received pension.
Like his parents, he was very industrious, loved to sing and whistle. many are the times I have listened for these signs of his coming. He was very considerate of others feelings. I believe he was a favorite of his wife's family. Many are the good lessons he has taught me, which have helped me over many rocky ways, and my greatest desire is to be worthy to meet him when the time comes.
He died March 24, 1903 from an unsuccessful operation, leaving his wife to raise the family. She followed him March 13, 1932, nearly twenty-nine years later.