The funeral services on August 16 over the remains of Philander Colton and his wife, Polly M. Colton, were simple but impressive. If romance can be connected with the terror of death it was in this instance.
Months ago when Mr. Colton was comparatively well and his wife's death was looked for hourly, he remarked to several family, "No, Mother won't die yet. We promised when we married that we would live and die together, and she will wait for me." His utterance was prophetic, and we felt convinced that the Messenger would not fail to summon them together.
As we looked on their peaceful faces we felt there was no room for regret, that they had had the dearest wish of their hearts gratified, and after a well-rounded life were ready to take the last of many pilgrimages together.
They had lived more than the allotted three score years and ten, had seen grow to honorable man and woman's estate a large family of children and had around them to the last grandchildren whose devotion was unquestioned, and friends who did gladly any service of love for them.
The funeral was held in the ward house in Mill Ward, Sunday morning. The house was crowded, over 300 people being present to pay their parting tribute of respect to the dead. The coffins were borne in by the pallbearers and rested side by side while the services were conducted.
The choir rendered the hymn "Nearer My God to Thee," which was followed by prayer by Judge (James Harvey) Glines. Patriarch (Jeremiah) Hatch, D. Bingham and R. S. Collett each spoke words of consolation to the living, touched lovingly on the lives and characters of the departed, and in fervid words pictured the joys they believe awaited all who died in the faith.
Bishop Shaffer spoke of the covenant made in their happy youth that they would live and die together. Mr. Thomas Caldwell who knew Mr. Colton when they were both young and belonged to the celebrated "Mormon Battalion" paid tribute to Mr. Colton's courage, enterprise and devotion to what he conceived to be his duty. At the close of the services the remains were followed to the cemetery where they were placed side by side in one grave. The funeral was the largest ever seen in the valley -- 61 vehicles and 150 people going to the cemetery.
Philander Colton was born in New York October 19, 1811, Polly M. Colton, his wife, was born in the same state October 15, 1816. They were married in July 1833, and early in that decade joined the Mormons and moved to Nauvoo in its infancy. There they prospered and at the time of the exodus from Nauvoo left a comfortable home and emigrated to Iowa.
Mr. Colton was one of the first to enlist in the "Mormon Batallion" in 1846. His oldest son Ed, then a boy of thirteen, accompanied him and when the Batallion was disbanded in California. Mr. Colton followed his business of brick making, burning the first bricks ever used in that state (Califonia). After making, by hard works and economy, a good stake, he went back to Winter Quarters to his family, found what was left of his effects -- only three old oxen and a broken wagon, and with these he started for Utah and settled in Provo, following his trade of brickmaking.
He and his wife remained there until 1887 when he moved to Ashley, where they had living at that time four sons. Both Mr. Colton and his wife were comparitively well until last spring when they were attacked with Lagrippe. Mr. Colton rallied, but his wife lived months in extreme misery, praying only that she might die and end her suffering.
Within the last six weeks Mr. Colton failed rapidly and for some days before his wife's death he was unconscious. Mrs. Colton died Thursday, August 13 at 4:20 p.m. and 36 hours later at 4:30 a.m., Saturday, Mr. Colton breathed his last.
They will be greatly missed. Mr. Colton was a most entertaining conversationalist and many a pleasant half hour have we spent in his company. Mrs. Colton was a woman to depend on, and always spoke her mind withour fear or favor.
(Note: The paper may have had the wrong time of death for Philander--for members of his family have maintained for years that the day was bright and without a cloud in the sky when the "Clap" of thunder came.) M.C. Perry
-Uintah Papoose, August 1891
Children - Phoebe Albina Colton, George Philander Colton, John Adelbert Colton, Charles Edwin Colton, Sterling Driggs Colton, Lamoni Andrew Colton, Sanford Lorenzo Colton, Harriet Emily Colton, Eleanor Roseltha Colton, Ernest Merrill Colton, Byron Oliver Colton
Months ago when Mr. Colton was comparatively well and his wife's death was looked for hourly, he remarked to several family, "No, Mother won't die yet. We promised when we married that we would live and die together, and she will wait for me." His utterance was prophetic, and we felt convinced that the Messenger would not fail to summon them together.
As we looked on their peaceful faces we felt there was no room for regret, that they had had the dearest wish of their hearts gratified, and after a well-rounded life were ready to take the last of many pilgrimages together.
They had lived more than the allotted three score years and ten, had seen grow to honorable man and woman's estate a large family of children and had around them to the last grandchildren whose devotion was unquestioned, and friends who did gladly any service of love for them.
The funeral was held in the ward house in Mill Ward, Sunday morning. The house was crowded, over 300 people being present to pay their parting tribute of respect to the dead. The coffins were borne in by the pallbearers and rested side by side while the services were conducted.
The choir rendered the hymn "Nearer My God to Thee," which was followed by prayer by Judge (James Harvey) Glines. Patriarch (Jeremiah) Hatch, D. Bingham and R. S. Collett each spoke words of consolation to the living, touched lovingly on the lives and characters of the departed, and in fervid words pictured the joys they believe awaited all who died in the faith.
Bishop Shaffer spoke of the covenant made in their happy youth that they would live and die together. Mr. Thomas Caldwell who knew Mr. Colton when they were both young and belonged to the celebrated "Mormon Battalion" paid tribute to Mr. Colton's courage, enterprise and devotion to what he conceived to be his duty. At the close of the services the remains were followed to the cemetery where they were placed side by side in one grave. The funeral was the largest ever seen in the valley -- 61 vehicles and 150 people going to the cemetery.
Philander Colton was born in New York October 19, 1811, Polly M. Colton, his wife, was born in the same state October 15, 1816. They were married in July 1833, and early in that decade joined the Mormons and moved to Nauvoo in its infancy. There they prospered and at the time of the exodus from Nauvoo left a comfortable home and emigrated to Iowa.
Mr. Colton was one of the first to enlist in the "Mormon Batallion" in 1846. His oldest son Ed, then a boy of thirteen, accompanied him and when the Batallion was disbanded in California. Mr. Colton followed his business of brick making, burning the first bricks ever used in that state (Califonia). After making, by hard works and economy, a good stake, he went back to Winter Quarters to his family, found what was left of his effects -- only three old oxen and a broken wagon, and with these he started for Utah and settled in Provo, following his trade of brickmaking.
He and his wife remained there until 1887 when he moved to Ashley, where they had living at that time four sons. Both Mr. Colton and his wife were comparitively well until last spring when they were attacked with Lagrippe. Mr. Colton rallied, but his wife lived months in extreme misery, praying only that she might die and end her suffering.
Within the last six weeks Mr. Colton failed rapidly and for some days before his wife's death he was unconscious. Mrs. Colton died Thursday, August 13 at 4:20 p.m. and 36 hours later at 4:30 a.m., Saturday, Mr. Colton breathed his last.
They will be greatly missed. Mr. Colton was a most entertaining conversationalist and many a pleasant half hour have we spent in his company. Mrs. Colton was a woman to depend on, and always spoke her mind withour fear or favor.
(Note: The paper may have had the wrong time of death for Philander--for members of his family have maintained for years that the day was bright and without a cloud in the sky when the "Clap" of thunder came.) M.C. Perry
-Uintah Papoose, August 1891
Children - Phoebe Albina Colton, George Philander Colton, John Adelbert Colton, Charles Edwin Colton, Sterling Driggs Colton, Lamoni Andrew Colton, Sanford Lorenzo Colton, Harriet Emily Colton, Eleanor Roseltha Colton, Ernest Merrill Colton, Byron Oliver Colton
The funeral services on August 16 over the remains of Philander Colton and his wife, Polly M. Colton, were simple but impressive. If romance can be connected with the terror of death it was in this instance.
Months ago when Mr. Colton was comparatively well and his wife's death was looked for hourly, he remarked to several family, "No, Mother won't die yet. We promised when we married that we would live and die together, and she will wait for me." His utterance was prophetic, and we felt convinced that the Messenger would not fail to summon them together.
As we looked on their peaceful faces we felt there was no room for regret, that they had had the dearest wish of their hearts gratified, and after a well-rounded life were ready to take the last of many pilgrimages together.
They had lived more than the allotted three score years and ten, had seen grow to honorable man and woman's estate a large family of children and had around them to the last grandchildren whose devotion was unquestioned, and friends who did gladly any service of love for them.
The funeral was held in the ward house in Mill Ward, Sunday morning. The house was crowded, over 300 people being present to pay their parting tribute of respect to the dead. The coffins were borne in by the pallbearers and rested side by side while the services were conducted.
The choir rendered the hymn "Nearer My God to Thee," which was followed by prayer by Judge (James Harvey) Glines. Patriarch (Jeremiah) Hatch, D. Bingham and R. S. Collett each spoke words of consolation to the living, touched lovingly on the lives and characters of the departed, and in fervid words pictured the joys they believe awaited all who died in the faith.
Bishop Shaffer spoke of the covenant made in their happy youth that they would live and die together. Mr. Thomas Caldwell who knew Mr. Colton when they were both young and belonged to the celebrated "Mormon Battalion" paid tribute to Mr. Colton's courage, enterprise and devotion to what he conceived to be his duty. At the close of the services the remains were followed to the cemetery where they were placed side by side in one grave. The funeral was the largest ever seen in the valley -- 61 vehicles and 150 people going to the cemetery.
Philander Colton was born in New York October 19, 1811, Polly M. Colton, his wife, was born in the same state October 15, 1816. They were married in July 1833, and early in that decade joined the Mormons and moved to Nauvoo in its infancy. There they prospered and at the time of the exodus from Nauvoo left a comfortable home and emigrated to Iowa.
Mr. Colton was one of the first to enlist in the "Mormon Batallion" in 1846. His oldest son Ed, then a boy of thirteen, accompanied him and when the Batallion was disbanded in California. Mr. Colton followed his business of brick making, burning the first bricks ever used in that state (Califonia). After making, by hard works and economy, a good stake, he went back to Winter Quarters to his family, found what was left of his effects -- only three old oxen and a broken wagon, and with these he started for Utah and settled in Provo, following his trade of brickmaking.
He and his wife remained there until 1887 when he moved to Ashley, where they had living at that time four sons. Both Mr. Colton and his wife were comparitively well until last spring when they were attacked with Lagrippe. Mr. Colton rallied, but his wife lived months in extreme misery, praying only that she might die and end her suffering.
Within the last six weeks Mr. Colton failed rapidly and for some days before his wife's death he was unconscious. Mrs. Colton died Thursday, August 13 at 4:20 p.m. and 36 hours later at 4:30 a.m., Saturday, Mr. Colton breathed his last.
They will be greatly missed. Mr. Colton was a most entertaining conversationalist and many a pleasant half hour have we spent in his company. Mrs. Colton was a woman to depend on, and always spoke her mind withour fear or favor.
(Note: The paper may have had the wrong time of death for Philander--for members of his family have maintained for years that the day was bright and without a cloud in the sky when the "Clap" of thunder came.) M.C. Perry
-Uintah Papoose, August 1891
Children - Phoebe Albina Colton, George Philander Colton, John Adelbert Colton, Charles Edwin Colton, Sterling Driggs Colton, Lamoni Andrew Colton, Sanford Lorenzo Colton, Harriet Emily Colton, Eleanor Roseltha Colton, Ernest Merrill Colton, Byron Oliver Colton
Months ago when Mr. Colton was comparatively well and his wife's death was looked for hourly, he remarked to several family, "No, Mother won't die yet. We promised when we married that we would live and die together, and she will wait for me." His utterance was prophetic, and we felt convinced that the Messenger would not fail to summon them together.
As we looked on their peaceful faces we felt there was no room for regret, that they had had the dearest wish of their hearts gratified, and after a well-rounded life were ready to take the last of many pilgrimages together.
They had lived more than the allotted three score years and ten, had seen grow to honorable man and woman's estate a large family of children and had around them to the last grandchildren whose devotion was unquestioned, and friends who did gladly any service of love for them.
The funeral was held in the ward house in Mill Ward, Sunday morning. The house was crowded, over 300 people being present to pay their parting tribute of respect to the dead. The coffins were borne in by the pallbearers and rested side by side while the services were conducted.
The choir rendered the hymn "Nearer My God to Thee," which was followed by prayer by Judge (James Harvey) Glines. Patriarch (Jeremiah) Hatch, D. Bingham and R. S. Collett each spoke words of consolation to the living, touched lovingly on the lives and characters of the departed, and in fervid words pictured the joys they believe awaited all who died in the faith.
Bishop Shaffer spoke of the covenant made in their happy youth that they would live and die together. Mr. Thomas Caldwell who knew Mr. Colton when they were both young and belonged to the celebrated "Mormon Battalion" paid tribute to Mr. Colton's courage, enterprise and devotion to what he conceived to be his duty. At the close of the services the remains were followed to the cemetery where they were placed side by side in one grave. The funeral was the largest ever seen in the valley -- 61 vehicles and 150 people going to the cemetery.
Philander Colton was born in New York October 19, 1811, Polly M. Colton, his wife, was born in the same state October 15, 1816. They were married in July 1833, and early in that decade joined the Mormons and moved to Nauvoo in its infancy. There they prospered and at the time of the exodus from Nauvoo left a comfortable home and emigrated to Iowa.
Mr. Colton was one of the first to enlist in the "Mormon Batallion" in 1846. His oldest son Ed, then a boy of thirteen, accompanied him and when the Batallion was disbanded in California. Mr. Colton followed his business of brick making, burning the first bricks ever used in that state (Califonia). After making, by hard works and economy, a good stake, he went back to Winter Quarters to his family, found what was left of his effects -- only three old oxen and a broken wagon, and with these he started for Utah and settled in Provo, following his trade of brickmaking.
He and his wife remained there until 1887 when he moved to Ashley, where they had living at that time four sons. Both Mr. Colton and his wife were comparitively well until last spring when they were attacked with Lagrippe. Mr. Colton rallied, but his wife lived months in extreme misery, praying only that she might die and end her suffering.
Within the last six weeks Mr. Colton failed rapidly and for some days before his wife's death he was unconscious. Mrs. Colton died Thursday, August 13 at 4:20 p.m. and 36 hours later at 4:30 a.m., Saturday, Mr. Colton breathed his last.
They will be greatly missed. Mr. Colton was a most entertaining conversationalist and many a pleasant half hour have we spent in his company. Mrs. Colton was a woman to depend on, and always spoke her mind withour fear or favor.
(Note: The paper may have had the wrong time of death for Philander--for members of his family have maintained for years that the day was bright and without a cloud in the sky when the "Clap" of thunder came.) M.C. Perry
-Uintah Papoose, August 1891
Children - Phoebe Albina Colton, George Philander Colton, John Adelbert Colton, Charles Edwin Colton, Sterling Driggs Colton, Lamoni Andrew Colton, Sanford Lorenzo Colton, Harriet Emily Colton, Eleanor Roseltha Colton, Ernest Merrill Colton, Byron Oliver Colton
Inscription
aged 79 years
Family Members
Children
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
