ELIZA "LIZETTE" DURRANT URSENBACH COMPTON

Life Sketch of Eliza Durrant and her three husbands, Thomas Whitehead, Octave Ursenbach & George
Compton:

Eliza Durrant was born 9 Jul 1844 at Deanshanger, Northampton, England, to William and Phebe Hoar
Durrant. She was the 5th child of 11 children. She received a little schooling in England, mostly in classes
held in the home. Eliza parents were converted to the LDS church by missionaries in England, and they in
turn taught the gospel to their children, and had them baptized as they reached 8 yrs of age. Eliza was
baptized 4 Jun 1855. William and Phebe were anxious for the family to go to Zion (Utah), so they all
worked very hard, sacrificed much, and saved all they could out of meager earnings, over a period of
several years, in order to have enough money to secure passage on a ship for each of their older
children, one or two at a time.

However, Eliza married Thomas Whitehead 20 Dec 1863 and had 2 children. The first, George Alfred,
died at 1 yr of age. Thomas joined the church to win Eliza, but became a habitual drunkard and moved
around to various cities. One night he came home intoxicated, locked the door, took out his razor and
threatened to kill her. Eliza snatched up her baby daughter, Sarah Jane, and by some miracle at that
moment, the door flew open and she ran out into the darkness.

Later, her brother, Joseph, in Utah, heard of her trouble, and secured passage for her on the ship
"Colorado." She sailed for America 28 Jul 1869, to join her sister, Jane, and 2 brothers, Thomas and
Joseph. She divorced Thomas Whitehead before sailing. On this ship she met Octave Ursenbach who
was returning from a mission to Switzerland, and they were immediately attracted to each other.
Sometime after arriving in Salt Lake City, they were married 8 Nov 1869, in the Endowment House in Salt
Lake. They made their home here and a year later a son , Octave Fredrick, was born to them.

Octave Ursenbach was born 22 Nov 1832 at Geneva, Vaud, Switzerland, to Jacques Daniel Fredrick
Ursenbach and Jean Sophie Ester Buvelot. He knew many hardships as a youth, being apprenticed at age
13 to a cruel watchmaker. He worked hard tending this man's cattle while also learning the trade. For 5
yrs he seldom had enough food or clothing, and was forced to sleep much of the time in the barn.
At the age of 22, Octave was converted to the LDS church and was baptized 12 Sep 1854. He sailed to
America on the "S.S. George Washington" on 27 Mar 1857. He lived in New York for one year, then with
a group of returned missionaries, he came to Utah by mule team. They took an untraveled route to
avoid Johnson's Army and had an extremely difficult journey, nearly freezing to death. When they
reached Salt Lake, it was deserted, except for men detailed to burn it should the Army come through.

On 12 Nov 1859 he received his endowments and was sealed in the Endowment House in Salt Lake to
his first wife, Josephine de la Harpe, a widow with 2 children. He built a small house and started a
business after much financial difficulty. He was finally successful in his trade as watchmaker and became
quite prominent. The Utah silk industry was started in 1868, fostered by President John Taylor, after
Octave imported silkworm eggs from France in 1863, and established a small cocoonery.

Octave left April 1867 for a mission to Switzerland. His companion was Karl G. Maeser. They tried to
open up France for missionary work but failed. Octave was imprisoned in the Castle of Chillon in the
same dungeon where Lord Byron had been. This confinement caused him to be in very poor health,
resulting in his early death. Just 4 months after Octave Fredrick, Octave's only child, was born to him and
Eliza Durrant, Octave passed away 26 Feb 1871, and was buried in Salt Lake City cemetery.

18 Nov 1873, Eliza married George Compton, a friend whom she had known in England. They lived in
Morgan, Utah for 17 yrs. He helped build the railroad and was a clerk in William's store. He was also City
Recorder for many years. No children were born to George and Eliza, but he was a very good father to
Eliza's two children, Sarah Jane and Octave Fredrick.

Eliza was an unselfish and kind person. On 13 Jul 1874, Eliza went to the Endowment House and had
Sarah and Emma, her 2 sisters who had died at the ages of 20 & 18, unmarried, sealed to her own
deceased husband, Octave Ursenbach.

Eliza had an interesting life. She was an expert at making pillow lace, and some of her work won a prize
at the World's Fair. When the president of the US, Rutherford B. Hayes, and his wife were visiting Salt
Lake, the Relief Society presented a collar of lace to Mrs. Hayes, which had been made by Eliza. She
studied medicine with Dr. Kohler in Morgan, and was very king and helpful to those who were ill.

She was a very spiritual woman, and once when she was extremely ill, and had apparently passed away,
her mother insisted that the Elders exercise their Priesthood and ask the Lord to bring her back so she
could raise her children. Eliza was revived, and she later testified that her husband, Octave, had met her
on the other side and said "The Priesthood are exercising their power and you must return and raise our
family. I will come for you later."

After this experience, her health was never good, and she eventually went quite deaf, which prevented
her from being very active in church work. She lived until Sarah Jane was married and Octave Fredrick
was 20 yrs of age, then she passed away 8 Jan 1890, and was laid to rest in the Morgan Cemetery.

1880 Morgan city, Morgan co, Utah census p510D: confirms date/place of birth
COLORADO
The "Colorado" of 1870 was built in 1867 by Palmer Bros & Co, Jarrow-on-Tyne for the Guion Line of
Liverpool. She was a 2,927 gross ton ship, length 335ft x beam 43ft, clipper stem, one funnel, two masts
(rigged for sail), iron construction, single screw and a speed of 10 knots. There was capacity for 72-1st
and 800-3rd class passengers. Launched on 30th Oct.1867, she sailed from Liverpool on 14th Jan.1868
on her maiden voyage to Queenstown (Cobh) and New York. On 7th Feb.1872 she sailed from Liverpool
for New York and was in collision with the British steamer "Arabian" in the River Mersey the same day
and sank with the loss of six lives.[North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P. Bonsor, vol.2, p.708] - Posted to The
ShipsList by Ted Finch - 27 October 1998]

Source: Samuel Francis family history