History for Raphael Henry Fredrick Kelton Cottrell

Edward Cottrell, a plasterer by trade, and Augusta Ann Kelton Cottrell his wife, welcomed their son Raphael into the world on 9th of May 1812 in the Saint Marylebone area of Middlesex, England.

Raphael was christened at home in Saint Marylebone, Middlesex, England on the 28^th of May 1812 as Raphael Christopher, and his christening records show his birth as 9 May 1812, the son of Edward and Augusta Cottrell.  This same record is recorded a second time on the 13 August 1815 to parents Edward and Ann.  According to the day record it was not recorded, which means the first christening was performed in the home.  This normally occurred when the child was too weak to be taken out of the home.  The second christening was preformed at St. Marylebone in front of the congregation.

Raphael was the fourth child in his family and followed his father’s trade as a plasterer.  His skills were outstanding, an artist in his work.  From a history written by his youngest son he was an ornamental plasterer.

Raphael Henry married his first wife Mary Ann Edwards on the 26th of November 1833 in the Saint James Chapel, in Middlesex.

 From this union 14 children were born Mary, James, Charles, Mary Augusta, Raphael Henry, unnamed child, Martha Ann, Emma Maria, a still born, George Fredrick, Elizabeth Mary, Joseph Hyrum Smith, Sarah Elizabeth and John James Hyrum Fredrick. To the best of our knowledge 5 were raised to adulthood James, Charles, Martha Ann, Emma Maria and George Frederick

Three of their children, James, Charles and Mary Augusta were christened in the Newman Street Catholic Apostolic church, a Scotch Catholic denomination. 

In the spring of 1850 Raphael and his wife Mary joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  They were baptized on the 30th of March 1850 in the Newbury Branch.  The same day their oldest son James was baptized.  Two months later Raphael’s brother Charles and his son Charles were baptized on the 18^th of  May 1850.

The family moved around Middlesex, Berkshire and Surrey counties, so their children were born in various parishes.   The census records show him as being Raphael Henry Cottrell, plasterer.

Church records also give a nomadic following with multiple baptisms.  Raphael Henry was ordained a deacon on the 29^th of October 1854 and ordained an Elder on the 3^rd of February 1856  by Elder Lawley.  He served on the Branch Council in Camden Town  and was later taken off the church rolls for lack of attention to duty.  Rebaptisms were frequent due to poor record keeping.  Raphael Henry’s church records also show him blessing his children, baptizing family, and receiving the priesthood. 

Raphael’s brother Charles lived with the family and they worked together.  We find them on both census and church records.   

Mary Ann’s last child was born on the 19^th of March 1853 and she died the following winter on the 2 December at the age of 39 from uteri cancer.  She was preceded in death by 9 of her children. George Fredrick, the youngest living child, was 8 years old at the time of her death. 

Two years after the death of his wife Raphael Henry was remarried.  He must have liked the name Mary Ann, because he choose Mary Ann Payne, and according to the marriage certificate she was a spinster. They were married on the   3^rd of September 1856 at St Marylebone. Raphael Henry Frederick Cottrell and Mary Ann Payne had 6 children of their own and raised them all to adulthood.  They were Edward Abraham, William Samuel, Lucy Mary, Augusta Ann, Mary Ann, and Raphael Henry. 

The families were close.  With father and sons, uncles and nephews working together both professionally and in the church.

George Fredrick age 18 died, on 1 June 1864.  Leaving only 4 children from the first marriage still alive.

On the 3^rd of June 1864, Charles, Raphael’s brother age 38, now a widower, left on the Ship Hudson for New York. He then traveled by hand cart to Utah and settled in Kaysville.  He later remarried and moved to Morgan.  Charles worked on the Salt Lake temple as a plasterer.

In the Deseret News Paper on the 5^th of March 1873 the following article was written.  “INFORMATION WANTED OF CHARLES COTTRELL.—Mr. Raphael Cottrell, plasterer, of Lodge Lane, North Finchley, Middlesex, England, wants the address of his Brother, Charles Cottrell, plasterer, who lives somewhere in this Territory.  The former has important news to forward to the latter as soon as he can obtain his correct address.”

When Raphael emigrated from England he left behind his wife Mary Ann and all but one of his children.  His son Edward Abraham would travel with him.

On the 22 Oct 1873 Raphael Henry and Edward Abraham (Ted) left Liverpool England on the Ship Idaho and arrived in Salt Lake, according to the Deseret News Passenger List, on the 12th of November 1873.

According to family legend, Charles was working in the temple one day and President Brigham Young was glazing some windows when he said, “Men I am afraid I will never live long enough to see the temple completed.  How can we speed up the work?”  Charles said he should send for Raphael, as he was the master.  President Young sent the missionaries in England to find Raphael.  When they found him, he was on a scaffold working.  He recognized who they were and cleaned up his tools and came down.  He said that he knew why they had come and he was ready to go.

Hazle Cottrell wrote this story, but she believed it to be her father Raphael Charles, the son of Charles and Eleanor.  If the story is true, it was Raphael Henry Kelting and his brother Charles, because President Young died in 1879 and our Charles didn’t come to Utah until October of 1880. 

Mary Ann Payne Cottrell and children followed their husband and father to the United States on the following year.  They left England on the ship Wyoming and arrived in New York on the 27^th of October 1874.

The family settled into Kaysville.  According to the youngest son, Raphael Henry, he could not imagine why his father would settle in such a place other than that is where his only living relative was. He describes his father as an ornamental plasterer.

They cut wood and sold it to help make a living, trading commodities when money was not available.  Only the rich could afford coal for there stoves.

Raphael Henry Kelting and Mary Ann Payne Cottrell went to the Endowment house on the 1 of May 1875 and were endowed and sealed. They returned to the Endowment House on the 31 May 1876 and had Mary Ann Edwards sealed to Raphael Henry.

On the 15^th of July 1876 Mary Ann Payne Cottrell passed away. She was buried two days later in the Kaysville Cemetery. 

 Raphael didn’t live long enough to see the temple completed.  He passed away on the 6^th of November 1878 from complications from diabetes.   George and James Alfred Cottrell his grandsons arrived in Kaysville just hours after his death.  He was buried next to his wife Mary Ann on the 7th of November in the Kaysville cemetery.

Raphael Henry Kelton Cottrell also known as Raphael Henry Frederick was in the Prominent Men of Utah History.  He was listed as an ornamental plasterer and early member of the church.

His story will live on as long as the family remembers him and the Salt Lake Temple stands as a witness of his great work, and I believe that will be forever.

 Written by

Eleanor Kathleen Bunderson

4^th Great Granddaughter