posted by Sandy on Ancestors of Thomas Watrous

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Henry Maiben was born in England to William Adam Maiben and Catherine Williams Cater.  He was the fourth child of twelve born to his parents.  His Maiben ancestors were originally from Scotland but his father moved from there to Brighton, England before Henry’s birth.  Henry and his closest sibling John Bray Maiben were both educated at Oxford College where Henry received a Master of Arts certificate.  He spent much of his young life as a heraldic painter which means that he painted coats-of-arms. In 1850, Henry and his brother John heard the message of the missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints.  John was baptized by Elder Lorenzo Snow, who would later become the President of the Church.  After John was baptized and confirmed by Elder Snow, John baptized his brother Henry.  Henry’s confirmation was also by Elder Snow.  In 1853 Henry and John, with their young families, left England for America.  They were the only members of their family to do so.  The rest remained in England.   They sailed from Liverpool to New Orleans and then moved on to Keokuk, Iowa.  From there they made the trip to the Salt Lake Valley.

In 1855, Henry took Flora Louisa Maddison Long as a second wife.  Henry had five children with his first wife Caroline Penn and twelve with his second wife Flora.  Flora was born in England as well.  She came to America with her mother and two brothers.  She was married for less than one year to Emanuel Long with whom she had a son.  Henry Maiben raised that son as his own.

Henry was known as a pioneer painter, artist and decorator.  He was active in the Salt Lake Theater, wrote music and appeared in plays.  He appeared in the opening performance of the same theater in 1862.  He is listed in directories of the times holding various jobs including store clerk and custodian for the grounds of  the Salt Lake Temple while it was being built.  However, Henry did not live to see the Temple completed. Not long before his death, he and a partner named Pyne purchased a drug store in Provo, Utah.  They named it Pyne and Maiben Drug Company.  It was on Main Street.  It was in Provo that our direct ancestor Flora Louise Maiben was born.  She married Nephi James Bates.  Our line comes through their daughter Mildred who married Everest Raymond Watrous.

Henry died unexpectedly of pneumonia and was buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.  Resting with him in death are both of his wives and significant posterity.  He remained a faithful member of the Church until his death.

The migration of Henry Maiben

England to Utah

Tags: Bates, Cater, england, Long, Maddison, Maiben, Penn, the mormon church, utah, Watrous