Willis Boren

Son of John Boren and Sally Alley

Married Mary Boren, 30 Jun 1819, Union County, Illinois

Children - Andrew Boren, Susan Boren, Hulda Boren, Persada Boren, Percilla Boren, Mary Boren, Careb Boren, Sarah Ann Boren

Married Mary Sampson

History - Willis left Winter Quarters, Nebraska, to join his children in Utah in the summer of 1853. Willis Boren's cousin-wife, Mary Born, died at Winter Quarters and Willis married again to Mary Sampson.

Willis Boren died near the age of 100 years. His death was noted in the Deseret Evening News of 30 November 1895 as follows:

Obituary Notes, Tropic, Utah, 23 Nov 1895

On the 20th inst. Willis Boren departed this life after an illness of little less than two hours, in which he suffered intense agony. According to Father Boren's veneration of his age he was ninety-nine years, eight months and nine days old. This however, has been disputed by some of his old-time friends, they claiming that he was nearly 106 years old.

Father Boren was born in Kentucky, March 11, 1796. He was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1840. He was personally acquainted with the Prophet Joseph Smith, and was with the Saints at the evacuation of Nauvoo. In 1852 he was Bishop of the Union branch on the Beyer.

He crossed crossed the Plains in 1853 and first settled in Provo. From there he moved to Provo Valley, then to Spring Valley. For the last twenty-five years he has resided at the home of his younger daughter, Mrs. Sarah A. Smith (wife of Thomas Washington Smith). He died as he had lived, a true Latter-day Saint. editor.

Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel, Daniel A. Miller/John W. Cooley Company (1853) 

After the divorce, Mary's father convinced her to move north with him to Union County, Illinois where her children with Jacob grew up. She lived with her father until he died in 1812, then she went to live in the same house as her cousin Willis Boren. They were eventually married on 30 Jun 1819 in Union County, Illinois. Despite his young age, Willis was a good father to Mary's children by Jacob Young and they enjoyed a happy married life together.