Daughter of Edward Meeks Fuller and Hannah Elizabeth Eldridge

Married Samuel Gully, 27 Jan 1846, Winter Quarters, Douglas, Nebraska

Married John S. Witbeck, 6 Feb 1851, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah

Ovanda Fuller was from a larger family of New York converts to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Within two months of Samuel's return from the battalion Samuel had married Ovanda's older sister Sarah, who at the age of thirty-two was considered a spinster.

In March, families from Mt. Pisgah and other Iowa way-stations began arriving in Winter Quarters in preparation to launch their trek from the Elkhorn River, just west of the Missouri, as soon as enough grass for their cattle had sprouted. About this time President Young realized that he could not get the families of the battalion members west and properly care for them once in the valley, since there were no provisions there and the families were too poor to take their own provisions. He made the decision to keep these families in Winter Quarters until the Great Basin was settled. Samuel Gully and other men were asked by President Young to remain behind with John D. Lee and oversee the community farm in Winter Quarters.

Ten companies left Winter Quarters for the Salt Lake Valley in the summer of 1849. Upon reaching the Platte River towards the end of June, Samuel wrote these two men a letter and placed it in what he thought would be an obvious spot so they would know how far ahead he was. Natives intercepted the letter, unaware of its contents, but they did get the letter into proper hands and it made its way to Salt Lake Valley the next year. Samuel wrote that the company was in "tolerable health," although he mentioned that one man had died from cholera, a severe disease spread by contaminated food or water. He added, "I was taken quite sick by former exposure, and cold taken and settled over my system, in consequence of a hurt that I received at the Horn."

After crossing the river, which took six hours, he added to the letter, mentioning that one of his wives suffered a severe attack of cholera the previous night, but that she was well again. He promised to leave another note further along the trail and signed the letter.

The following note was found on a grave by a later passing Company of Saints.

27 Jun 1849 Mrs. Gully had quite a severe attack last night but I took it in time, and she is well again. We are now all safe on the South side of the Loup, no accident occurred as we crossed all in about six hours, (quick time.) When you reach the main Platte you will find another note from me.
Most respectfully,
Your friend and serv't.
SAM'L GULLY.

Died of Cholera in the First "Camp of Israel," on the morning of the 22d of June, 1849, Elder Nelson McCarty, aged 37 years.

From the journals of G. A. Smith and E. T. Benson:

On our journey thus far we have passed seven graves... Also Samuel Gully, captain of one hundred, in Brother O. Spencer's company of Saints, lies 185 miles from Winter Quarters, in the open prairie, his grave neatly tufted over; died of cholera, July 5th, 1849, aged 39 years.

Samuel was buried alongside the trail, leaving three grieving widows and three children: Ovanda's infant son, and Jane's two daughters.

Ovanda Fuller, one of the widows of Samuel Gully, remarried soon after arriving in the Salt Lake Valley. She and her husband settled in Springville, but she died at this time, leaving a seven-year-old son she had with Samuel, and two new little boys. Her husband raised Samuel with his own sons before taking two plural wives in 1859.