Richard T. Jones and Mary Hughes Evans Jones Family
(Idaho Enterprise – April 3, 1997)
(Photo of the Richard T and Mary Jones family who were among the first settlers in the Malad Valley.)
Richard Jones was born March 5, 1819 in Llangoranog, Cardiganshire, South Wales. His father, William Jones, was born March 18, 1771, and his mother, Mary Thomas, was born January 1, 1783, at Llanmorganshire, Cardigan, South Wales.
The residence of the family was at llanybyther. His parents kept a tavern which was called “Cross Hands”. He was always known as Richard Cross Hands. Richard became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints while a very young man. He was baptized in March, 1846. He was not a gifted speaker, but was an exceptionally good singer and often accompanied the Elders of the Church on their missionary travels contributing his efforts in song.
He was a tall, stately man with large blue eyes. At the age of nineteen, his hair was as white and wavy as at the time of his death. All his life he was a man who had very little to say. He did not enjoy very good health and did very little hard labor, but he had the ability to take care of the means he had acquired.Through his frugality and the assistance of an ambitious wife, they left the family in good circumstances, considering the hardships of pioneer life through which they passed.
Mary Hughes Evans Jones was born November 8, 1825, in Llanybyther, South Wales. She was the daughter of William Evans and Elinor Hughes. Three children were born to this couple but only the two girls, Rachel and Mary, lived. When these girls were young, the gospel was being preached to a great extent in Wales. Through the manifestation which the younger girl, Mary received, they were converted to the gospel.
Their family had frequently attended meetings held by the missionaries but was not convinced of the truth. One evening Mary had a remarkable dream. She saw two men who appeared to be flying through the air, at least they were above the ground, and one of them offered her a book, which was the “Book of Mormon.” This dream impressed her very much, but more so when the next day, two missionaries came to their door and one of them had in his hand a book identically the same as the book she had seen in her dream. This man was Captain Dan Jones, who took such an active part in the early history of the church. Mary met and fell in love with Richard T. Jones. They were married August 20, 1848.
Mary and her sister, Rachel, were baptized in August, 1849. Their mother was very much opposed to this as she was very prejudiced against Mormonism. Early converts were urged to come to America and Zion.
Mary and Richard’s first child, Alexander, was born in Wales and died there. There is no record of him. Their second child, a daughter named Ellen, was born August 29, 1850 in Wales. She was only five weeks old when the family left Wales for America.
They took passage on the ship “Joseph Badger” leaving Liverpool, England, October 17, 1850, under the leadership of John Morris, with 227 souls on board. Baby Ellen cried day and night during the entire trip. Mary often said this was the most trying time of her entire life. This was accompanied with seasickness and the thought of leaving her mother, alone and brokenhearted over the loss of her two daughters and families. Mary was entering a new land and facing new associations. All combined was almost more than she could stand. The encouragement she received from her devoted husband and her abiding faith in God and the new gospel sustained her. They arrived at New Orleans, November 22, 1850, and traveled up the Mississippi. They left Kanesville, Iowa, in the spring of 1851, beginning the long, tedious and perilous journey across the plains for Utah, arriving there September 27, 1851.
(Early photo of the Richard T. Jones’ home in Malad. It still stands at 402 Bannock)
They remained in Salt Lake a little over three years with no permanent home. Richard worked for Heber C. Kimball most of the time. He looked upon Heber as a father, and he later named one of his grandchildren after him. In October 1853, they moved to Brigham City, Utah.
While in Salt Lake City, their third child, a daughter, Mary Jane, was born January 19, 1853. Other children came to bless their home while they lived in Brigham City: Rachel Ann, born May 30, 1855; Richard E., born November 10, 1857; William T., born March 18, 1860; Hannah, born June 17, 1862; and Margaret Hettie, born October 24, 1864.
During their sojourn at Brigham City, the order came from President Brigham Young to move south as Johnston’s army was coming and threats had been made to completely annihilate the Mormons. It was another trying time for this family which was continually increasing in number to pick up and leave their few possessions and flee for safety. At the time, Mary also learned of the death of her mother in Wales, who died of a broken heart soon after her daughter left for America. To add to her loneliness, her sister, Rachel and family, hearing of the gold rush in California, moved their family to California where they remained a few years.
Rachel’s husband, Benjamin Jones, died. Only two months later, Rachel gave birth to a baby girl and both she and the baby died, leaving four young children alone in California. The oldest boy, William, only seventeen years old, assumed full responsibility of father and mother. Putting their few belongings into a wagon drawn by two span of fine horses, he and his two brothers, Benjamin and Jedd, and his little sister, Mary, began their long and tedious journey back across the hot desert to Utah. He had promised his dying mother he would take the children back to his Aunt Mary. By the time they reached Utah, Richard was planning a move further, yet when this family arrived, they welcomed them into the family and they became one large and happy family. Mary did not show any partiality to any of the children, but did as much for one child as another. In June, 1865, this double family entered the valley of Malad, Idaho, accompanied by the Thomas Daniels and Daniel Thomas families and a few others. When they arrived, there were only five families, all settling on what is known now as Bannock St.