(Headshot photo of Edward J Evans on the left side and headshot photo of Ann Thomas on the right side of the cover page.) 

Edward J. Evans 

Born: 30 January 1838, in Merthyr Tydfil, Aberdare, Wales. 

Parents: Evan Evans and Janet Jones 

Ann Thomas 

Born: 10 July 1840, in Glen Morganshire, Wales. 

Parents: William Thomas and Elizabeth 

Married: 19 March 1963, in Brigham City, Utah. Settled in Malad, Idaho in 1865 

9 children: Janet-1864-1881 

Sarah Ann 1865-1881 

Edward Evan (Hephzibah Stubbs) 1868-1937 

Evan David (Mary Peabody) 1869-1901 

Mary Evans (Evan William  Jones) 1872-1939 

Margaret Evans (John Alma Thorpe) 1874-1895 

Alice Evans (George Stuart & Morgan Williams) 1877-1951 

Annie Laurie Evans (Morgan James) 1883-1973 

Edward J. Evans Died: 14 July 1904 – Age 66. Buried in Malad, Idaho 

Ann Thomas Evans Died: 10 February 1910 – Age 70. Buried in Malad, Idaho 

(Next page is a picture of Edward J. and Ann Thomas Evans home) 

Edward Jones Evans 

(Headshot photo of Edward Jones Evans on whole page) 

Edward Jones Evans was born January 30, 1838, at Aberdare, Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, to Evan Evans and Jennet (Janet) Jones Evans. Edward’s father was a stonemason by trade, building many beautiful buildings. 

The Evans family heard of a new religion, Mormonism, and began to investigate this new religion. They made the journey to Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil to be baptised, under a bridge in the dark of night to avoid persecution. 

When Edward was 11 years old, the Evans family was among the first Welsh to leave Wales to join the Saints in Utah. They set sail on the ‘Buena Vista’ on February 16, 1849 arriving in New Orleans on April 18th. Tragedy was waiting for the group, for on their way up the Missouri, cholera struck, 44 members died including Edward’s 2 year old brother Evan. 

The family lived in Council Bluffs for three years and then made their way to Utah in 1852 with the William Morgan Company. Evan then worked on the Salt Lake Temple as a stonemason, and was one of the men selected for the laying of the cornerstone for the Salt Lake Temple and helped seal and fir the stone in place. 

On March 10, 1863, Edward married Ann Thomas, a girl who had also come from Wales and crossed the plains as a child. Their eldest daughter was born the following year on March 16, 1864. 

Ann and Edward had become dissatisfied with the Mormon Church and because of this Edward joined William Richards and Morgan Jones in October 1863, and rode through the Malad Valley to explore the possibilities of a home over the state line of Utah and out of the rule of Brigham Young. After a few days they were joined by a man named Henry Peck and his helper, Jim McAllister, who were located on a cattle farm, called the Stoddard Ranch about on the Utah/Idaho line. Henry Peck was a Mormon but disapproved of the stewardship idea of land ownership. 

In the spring of 1865 a number of pioneers came in one group, including the explorers of 1863 that included Edward J. Evans and his family. They made up a happy busy little community and by fall each family had a dwelling. Edward Evans purchased an organ from immigrants en route to California and so his home became a center of entertainment and dancing for the next year until a log cabin amusement hall was erected at Bannock Street. 

The early settlers were mostly of Welsh descent and spoke that language. Edward could speak and write both languages, so he became clerk and kept all the minutes of the new settlement in both English and Welsh. 

In 1867 Edward started a dairy farm on Devil Creek, with 75 cows. He raised good cattle, suitable for beef and also for milk. He purchased a pure Durham Bull from Iowa for $300, which included the price of the bull and his transportation. Shares were sold in the animal and his progeny carefully built up into better stock in the valley. 

Edward and Ann were among the early members of the Reorganized Church in Malad and attended the Malad City Idaho Branch. 

Edward Evans leaves a record that shows him to have always been a progressive and industrious man. He brought the first reaper into the valley and also the first organ into the valley, and encouraged the registering of cattle. He was active in all agricultural improvements as long as he lived. He died on July 14, 1904. 

Ann Thomas Evans 

Written by Ann Ella Price May 1938  (Marcia Evans Daughtery Doc.) 

Ann Thomas, daughter of William  and Elizabeth Thomas, was born in GlenmorganShire, [GlamorganShire?], South Wales on July 10, 1840. She was the third child in the family, having two sisters older than her and a younger brother. When Ann was seven years old, her father was killed in a coalmine accident and six weeks later her mother died leaving the family of four orphans. 

Ann was taken into the home of her Aunt Sara Hopkens and other relatives cared for the other children. The Hopkens family joined the Mormon Church and decided to come to America, The Land of Zion,  bringing 13-year old Ann and their own son William. They crossed the ocean on the ship “Jersey” and were with Joseph W. Young Company crossing the plains; they arrived in Salt Lake Oct. 10, 1853. Ann never forgot the hard trip across the plains. She remembered an Indian attack and then her Uncle William  died and was buried on the plains. 

When they reached the Salt Lake her Aunt Sara had to work for a living and Ann was sent out to work also. She worked in several homes as a hired girl. She stayed several years with Mrs. Loveland. This lady was so good to her that Ann always spoke of her as Mother Loveland. When Ann was fifteen or sixteen years old, she worked in the home of President John Taylor, she worked there for 3 or 4 years. 

While still a young girl, she met Edward Evans who had settled in Brigham City, Utah. They were married in Brigham City on March 10, 1863. A year later on March 16, 1864 their little daughter Janet was born. In March of 1865 the little family moved to Malad, Idaho and settled on the little place where the old home still stands. AFter they came to Malad eight more children were born. 

Coming to Malad in 1865 was another experience in pioneering as they were among the earliest settlers  there. They built a two-room home and here they welcomed one and all. This little home had a dirt floor and handmade shingles. When Edward brought the organ home, Ann put the floor down. They held all the dances there. Many of the settlers who came to Malad later told of the kindness and hospitality of Ed Evans and his wife. 

Ann taught herself English and taught the women of Malad to talk it. They never spoke to their children except in Welsh. 

Their grandson Raymond Evans remembered that on the old ranch his grandparents spoke Welsh. He remembered playing around the old log house with the dirt roof. It had three rooms and one room had rows and shelves of cheeses. The cheese was sold to freighters going to the Salmon River country and to Butte, Montana. The cheese was made by Grandmother Evans and her daughters, Aunt Annie, Alice and Mame. 

Ann was baptized a member of the Reorganized Church on 7 April 1869 by Edward Bowen and confirmed by William Richards. David W. Powell baptized Edward. 

Ann joined the first sewing club in Malad and always tried to be of service to her fellow men. She was an active member of the Reorganized Church for many years before her death, which occurred February 10, 1910. 

Their children: 

Janet Evans	Born March 16, 1864	Died November 14, 1872
Sarah Ann Evans	Born October 22, 1865	Died December 12, 1881
Edward Evan Evans	Born April 8, 1868	Died September 2, 1937
Evan David Evans	Born September 5 1869	Died July 16, 1901
Mary Evans	Born January 3, 1872	Died March 25, 1939
Margaret Evans	Born July 18, 1874	Died December 29, 1895
Alice Evans	Born July 6, 1877	Died June 27, 1951
William Morgan Evans	Born November 20, 1879	Died February 13, 1913
Annie Laurie Evans	Born March 23, 1883	Died June 17, 1973

(A picture of Ann standing by the side of their home.)