Thomas D. Daniels was born August 28, 1855, in Brigham City, Box Elder County, Utah. His parents were Thomas Daniels and Mary Davis. Thomas Daniels and Mary Davis were both born in Carmarthenshire, South Wales. They came to America about 1852 and crossed the plains. They were married in Salt Lake City May 20, 1852. 

Thomas D. was born in Brigham City, Utah. He lived there with his parents until his father moved the family to Malad, Oneida, Idaho. His father was a rancher in the area. There was always lots of work for the young boy to do and he soon learned responsibility. He loved the farm and especially the horses. He attended schools in Malad. 

Thomas D. met Sarah Elizabeth Dives in Malad. She was the daughter of Veurlam Dives and Jannett Marie Thoms. Veurlam Dives was born in Rye Hastings, Sussex, England, and Jannett was born in Wenvoe, Glamorganshire, South Wales. They came to America and to Salt Lake City. They were married on May 27, 1854, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Sarah Elizabeth was born July 28, 1856 in Willard, Box Elder, Utah. She was baptized a member of the Latter-day Saints Church on May 14, 1869. She was married to Thomas D. on September 15, 1875. 

Thomas D. bought farm land at the north end of Arbon where he moved his family and homesteaded for many years. He ran cattle in the valley and had several horses that he loved to groom and ride. They took part in activities in Arbon and were always helpful neighbors. They did not have much in monetary standards but they were rich in love for one another and for their fellow man. 

In the fall when the harvest was over they took the wagon and a team of horses to Malad to get their winter’s supply of food. It took about a week to make the round trip. There was lots of snow so no more trips were made until spring. 

Sarah Elizabeth canned her garden produce. She cooked for her own family and for hay men who came to help with the crops. People in the valley always took turns helping each other with the farm work. Thomas D. had boys to learn to farm but it still took lots of help. They butchered their own meat, made butter with wooden churns, stored potatoes and carrots in a dirt root cellar, and kept chickens for the meat and eggs. Their cows always provided plenty of milk. They made their own soap, heated all their hot water on the stove and hauled all their wood from up the canyon. They had no refrigeration nor electricity. Their life was hard but they were happy. The boys were always helpful to their father. They learned to respect the land and other people and knew the value of hard work. The girls learned the art of homemaking from their mother.  

Sarah Elizabeth was known as “Aunt Sal” to all who came in contact with her. She was a midwife to many mothers and newborn babies in the valley. 

To this union were born nine children:  

Mary Jane	born June 23, 1876	died July 14, 1877
Lavine	born September 27, 1878	died July 6, 1964
Thomas Veurlam	born October 18, 1880	died January 10, 1966
Dora	born July 12, 1883	died May 18, 1887
Theodore	born November 7, 1886	died June 3, 1957
Diana D.	born March 26, 1888	died February 16, 1939
Raymond	born January 23, 1891	died May 6, 1959
Albert Clarence	born August 8, 1895	Still living
Sarah Ella	born September 17, 1899	died July 8, 1958

They bought a home in Malad but for many years kept the land in Arbon and farmed there in the summer. After Thomas D. died bit by bit the land was … or taken away from Sarah Elizabeth. Thomas D. died August 11, 1917, in Malad and was buried there; he was 62 years old. No record was found of his baptism so he was baptized by proxy on July 31, 1943 as a member of the Latter-day Saints Church. Endowments were done on March 8, 1950. 

After the death of Thomas D., Sarah Elizabeth lived in Malad to be close to her children. About 1937 she moved to Pocatello and lived with her son Raymond for some months and then with Sarah Ella. She died in Pocatello on August 19, 1939, and was buried in Malad; she was 83 years old. 

Thomas D. and Sarah Elizabeth were sealed for time and eternity in the Idaho Falls Temple on August 10, 1956. 

Written by granddaughter and daughter of Sarah Ella and Leslie M. Evans 

(family portrait. Captions says: Back left to right: Diana Daniels Harris, Raymond Daniels, Albert Clarence Daniels, Sarah Ella Daniels Evans. Front left to right: Thomas Verulam Daniels, LaVine Daniels, Sarah Dives Daniels, Theodore.)