By Hannah Deschamps
At about the time the Revolutionary war was at its height in America, an infant son was born to Mary and John Hughes at Llangbyther Carmarthan, So. Wales. While this son who was christened William, was of no more importance to the world than thousands of other children, yet to this group assembled here, he is an important factor, for when he matured to manhood, he and his wife Mary gave to the world two children, a beautiful daughter whom they called Elenor and a son. They resided at Sandsbury, Carmarthan, So. Wales. Elenor became the wife of William Evans of Llangbyther. Of this union two beautiful daughters and a son were born. They were named Rachel, Mary and David. The boy died soon after birth. These girls were very devoted to their mother who had been left a widow early in life, and naturally with no other relative but a brother, her love and affection was lavished freely on these two promising young girls. They had been reared in luxury as their mother owned a large amount of land which in Wales means wealth.
Rachael was rather tall and robust with a profusion of dark auburn hair and had no difficulty in attracting the attention of a tall handsome man by the name of Benjamin Jones and became his wife. Mary was a little shorter, dark brunette with snappy black eyes. She soon won the admiration of an attractive blond man named Richard Jones.
These young people were extremely happy until Rachel and Mary with their husbands became converts to the Mormon religion in the year 1849. Their mother was very prejudiced against the Mormons as were many others at that time, and although the girls tried in every way to come with them, their pleadings were in vain. So with their few belongings and small children, these two families bid their mother a sad farewell and sorrowfully made their way to the harbor at Liverpool, England. They boarded the sailing vessel Jos. Badger and seeing their native land drift away from view, both girls broke down and gave vent to tears for hours, then their children catching the spirit took up the wail and Ellen, Mary’s six week old baby never ceased crying scarcely the entire voyage which lasted six weeks – this together with seasickness which they all endured made the trip a very disagreeable one.
They arrived at New Orleans in November of 1850. Then began the long and perilous journey across the plains. Richard had been a weaver by trade and knew nothing about horses or cattle, and to take the responsibility of driving a team consisting of a cow and an ox across the plains was no small undertaking; however with the assistance of his good wife Mary, who would walk on one side of this team and he on the other, they succeeded fairly well. At night Mary would milk the cow providing milk for the family thus serving the purpose of having an extra cow. Benjamin and Rachel managed equally well, and after enduring many hardships for ten months and twenty-seven days, they arrived in Salt Lake Valley, September 27, 1851. After establishing themselves in Salt Lake and remaining there for 3 years the two families moved farther north to Brigham. Benjamin and Rachael hearing of the gold rush in California decided to try their luck farther west, so after bidding Mary and Richard goodbye, they left for California with their family to whom had been added two boys, Ben and Jedd and a baby girl called Mell.
A baby girl named Mary Jane had also come to the home of Richard and Mary while they resided in Salt Lake. It was in the year 1855 that the move was made to Brigham where they remained until the year 1865. During their sojourn at Brigham, orders came from Brigham Young to move south as Johnston’s army was coming to destroy the Mormons.
This was another trying time for the family which was continually increasing in number to pick up and leave their few earthly belongings and flee for safety. We can only imagine the loneliness of Mary, having learned of the death of her mother, who died brokenhearted and to add to this sorrow came the news of the death of Benjamin who died in California, only to be followed by the death of his wife, Rachedl and baby (her only sister) two months later, leaving her four young children alone in California without kith or kin. It required a great deal of courage for these three boys, Bill, Ben and Jedd with their small three year old sister, Mell, to undertake the perilous journey back to Utah as Indians were so hostile at that time, but under the able direction of the stalwart seventeen year old, Bill, they made the journey safely, and were received with open arms by their aunt and uncle, Mary and Richard.
In the year 1865 another move was made as Malad was being settled and this double family arrived here to find only six families ahead of them. They built their first home in Malad in the southwest corner of the home now owned by Mrs. R.E. Jones. They encountered many hardships endured by pioneers but surmounted all difficulties. The boys of both families did considerable freighting.
Bill married Mary Jane Daniels. Ben married Jane Thomas, Jedd married Sarah Ann Daniels and Mell became the wife of Dan M. Daniels, but at the birth of her first child in March 1884, died and mother and child were buried together. Jedd Jones Sr., is the only survivor of Rachel’s family. All three of these boys have large families of children, grandchildren and great grandchildren to perpetuate their memories.
Mary and Richard made their permanent home where Mary Jane Evans now lives. The children of this couple were: Alex, a babe who died in infancy, Ellen Hoskins, Mary Jane Evans, Rachel Ann Thomas, Richard E. Jones, Wm. T. Jones, Hannah Jones, Margaret Hette Sawyer and David E. Jones. The only two survivors of this large family are Mary Janae Evans and David E. Jones who also have large families to bless their memory.