Written by his Granddaughters Leona Jones Williams and Lucretia (Lou) Jones Williams
William E. Jones was born on February 19, 1848, in Carmarthenshire, Wales, the fourth child of William and Eleanor Evans Jones. He came to America when he was a young man. He was one of the early settlers in Malad Valley. When he first came to America he worked in Utah on a road construction job.
When the Jones family first came to Malad they lived in a log house on the Charley Peck lot and later the sons built a home for their mother and sister Eleanor where Clabbys live now. It has since been remodeled.
His father was also named William Jones and had served twenty-one years in the army and was also in the Queen’s Guard at the time of the Battle of Waterloo. He received a medal for long and outstanding service and Grandfather being his namesake received the medal upon the death of his father.
At the age of 26, he married Martha Lucretia Lusk, who was 17 years of age, September 21, 1874, in the old Endowment House in Salt Lake City, Utah. Grandmother was born March 29, 1857, in Pleasant Grove, Utah, the daughter of John Winters Lusk and Esther Catherine Parks. To this union thirteen children were born all at Malad, Idaho. There were seven boys and six girls. They were in order as follows: William, John, Thomas, Berenice, Ellen, Lucretia, Alpheous, Bertha, James, Olive, Hugh, Perry, and Delilah.
The eldest son Willie died with the croup. He was out playing until nearly dark and Grandmother called him in and he was very choked with croup. She bathed him and called in a Brother Price, whom she had a great deal of faith in, to administer to him. When Brother Price finished administering to the child he looked at Grandmother and just shook his head. She said after that she did not have faith that he would get well and he passed away before morning at the age of 2 1/2 years. Thomas died when he was three weeks old. When Grandfather passed away the youngest child Delilah was ten years of age. Ellen passed away October 8, 1930, John on February 26, 1938, James on March 27, 1955, Alf on April 17, 1956, Hugh passed away May 1, 1959 and Berenice on July 10, 1960.
When he first came to Malad he was a farmer. He and his brothers were in partnership on the Spencer Farm down by the depot at one time. They later sold the farm.
In 1890 three of the Jones Brothers William E., John E., and Daniel E. purchased the mill from Peter Hansen.
The new owners decided to rebuild and modernize the flour mill, installing all new machinery, building additional working space, and changing the grinding from Burr stones to the roller process. With the change of ownership, the name of the flour mill was changed to Malad Roller Mills. When the new mill started, they found that the water power was inadequate for the larger capacity they had adopted, and it was necessary to supplement the water power with a steam engine and boiler, which was very costly to operate.
In 1893 the business was found to be insufficient to support the three brothers, so John E., and Daniel E. sold their share to William E. Jones, and he became the sole operator. In 1904 he was able to install a new Pelton type water wheel and pipeline, which developed two to three times the power of the discarded overshot water wheel. He operated the flour mill until 1912, when the property was sold to Crowther brothers.
After selling the mill he farmed on a ranch with Alf and James until he became road supervisor, which position he held until his death. Later James sold out and Hugh and Perry became partners with Alf.
Grandfather moved into the frame home owned by Mr. Hansen when he bought the mill. Just a short time later the frame home burned down. In those days the walls were covered with calico. Grandmother and Aunt Berenice were preparing dinner and spilled some grease and it caught fire and ignited a curtain on a little cupboard nearby and in a few seconds the whole kitchen was a flame. Very little was saved–one feather bed, straw mattress and some bedding. Aunt Bernice was the only member of the family who had many clothes saved as hers were hanging first in the closet. The girls had been given a side saddle and bridle, which had belonged to their Aunt Ellen, by her husband Bill Jenkins at her death. This was hanging in the same closet but they were unable to save it. It had been one of their prized possessions.
The frame home was replaced by a log house, which they lived in for a number of years. Later the brick home was built which Grandmother enjoyed until her death May 28, 1942.
During the 1880’s the anti-Mormons had done much to spread antagonism against the Saints throughout the territory. Thus cornerstones were laid for the eventual triumph of anti-Mormonisms. One last final attempt was made in Malad Valley to disenfranchise the Mormons of their voting powers. Legislation was passed to the effect that the Mormons, before they could vote, had to take an oath swearing that they did not belong to any organizations which teaches, advises, counsels, or encourages its members to commit the crime of bigamy, or polygamy or that practiced polygamy, or celestial marriage as a doctrine rite.
With this injunction the Mormons were helpless, as they believed in ploygamy and taught celestial marriage. A real problem developed, as they could have nothing to say in the political affairs of the valley, county, or territory. Many Mormons had their names taken off the Church records so they could exercise their rights of voting. To be readmitted to the Church they had to be re-baptized. Some, however, conformed to this requirement, while some were permanently excommunicated.
Eventually in 1893, President Harrison pardoned all Mormons who had been convicted under the Edmunds-Tucker Act, and in 1904 in the general election the Mormon people resumed their status as citizens, with consequent privileges.
Grandfather was one of the citizens of Malad Valley who signed this oath in order to retain his right to vote. He later was re-baptized.
Grandfather was about 5’ 7” tall, and weighed around 175 lbs., had blue eyes and dark brown hair and wore a short chin beard and mustache most of his life.
He was pleasant and kind to everyone. One old gentleman used to come and visit Grandfather and Grandmother frequently and he would relate the tallest tales imaginable. Grandfather would listen patiently to his stories. He said, “If it doesn’t hurt him to tell them it doesn’t hurt me to listen to them.” He never ate much sweets but always ended a meal with a tsp. of sugar and was very fond of gooseberry pie.
His son Hugh said that as a boy if he asked his father for 5¢ he always gave him 10¢ and if he asked for 10¢ he always received 15¢ –always a little more than what he asked for. He usually had a sack of candy for the kids. He and son James enjoyed running foot races together.
Grandfather was always kind to animals and would never allow his boys to mistreat them. Uncle Perry said the boys enjoyed rooster fighting and if they could catch two roosters and provoke them to fight before their father caught them then he would enjoy the fight with them but if he saw them, he would never allow them to mistreat the roosters in order to get them to fight.
He always kept his word even to his own children. One day they butchered a 350 lb. pig and Uncle John, who was married, was helping. Grandfather jokingly told Uncle John if he could carry that large pig from their house to the mill he would give it to him, not thinking of course that he could do it or that he would attempt to do it. His brothers helped lower it to his shoulder from the pulley and Uncle John carried it to the mill. Grandfather kept his word and Uncle John got the pig.
He always enjoyed a good joke. The morning he was stricken he told Grandmother a funny joke, then waved goodbye to her and that was the last time he spoke to her. He became ill on the road job he was supervising where the old D. L. Evans’ house stood. He instructed the men to finish the work they had started before they took him to town. They put him in a white top buggy and brought him home, and he passed away about 50 hours later without regaining consciousness on April 16, 1914. He was 66 years of age.
Martha Lucretia Lusk Jones & William E. Jones
William E. Jones was born in Wales, February 19, 1848. He married Martha Lucretia Lusk, September 21, 1874, Endowment House, Salt Lake City, Utah. Martha Lucretia Lusk was born in Pleasant Grove, Utah, March 29, 1857. He died April 16, 1914. She died May 28, 1942.
The following are their children:
William Jones, date of birth and death unknown.
John Asaheal Jones, born June 19, 1876 at Malad City, Idaho. He married Mary Adams December 7, 1894 at Malad City, Idaho. He died February 26, 1938 at Malad. Their children are: Myrtle, John Asaheal, Lucretia, Leona, Vernon, LeRoy. She died January 28, 1934.
Thomas Jones, date of birth and death unknown.
Berenice Jones Leigh, born May 18, 1880 at Malad City, Idaho. She married Daniel T. Leigh February 15, 1899 at Malad City, Idaho. He died April 11, 1931 at Malad. Their children are: William Owen, Daniel J., Byron, and Bernice J.
Ellen Jones Jones, born February 28, 1882 at Malad City, Idaho. She married Lubin Jones November 27, 1907 at Malad. She died October 8, 1930 at Malad. He died September 15, 1934 at Malad City, Idaho.
Lucretia Jones Peck, born August 14, 1884 at Malad City, Idaho. She married Henry Peck on October 9, 1907 at Malad. He died July 2, 1925 at Downey, Idaho. Their children are: Earl Henry, Chester, Edna, and Ellen.
Alpheous Jones, born April 8, 1886 at Malad City, Idaho and died April 17, 1956 at Malad City, Idaho.
Bertha Jones Williams, born March 4, 1888 at Malad City, Idaho. She married Edwin Williams September 6, 1911 at Salt Lake City, Utah. He died August 1952 in California. Their children are: Lester, Lillian, Thella, Alta, and Alice, Rayda Mae.
James Lusk Jones, born August 9, 1890 at Malad City, Idaho and died March 27, 1955 at Malad City, Idaho. He married Elizabeth Sarah Bake September 2, 1914 at Ogden, Utah. Their children are: Frayne B., and Edith Lucille.
Olive Jones Clark, born July 30, 1892 at Malad City, Idaho. She married William H. Clark December 28, 1910 at Malad. Their children are: William H. Jr., Hugh Jones, Oliver Paul, Olive, Twila, and Hilda Maude.
Hugh Lusk Jones, born October 15, 1895 at Malad City, Idaho. He married Millie Bloxham, September 21, 1920 at Malad. Their children are: Delpha, and Lucretia.
Perry Lusk Jones, born April 18, 1899 at Malad City, Idaho. He married Mary Elizabeth Jones, November 23, 1927 at Malad City, Idaho. Their children are: Perry William.
Delilah Jones Ward, born December 25, 1903 at Malad City, Idaho. She married Jesse Lorenzo Ward, May 8, 1922 at Pocatello, Idaho. Their children are: Delilah Jones, Edith Mae, Lucretia Marie, Julia Fern, Jesse Park, and William David.