My mother Mary Jane was born at Salt Lake City, Jan. 17, 1853 and was the daughter of Richard and Mary (Hughs-Evans) Jones. 

While very young she came with her parents and settled in Malad in the year 1865, there being only five families here when the Jones family arrived (moved to Perry, moved to Malad 1851). 

The most important events of her early life have already been recorded in her parents’ history. At the age of 19 she was chosen from her class to teach in the public school. The way in which she was chosen is interesting, a specimen of their handwriting was required, this was carefully examined and passed upon by the school trustees and she received the appointment. This experience ended in the fall of 1872 when she was married to Ben D. Evans at the old Endowment House in Salt Lake City. 

The first year of their married life was spent in  a cellar or dugout. This she says was very comfortable but the next spring they built a house on their own homestead but when winter came again they [had] to move back to the cellar as it was so much warmer. They soon moved back again and father hired someone to stay with mother while he went to Montana to work on the telegraph line. Mother has always been a good manager and with the assistance of hired help she succeeded fairly well, yet there were many hardships and disadvantages attached to it. Their homestead or home was five miles from Malad and travel had to be made wither [either] by ox team and wagon or later by mule team. On one occasion mother was returning from town in a wagon, driving a mule team, she was seated on a high spring seat and when within a short distance of home she had to cross the Malad River over which was a narrow wooden bridge, just as the team made the turn to cross the bridge, mother accidentally dropped one of the lines and becoming confused pulled on one line which pulled the team around against the side of the bridge. Mother was thrown to the bottom of the wagon together with a pile of dishes she had purchased, it was afterwards considered a miracle how she escaped being thrown into the river. 

For about five years mother cared for the farm but father, disliking to be separated from his family, gave up his work on the telegraph line and took up work on the farm. 

Ten children were born to this couple, five boys and five girls, five of whom are still living in 1932, they are as follows: 

Mary Jane Jenkins 

Sarah Evans 

Benjamin Evans 

Hannah Deschamps 

Adina Evans 

Thomas D. Evans 

Richard J. Evans 

Abinadi J. Evans 

Heber J. Evans 

Rachel Blodwin Thorpe 

Not only this family has mother reared and cared for but while her family was still young a little negro boy nine years of age came across the fields from Samaria asking for protection, he told them he had been stolen from his home in the South and as these people were very mean to him he begged mother to shelter him. He was very ragged and dirty, yet in spite of this her mother’s heart held pity for him and after father had bathed him and shingled his wooley head he was given clean clothing and was taken in as one of the family. He was sent to school and given every consideration that their own children received until he was 21 years of age when one day he secretly took his leave after having taken father’s gold watch, $5 gold piece, a revolver and his horse and saddle. He afterwards regretted this act and asked repeatedly to be allowed to return, which of course, was never granted to him. His name was Tom Brown and is now living in Soda Springs and writes to mother occasionally. 

Another child, a girl, Annie Bell by name, was given a home under mother’s care. Her father being dead and her stepfather was abusive to her so her mother asked my mother to give her a home, where she stayed until she was married to Lawrence Dells. 

Many old men have been given a home in Mother’s home and there they spent the last years of their life among them were Wm. Dunn, Freddit Rooden, Wm Owens, Jim Willis, Tom Bollingbroke, Wm. Martin, all were perfectly happy in their adopted home. 

Mother was an active church worker, having filled many positions of trust. She became the first Pres. of the Primary of the Malad Ward which position she held for a number of years, then she became pres. in the ward of the Y.L.M.I.A. which capacity she filled with dignity and honor until she was chosen to fill the capacity of 1st coun. in the Stake Y.L.M.I.A. with Elvira Harrison as president and Margaret Clarkston as second coun., Catherine Jones Palmer as Sec. For many years they traveled around the stake which then extended from Fielding on the South to Rockland and Snowville on the west and to Oneida, or Arimo as it is now called on the north. This journey was not made by auto as we now travel but by team and light spring wagon or buggy and was usually made by the ladies traveling alone, even driving and caring for the horses themselves. 

In those days they had no outlines to follow and for many years they made their own guides for lesson work. During all these years of service she also cared for as invalid boy who contracted brain fever when only three years of age which left him an invalid until he was 36 years of age when he was relieved by death. 

In the year Dec. 25, 1904 she was released from stake duties which required so much absence from home and was placed in the office of Ward Pres. of the Relief Society of Malad Ward with E. A. Jones and Louisa Jones as councilors, their services were greatly appreciated in this capacity but soon after Mary Jane Evans was chosen as counselor in the R. L. [Relief Society] Stake Board to Caroline Facer, but owing to the helpless condition of her son who required so much attention she was honorably released and her church duties became that of visiting ward teacher which position she held up to her 80th year then owing to physical conditions and weather inclemency she was honorably released. 

She was also a prominent factor in civic work having served on many committees for fairs and was chairman of the ladies organization of Oneida County Republican society. She was also an important member of the organization known as the Liberty Bell League who fought so nobly for Prohibition and succeeded so well. She has always been noted for her activity even at the age of 82 years. She accomplished things that many women of 65 would not undertake, especially in hand work of different kinds. 

She was very hospitable to friends and strangers alike, her doors were always open and she was always mindful of the sick in her community. 

A great sadness again came into her life when her loving companion was taken from this life on May 15, 1928. Their lives in spite of depressing times and hardships and sorrows, which enter every home, was one of extreme happiness and many were the times that their home was filled to its capacity with friends and neighbors who would mingle in song and story, reluctant to leave when midnight arrived. 

Another outstanding characteristic of this couple was family companionship, nothing pleased them better than to take the entire family for a two weeks vacation, accompanied by one or two other pioneer families of Malad, to some resort. During these trips, days were spent seeing wonders of nature, the evenings were spent around the campfire singing songs, relating reminiscences of other days, those were delightful times and will always linger in the memories of their children. 

Mary Jane Evans enjoyed splendid health up to the time of her death. She was a lover of company and enjoyed going to church or any kind of gathering. She was never satisfied to remain at home if she was able to go anywhere. She never spent one night alone since the death of her husband, the last four years of her life were spent almost entirely with her daughter, Hannah. 

She passed from this life Dec. 10, 1934 at 4 p.m. while sitting in her chair fully dressed without a single struggle, she simply went to sleep from which she never aroused. 

Her funeral services were beautiful and impressive. Some of the speakers even stated that this was a change without tasting death that she had lived such a worthy life that this was her reward. 

A Tribute to Mary Jane Evans For Her Grand Chldren 

By her daughter Hannah 

If my grand mother was alive today, 

She’d tell us a very strange tale; 

Of how she spent her childhood days, 

There she was hearty and hale. 

Those were the hungry barefoot days, 

Unknown to me and you; 

Days when Indians were feared so much 

By the pioneers staunch and true. 

She’d tell of the time, when but eight years old; 

When they dwelt in a cabin of one room, 

Where sage was used to brush the dirt floor, 

As she never had seen a broom. 

Of how an Indian had saved her life 

From a spider sting on her arm 

By a tourniquet, and poison sego, 

Applied to her swollen fore-arm. 

Of how she had reared a negro boy 

Who’d been stolen from his home, 

Had been cruelly mistreated 

And been thrown on the world to roam. 

But she clothed and fed the famished lad 

Until he was twenty-one, 

He was educated and sent to church 

As though he was her own son. 

Eight other individuals, 

Thrown homeless in the world 

Found shelter and kindness in her home 

Where the banner of love was unfurled. 

Yes if grandmother told this story, 

She most certainly would say; 

“God spared my life through that Indian, 

To be your grandmother today.” 

Then grandmother dear we’ll pledge to you 

To be honest, firm and true, 

And say the things you would have us say 

And do things as you would do.