It was a lovely fall. October was first being ushered in, in 1888 when the second daughter was born to William T. and Cynthia Maria Lusk Jones. She was born at night. There was no doctor in attendance, but both Grandmother Lusk and Grandmother Jones were there. The first child had been so tiny that the parents were proud when this baby was pronounced of fair size. Grandmother Lusk had to rush off to Utah. “Name her Mary, and take good care of her. I’ll weigh her when I get back.” Later when little Mary was weighed, she weighed only four pounds. Mary was born in a little house on Hungry Hill. 

Early the next spring of 1889, William T. Jones bought the ranch south of Malad on the river. The family moved there to live. After the children got old enough to go to school, they moved up each fall from the ranch. For a month or two each fall and spring the children would stay with their aunts in town. Mary usually stayed with Matilda Evans. (Mrs. L.L. Evans) 

Mary started school in the vestry of the old frame tabernacle. They usually went to school for the nine month term. They wrote on slates. 

Every fall Mary and Esther, her sister, used to stay in Malad and help their Grandmother Jones pick fruit. Mary used to like to run over to her Aunt Lucretia Jones and play with the girls. Her grandmother said, “Mary just won’t stay with her bush.” 

In May of 1906, Mary graduated from the eighth grade. Her teacher in this grade was John O. Thomas. She hadn’t been home many days when Mr. D. L. Evans came to her home to talk to her. He wanted her to go to work in the Evans Co-op. He said he knew her parents were honest, so she must be and he needed honest clerks. So Mary went to work in the same store where her mother had worked before her. Her mother had been the first girl clerk in the Co-op. In the summer when her parents moved to the ranch, she and Winnie Morgan kept house at her mother’s home. During the following winter, she continued to work in the store. She was making $12.50 per month. In the spring she stayed with her Aunt Sarah Reynolds when her parents moved to the ranch. During the next winter her wages were raised to $20.00 a month. 

In the spring of 1908 she went to American Falls, Idaho, to work. She stayed for about six months. She lived with L.L. Evans. Here she met Arthur West and kept company with him. In November she returned to Malad which ended the romance.  

During the fall of 1908 Mary worked in the home of D.L. Evans. At Christmas time, she went back to the store. When Mr. Evans’ mother died, Mary left the store and took charge of the  
Evans household for a few days. Then she went back to the store. 

About this time she became conscious of a fine young man, Bernard Jones, who also worked at the store. Their first date in September was to a show (play). Bernard, at the time, was playing in the dance band at the old pavilion. Mary would go with him to the dance and enjoy the dancing while he played. Mary inherited from her father a love of dancing. Bernard usually managed time for one dance during the evening. 

On February 2, 1910, they were married. It was a cold and blustery wintery day. The wedding took place on Wednesday evening at the home of the bride. President Willaim H. Richards performed the ceremony. About sixty relatives were present. After the wedding a supper was served to all the guests. 

Soon after the marriage, they came down to Bernard’s home and kept house in the two west rooms. Not long after Mabel was born, they moved into their own home on the adjoining lot. This was in August 1911. 

Bernard and Mary Jones are the parents of nine children: Mabel Jones Baggott, Elaine Jones Castleton, Leah Jones Schutt, Roland Bernard Jones, William T. Jones, Edith Jones Doutre, Richard Keith Jones, Edward LeRoy Jones, and J. Blair Jones. 

During the winter of 1926 and 1927, Dick Jones, son of Amos Jones, lived with them and went to high school in Malad. He was treated like a son. In 1927, Bernard’s brother, Edward R. Jones came to live with them also. He remained with them until their deaths. 

Mary was an active member of the LDS Church. At an early age, she began working in the Primary and MIA. She was later called to serve on the MIA Stake Board. She was also work director and counselor to the Malad Third Ward Relief Society for many years. She loved to make beautiful quilts and spent many hours piecing beautiful designs which were made into quilts for her family and friends. 

She was very sympathetic to the needs and wants of others. She shared not only her home but her time and talents with those less fortunate. She was affectionately known as Aunt Mary to many people and as a true friend in need to many others. 

During their later married years, Bernard and Mary were able to travel and enjoy many trips to various parts of the country. In 1935, they made a three week trip to Chicago, Detroit, and Canada to celebrate their silver wedding anniversary. They also visited the northwest, California, and Mexico. 

Mary L. Jones passed away very suddenly, of a heart attack on August 10, 1950. Four months later, January 6, 1951, Bernard Jones also suffered a heart attack and died very suddenly. They were buried in Malad, Idaho.