Written by Mary W. Felix 

Thomas Daniels, my great-grandfather was born January 18, 1831 at Convil, Elvet, Carmarthen, Wales to Daniel Daniels and Mary Jeremy. Thomas was 18 years old when he left with his parents and brother David, 14 years old, to join the Saints in America. They sailed from Liverpool the 26 February 1849 with 249 emigrating Saints aboard the ship “Buena Vista”. The ship was a leaky one and the English said, “Let them have it and it will go down with all the damned Mormons on board.” Captain Dan Jones, known as being seaworthy and wise, repaired the ship and with prayers each day for their safety they came across the ocean. After they landed at New Orleans, they unloaded everything upon the docks, much of it was water soaked and spoiled, the boat sank in the harbor. Many of the Welsh Saints came ashore carrying their harps with strings of hair or leather. It is said the Welsh were born with a song on their lips and a dance in their hearts”. 

At New Orleans they took a steamer “Highland Mary” up the Mississippi. Sixty people died of cholera, about one-fourth of the company, while traveling up the Mississippi. They would stop along the way and bury the dead on the banks of the Mississippi. They landed at Kanesville, Iowa in May 1849 and crossed the plains in the George A. Smith Company with oxen teams. Arriving in Utah October 28, 1849. It was a 8 month trip since they had left Liverpool. The Welsh immigrants of 1849 were among the first pioneers to Utah who spoke a foreign language. 

In April 1850 the first General Conference of the Church was held in the Bowery, first Tabernacle. At this conference the Welsh Choir sang their way into history and into the hearts of all who listened. Thus was formed the present famed tabernacle choir. 

The first St. David’s Day or Eisteddfod was held 1 March 1852 at the home of his father, Daniel Daniels on the corner of Sixth West & North Temple Street. The two story adobe house was the largest Welsh house at that time. Daniel Daniels called the turns for the cotillion and played the violin. A young girl, being seven years old at the time, remembers holding on to the ends of his long red sash. The participants at this first Eisteddfod were mainly children. 

Thomas married Mary Davis, the daughter of Daniel Davis and Mary Davis, 20 May 1852. Mary was born 22 Dec 1832 in Carmarthen, South Wales. Their first child was a daughter named Mary Jane born 15 Aug 1853 in Salt Lake City. The family lived in Salt Lake City from Oct 1849 until they moved to Brigham City about 1854 or 1855. 

At Brigham City they were blessed with 4 boys and one girl; Thomas, Daniel Moroni, my grandfather, David, Sarah and John. The family moved to Malad, Idaho in 1865. At Malad another son Joseph was born 13 April 1866 who died the next day. Mother Mary died six days after giving birth to her baby on 19 April 1866. She was the first woman to be buried in Malad. 

In 1867 Thomas married Janet Thomas Dives. She was a widow with five children. It was reported he said to Janet before they were married. “Janet, I need your help with my children and I can help you with yours”. They had 11 children from their other marriages and then had 8 more children making 19 children. 

Thomas was a farmer in Malad but when the crickets were eating a lot of the crops for a few years he freighted merchandise between Corrine, Utah and Butte, Montana. With such a large family he had to work hard. Two of his children by his first wife Mary, Thomas D. and David married two of his second wife’s children, Sarah and Gertrude Dives, by her first husband Verlum Dives. Such a large family to raise was a huge task but Janet said they all got along fine. 

One of his grandchildren, Maude Call, remembers living across the street from him and he had a dog named [?] which he had trained to go bring the cows home from the field at the end of the day. Another grandchild, Lenna Hone remembers her father taking her down to recite for him her piece which she was giving at the Eisteddfod. 

Thomas was chairman of the board of County Commissioners, Oneida County and a member of the Malad School Board and a farmer. He was a kind, gentleman and well thought of in the community. He died Aug. 31, 1909 at the age of 73 years at Malad, Idaho leaving a large posterity.