Evan John Jones 1820

EVAN JOHN JONES 1820

By Evan John Jones, the son of John Jones and Lucretia Jenkins

My father was born in the Parish of Lampeter, Cardiganshire, South Wales. He had one brother and two sisters, named David, Jane and Hannah, all born in Cardiganshire. My father died at the age of 40, when I was three years old. My mother was born in Cardiganshire and died February 14, 1846, at the age of 70 years in Glamorganshire.
I was born September 1820, in Lampeter, Cardiganshire, South Wales. I had one brother named David, who was born and died in Cardiganshire. My only sister Mary, came to Utah in 1868, and lived in Adamsville, Utah. My mother worked very hard to support us. When I was about eight years old I worked in the summer to help out, and attended school in the winter, until I could read Welsh and English, and write a little of both languages. My parents were very religious people, belonging to the Methodist denomination. We learned a good deal of scriptures by attending church school and also studying at home. When I was sixteen I went to Dowlais to work, and lived in the home of Evan Thomas, whose wife was my cousin, Ann Jones. After I left my home I went among strange men, and to a strange place. The underground work was also very strange to me. In a little while I became acquainted with the work and the men. Their habits, which was hard work, having plenty to eat and wear, they spent the rest of their earnings in another direction, which was not of the best. Very soon I joined with them, thinking very little of any religious society, and that way I spent the next six or seven years of my life, kind of wild with the rest of my fellow workmen.
I thought at times to lead a better life for myself, so I did look around for a girl who was willing to be my wife. In October 1843, I was married to Catherine Griffiths, the daughter of Evan and Elinor Jones Griffiths, in the Vynor Church, by William Williams the Priest. Her father, mother, and herself, all born in the Parish of Llanarth, Cardiganshire, South Wales. Her grandfather and grandmother on her father's side, named David and Catherine Griffiths. Her grandfather and grandmother on her mother's side, named Rees and Ester Jones, all born in the same Shire. She had four brothers and four sisters, the oldest brother named David, died in South Wales, March 11, 1851, buried in the Pnat Cemetery. He died a good Latter-day Saint. Rees and Sarah came to Utah and lived in Adamsville, Utah. One brother and two sisters, Lewis, Ester and Elizabeth, stayed in the Old Country. The oldest sister died on the way coming here, between New Orleans and St. Louis. We made our home in Dowlais, where I continued to work underground, and made a comfortable living for my family. I felt at times I would like to join some Christian Religious Societies of the day, and there were many. I could not make up my mind what to do, so I did not join any of them. I had never heard about the Plan of Salvation of the Gospel, until the year of 1845. At last I heard of a Sect organized in America. The Elders of this Sect soon came to the neighborhood where I lived, and great was the cry of the people. The greater number speaking evil of them, making it necessary for them to baptize the people at night. One thing in particular that drew my attention was that they spoke in unknown tongues, by the power of the Holy Ghost, and it was interpreted by the power of the same spirit. The more I heard of them the more I wanted to hear and know. At last to satisfy my soul’s cravings, they came to preach in the town where I lived. Through the summer of 1846 was a blessing to me, it was a curse to many others. Great was the persecution of the Elders, yet there was some who received their testimony. By this time I was able to judge for myself, and to understand some of their doctrines, and to know they were more in accordance with the scriptures than any of the Sects of the day. Two Elders came to our home and talked to us, and sold us some tracts. One was called the Prophet of Juble. This helped me to understand, and pointed to many passages of scriptures, proving the first principles of the Gospel. I decided if the Scriptures were true, this Doctrine must be, for they corresponded one with the other. I then endeavored to get my wife to believe the same as I did, but she did not feel inclined to believe, because of so many speaking evil of the Elders. Therefore, we came to the conclusion to visit their meeting once and hear what they had to say. After this she was satisfied with the doctrine and never opposed again. I was baptized on November 4, 1846, by Elder Alfred Clark, and the following Sunday, November 7th, I was confirmed by Captain Dan Jones.
The next meeting we attended, Elder Eligh Edwards presided, and to our satisfaction he opened the meeting for the brethren and the sisters to enjoy gifts of the Holy Ghost. We heard persons speaking in unknown tongues, and we heard the interpretation of the same. The Devil also came in like a roaring lion and took possession of one of the brethren that had just been baptized. The evil power was so great that fear came upon all who were at the meeting, except the President. Some felt like leaving, there was so much confusion in the meeting. The President called for order, and asked everyone to pray privately for the Spirit of God, and then the devil would have to leave. As soon as order was restored the President laid his hands upon the man's head and commanded the evil spirit in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of his soul. He had no sooner got through than everything was restored to order. What a great testimony this was to me. I was ready to testify that the power to cast out devils, and to speak in new tongues, was in the Church, and that I knew it was the Church of Jesus Christ. In the year of 1847 I was ordained a Priest by Elder William Jones. I fulfilled my duties of this office, to the best of my ability. I preached the Gospel in many places, especially in Dowlais and vicinity. On April 18, 1849, I was ordained an Elder. We lived in the same branch, and were members of the church for twenty years before we could make arrangements and get the necessities to come to Utah. We sailed from Liverpool, England, on Monday, April 30, 1866, on the sailing vessel, John Bright, under the direction of D.M. Gillett. There were 747 Saints on the boat. We landed in New York on June 6th, and traveled by way of New Haven, Montreal, Detroit, Chicago, Quincy, and St. Joseph by train. We stayed in Missouri long enough to make arrangements for a covered wagon and some oxen, then we set out with an immigrant train under the direction of Captain Wm. Henry Chipman. This history was taken from the family record book to this point, which he wrote himself. The family endured the usual hardships of crossing the plains, he having poor health at this time of his life. It was a great concern to him for his wife to have most of the hardships, and care of their family, the youngest being only six weeks old when they started out from Wales.
They arrived in Salt Lake September 15, 1866. They rested in Pioneer Park for two days before coming to Lehi, Utah. They lived in Lehi for three years. During that time he was ordained a member of the High Priest Quorum in 1868. In 1869 the family moved to Adamsville, Utah, with the exception of one daughter, who married and stayed in Lehi. He spent the rest of his life in Adamsville, Beaver County, Utah, and died there January 19, 1881. He was buried in Beaver, Utah. To this union was born 17 children. Six died in childhood; Elinor, Rees and Lewis (twins), Elizabeth, Catherine and Hannah, all buried in Wales. The remaining 11 children came to Utah with their parents, namely; Leucressia, Mary, Ester, Elinor and Evan (twins), Sarah, John E., David, Jane, Margaret and Ann.