JAMES ELLIS
James Ellis was born 17
August 1813 in Bonvilston, Glamorganshire, Wales,
to William Ellis and Ann Jenkins. He married Ann Phillips 18 May 1845. Three children were born to
them---William, Hyrum, and Annie.
James was a Methodist minister when in December of 1846 he
heard Mormon elders preaching in Cardiff,
Wales. He
received a testimony and was baptized 21
February 1847 by William Jenkins, president of the Cardiff Branch.
James started his journal on that day and continued entries
each day until he left for Zion.
The journal is filled with wonderful faith promoting experiences.
James was given the priesthood after his baptism and
immediately commenced his labors as a missionary. He was called to serve as 1st
counselor to President Pugh of the East Glamorgan Conference and later served
as 1st counselor to William Phillips when he became president of the
conference. James was called to be president of the Cardiff Branch in early
1848 and served as president until he left for Zion
in early 1853.
James and his wife Ann with their three children and the
Welsh saints took passage on the ship "Jersey".
During the journal James and Ann taught the Welsh saints English, as they were
bilingual.
After arriving in New Orleans,
they took a river boat to Keokuk, Iowa,
where the outfitted for the trek west. They were assigned to the Joseph Young company and arrived in the valley in May of 1853. They were
sent to Farmington by Brigham Young
and resided there for the next six years.
In the spring of 1859 James, in compoany with some of his
Welsh friends in Farmington, went
to Cache Valley
to work on the Elkhorn Ranch where the Church had established a large cattle
operation.
James, with four of his friends, decided to scout around the
area hoping to find a place where they might settle, as they were weary of the
terrible east winds that bothered the settlers of Farmington.
They came to the spot which is now known as Logan
and decided that the conditions looked very promising. James, a sawyer by
trade, had brought his circular saw with him from Wales,
and this enabled the group to commence building a fort. The fort was completed
before winter and those who had joined the group spent the first winter in the
fort.
James helped in the building of roads, canals and public
buildings, as well as having gone back to Winter Quarters to help more saints
to get to the Valley. James labored many months in helping to build the Logan
Temple.
The "Deseret News" obituary of May 1887 noted that
James Ellis had died full in the faith.
By Annie Hall Lindquist, great-granddaughter of James Ellis
