Abednego Spencer Williams
A brief history of Abednego Spencer William's family written from notes given to Gwendolyn Williams Andrus by Mrs. Mary Jane Williams, wife of Spencer
Williams, the brother of Abednego, son of Abednego Spencer Williams.
Abednego Spencer Williams and wife Jane Edwards and their family joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Wales where they entertained and
made a home for the missionaries laboring there. He was employed by a large mining company and went to Brazil for three years to work. After returning to
Wales he owned and operated a road house. Through his generosity (it is said he never charged missionaries for their food or room) and liberal credit he
lost his money.
He was a great student, a self-educated man. He owned a fine large library and excelled in history. He spoke seven languages. Little is known to me of his
father Thomas Spencer Williams except that he was an eye doctor and did much to restore the sight of his grand-daughter.
Grandfather, Abednego Spencer sailed for America 16 April 1881 on the steamship "Wyoming." He worked diligently in the coal mines in Grass Creek, Utah
earning enough for passage for one of his family. He asked for Spencer to come and help him earn enough for other members. Together they soon sent for
Analina to come keep house for them. Abednego Spencer had a sister Mary Jones and her husband who assisted my father Abednego and his little son Spencer to
come at that time also. Grandmother, Jane Edwards Williams and youngest daughter Dagmar were to come together next, but grandmother passed away, leaving
Dagmar to come at about age of sixteen alone. She obtained passage with a group of saints. The two other living children Rhoda and Mary Ann were married
and did not come to America. The family all arrived in Grass Creek, Utah temporarily. Dagmar later went to live with her Aunt May Jones at Willard Utah.
Abednego Spencer William's brother Meshach and his two sisters, Mary and Martha also came to America. Mary's husband Shadrach Jones went back to Wales on a
mission and died at Raven Hill near Swansey of pneumonia.
