CANAAN LEWIS and SARAH REES
Canaan Lewis, the son of David and Elizabeth Jones Lewis, was born in Caermarthenshire, Wales, Great Britain, September 13, 1841. In all there were six children: Thomas (born 1835), John (1837), Eliza (1839), Canaan (1841), Sarah (1843), and Lewis (1846). In 1847 his mother and the three oldest children, Thomas (12), John (11), and Eliza (9), were baptized in Mormon Church. Canaan's father, however, would have nothing to do with the Church.
In 1848 Canaan's mother began making preparations to leave Wales. In early 1849 she and her six children set out for far-away Zion. The family sailed from Liverpool, England February 26, 1849. Canaan was only eight years old.
Two months after they arrived in Utah, Canaan's mother married Captain Dan Jones as his second wife. To this marriage were born two children, Ruth and Brigham. Within a year they moved to Manti in San Pete County.
Dan Jones died in 1862. Elizabeth and her younger children including Canaan who was 20 years old by this time moved back to Salt Lake city and lived on what was called "Brigham's Farm" in Sugar House. For the next ten years Canaan helped his mother manage the farm.
MARRIAGE
Canaan married Sarah Rees of Wales, Utah in Salt Lake City on Christmas Day in 1872. Sarah Rees was born on the 23rd of June 1855 in the small mining town of Wales, Utah. She was the daughter of David Rees and Ann Jones, early Mormon pioneers from the land of Wales. She was baptized a member of the Church in 1869 at the age of 13.
Canaan and Sarah at first lived on "Brigham's Farm." When their first son was one year and nine months old they moved to Wales, Utah and made that their permanent home. Two sons were born to this marriage, LeRoy and Raymond.
Sarah died January 15, 1880 in Wales, leaving Canaan with their two small sons, six and three years old. Canaan's mother came to his aid in caring for the children.
Twelve years later, August 8, 1892 Canaan married Mary Nelson who had a five-year-old daughter, Josephine. To this marriage three other children were born; Sarah, Thomas Earl, and Mearl. Mearl, however, died in infancy.
Josephine Anderson, Canaan's stepdaughter recalls memories of her father:
"Father was a typical Welshman, full of humor and a lover of music. He owned a small farm and a forty-acre meadow in Wales. He was a sheep man, and he loved horses. He only kept the very best, even the sheep ponies had to be just right or he wouldn't have them. The horse I mainly remember that wasn't to be had was a little pinto pony that I fell in love with, so he let me keep it. In a race I always won out over his better ponies. Possibly he sometimes purposely allowed this just to increase my ego. These were very happy days. Father always taught his children to do that which was right and always set a fine example himself. His greatest desire was to see us actively engaged in various organizations of the church and he prayed that our accomplishments were to be enduring.
"Father was active in many church organizations. He served on the Irrigation Board for several years. It seemed to my brothers, and me that he was a member of every committee for every party or celebration we had in town. He was a happy social person.
"Father served in the Black Hawk War in 1864-1868. He spoke the language of three different Indian Tribes. There was an Indian who lived not far from Wales, Indian Jim. He often came into our ward and spoke in the Sacrament meetings. The Bishop always called upon Father to interpret for Jim. I remember how proud we were when we could attend meetings and listen to our father. Father never missed a Black Hawk encampment. Each one he attended was always reported as 'Well, that was the best one yet!'"
Canaan rode horses until he was sixty-seven years of age; his love of them never waned. He died in 1909 of cancer. He was in his sixty-ninth year. He is interred in the Wales, San Pete County, Utah cemetery. His second wife, Mary Nelson lived until 1929.
