Malad Valley Pioneers

JOHN MORRIS JONES DAVIS

(By Mrs. Daniel L. Tovey)

John Morris Jones Davis was born November 2, 1831 at Yetgoch, Llanlburg, Commanthenshire (sic), and was the son of Benjamin Jones Davis and Elizabeth Thomas.

My first recollection was that we lived in a place called “Waingron” Parish, of Llanylyther, then moved to Blannllain, Llanlbburg (sic), when I was about seven years of age.  I herded stock for David Evans Penywern and lived there most every summer until September 10, 1846.  On that day I embraced the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and was baptized by Thomas E. Jeremy, in the River Live.  Then my father hired me to Evan Cornel of Llanlburg for one year and received in payment 21 shillings.  This place being a long way from the Saint’s meetings, I prayed continually for the Lord to open the way so I could be nearer the Saint’s meetings.  Though far away, I never missed a meeting and when my year was up, the Lord heard my prayers.  Brother Thomas E. Jeremy and my father came and Jeremy hired me for one year and four times the amount that I was getting there and all the Branch meetings were held in his home.  That was the last year that I worked in the Country.

The following fall I started for Utah in company with Captain Dan Jones and 750 Saints.  I left all of my friends and relatives and started from Llanylyther and traveled to Swansery in carts and then went on board of the Kubadore for Liverpool.  We stayed there over two weeks, then got on board the “Buanavests” and in seven weeks and three days, we landed n New Orleans.  From there, we traveled up the Mississippi River to St. Louis, Mo.  While here we lost 62 of our brethern (sic) and sisters in 48 hours with Cholera Marbous.  I was taken sick at the same time, but the power of God saved me and many others.  Though we had many troubles we were permitted t come to Council Bluffs.  There we stayed for six weeks.

We started across the plains for Utah with ox teams and had to stand guard every night.  Many great things transpired, which were too numerous to mention here.  Indian troubles on the Platte River, four feet of snow in Quakenasp Hollow, and the great loss of cattle, were some of the troubles that we had.

We landed in Utah in October 1849.  Stayed in Salt Lake City for a few days and worked for fifty cents a day in the canyon, then moved over the Jordan River, after hunting stock for Brother Jeremy.  When I found them, after wallowing in snow about two feet deep, with the old country low shoes, they were very nearly wore out.  It took me two weeks to find them.  Brother Jeremy left word with his wife for me to go hunt for some work, so I started in company with a man by the name of John Jones from Bawd-Bach.  When we got to Salt Lake City, a distance of seven miles, it was dark and we were very hungry and cold and not one of us could talk English.  We started for the Hot Springs but had to crawl into a little stack of hay, about two loads, near the Warm Springs without any bedding or food since breakfast.

I asked my partner if he would pray with me, before we would crawl in the stack.  He said, “No, who would pray with an empty belly?”  When he called me about daybreak he asked how it was that I could sleep.  He said that he had not slept all night because it was so cold.  I made my reply that the reason was that he would not pray before going to bed.  We got up and came north of the Hot Springs about a mile, where we found several of our Welsh Brethern (sic) who were digging ditches for the church.  We took a good meal of corn dodger and squash.

I stayed there about two weeks, then started for Salt Lake City and worked for Orson Spencer, tending masons for $1.25 per day.  Paid $1.00 for board to Frank Puling.  I only worked about five or six days there, then Brother Jeremy told me that there was a man named Joseph Holbrook that wanted to hire a boy.  So I went and hired to him for one year, for the sum of $130.  Then we went to South Mill Creek Canyon, hauling logs to the mill.  We got snowed in and lived on rations for six weeks.

The following spring we ditched n Bountiful, and in the summer of 1850 make dobies (sic) in Salt Lake City.  The following winter we went t school and worked.  Went to school for one month and worked three months for Brother Holbrook to pay for one months board. 

I married in polygamy, first to Mary Jane Jones n 1854 and in the Endowment House in 1856.  I married Sarah James in the Council House in 1857, by Brigham Young. 

I was put in as Bishop of the Cherry Creek Ward in 1880, and held that position for 20 years.

I was the father of nine sons and eleven daughters as follows:  Mary Jane, Elizabeth, John Morris, Sarah Ann, David, Morris H., Brigham, Rosana, Margaret Ellen, Charlotte, Benjamine, Cathrine, William, Evan, Rachel, Joseph, Ester, Hannah, Annie and Hyrum.