Jones, Thomas Wilkins - Biography

Thomas Wilkins Jones - Biography

Of Welsh and English parentage, Thomas Wilkins Jones was originally a Canadian, born in the city of Quebec, 12 September 1834. He was the second child of James Bray Jones and Elizabeth Brown Wilkins Jones, who were natives of Caerphilly, Glamorganshire, Wales, but emigrated to Quebec soon after their marriage, which took place 23 March 1832. James Bray Jones was an engraver and copper plate printer, and on arriving in Canada, he opened an establishment, which he conducted until his death, an event that occurred on the day that Thomas was seven years old. Family stories say that he was shot but I have yet to find out the details of his death. After the death of her husband, Mrs. Jones, with her children, Jemima, Thomas and James Jr., returned to Wales, where in March 1846, Thomas was apprenticed to a tailor, Mr. William James. Having served his regular apprenticeship, he began business as a journeyman tailor in the town of Cardiff, and was thus engaged when in 1850 he heard the Gospel preached by Elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Converted to the faith, he was baptized by Elder William Wiles in the river Taff, at Cardiff, the same year.

He came back to North America in 1853, sailing from Liverpool on the 5th of February, and landing six weeks later, after a pleasant voyage, at New Orleans, where he took a steamer for Keokuk, Iowa, via St. Louis. From Keokuk he came by ox team to Salt Lake City, arriving there on the 19th of September. He spent the first winter in Kaysville, and in 1854 went to Ogden. That now beautiful and thriving city, when first looked upon it was a mere country village, half covered with sage brush, and with scarcely a decent tenement to be seen.

He had resided in Ogden about a year, when on July 23 1855, he was ordained to the office of a Seventy, made a member of the seventh quorum, and sent with others upon a mission to Fort Supply, now in Wyoming, but then in Utah. Having occasion to return to Ogden, he with several companies, all mounted, started for Ogden on the 7th of March, 1856. Snow had fallen to an unusual depth that winter, but just how deep it was the travelers did not learn until they reached Bear River, where it lay piled up in great banks, and became deeper and deeper as they proceeded. In Weber Canyon they were compelled to turn their animals loose to shift for themselves, while the riders performed the rest of the journey on foot. It took them ten days to traverse the remaining distance, ordinarily a journey of two or three days.

Mr. Jones' main purpose in making this arduous and perilous trip was soon apparent. On the third day of the following month he married Miss Sarah Jane Foy, the bride's father performing the ceremony. The heavy snows having abated, the young husband returned to Fort Supply, taking his wife, and they remained there until the post was broken up on the approach of Johnston's army. They then returned to Ogden.

This was in 1857, in the fall of which year Mr. Jones was mustered into service in the militia. He accompanied his brigade to March Valley, Idaho, to intercept the United States troops under Colonel Alexander, who was asking a detour from Black's Fort, with a view it was supposed, to entering Salt Lake Valley from the north. Mr. Jones afterwards served in Echo Canyon until operations came to a standstill, the government troops going into winter quarters at Fort Bridger and most of the militia returning to their homes. Mr. Jones returned to Ogden on the 4th of December. In the move of 1858 he went to Spanish Fork, and after peace was declared, returned to Ogden to settle down and make a permanent home for his family.

In 1862 his mother came from Wales, with her new husband and family, and settled in Ogden, where she died 29 December, 1891, in the eighty-sixth year of her age. His sister died while crossing the plains and was buried at Florence. Nebraska 6 July 1862. His brother died at Caerphilly, Wales in 1864.

In the year 1870, Mr. Jones opened a merchant tailoring establishment on Main Street, now Washington Blvd., which, beginning small, grew to be the largest concern of its kind in Northern Utah. He employed a number of skilled workmen, had a good local patronage, and was extensively supported in numerous other towns along the lines of the railroads, east to Wyoming, west to Nevada, and North through Idaho into Montana. His business included men's furnishing goods, and his establishment was in every respect first class. He is said to have owned the first sewing machine in Ogden.

On the ninth of May, 1873, Mr. Jones suffered a severe loss in the death of his wife, who hade borne him nine children. On March 2, 1874, he was united in marriage with his second wife, who was then Miss Louisa Goodale. She became the mother of eleven children. In the midst of his more practical pursuits, Mr. Jones found time to cultivate the intellectual and artistic side of his nature. For a period of ten years he was connected with the local Home Dramatic Association. He was one of the fifty-five charter members of the Elks lodge and was Exalted Ruler of this organization. He is mentioned in the "Prominent Men Of Utah". As a successful business man, honest, energetic and industrious, a law-abiding and progressive citizen, and a man true to his religious and political convictions, he was honored and respected by his fellow townsmen and may justly be considered one of the representative men of the Junction City of Ogden.

He owned quite a bit of land in and around Ogden. His home was on the northwest corner of 24th and Adams Avenue, where the Larkin Mortuary now stands.

Thomas Wilkins Jones died the 12 August, 1917. at Ogden, Utah.

This history was compiled by Kathryn Jane Collins, one of his great granddaughters, from family records, obituary, and genealogy histories and was submitted to the DUP.

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Immigrants:

Wilkins, Elizabeth Brown

Taylor, George

Jones, Thomas Wilkins

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