Thomas Evans Jeremy
Thomas Evans Jeremy, a patriarch in the Salt Lake Stake of Zion, was born in the parish of Llanegwad, Carmarthenshire, South Wales, July 11, 1815. He was raised on a farm and received a good education. After his marriage, he joined the Baptist Church, but believed the principles of Mormonism from the time he first heard them proclaimed. March 3rd, 1836, he was baptized by Elder Dan Jones, one of the first to embrace the fullness of the gospel in Wales. On the evening of the day of his baptism, Thomas was ordained to the office of a priest and soon afterwards, when the Llanybyther Branch of the church was organized, he was appointed to preside over the same. By his continued efforts, being assisted also by other elders, four new branches were raised up in the immediate neighborhood where he resided.
At this time, Elder Jeremy lived on a large farm, which he had rented from a rich landowner, the same as others in the neighborhood. This landowner, who was an enemy of the Mormons, became very angry when he heard that Thomas E. Jeremy had united himself with them and was spreading the doctrines of his creed among his other renters. On one occasion, when Elder Jeremy brought him the half-yearly rent, this man commenced to abuse him and finally broke out in a passion, saying, "These damned night-dippers, (meaning Mormons) will lead you down to Hell." Brother Jeremy, in his usual calm and conservative manner, told him in reply that although he knew his duty to his landlord, and would do what was right by him, he considered it his privilege to serve God according to his own conscience; and he felt it to be his duty to obey God more than man. This exasperated the landlord, who commenced to curse and swear, but was immediately seized by a strange and mighty power, which hurled him back in his chair and made him speechless, while he foamed profusely from the mouth and his limbs were twisted nearly out of shape. He finally lost his reason and never recovered from the attack.
Leaving England February 25, 1849, on the Buena Vista, Elder Jeremy emigrated to Utah with his family, consisting of his wife and seven children, and three other persons (one young girl and two young men) whom he paid for. In crossing the plains, the company in which they traveled was snowed in near Sweetwater River and before relief could be sent out from the Valley, the emigrants suffered much from cold and hunger. In one night, seventy of their cattle died from cold and starvation.
Elder Jeremy located with the Welsh Saints west of the River Jordan, near Salt Lake City, but shortly afterwards settled in the Sixteenth Ward, Salt Lake City, where he resided the remainder of his days. In 1849-52, he presided over the Welsh meetings, which were held weekly in the city during that time. These meetings were often visited by some of the apostles and were generally very spirited and interesting.
In 1852 Elder Jeremy was called on a mission to his native country. He left home Sept. 16th of that year, and after a severe journey across the plains and stormy passage over the ocean, he arrived in Liverpool, England, December 24th, 1852. He was appointed to preside as pastor over three conferences; Swansea, Llanelly, and Carmarthen, and subsequently acted as counselor to Dan Jones in the presidency of the Welsh Mission. After a successful mission, he returned home with a company of Saints, which sailed from Liverpool, England, in the ship Chimborazo, April 17th, 1855. On the voyage, he acted as a counselor to Edward Stevenson, the president of the company. During the next few years, Elder Jeremy and family suffered considerably from scarcity of food, the grasshoppers destroying the crops in the valleys of Utah. As long as he had any breadstuff, he divided liberally with his neighbors, and when all was gone, he stood his chance with the rest of the people in subsisting on roots and other things which could sustain life for a time. At the time of the general reformation in 1856 he took a very active part in preaching to the Welsh Saints and exhorting them to renewed diligence. Later (1857-58), he participated in the expediton to Echo Canyon, making two trips into the mountains. On one of these he served as captain of ten, and on the other as captain of a company; he suffered considerably from cold and over-exertion, and frequently had to make his bed on three feet of snow.
In 1860 he was called on another mission to Europe. He arrived in Liverpool December 12th of that year and was appointed to preside over the Welsh Mission. During the three and a half years he served in that position, several thousand people joined the Church in Wales. Geroge G. Bywater was his first and David M. Davis his second counselor. He finally returned home in charge of a large company of Saints which sailed from Liverpool on the ship General McClellan May 21st, 1864. In October following he was set apart to act as a member of the High Council in the Salt Lake Stake of Zion, a position which he occupied until May 1887 when he was released with honor because of his advanced years. Soon afterwards he was ordained a patriarch. In November 1875 he filled another mission to England, arriving in Liverpool December 1st of that year. He traveled among the branches in Wales, and also attended to some private business, returning home in March 1876.
Elder Jeremy showed the same noble characteristics in times of prosperity as in times of adversity; he has ever been true to his God, and his noble example will be held in honorable remembrance by future generations. Thomas Jeremy died April 7th, 1891, in Salt Lake City, Utah.
