Henry and Catherine Pierce Jones

By D. Harold Jones, grandson

Henry Jones was born January 13, 1849, at Pen­cader, Carmarthenshire, Wales, son of David (College) and Rachel Stephens Jones. He was the only child born to this union.

Henry was twelve years old when his father died. Henry and his mother had close association with the Stephens' relatives. At age seventeen, Henry and his mother joined the Mormon Church. One day on arriving home, he announced he was going to America, and asked his mother what she was going to do. Her reply was, "I will go with you."

The ship Constitution sailed from Liverpool June 23, 1868, with Henry, his mother, and Stephens' relatives. On arriving in Willard, Utah, Henry was so discouraged. Things looked so bleak, he even wondered if the missionaries hadn't deceived him. As he walked up Willard Canyon, he dropped to his knees and poured out his heart to his Heavenly Father, telling Him, he had no job, no money, no home, and fall was coming on, that he desperately needed help. When he returned to his mother, he was told he had a job working on the railroad. His prayer was answered. The work lasted until the com­pletion of the transcontinental railroad at Promon­tory Point, forty-five miles west of Ogden, on May 10, 1869. There the East met the West. In his diary, Henry wrote about living in dugouts in Echo Canyon, while working on the railroad, and was so happy when he could buy a second shirt.

At Willard, he met and married Catherine Pierce, on December 27, 1875, in the Endowment House in Salt Lake. Catherine was born in Dinas, Glamorganshire, Wales, June 26, 1855, daughter of Thomas and Margaret Thomas Pierce. Her father died when she was eight years old. After joining the Mormon Church, she and her mother, brother Thomas, and sister Margaret, sailed for America on the ship John Bright, April 30, 1866. They crossed the plains in Capt. Samuel Wright's Company, arriving in Salt Lake City, Utah, September 5, 1866, having walked the entire distance of 1100 miles. They too went to Willard, where so many of the Welsh people lived. It was here she met her Henry.

Henry and Catherine lived in Willard until after their first child, David, was born. That fall they mov­ed to Malad Valley, and within a short time bought the farm at St. John, where he made his home for the remainder of his life. His home was the home the Don Noble family grew up in. It is now vacant, and owned by Buford McDaniel, 1984. The road at that time crossed Devil Creek as it does now, by Mitchell Deschamps, then it came straight west, about where Bishop Dell Tuttle's house stands, then it went over pass the Henry Jones property, and then turned north.

A ten acre orchard was planted north of Henry's home, as well as trees all around the farm. An apiary was placed among the orchard. He was a farmer, raised cattle, and thoroughbred horses. Beautiful gardens were raised.

The lack of education in Henry's boyhood made him an ardent student in later life. He was a self-educated man, with a keen mind. He took great pride and interest in the welfare of St. John. In early history you find him as a school board member, and he taught school even earlier than that. He worked diligently on the irrigation system established in St. John, helped get the Rural Mail delivery, was Pro­bate Judge, County Commissioner, and Oneida County State Senator in 1907.

Before the Jones boys were big enough to help on the farm, they had hired men who lived in with the family. This made lots of work for Catherine (we called her Granny). There was always a crowd to cook for and she was the best cook in the county. People were welcome at Granny's. The larder at her house was overflowing with poultry of all kinds, pork, beef, butter, cream, cheese, vegetables, and everything home grown at Catherine's.

Henry died September 12, 1909, and Catherine died November 10, 1918. Both were buried in St. John.

In the Jones family, David H. married Margaret Rachel Davis; Thomas married Lillie Brantzeg; Rachel Ann married Thomas John Davis; Margaret married Donald A. Noble; Mary Mae married Archibald Harris; Henry Jr. married Catherine Evans; and Rosalie married Miles Slatter.

(From St. John, Oneida County, Idaho: A collection of personal histories from the time of the first settlers to the present day, pp. 169-170.)