Jones, Ricy Davis - Biography (3)

RICY DAVIS JONES

(1828-1908)

                Ricy Davis Jones was born 18 October 1828 in Abergorlech, South Wales, the youngest of eight children born to John and Hattie Davis Jones. Ricy joined the LDS Church at the age of eighteen and was the only one of his family to become a member. In March 1849 he left his native land, home, and parents and sailed for America. It was a fifty-day voyage to New Orleans, Louisiana. He arrived in Utah in October 1849 and worked for several years on the Salt Lake Temple and helped build the Narrow-Guage Railroad to Granite canyon to get the granite blocks for the temple. He was called by President Brigham Young to work on the State House in Fillmore, Utah, from 10 June 1850 to 4 March 1853.

                In July 1854 he married Ann Howell, and they were the parents of eight children: Ricy, William, Martha Anne, Esdras, Brigham, Louis, Alice, and Zina. Anne Howell was born 25 July 1840 in Wales, the daughter of William and Martha Williams Howell. She and Ricy moved to Brigham City, Utah, in 1856 and lived there until 1863. They joined the early settlers in Wellsville, Utah, where Ann operated a millinery shop. She died 5 January 1916 and is buried in the Brigham City cemetery.

                Ricy was a sergeant in Captain Callister’s Company, Colonel Smith’s Regiment during the Indian (Blackhawk) War, Nauvoo Legion of Utah Volunteers, for which service he was a US pensioner. In 1857-58 he was a “Minuteman” at Echo Canyon during the Johnston Army episode. He married Margaret Morse 18 October 1868 in the Endowment House in Salt Lake city, Utah, and they were the parents of eleven children: Mary Ann “Mollie,” Celestia May, Emma, Sarah Jane “Sadie,” Hettie, John, William Leroy, Ricy Hugh, Margaret Bertha, Joseph Pearl, and Sterling. Ricy died 15 February 1908 and is buried in the Wellsville cemetery.