Johns, Abednego B. - Biography

Abednego Jones/Johns (1811-1890)

Abednego Jones was born 11 or 18 December 1811, at Henry's Moat, Pembrokeshire, Wales. He appears on the 1851 Census for Llanelly (Merthyr Tydfil) Breconshire, Wales as Abidnegs Jones (39), also with: his wife Mary Jones (36), Ann Jones (9), John Jones (3), and Anne Evans (23), Samuel Evans (30), the last two are likely Mary's family. Abednego was made Llanelly LDS Conference President in June 1852. The Family immigrated in 1853 on the Jersey and went to Utah with Joseph W. Young Co. The 1856 Utah Census has them in Box Elder Co. with surname of "John" rather than "Jones." In 1856 Abednego, with surname "Johns," obtained land in Jacks Valley, Carson Co., Utah Territory, and the family appears there in the 1860 Census. Abednego's wife Mary Evans died in 1860 and he remarried Jane Vaughan Lewis who was born 1827 in Hay, Breconshire and immigrated to Utah in 1856 with the Ellsworth Handcart Co. Two sons were born to Abednego and Jane in Nevada, Henry David Johns (1861–1926) and Abendigo David Johns (1861-1926). Abednego and Jane were baptized into the RLDS Church and Abednego was ordained a Seventy and High Priest serving as presiding elder in the area. Jane began using the name of Jeanette by the 1880 Census. She died in March, 1890,and was buried on the 14th in Jacks Valley. Abednego died in May, 1890, and was buried on the 23rd. Their grave sites are as yet unknown but are somewhere in Jacks Valley, Douglas Co., Nevada.