HISTORY OF MARGARET
REES THOMAS DAVIES
Margaret Rees was born 20 Apr 1844
in Aberdare, Glamorganshire, South Wales.*1 She was the second child of William Rees
of Breconshire and Elizabeth Thomas of
Llywel, Breconshire. Three months before
her birth, a tragedy occurred to alter her life. Margaret's father William followed the
occupation of farming, sheep raising and dairying. One day he was driving some sheep near a
dangerous ledge, and accidentally fell into a deserted mine shaft and was
instantly killed. He was considered one
of the most exemplary men in town and was a great student of the Bible. He never drank or smoked.
After the accidental death of
William, the shock seemed to change Elizabeth. She seemed to resent her child about to be
born. At the birth of Margaret, her
mother was very ill, so Ann Thomas, Elizabeth's
mother, took her little granddaughter Margaret, who was three days old at the
time, into her home to raise. Margaret
loved her grandmother Ann Thomas dearly, and this seemed to further aggravate
Margaret's mother Elizabeth.
Margaret's older sister was Ann
Rees, born 24 Apr 1842 in Merthyr Tydfil, Glamorganshire, South Wales.*2 She married Samuel Jenkins about 1862 in
Merthyr Tydfil. Their children are: William Jenkins b. Sep 1864, md.
Elizabeth Jacob; Elizabeth Jenkins b. 8 Mar 1866, md. William Henry Lyle: Mary
Ellen Jenkins b. 6 Aug 1874, died 9 Jul 1938; Jacob Jenkins b. 1878; Margaret
Jenkins b. Nov 1880 *3
In the late 1840's, LDS
missionaries were very active in Wales,
and Merthyr Tydfil was one center of
activity. The whole Thomas clan became
interested in the gospel, and the following were baptized: Ann Thomas the widowed mother, Thomas Thomas
her son, Elizabeth Thomas (Rees, Evans) her daughter, William Thomas her son,
Ann Thomas (Davies) her daughter, Catherine Thomas (Powell) her daughter. *4
In 1850, Margaret's older sister
Ann was baptized when she was eight years old.
When Margaret turned eight years old in 1852, the Mormon missionaries
came to her grandmother's home after
Margaret was baptized into the LDS church *5. One of the missionaries asked her, "And
what is your name?" In her confusion,
she answered, "Latter Day Saint."
Her mother was so indignant that she slapped Margaret, and she
cried. One of the Elders picked her up
into his arms and said, "Never mind, this child will be the only one who
will be privileged to go to the temple and do work for the dead." This made them all very angry because they
were all very good Latter-Day Saints and had expected to come to Zion. This prophecy was fulfilled, as the rest of
the family that were present at the time and also emigrated, became members of
the RLDS church. Elizabeth and her
second husband and family, and Margaret=s sister and her family stayed in Wales.
"The spirit of gathering" entered the Thomas
clan's hearts. "For I will bring
you one of a city and two of a family and bring you to Zion." Jeremiah 3:14.
.
Grandmother Ann Thomas, her youngest son William, her youngest daughter
Ann, and Elizabeth's
daughter Margaret were planning to emigrate.
William emigrated first in 1855 on the "Chymborazo", arriving
in Philadelphia.*6 In 1856, all
arrangements were made to leave on the "Samuel Curling" with a large
group of Welsh converts. Margaret was
excited because she was going with her grandmother. Just before the departure, Grandmother Ann
and Elizabeth had a bitter disagreement.
The ship was ready to sail; all the luggage had gone aboard. Margaret's mother Elizabeth brought a
policeman to the pier and took Margaret away.
Elizabeth
argued that Margaret was not of age; and as she was her mother, she would not
give her consent for Margaret to leave.
Grandmother Ann fainted and had to be taken aboard ship. All of Margaret's clothing was in the trunk
on the ship except what Margaret was wearing at the time. They watched the ship sail away.*7
Margaret and her mother Elizabeth
then returned to Merthyr Tydfil. Previously, Elizabeth had remarried a Thomas
Evans in 1847.*8 From this union came
three children: Maria Evans born 1848 in Merthyr Tydfil; Elizabeth Evans born 7
Dec 1850 in Merthyr Tydfil; and William Evans born 6 Sep 1855 in Merthyr
Tydfil.*9
Margaret grew to young womanhood
and went to work in a factory. She
longed for her grandmother. She wanted
to see her again and share her love.
Margaret felt that her mother was not interested in her. She was sad most of the time.
Margaret knit two pairs of
stockings for her Uncle Enic because she was lonely and wanted to see him. One Saturday night she ran away from
home. The mountains in Wales are like
hills, and people walk from town to town.
She wandered around all night. In
the morning when a sheepherder found her, she was sitting on a rock crying. She told him of her troubles, and he walked
with her to the edge of town where her Uncle Enic lived. She found a welcome there; but her Uncle Enic
was too poor to care for her, so she was sent to live with another uncle, Uncle
Joseph. He was very rich and owned a
beautiful home or "Plas". He would not allow her a room in his big
home, but he did let her live in the servant's quarters. Margaret was not allowed to talk or play with
his children because she was a Mormon, and he was very bitter against her
church. Had not his sister Ann left for America to join
them?
One rainy day a Mormon missionary
came to her door distributing tracts.
Margaret looked at his shoes and saw that they were thin and
shabby. She ran upstairs to her precious
box in the corner. She had saved some
money, nearly five dollars! Taking the
money and two pairs of stockings that she had knit, she ran downstairs with her
treasure--but he had gone! She ran down
the street after him, insisting that he take the money and the stockings. She said, "I am a Latter Day Saint and
so was my grandmother, but she is now in America:"
Her uncle had watched her from his study upstairs. He became violently angry. A little later, as she was hanging the
washing on the clothesline, she held one corner of the sheet in her teeth. He came up behind her and hit her on the back
with a jinny. He hit her so suddenly and
so hard that it jerked out her four front teeth. She didn't have falst teeth made until years
later when she was living in Utah.
Margaret found work in the market place in Merthyr
Tydfil. Her half-brother
William's son Thomas Evans told our family this story in a letter in 1942:
"...I heard my father saying
many (times), after he buried his Mother (he was very young in Merthyr Tydfil), he had to go lodging with his
father. When his father was changing his
work, he went to lodge with his Aunt.
She was very cruel to him. He
told your mother (Margaret) one day, and she had a quarrel with the aunt. One day your Mother took up hawking fruit and
vegetables at that time, carrying a flask on their heads, no carts and horses
taking the stuff around. After the
quarrel, your Mother started calling to see him; she was calling once a week;
the Biggest Apple she could get for him.
He was always watching for her to come, the Aunt would not let her (Margaret)
see him. She kept him threading needles
for her. Your Mother could hear him
crying. Your Mother stopped in next door
until the door was open, then your Mother went in and gave her the damnest
hiding she ever had. The door was always
open after that. I do remember when
Maria your Mother's sister died (Margaret's half sister). There were six children left behind,
orphans. My father sent to tell your
Mother about it. Your Mother sent my
father four pounds sterling to buy clothes for the four youngest. He asked his sister Ann Jenkins (Margaret's
full sister two years older than her) to come with him to buy the clothes, for
her to see that the children were having it.
She refused, she said your Mother ought to have sent the money to
her. He bought the clothes for
them. Your Mother sent to ask my father
to send the four youngest children out there to her: she would send a pass for
them, but the two oldest would not let them.
That is the last letter my father had from your Mother; he thinks Ann
Jenkins his sister had sent to tell alot of lies about her. He did not know if his sister was having
letters after."*10
Margaret boarded with a Latter Day
Saint family and became a prominent member of the branch. Margaret had a beautiful singing voice and
was conductor of the church choir while in Wales. She also sang during her life in Utah. While still in her teens in Wales, she was
called to the bedside of her dying mother.
Her mother begged her forgiveness for all that had transpired between
them. Of course, Margaret forgave her.
Margaret started going with a young
respectable blacksmith. He was a Gentile
and did not see her religion as she did.
He begged her to leave her church, but she would not. Soon they planned to be married. He went to Australia to make a "marriage
stake" as was customary in those days.
As he was returning home, a violent storm arose off the English Channel.
The ship sank and he was drowned.
His trunk floated ashore, and it was given to her.
On 8 May 1868, Margaret married a
widower Frederick
Edwards/Thomas*11. He was a miner
and father of nine children from his first marriage. Frederick
had adopted the name of Thomas from his grandfather with whom he lived. His real surname was Edwards. The family member's names and dates from Frederick's first
marriage are:
Father: Frederick
Edward/Thomas born 16 Aug 1821 in Merthyr Tydfil,
Glam.
His father was Evan Edwards, his mother was Leah
Williams. Frederick
died 7 Mar 1892 in Scofield, Carbon, Utah. He was buried 10 Mar 1892 in Scofield,
Carbon, Utah, then moved to Spanish
Fork Cemetery, Utah, Utah.
Mother: Susan or Susanah Sanders born 1826 in Merthyr Tydfil, Glam.
Her father was William Sanders, her mother was Mary Cross. Susan died 19 Apr 1867 in Merthyr
Tydfil, Glam.
Children:
William Sanders Edwards/Thomas b. Nov 1845 in Merthyr Tydfil, Glam.
John Sanders Edwards/Thomas b. 12 Mar 1848 in Merthyr Tydfil, Glam.
Evan Sanders Edwards/Thomas b. 6 Apr 1849 in Merthyr Tydfil, Glam.
Joseph Sanders Edwards/Thomas b. 21 May 1851 in Merthyr Tydfil, Glam.
Margaret Edwards/Thomas b. 10 Nov 1854 in Merthyr
Tydfil, Glam.
Esiah Sanders Edwards/Thomas b. 13 Apr 1857 in Merthyr Tydfil, Glam.
Zepheniah Edward/Thomas b. 22 Apr 1859 in Merthyr
Tydfil, Glam.
Mary Jane Edwards/Thomas b. 26 Jan 1863 in Merthyr
Tydfil, Glam.
David Edwards/Thomas b. 9 Feb 1867 in Merthyr
Tydfil, Glam.*12
The "spirit of gathering"
came upon Margaret. With it came an
insatiable desire to come to Utah. Her husband bitterly opposed this. He said that they did not have enough money
to immigrate. She was so determined to
come that she opened a little bakery store on a corner near her home. She took in boarders and saved her precious
money for the trip. This bakery is
located at 7 Tram Road,
Side North, Merthyr Tydfil, Glamorganshire, South Wales.
At last there was enough money in
her little blue and white crockery jar on the top shelf of the cupboard. The family immigrated to Utah
in October 1874 on the ship "Wyoming"
from Liverpool.*13 They had been counseled
to wait until the transcontinental railroad was finished. The completion of the railroad connecting the
East to the West was the dividing line between pioneers and settlers; therefore
Margaret is not listed as an immigrating pioneer. According to the Immigrations Records in Salt Lake City number
1041, the following is recorded:
Frederick Thomas age 46
Margaret Thomas age 33
Zardaphiah Thomas age 11
Mary Jane Thomas age 9
Elizabeth Ann Thomas age 4
Reece Thomas age infant
Cost: 40 pounds, 8 shillings
Margaret spoke often about her
childhood in Wales;
her home, in details we could not forget.
She described the countryside, how she gathered nuts, the stiles over
the hedgerows, how the houses were built in rows, her playmates and who they
were. She told us about her school and
that she could speak fluent Welsh. She
always told us that she was 7 years old when they came to Utah.
She told us about the ferns that grew along the roadside. Margaret and Frederick were married in 1868
and had the following children:
Elizabeth Ann, called Anne or Annie, b. 5 Apr 1868 in Merthyr Tydfil, Glam.
Gwendolyn b. 3 or 9 Mar 1870 in Merthyr
Tydfil, Wales. She died 3
Aug 1870 in Merthyr Tydfil, cause was listed
as dry nursing.
Hyrum b. 9 Aug 1871 in Merthyr Tydfil,
Glam. He died before the family
emigrated.
Reese b. 23 May 1873 in Merthyr Tydfil,
Glam. He died 29 Oct 1940 in Spanish Fork.
Phillip b. 9 Jun 1875 in Ogden,
Weber, Utah;
died 3 Sep 1938 in Spanish Fork, Utah.*14
The family settled in Ogden, Utah. Ogden
was a railroad terminal and they found work there. Margaret's husband was bitterly disappointed
in the United States, and
wanted to go back to Wales
immediately, but Margaret refused. She
had worked and planned too long. He
refused to work, thinking he could force her to go back which was not
effective. In his frustration, Frederick became abusive to the children. Margaret became frightened and decided to
separate from Frederick. She went to work as a pantry maid in the
Kenny House in Ogden
and moved into a house of her own.
One Sunday night she had only 25
cents left. Being hungry, blue and
worried, she fainted. Her children
thought she was dead. Early the next
morning when she went to work she was still crying. It was winter with newly fallen snow on the
ground. She had to pass three homes with
the next house a block away, and a large field on either side of the street.
When she reached the corner,
someone aid, "What is the matter?
Oh, don't cry--take this."
A man pressed something into her
hand. Startled, she wiped her eyes with
the corner of her apron.
"Oh, excuse me," she
answered.
When she looked up to thank him,
the man was gone. There were no
footprints in the snow as far as she could see in either direction. Even in the newly fallen snow in the vacant
lots, there were no footprints. In her
hand was a five dollar bill! That money,
she said, went many times further than any money she ever had.
Her work consisted of cleaning the
railroad cars as they were being prepared for the new runs. She cleaned the red velvet seats, washed the
windows inside and out, and scrubbed the floors. Her baby Phillip was only six months old at
this time. While Margaret was working,
Elizabeth Ann took care of the little family.
She used to pull the children in a wagon back and forth from home to the
railway yards every three hours, because Phillip had to be nursed.
When Phillip was about 18 months
old, Margaret divorced Frederick. It was
at this time that her Aunt Mary Price and Uncle John Price came to Utah*15 and
pleaded with her to go back to Wales; even offering to pay her fare. Margaret always said no. She had made great sacrifices to come to Utah
and wished to raise her children among the Mormons. Frederick Thomas never returned to
Wales. He spent the latter years of his
life in Eastern Utah. He lived an
honorable life and did much good for his fellow men. He died 7 Mar 1892 in Scofield, Carbon, Utah.
May we say here as her
granddaughters and her posterity that we will be eternally grateful for the
decision that she made. Her descendants
owe her a great debt. May God bless her
memory! She made all these sacrifices so
that all of her descendants today are able to live in the United States and
have full opportunities to participate in the restored gospel plan.
Margaret, with her three
children--Elizabeth Ann, Reece and Phillip, who was now six months old; went to
Provo, Utah, for a visit with friends to the home of Thomas Caradoc
Davies. Thomas had engaged Margaret's
uncle Wride to attend his home. It was
here that Margaret met Mr. Davies. When
she went back to Ogden they corresponded, and a year later, they were married.
Now her life really changed! This was the happiest time of her life;
Thomas was "kindness itself", as Margaret expressed it. He was affectionately known as "Surveyor
Davies" by all of his friends. He
was Utah County surveyor. The road
leading south from Provo through Springville and Spanish Fork and into Payson
and Eureka is still the original surveyed road made under his term of office,
attesting to his ability. He was also a
mine surveyor, and surveyed many of the mines in the Eureka area. For those days his salary was considered the
very best. I remember my mother
Elizabeth Ann saying that his salary was between $300 and $400 a month, which
was considered exceptionally high for those days. Thomas bought Margaret a lovely home in Provo
that is still standing today.
Margaret and Thomas had two
children. There are: Thomas Caradoc
Davies born 28 Nov 1881 in Provo, Utah, died 21 Jul 1953 in Spanish Fork, Utah;
and Daniel John Davies born 9 Apr 1883 in Provo, Utah, died 14 Feb 1884 in
Provo, Utah, buried in Spanish Fork Cemetery.
Little Danny, the baby, met a sad
death. He was accidentally scalded to
death. Grandmother Margaret was washing
clothes. She heated the water in a
boiler on the top of a coal stove. She
set it down momentarily on the floor.
Her two boys were chasing each other through the rooms. Danny, one and a half years old, stumbled and
fell into the hot water and died as a result.
Annie, or Elizabeth Ann, was taken
out of the Provo Woolen Mills, where she was working at 13 years of age. Her step-father sent her to the Brigham Young
Academy for nearly two years where she learned the dressmaking profession. She became a beautiful seamstress and was
much in demand from as far away as Salt Lake City, 50 miles away. She also studied oil painting, flower making
and handiwork or every kind. She was
taught home nursing, too.
Elizabeth Ann was especially adept
in fitting clothes. For years she spent
six weeks each spring and fall doing seasonal sewing for the family of Apostle
Heber J. Grant. Apostle Grant had many
daughters, and she sewed for them. She
lived in their home for these six weeks and was treated as a member of the
family. While Mother was there, she
learned to love the Salt Lake Theater.
The Grants had a box seat at the Salt Lake Theater; and if the family
was not using all the seats, they gave one to Mother. It was here that she saw such renowned stars
as Maude Adams in "Peter Pan", Jenny Lind, and many others.
Thomas Davies had a desire to own a farm--"a little
part of America." He bought a farm
on the outskirts of Spanish Fork, and the family moved from Provo to Spanish
Fork City. He loved horses and owned and
drove a beautiful black horse and shiny buggy.
He kept both of them immaculate.
He also was the first man in Spanish Fork to own a lawn mower.
Thomas was a heavy-set man in his
later years, and this undoubtedly contributed to his death. He died of a heart condition. I remember my mother saying, "The doctor
said he had too much fat around his heart." He died on 27 Dec 1892 in Spanish Fork.
Sometime later after Margaret had
married Thomas, Margaret developed cancer of the breast. Dr. Riggs from Provo treated her and tried to
burn it out with a poultice of wood ashes, but the cancer returned. One day she went to the Manti Temple. Daniel H. Wells blessed her and called the
disease a spider cancer. He blessed a
bottle of oil, and told her to anoint the cancer every day. It became gradually smaller, until it
disappeared. She was healed!
Margaret lived alone a few years
longer, then she moved into the home of her daughter, Annie Davis Gardner, and
son-in-law, Neil L. Gardner. Here she was
tenderly loved and cared for until her death on the 4th of October 1904 in
Spanish Fork, Utah. She died from the
effects of a stroke.
Elizabeth Ann loved her step-father
dearly; it was the wish of all three stepchildren that they be sealed to their
step-father, and chose to go by his name.
The included picture was taken when he was older, and it always hung in
a prominent place in Elizabeth Ann and Neil L. Gardner's home.
President Kate B. Carter,
International President of Daughter of Utah Pioneers, an organization of 40,000
members, knew Margaret very well, and described her. She said, "Your grandmother was of
medium height with very large black eyes.
She seemed to be taller because of her regal carriage. She stood tall and erect all of her
life. People were attracted to her
because of her magnetic personality.
Whether she wore a silk dress or a calico one, people noticed her. She seemed to stand out in a crowd. She usually wore a shawl over her shoulders
and a white, immaculately starched apron.
My Mother and Grandmother Margaret were very dear friends. Their homes were not very far apart. I can see her now, coming down the street
meeting my mother at the corner of the garden, chatting and laughing as they
discussed events of the day."
This history has been rewritten by Marilyn W. Grua. The original history information was obtained
from an interview between Elizabeth Ann Davies Gardner and her daughter Veda
Gardner Brady. The original story was
organized and compiled by Regina Gardner Erickson in the late 1960s. Another daughter, Gladys Gardner, contributed
duplicates of family pictures. Further
research and information were
contributed by Delila Gardner Williams and Marguerite (Margaret) Gardner
Powelson. Veda, Regina, Gladys, Delila,
and Marguerite were all surviving children of Elizabeth Ann and Neil L.
Gardner. Another sister, Gwen Gardner
Nebeker and their only brother Vernon Neil
Gardner were deceased at the time this history was
compiled. The purpose of rewriting the
history was to correct some name and date errors discovered from the research
of Drucilla Loader Smith of Pleasant Grove, Utah; Delila Gardner Williams of
Spanish fork, Utah, and Marilyn L. Williams Grua, youngest daughter of Delila
and Allen B. Williams of Spanish Fork, Utah.
Marilyn W. Grua
1054 South Heber Lane
Grantsville, UT 84029
435-884-0707
OTHER NAMES AND INFORMATION:
In order to complete the
information on Margaret, other members of her family need to be included.
David Thomas was born about
1780-1785, family tradition says Cwmtwrch, Llangiwig, Glam, or Crynant,
Cadoxton, Glam. A connection between
David Thomas and William Thomas, an ancestor of Drucilla Loader Smith of
Pleasant Grove, Utah is known because of family stories about "our dear
cousins in Spanish Fork" coming from Drucilla's grandmother; also similar
comments were told to me by my mother Delila Gardner Williams from her mother
Elizabeth Ann. A tentative connection is
between Elizabeth Ann's great-grandmother Ann Jones/Thomas Thomas (wife of David
Thomas) and Druscilla's great-grandfather William Thomas. Ann was born in Aberdare, Glamorganshire in
1783/4, William Thomas was born in 1787 in Aberdare, Glamorganshire,
Wales.
Ann Jones/Thomas Thomas was born in
1783/4 in Penderyn, Breconshire, or Aberdare, Glamorganshire, Wales. She and David married about 1809/1810. There is one possible match for this marriage
that shows in parish of Vaynor, Breconshire, Wales.
Children:
Thomas Thomas, shoemaker, born 9 May 1810 in-----, lived in
Crynant, Cadoxton, Glam. He married
Elizod Howell 26 May 1838.
Lewis Thomas, collier, born abt 1811, of Merthyr Tydfil,
Glamorganshire, Wales
Elizabeth Thomas born 1815 in Llywel, Breconshire,
Wales. She married William Rees 23 Apr
1842. He died in 1844. She married Thomas Evans in 1847.
John Thomas, born 17 Apr 1822 in Llywel, Breconshire, Wales
Anne Thomas born 29 Nov 1824 in Llywel, Breconshire Wales
Mary Thomas born 1825/6 in Llywel, Breconshire, Wales. She married John Price, weaver.
Ann Thomas, born 11 Mar 1827 in Penderyn, Breconshire,
Wales. She married Thomas Davies on 2
Aug 1852 in Merthyr Tydfil. They
emigrated to the United States. Cannot locate these people, along with the mother.
Catherine Thomas born 10 Jan 1828 in Llywel, Breconshire,
Wales. She
married William Powell on 23 Oct 1850 in Merthyr Tydfil. Catherine died in Iowa.
William Thomas, collier, born 1833 in Penderyn, Breconshire,
Wales. He married Elizabeth Hopkins on 4
Mar 1860 in Syracuse, Meigs, Ohio. William settled in Netawaka, Jackson,
Kansas.
Of the above children, I am quite
sure that Thomas joined the LDS church, Lewis joined, but was excommunicated,
Elizabeth joined the LDS church, Mary joined the LDS church, Ann joined the
church, am not sure about her husband, Cathrine and her husband William Powell
joined the church, and William Thomas joined the LDS church. Their mother also joined the LDS church.
Later, William, Catherine, and Ann
all joined the RLDS church in Ohio and Iowa.
Thomas Thomas and his wife and
family stayed in Crynant, Cadoxton, Glamorganshire. At the age of 40, Lewis was unmarried and
living in Merthyr Tyfil and did not emigrate with his family. Elizabeth
stayed in the northern Merthyr Tydfil
area. Unknown about John Thomas. Mary Thomas married John Price, They had
three daughters Catherine, Charlotte Ann and Margaret. In the 1880's, John, Mary, Margaret emigrated
to Utah. The other daughter Catherine who married Henry Davis emigrated to Utah. Charlotte Ann and her husband John Morris lived in
Carmarthenshire. Cathrine and William
Powell emigrated to the US.
They lived in West Virginia, Ohio,
Illinois,
and Iowa. Ann Thomas the mother and her son William and
daughter Ann all emigrated in 1855/1856.
Family tradition says that the grandmother died on 12 Sep 1872 in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
The primary source for this
information is FHL #0104170, LDS Merthyr Tydfil Branch Records. Ship sources are listed at the end of
previous history of Margaret.
*1. PRO birth
certificate
*2. PRO birth
certificate
*3. Family records,
1891 Census GSU Microfiche 6099531, ref. 5300-7-7, p. 03403
*4. GSU film 0104170
*5. GSU film 0104170
*6. GSU 0104170, GSU
0025690
*7. GSU 0025691, GSU
0104170
*8. PRO marriage
certificate
*9. Family records
*10.letter written in 1941 from William Evans, son of
Margaret=s half-brother Thomas Evans.
*11.PRO marriage certificate
*12.family records
*13.GSU 0025692
*14.family records
*15.family records, GSU 0025693
