History of James
Hodges
Born 5 July 1828 at Llanmartin, Monmouthshire, England,
James is the son of James Amos Hodges and Margaret Phillips.
He was christened in
his Mother’s Parish of Tredunnock Non-conformist
records.
On July 6 1850 he
married Rebecca Pask. He was 22 years of age and
she was 19 years of age. They were married at the Register office in Newport in
the counties of Monmouth and Glamorgan. They each
signed their names with an “X”, indicating they did not know how to write.
James was baptized a
member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by his father-in-law
Isaac Pask on 11 Aug 1850. His wife Rebecca
was also baptized by her father Isaac Pask on
the same day. James Hodges was ordained an Elder in the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints on 17 Mar 1851 by Henry Naish.
Children born:
James Hodges 20 April 1851; died at Lewiston, Utah 6
Sep 1910
Elizabeth born 1852; lived 4 months; died
in 1852. No burial place has been found.
Isaac born 1853; lived 3 months; died in 1853.
No burial place has been found.
Elijah born 1855 lived 5 months; died in 1855.
No burial place has been found.
Mary born 1861 lived 2 months; died in 1861.
All of the children
are shown as being born at Llanmartin, Monmouthshire, England
Rebecca developed a
serious illness about 1861 and suffered often. She was admitted to the Pen-Y-Fal hospital on 1 Jun 1864 and died 25 April 1865 of
general paralysis (Swelling of the Parotid gland behind left ear) at Abergavenny. She was buried atLlanvaches next
to her father 25 May 1865.
James is listed on the
death record of Rebecca as being a road worker in Caerleon.
James sailed on the
ship St Mark 6 Jun 1866 from Liverpool, arriving in New York 26 Jul
1866. He traveled by train and riverboat to Wyoming, Nebraska, a village on the west bank of the Missouri river about
7 miles north of Nebraska City. There he joined the Andrew Scott oxen
train. No roster was kept by those on the Scott train.
An unsigned
handwritten note dated: 25 Sep 1866, Early this
morning James Hodges died after a long illness and was buried near the road on
the east side. A Norwegian child was also buried by his side about 2 feet
apart. We traveled on about 10 miles,nooned on
Big Sandy, that afternoon traveled about 12 miles and camped on Green
River. Andrew Jenson, ( later became Church
Historian) age about 15 was with this oxen train and relates the following
information: Sunday Sep 23 camped on Little Sandy. Monday Sep 24 crossed Little
Sandy in the morning and Big Sandy in Afternoon. Traveled 20 miles, camped on
barren plain without water near. Tuesday Sep 25 traveled 20 miles and reached Green
River near sundown on the east bank of river. So the story is a bit
different by one day and some mileage. From a
study of the actual trail through Wyoming, It would indicate that he died
about 4 miles north and 4 miles east of the present town of Farson, Wyoming. As of 18 July 2005 an interpretive
center is being established by the Land department of Wyoming. There is a
monument marker by the Oregon Trail Association on the east side of Little
Sandy that marks the location as the crossing of Little Sandy.
I believe the baby buried next to James Hodges
is the child of Mans (or
Mogens) Svensson (or Svendsen) and Ane Laursen Nielsen Svensson (or
Svendsen) born 3 Sep 1866 and died 24 Sep 1866.
James Hodges born 1851 is the son of James
Hodges and did not come with
his father. He came in 1871.
I am a Great Great Grandson of James and Rebecca Hodges and will
share information with all who may have an interest in our family. This
information has been researched and entered 20 Mar 2006 by me, Kermit L Hodges
living at Box 84 Dayton, Idaho 83232
e-mail kaymhodges@juno.co
