John, Mary Jeanette - Biography

History of Mary Jeanette John Jones

Born – 8 August 1821, Dinas, Glamorganshire, South Wales

Died – 11 April, 1880 Bloomington, Bear Lake Co., Idaho

Married to – Llewelyn Griffith Jones

Came to Utah – September 1868

Sketch of the life of Mary Jeanette John Jones, as told by great granddaughter, LaVina Reese Hunter Doerfler.

I never knew my great grandmother, Mary Jeanette John Jones, because she died before I was born, nor did I ever hear much about her life from my grandmother, Elizabeth Reese, who was her second oldest daughter, but it is said that when a daughter gets older, she resembles her mother, so I would say that great grandmother must have been a small, nice-looking woman, who loved life, and went about doing good.

There was one thing they did not have in common, though, and that was religion.  Great grandmother, Mary, along with her husband, Llewellyn Jones, joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in their native country of South Wales in 1848.  However they did not come to America until 1868.  My grandmother, Elizabeth did not join at that time, though she did come to America.  After her first husband, William John died in Wales, she brought her three children, Mary Jane, Thomas, and William and came to Bloomington, Idaho to be with her parents and brothers and sisters who had previously come.

Now let us go back across the sea to the little country of Wales where great grandmother Mary Jeanette was born.  This event took place on the 8^th of August, 1821 in Dinas, Glamorganshire, South Wales.  The proud parents were Lazarius and Jeanette Lewis John.  They gave their precious little daughter the name of Mary Jeanette.  She was a happy child and always brought much joy into their home.  She was quick to learn how to take responsibility and help with the tasks around the home.

When she became of marriageable age, she chose Llewelyn Griffith Jones to be her husband.  He was two years her senior, having been born 18 July 1819 at Neath, Glamorganshire, South Wales.  He was the son of Griffith and Elizabeth Davis Jones.

It was on the 30^th of May 1841 in Dinas, that she knew the joy of motherhood when little Jennette was born at their home in Dinas.  They were blessed with eight children, namely:  Elizabeth, born 8 March 1844; David L. born 25 December 1846; Susanna, born 18 June 1849; Mary, born 28 April 1851; Tabitha, born 19 January 1854; Ephraim, born 17 February 1856; and Lydia Mary born 23 April 1858.

Llewelyn and Mary Jeanette were good religious people, with the blood of Israel in their veins, and when they heard the true gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints explained to them by humble Mormon missionaries, they were converted and baptized.  The family record gives the time of baptism as 1848.  They had three children at the time, so their children were really all reared under the influence of the Church.

As I remember, it was David and his sister Tabitha, who left their homeland first and emigrated to Zion.  They probably went to Willard, Utah first, where so many Welsh people had settled, eventually going to Bear Lake County, Idaho in that new and productive farming area of Bloomington. 

David worked and earned money to help his family come to Idaho. But it was 1858 before his parents finally made it.  They left Liverpool, England in June of that year, but were not prepared to say which of the five chartered ships they were passengers on.  Some of these were steam ships and made better progress.  These ships docked at Castle Gardens, New York harbor in July or early August, and went through customs.  The Saints were then helped to board the cross-country trains by the Church men at New York, who were in charge of immigration that year, and arrived in Wyoming, the end of the railroad a short time after.

This year, again Church teams were sent from Salt Lake City and vicinity to bring the Saints on to Utah in the year 1868 (Vol. 12, Heart Throbs).

No doubt, Llewelyn and Mary Jones were met in Salt Lake City upon their arrival by their son David who took them on to Bloomington, Idaho where he and his brothers and sisters were living.  It must have been a great thrill to this fine Welsh couple to be reunited with the members of their family again. 

Great Grandma was 47 when she made this long trip to her hew home and great grandpa was 49.  They were able to meet the mates their children had chosen, and see many of their grandchildren for the first time.

Great grandmother was an industrious person and made a happy home for great grandfather in the log cabin on the little hill on the five acre plot of ground about one and three-fourths miles from town.

This noble pioneer woman, Mary Janette John Jones was nearly 59 years old when she died, 11 April 1880.  Two of her married daughters, Jennett Roberta and Tabitha Reese had preceded her in death.

Great grandfather, Llewelyn Griffith Jones died 11 August 1881 at the age of 62.  He was buried beside his life’s companion in the Bloomington Cemetery.