Williams, Harry Morgan - Biography

John R. Williams

And His Son Harry Morgan Williams

Life History

THIS IS THE HISTORY OF JOHN R. WILLIAMS, MY GRANDFATHER, AND HARRY MORGAN WILLIAMS, MY FATHER.  COMPILED AND WRITTEN BY GLADYS W. BRADFIELD IN 1964.  TAKEN FROM FAMILY RECORDS, OLD LETTERS AND DOCUMENTS AND FROM MEMORY

My grandfather, John R. Williams, lived in Llanelly, Brecon, Wales, as did his fathers before him.  They were wealthy farmers and owned many acres of land.  Some of their lands were called: "The Church Farm, Yew Tree Cottage in Llanelly, Brecon, Wales; Crossway and Callea in the Parish of Llangattock, Llingoed, Monmouth, Wales.  Another parcel of land called Try John Lewis Hardy, Atrola Cottage in the Parish of Llanelly.  The abstract and copy of a will is shown in my Book of Remembrance.  This will was made by uncles of William Williams, my great grandfather.  These uncles, John and Thomas Williams were wealthy bachelors and left all their property to Robert Williams, a brother to my great grandfather, and a nephew of theirs.  At the time the will was made, William Williams, my great grandfather, was occupying the land of 'John Lewis Hardy.'  This Robert Williams was to pay a yearly sum to William Williams, and after his death the same annuity was to be given to his four children; William, John (my grandfather) Henry Lewis, and Thomas, their heirs, executors and administrators and assigns forever.  This will was made the 11 March 1837.  My grandfather was ten years old at the time.  Robert Williams, my great grandfather's brother, was appointed sole executor of the will.

John Williams lived on these lands all his life until he came to America.  The Yew Tree Cottage and the Church Farm were the two most spoken of.  John was born in Llanelly, Brecon, Wales, probably on the Church Farm, on the 20 December 1827.  His father was William Williams and his mother was Ann Morgan.  His life in Wales was, I presume, a life of luxury.  Because the family had plenty.  When the lived in the Yew Tree Cottage it was traditional at Christmas time to go into the forest on their property and cut a large Yew tree and haul it home to be used in the fireplace.

In my Book of Remembrance are some receipts made out to my great grandfather, William, when he paid his rent (taxes) to the Honorable Duke of Beaufort, who had charge of collecting dues in that part of Wales in behalf of the King of England, or the Queen, whichever it may be.

John Williams' mother, Ann Morgan's family originally came from Cardiff, Glamorgan, Wales.  Ann's brother Thomas had a family of five.  Four boys and one girl: Jacob, Abram, Edward, Lewis, and Janet (my grandmother).  Janet (as she was christened) used to spend a great deal of time at the home of her Uncle William Williams and Aunt Ann.  She was the only girl in both families.  William's family was five boys, and she was loved equally by all the boys.  John was ten years older than Janet, but his love grew so much he wanted her to be his wife.  It was not uncommon in those days for cousins to marry.  John was a bachelor or thirty-five years and Janet was twenty-six when they were married on the 2 July 1864.  The family didn't approve of them getting married, but they loved each other and no amount of talking would change their minds.  John went to work in the coal mines for awhile.

John's family never joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as Janet's family did.  He was very much against it and for some time forbid Janet to mix with the Saints.  John and Janet lived in Gilwern, and on the Church Farm, in Llanelly Parish.

John's father died 20 December 1864, on John's birthday, just a few months after John and Janet were married.  His mother Ann continued living at the Yew Tree Cottage until her death on the 25 March 1871.

John decided he with his family would come to America.  So they packed up a few of their belongings, leaving most of their things in their home, the Church Farm, and sailed for America.  They arrived in Nova Scotia, sailed down the St. Lawrence River and settled in Ontario, Canada.  John bought a farm and had many nice things.  His horses were the pride of the surrounding country.  Their address was: Dochester Station, Middlesexey, Ontario, Canada.

John made several trips back to Wales to collect his annuity from the property.  He had an old red wooden steamer trunk that he took with him each time.  In our day it was referred to as the 'OLD RED BOX.'  I have it now, given to me by my mother.

John and Janet had ten children - five girls and five boys.  According to the records I have, Robert, the oldest, born in Llanelly, Brecon, Wales died the same month he was born.  Annie Catherine, born 22 November 1866 in Llanelly, Brecon, Wales died in Scofield, Carbon, Utah when she was twenty-three years old.  Henry (Harry) my father, was born in Gilwern, Brecon, Wales on 13 November 1868, and died at the age of seventy-seven years at Castle Dale, Emery, Utah.  Edward died as a baby, Mary Jane died at the age of eleven.  William died as a baby, Gwendoline died as a baby, Jennett died at the age of six years, and John Lewis as a baby, Also Gabriel as a baby.  Myrtle tells me she thinks Gabriel was born in Canada.

John decided to move to the United States.  They went to East Saginaw, Michigan, and bought another farm.  John must have loved this new country he brought his family to because on the 27 February 1886, he decided to become an American citizen.  He went to the County Clerk in the County of Saginaw, Michigan and made out his Declaration of Intention to become an American Citizen.  With this declaration he solemnly swore to renounce forever all allegiance and fidelity to each and every foreign Price, Potentate, State or Sovereign whatsoever, and particularly the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, of whom he was a subject.  Later, on the 23 September 1896, John received his certificate of Citizenship, after he had come to Utah.

While they were living in East Saginaw, Michigan, a dreadful disease struck their home.  Diphtheria.  Mary Jane, Gwendoline and baby John Lewis became ill with this terrible disease.  Gwendoline died first.  The next day Mary Jane died, and the following day John Lewis died.  Each little body was wrapped in a sheet and put out through a window, and was buried without ceremony.  No one could come into the house.  John was quarantined out so Janet was alone with the sick and dying.  Ass the last little body went, Janet was so numb with grief she could hardly remember what happened.  She knew though that the Lord has spared her two oldest children, Henry and Annie.  The fourth child died four days later.

They lived in East Saginaw, Michigan for some years.  Here Annie and Henry (Harry) attended the Ann Harbor University.

Another time John went to Wales to collect the annuity from the property.  When he came back he brought a niece back with him.  Her name was Jeanette Morgan.  She was a daughter of Janet's brother Jacob Morgan.  Jeanette Morgan was named for our grandmother Janet, and through a misunderstanding the spelling became changed.  She lived with John and Janet for some time.  She married a man by the name of Thomas Breese.

John was very unsettled.  The urge to move to Utah came upon him.  So again he sold his farm and moved to Scofield, Carbon, Utah.  A lot of Welch people had moved there because of the coal mining.  When he arrived in Colton, Utah it was so desolate he said, "Janet, lets go back to Michigan."  Janet said, "No, John not me, you can if you want to, but now I am here I am going to stay."

It was a great change for John and Janet and their two children.  To go from being wealthy farmers to successful farmers, and then to poor coal miners.  Because in those days of the Scofield boom, when the town was filled with people, miners made about two dollars a day, and they had to dig for it.  There were no machines, the men used pick and shovel.  John was a tall man, over six feet and to be stooped over a shovel and car in maybe a four foot tunnel all day was a hard job for him.

Some of the men were breaking away from the mine and taking up homesteads in the Valleys.  John decided to do the same.  So he chose Castle Valley because some of his friends had gone there.  He and Janet filed claim on 160 acres in Emery County, Utah, just halfway between the towns of Cleveland and Huntington.  During the summer they would work their farm and the winter months they would spend in Scofield working the mine.

Janet tried hard to bring John into believing in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which she loved so dearly, but he was very bitter.  Finally to please her he was baptized, but he was never confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Annie Catherine, their daughter, lived at home and worked in a grocery store, the U.P. Store it was called.  She started working there the 4 March 1889, and was paid $4.00 a week.  She was a very reserved girl, and probably was loved by all.  In August of 1889 she became ill, and on the 24 August 1889 she died.  John and Janet were broken-hearted.  Henry, who was now known as Harry, was twenty-one years old.  He had met and fallen in love with a beautiful little Welch girl of sixteen, whose name as Gwendoline Williams.  They were planning on getting married in December.  But right now he was the only child left of John and Janet.

Harry rented a house and got it ready to live in, and on the 24^th day of December, 1889, he and Gwendoline were married in Scofield, (then Emery County), Utah by S.J. Harkness.  They had a wedding dance in the Scofield Church house, which still stands.

Harry was a wonderful scholar.  Not many of the miners had a good education, so it was Harry's lot to read to them.  They would gather by the dozens in the store to hear Harry read.  He would read everything to them, from the newspaper to Shakespear.  He had a wonderful talent for acting.  Leading man and villain parts.  One time, I remember my father telling me, when he played the part of the villain he had to be hit over the hed with a club.  They did things so real in their plays that mother made a club out of an old stocking and stuffed it.  The night of the play the person who was to use the club made a mistake and hit Harry over the head with the real club.  He was knocked out cold.  Harry was a great singer.  A deep bass voice that enriched any choir where he sang.  He also played the harmonica and Jews harp very well.

In the summer of 1898, John and Janet were on the farm alone.  On the 27^th of August 1898, John came in from the field feeling quite ill.  He died that day, and Janet was alone with him.  She saw some people driving by in a wagon, I believe it was Hannah Richards.  Janet tried to wave to them to stop, but they thought she was just waving a friendly greeting and they kept on going.  She had to leave him alone while she went for help.

Janet was now alone.  Harry had his family, but he stayed close to his mother, as did his wife and children.

Janet continued to live on the farm and in Cleveland.  She lived to be eighty-nine years old, and she too died on the farm.  She lived with Harry and his family for several years.

Harry was hard worker.  A farmer by summer and a coal miner by winter.  His family were all girls until the eighth came along.  A boy whom he loved very much.  But this little boy died at three weeks of age.  The tenth child was a boy.  A son who grew to be a lot like John, Harry's father.  A son who grew to help him on the farm.  The girls each in their turn gave him a hand.

Harry had many close calls in the mine.  Several times he had his face cut wide open.  One time his heart stopped for minutes.  But each time his faith would give him new leases on life.  He had a lot of faith.  His priesthood meant so very much to him, and he worked diligently in the Church.  He was ward teacher for many years and never missed a month in making a visit.  Then he was in the MIA and he would stage some of the best plays that were ever put on in Cleveland Ward.  He sang in the Cleveland Ward Choir.  When he was a young man he sang in the Emery Stake Choir, I believe that was what it was called.  Thomas Hardy, a friend of the family was the choir leader.  I think of Dad when I hear the song'The Voice in the Old Village Choir' because above all the other voices yhou could hear Dad's deep bass voice ring out.  There never was a funeral in Cleveland, and most always in Huntington, that he didn't attend, and sing in the choir.  Nearly all his friends were gone when he passed away.  He was a missionary in the Emery Stake, and many many times he has borne his testimony to the truthfulness of the gospel.  He had such great faith.

When Harry wanted to go anywhere he would walk.  It wasn't anything for him to walk from Scofield to Cleveland, when he was a young man, a distance of many miles over the mountain.  From Price to Cleveland, which was twenty miles was just a jaunt.  And from the farm to town, three miles, he sometimes would walk three times a day.  Even when he was so sick he continued walking.

Harry smoked a pipe for many years.  But when he made up his mind to quit that was the end of it.  It was a habit hard to get away from and it took strenth and willpower.

Harry was an ordained Teacher, Elder, Seventy and High Priest.  He loved every office he held.

He was very modest.  The least suggestive thing would really make him angry.  He believed really and truly in the thirteenth Article of Faith: "We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and doing good to all men, etc."

When he was left alone after his wife, Gwendoline died, it was a sad picture to see.  He couldn't content himself anywhere.  He walked many miles.  He was so lonely.  Even though he had his children, he was still alone.  He had his room at his daughter Gwen's home, with his personal furniture.  Many times we would see him looking through the cupboards that Mother had used and cleaned, looking at the dishes that once were hers.  He missed a tall glass pitcher one day and wanted to know where it was.  Mother had given it to me a long time before I got married, and this was the first time he had missed it.  It was a wedding present to them, and now it meant so much to him.

In 1945 he became very sick.  He had yellow jaundice.  It was so pitiful to see him.  Gwen was ill so he came to live with us for awhile, bless his heart.  The doctor said he could have anything he wanted.  We had a few cherry trees that were loaded with beautiful red pie cherries.  He would climb onto a ladder and sit there and eat cherries.  His yellow skin and the red cherries was a sight to see.  He stayed with us for several weeks, but he was so anxious to get back to Gwen's to be in his own bed.  We took him back the first part of July and he died on the 27^th of July 1945.  His funeral was held in Cleveland, Emery, Utah.  He was buried in Cleveland cemetery on the 30 July 1945.  I know he was happy to be with his loving wife and parents.  May his family remember him for his love, faith, courage, and goodness to all people.  Harry was born on Friday 13 November 1868.  This year his birthday anniversary is again on Friday 13^th, and he would be 96 years old.