In 1840 Wilford Woodruff, an Elder from the newly founded Church of Jesus Christ for Latter Day Saints was acting as a missionary in England. He visited many parts of the country, but had particular success on the borders of Worcestershire and Herefordshire around the Malvern Hills. At the time there was a group of breakaway Methodists calling themselves the United Brethren, and Woodruff was able to convert virtually all of them to the Mormon Church. Many were baptized on the farm of John Benbow, whose brother William had first shown hospitality to Woodruff. Amongst those converted was James Jones, a bootmaker from Alfrick who was married with seven children. During the next 2 or 3 years James became more involved with the Church, was made an Elder and decided to leave England for Zion, the Promised Land that awaited them in the United States.
It is known that he met two other converts, John Steed and George Eddins at a Mormon gathering in Storridge in 1842; later all three and their families emigrated to the States. The Mormon converts in this part of Worcestershire, and adjoining parishes in Herefordshire numbered over 1100 (some records quote 1800). At the annual Frome’s Hill Conference in 1843 led by William Kay, it consisted of 24 Elders, 56 Priests, 24 Teachers, and 12 Deacons in addition to the members or Saints as they were called. They came from many towns and villages including Ledbury, Colwall, Leominster, Storridge, Bromyard Downs, Ridgeway Cross, East Hampton and Worcester Broadheath.
By 1843 James had decided to emigrate with his family to America in the following year. His two eldest children, Henry and James were to stay at home for the time being, as they were already gainfully employed, Henry was married with 2 small children, and had started a boot making business in Malvern Link back in 1836. It was believed by their father that they would emigrate when the rest of the family was settled in the States.
In early January 1844, James (52), Mary (47) and their children, John (23), Peter (25), Herbert (21), Mary (18) and Hannah (13) said goodbye to James (27) and Henry (29) and their home in Alfrick and made their way to Liverpool.
Thomas Steed from Cradley left at the same time and he recorded in his diary .....
“On the morning of the 12th, I left home with a heavy heart, having never been far from my tender parents. Mother gave me a Bible saying “Oh Tom, how can I let you go?”... That Bible remained with me all my life. It was still dark when we left Malvern. We walked 10 miles to the station (Worcester) and arrived by rail at Birmingham. Our train stopped there until 4a.m. then we continued to Liverpool. There we learned that we would have to wait and feed ourselves until the 21st of January, and were very disappointed. “
The Jones family must have left at the same time. James writes to his son Henry from Liverpool. “We started by train from Spetchley on Friday evening(12th Jan) about half past five o’clock where we took lodgings and waited for the train, ¼ past 4 on Saturday evening for Liverpool, where we arrived about 10 o’clock at night. Took lodgings and are here still.”
Eventually after four days they boarded the brig Fanny (an American sailing boat from Boston). In James’s second letter home he says that they slept on board the boat for another 4 days before it left harbour as the winds were against them. He also asks Henry to settle his affairs and follow them as soon as possible. We also learn of the breakup of his son Peter’s marriage. Before they left James had gone to Peter’s mother-in-law’s house and asked if Susan was going with them. She replied “No. I shall not go with any such scamps”
The leader of the group was William Kay, a Mormon Elder from the States, who had been instrumental in recruiting people in Worcestershire. The trans-Atlantic fare was $25 per person, so the cost to the Jones family would have been $175. And this did not include any food or other provisions. The passengers had to find everything themselves, although in later years the Mormon Church did make loan arrangements for needy families. There were 210 pilgrims on board when the ship left Liverpool on 23rd January 1844. The Fanny set sail under the command of Captain Peterson, an American. The crossing started badly as we can tell from the diary of William Adams, an Irishman from County Down who was emigrating with his wife Mary and baby son Charles. ....
“We were towed out of Liverpool the twentieth of January, 1844, and steamer returned after taking us into the Irish channel. The company had been organised before sailing with William Kay as President, Thomas Hall and Henry Aurdan his counselors, and a committee of twelve men to take charge of the provisions, distribute them to the company and take a general supervision for benefit of the company. I was chosen one of them and acted the whole voyage. We had a rough sea for three days in the Irish channel, with head winds. The ship could not keep the course, but had to be tacked to the Isle of Man and then changed toward the coast of Wales. The passengers became alarmed; the captain said that if the wind did not change the ship was in danger of being wrecked. But on the morning of the third day the wind changed favorably, and we rounded the Welsh coast and entered the Atlantic Ocean. The passage across the Atlantic was pleasant with the exception of a few days of storm, when we were tossed about and the storm came so furious that the waves swept over the ship. Many were alarmed, fearing we were all going to the bottom of the sea. We had prayer meetings daily and preaching meetings on Sundays, regular as when on land. We now had fair wind and were making from ten to twelve knots per hour and first saw the West Indian Islands after having been out three weeks from Liverpool. We were detained by calms opposite the island called Jamaica, also in the Gulf of Mexico by head wind. We were driven back one hundred miles. After all the difficulties which is the lot of all mariners we landed in New Orleans about the first of March, being a little over five weeks from Liverpool. “
Now we turn to the first tragedy to befall the Jones family on their Exodus to the Promised Land.
Some three weeks into the voyage, James’s wife Mary was taken ill and was confined initially to her bunk, but later to the Captains cabin, where her condition deteriorated; she eventually died on 19th February. The Captain could not have been more caring and helpful. William Kay later recalled.....
“We have had two deaths; the first was the wife of Elder James Jones, of Alfrick. She died on 19th February, and was buried at sea on the morning of the 20th, off the island of Port Rico. She died happily. During her sickness, the captain manifested the greatest sympathy, and expressed himself as feeling for her husband as though he were his own brother; but it was not in word only but in deed - he had her removed to his cabin, and there she died; nor has he shown less humanity to the sorrowful widower and children.”
Records show that the Fanny arrived in New Orleans on 7th March 1844. but had to wait outside the harbour for a steamer which had right of passage. The passengers eventually disembarked and the following day James took pen and paper and wrote home to his son....
“My dear Henry, I take this opportunity of writing to you hoping that may find you, James, your wife, Henry and Emma all in the enjoyment of good. Pleased to excuse me from writing you a long letter at this as I have not a good opportunity at time owing many things that I have to think of and attend. I have the unspeakable sorrow now to inform you of your dear mother died on the 19th day of February. I can assure you that I never saw anyone die so comfortable as she did. Still I know that my loss is a unrepairable one as I am to a certain degree left destitute. But I must not sorrow as one without hope knowing that I shall see her very soon and enjoy her society in perfect bliss. The thought of this sometimes gives me momentary relief likewise I am satisfied with the kind of treatment she received. The captain sent her provisions regularly from the cabin for many days and she died in the cabin. I believe him to be the kindest man I ever met with and since that time he have behaved with the greatest kindness and respect to me and all my children. He expressed himself to me as he thought as much of me as though I had been his own brother and told me to come and sit in the cabin whenever I pleased and should feel himself happy in my company.. The American gentlemen are nothing like the English as far as I can see of it as we have had the best passage. The captain and crew declares as ever they knew I believe and the captain says that your dear mother was entirely worn out. She was buried at sea. They say it is the most beautiful place as any person can be put to rest in as the body goes half way down the water and there rests. It was in Latitude 17 by 6 North Longitude of 66 by 3 West. I had this particular from the first mate as I have been informed that I shall have to go and meet her on the morn of the first resurrection and likewise that I have something to attend to inasmuch as I am faithful and she will share in the glory as will be bestowed and the thought of these things comforts me a little as I do not mind suffering so as it may be for my own profit or those I do love. Dear Henry I hope the death of your mother will not cause you to dispair. I have thought was it not for consideration of these things that I have mentioned and some things of the same nature I should not have been able to lift my head up but I do believe sincerely yes I am fully satisfied that it is her gain. The measles have been in the ship, one child has died with it. John have had it but he is got over it but is still weak. Hannah have stood the journey very well and has not been the least timid of the journey or the water. Indeed it is not half so bad as I should have thought it. I began at first of our journey to take particulars of our voyage. I gave up when the melancholy event took place. Ours is indeed a very good company and I am still satisfied of this been the work of the Lord and dear Henry I hope you, James and your wife and dear children will soon follow as it would rejoice me exceedingly to see your faces. We have now the steamer long side of us and expect to start further up the river. It is a beautiful river. New Orleans is a dirty place what I have seen of it but I have only been up to the Custom House. I should not like very much to live here not that I should be afraid. Peter is I think as fat as you are. Herbert have stood his journey very well. We indeed have all of us. Mary have got a cold and is rather poorly. When we was near the West India Islands the captain was so kind as to have a sail cloth spread up on deck for sometimes as to put 2 beds under which made it very pleasant indeed. The steamer is now waiting for us to put on luggage so I must give....
[middle part of letter missing] ..... my kind love to my brother ants(?) as I cannot stop now to meet Peter John Herbert Mary and Hannah join love to you , James, your wife have a opportunity and give my kind meet Jones and tell them to come they can [letter ends abruptly]”
The next part of the voyage involved a 5 week steamer journey 1000 miles up the Mississippi to Nauvoo, at that time home of the Mormon Church, its leaders and followers. Whilst preparing the steamer for the long journey, Thomas Steed, from Cradley, recorded a sad incident....
“The passengers had been asked to help load cord-wood onto the steam boat. In doing so, Robert Burston, husband of my cousin, Hannah Steed, with his arms full of wood, fell into the river and never could be found. My cousin married again and lived childless in New Orleans.”
The ‘Maid of Iowa’ was owned by Joseph Smith, the Mormon leader. It was used regularly to ferry Saints from New Orleans to Nauvoo. The journey was a perilous one as we learn from William Adams.....
"The Maid of Iowa, a small steamboat owned by Joseph Smith, the prophet, and Dan Jones, who commanded the boat, was chartered to take the saints to Nauvoo. It took two or three days to load the baggage into the steamboat with other improvements and supplies which had to be attended to. On Sunday morning, I believe the 3rd (?) of March, 1844, the boat left New Orleans for Nauvoo, Illinois, loaded down to the guards. The passage was very tedious, sailing against the current, which was very strong and the Mississippi River being swollen and very muddy, especially the Red River, and others emptying into the Mississippi from the west in which are all very high at this season of the year. In order to escape the strong current of the river the pilot would run the boat up soughs or bayous, running around and taking many hours and hard work to get her off, also breaking two shafts, and sending down to New Orleans to get new shafts. These accidents were very unpleasant as the company was very anxious to get to Nauvoo before conference on the 6th of April. We were very much annoyed, also persecuted in towns along the river. News went ahead that a boat filled with Mormons was on its way to Nauvoo. Necessity caused the boat to land to get supplies. Men would rush onto the boat calling us foul names. "Joe's rats," was a common salutation we received; [at] Natchez, a town on the east side of the river, [someone] set the boat on fire. It was not discovered 'till we had left the place over half an hour, and the side of the boat was ablaze, also several beds and bedding. The fire was extinguished in a short time, with the loss of several feather beds and bedding. It was a narrow escape for the crew and passengers, also the boat. Another town that we landed late in the evening, Captain Jones ordered that no person be allowed aboard the boat, but men came rushing aboard and would not be held back. Brother James Haslem went on the hurricane deck and fired a gun in hopes it would be a warning to the mob that we would be run over by them. But in quelling them they ran for firearms and fired several shots. Things looked serious, steams was got up as speedily as possible, the boat was shoved off and they landed three miles up the river and lay over 'till the next morning, but we were not molested. Many of the company were made sick by using the water of the river that was very muddy, which gave diarrhea, or bowel complaint. The news of our passage coming up the lower Mississippi and the trouble we were in and the persecution we had to endure came ahead of us. Great anxiety was felt for the safety of the company, also the boats which were owned by the Saints. I will state one incident where the company was in imminent danger of losing their lives, and sinking the boat, and which also shows the hatred against the Latter-day Saints. The lower Mississippi had quite a number of first class steamboats running between St. Louis and New Orleans that made the round trip every week. Each time they passed the "Maid of Iowa" we could have grand salute by cheering and laughing and calling us bad names. One of those boats (I forgot her name) tried to run us down, and would if Captain Jones had not been on the hurricane deck, as he was always on duty, made them shove off by hollering and threatening to shoot the pilot. This took place at night when the company was in their beds.
I was very sick and weak for two months after I arrived in Nauvoo on the tenth of April. I cannot express the joy and pleasure we enjoyed in first beholding the city of Nauvoo, where we could behold the prophet of God, and we were not disappointed for he was with his brother Hyrum, leading men of the church and other prominent men of the city, to the number of two hundred or more, who were at the landing to receive us and make us welcome to the city of the Saints. I was very happy to behold the Prophet and Patriarch, and to have an introduction to them, and hear their voices and shake their hands."
Almost as soon as they landed in Nauvoo, at that time the largest city in Illinois, with a population of 11,000 and growing, James and his companions, John Steed and George Eddins set about looking for property and land. It would seem that they were close to William Kay and certainly within a month had bought land on the outskirts of Nauvoo, on which to build houses. The location was Great Mound in the South west quarter of section 26. William Kay chose a large plot, whilst the others took smaller holdings close by. Neither George Eddins nor John Steed were to make it to Utah; George died in Winter Quarters in 1847, whilst John, who went to work in St Louis, died there in 1848.
As for the Jones family, the first few months must have been spent recovering from the strenuous voyage. James’s next letter to Henry describes his house and land, about 2 acres on which he grew potatoes, beans, peas, corn, melons and cucumbers. He also bought an additional 12 acres, with the intention of building a bigger house. There was not much work to be had and many men left to seek jobs further afield. It would seem that James’s sons Herbert and John became discouraged and decided within a matter of weeks to go back down the Mississippi to St Louis to find work, and possibly make their way back to England. They made it downriver to St Louis, when they were forced for some reason to stop for 2 weeks. Then they returned to Nauvoo, but had fallen ill with typhoid. Both Herbert and John were dead within six weeks of their return. The Nauvoo Neighbour recorded their deaths; John on 25 September and Herbert on 31st October. So this was a double tragedy which must have set James back considerably. But this was not the end of it. Trouble had been brewing for the whole Mormon community.
A few weeks earlier Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormons, was arrested and placed in Carthage jail. On 27th June 1844, 150 masked men broke into the jail and shot Joseph Smith and his brother Hyram. Their badly mutilated bodies were taken back to Nauvoo amid scenes of uncontrollable grief. The new Mormon leader, Brigham Young resolved to move westward to escape the wrath and growing resentment of those who saw Mormonism as an affront to Christianity.
During the next two years mob violence against the Saints got worse and those living in outlying areas and farms were forced to move to Nauvoo city, often leaving their homes and possessions behind them. Many were arrested on false charges and forfeited their land in return for their release.
Following the deaths of John and Herbert, James moved out to Great Mound with William Kay, six miles from Nauvoo. Hannah was also living with him, whilst her sister Mary who had been ill, was staying with the Russell family. Peter was working away in Warsaw, Illinois. Hannah recalled that they lived in the woods in a most miserable hut made of willows and mud not fit to be called a house.
The great exodus westward began in 1846 when thousands left on hastily built wagons for the 1000 mile trek across prairie, mountain and desert to the Salt Lakes in what was to become the state of Utah. Many were to die on the way.
Little is known about the preparations made by James and his remaining 3 children, but they must have procured a wagon and sufficient provisions to start them on their way. But this was not before James was endowed in the Mormon Temple in Nauvoo on 31 January 1846.
At around this time he got acquainted with a widow, Mrs Mary Cole, from Broom’s Hill, Herefordshire. They were married and in late May 1846 started out on the long journey west.
Fate had not been kind to the Joneses, and struck again on 8th day of August, somewhere on the Plains of Iowa. James was struck down by cholera and died on his wagon. He, like hundreds of others found his last resting place at the side of the Mormon trail. His burial was simple; his children wrapped his body in the bark of a tree.
Hannah was taken in by Willard Richards, scribe to Brigham Young, and she traveled west with them to Utah. Peter and his step-mother and her children struggled on in their own wagon as they all finally arrived in Salt Lake. Mary traveled on with the Russells.
How Hannah, Peter and Mary fared later is recorded in a letter dated 1852 (see Hannah's letters) which Peter and Hannah sent back to their brother Henry in Malvern.
We also know that Peter married Mary Lee Bland in 1852 and had 3 children. Mary married Leonard Harrington in 1853, but died in childbirth in 1860; the twins she bore survived along with 2 other children. Many of their descendants are Mormons and live in Utah at the present time.
In 1852 at the age of 21, Hannah married Theodore Rogers and had seven children, 6 of them living until well into the 20th Century. They moved to Provo and then to Millard County and the towns of Deseret and Fillmore. Hannah’s old spinning wheel is on display in the old State House at Fillmore, in the Utah Pioneer’s exhibit.