Mormon Missionary. One of eight children born to Thomas and Ruth; at sixteen, he became a sailor. By 1840, he and his wife Jane emigrated to the United States where he worked on the Mississippi River as a steamship captain. When the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints moved to Nauvoo, Illinois, Jones wanted to learn about the new religion and was baptized in January 1843. He would serve his new religion by transporting both converts and freight to the new temple in Nauvoo. Often Joseph Smith would preach from the deck. Before Smith's death, he prophesied that Jones would return to Wales as a missionary. By late 1844, Jones and his wife travelled first to England and after one year seeing little progress, he returned to his home country. Finding success in Wales, by 1848, there were over four thousand members. He published "Prophwyd y Jubili" (Prophet of the Jubilee) the first Mormon publication to be published in a foreign language, and later "Hanes Saint y Dyddiau Diweddaf" (History of the Latter-day Saints). Returning to the United States, he organized a Welsh speaking branch of the church in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Jones moved to Salt Lake Valley in 1849 and by that time, married his second wife, Elizabeth. He settled in Manti and was elected mayor in 1851. At the request of Brigham Young, Jones again returned to Wales on a second mission, baptized over two thousand persons, many of which emigrated to Utah. He supervised the translation of the "Book of Mormon" into Welsh and briefly served as editor of the church's Welsh language periodical. Returning to Utah by 1857, he married his third wife. Jones died of tuberculosis. He was survived by two of his wives and six children. The Church holds Jones as one of the most productive missionaries in their history. A dormitory at the Missionary Training Center was named after him.
Mormon Missionary. One of eight children born to Thomas and Ruth; at sixteen, he became a sailor. By 1840, he and his wife Jane emigrated to the United States where he worked on the Mississippi River as a steamship captain. When the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints moved to Nauvoo, Illinois, Jones wanted to learn about the new religion and was baptized in January 1843. He would serve his new religion by transporting both converts and freight to the new temple in Nauvoo. Often Joseph Smith would preach from the deck. Before Smith's death, he prophesied that Jones would return to Wales as a missionary. By late 1844, Jones and his wife travelled first to England and after one year seeing little progress, he returned to his home country. Finding success in Wales, by 1848, there were over four thousand members. He published "Prophwyd y Jubili" (Prophet of the Jubilee) the first Mormon publication to be published in a foreign language, and later "Hanes Saint y Dyddiau Diweddaf" (History of the Latter-day Saints). Returning to the United States, he organized a Welsh speaking branch of the church in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Jones moved to Salt Lake Valley in 1849 and by that time, married his second wife, Elizabeth. He settled in Manti and was elected mayor in 1851. At the request of Brigham Young, Jones again returned to Wales on a second mission, baptized over two thousand persons, many of which emigrated to Utah. He supervised the translation of the "Book of Mormon" into Welsh and briefly served as editor of the church's Welsh language periodical. Returning to Utah by 1857, he married his third wife. Jones died of tuberculosis. He was survived by two of his wives and six children. The Church holds Jones as one of the most productive missionaries in their history. A dormitory at the Missionary Training Center was named after him.
Family Members
Advertisement
See more Jones memorials in:
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
