Tuesday

Mormon Immigration Index - Personal Accounts

Josiah Bradlee (February 1850)

Early Scenes in Church History

. . . While crossing the sea in 1850, emigrating to Utah, a number of remarkable cases of healing occurred under his administration. One was that of a young girl who was terribly afflicted with evil spirits, and who was entirely relieved when he placed his hands upon her head. Another was that of a little boy who fell through the hatchway of the vessel, alighting upon his head on the ring and bolt of the lower hatchway. When he was picked up it was found that the force of the fall had driven the iron upon which he struck into his head, and within a minute afterwards the injured place puffed up like a distended bladder. Of course, he was knocked insensible and apparently lifeless, but Brother Evans and one or two other [p.39] elders immediately administered to him, and while their hands were upon his head the swelling entirely disappeared and he was restored to consciousness and to health. This was witnessed and marveled at by a number of persons who were not in the Church as well as a great many of the Saints who were on board.

When Elder Evans was crossing the Atlantic in charge of a company of Saints emigrating to Utah, a terrible epidemic in the nature of a fever broke out on the ship, and threatened the destruction of all on board. He felt that their only hope lay in securing the favor of the Almighty, and determined to muster all the faith he could in appealing to the Lord. He called together four elders of experience who were on board, and asked them to retire with him to the hold of the vessel and unite in prayer. They did so again and again without any apparent good result, and Brother Evans marveled at the cause. It was such an unusual thing for him to fail to have his prayers answered, that he was surprised that it should be so in that instance, and he could only account for it by lack of union or worthiness on the part of the elders. He therefore called the four elders again to retire with him to the hold of the ship, and took with him a basin of clean water. When they had reached a secluded place where they were not likely to be overheard or disturbed by others, he talked to the elders about the necessity of their being united in faith and clear of sin before God if they desired to call upon him and receive a blessing. "Now," he said," I want each of you elders, who feels that his conscience is clear before God, who has committed no sin to debar him from the enjoyment of the Holy Spirit, and who has faith in the Lord Jesus Christ sufficient to call upon the Almighty in His name and claim the desired blessing, to wash his hands in that basin!" Three of the elders stepped forward and did so; the fourth could not - his conscience smote him. He was therefore asked kindly to retire, and the four others joined in earnest prayer before the Lord and rebuked the disease by which the people were afflicted. The result was that the epidemic ceased its ravages and the sick recovered from that very hour, much to the surprise of the ship's officers and others on board who knew nothing of the power by which such a happy result was accomplished, [p.40]

BIB: Early Scenes in Church History, Eighth Book of the Faith-Promoting Series, (Salt Lake City: Juvenile Instructor Office, 1882), pp. 39-40. (HDL)


Josiah Bradlee (February 1850)

A Compilation of General Voyage Notes

"The ship Josiah Bradlee, sailed from this port (Liverpool) for New Orleans, carrying 263 souls of the Latter-day Saints, under the presidency of Elder Thomas Day. Their ultimate destination is the Salt Lake Valley. This ship was detained in this port some eight or ten days by contrary winds. ..."

"FORTY-SEVENTH COMPANY. - Josiah Bradlee, 263 souls. The second company of Saints that left the shores of England bound for the Rocky Mountains in 1850, consisted of two hundred and sixty-three souls, who sailed from Liverpool, February 18th, under the presidency of Elder Thomas Day. After a fine and pleasant passage of eight weeks and four days, the company arrived in New Orleans on the eighteenth of April. ..."

"Mon. 18. [Feb. 1850] ~ The ship Josiah Bradley sailed from Liverpool, England, with 263 Saints under the direction of Thomas Day. It arrived at New Orleans April 18th."

ship - Josiah Bradlee (February 1850)

REES, William <1801>

Age: 49 Origin: Wales Occ: Boiler Maker

Note: BMR, p. 35

REES, Maria <1831>

Age: 19 Origin. Wales

REES, John <1835>

Age: 15 Origin: Wales Occ: Iron Roller

Sunday

Calling All Rees Men...

Participation in a FREE DNA study to see if we can find a common ancestor and cousins who may have family histories!

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Request a kit online today at www.smgf.org. You may also request additional kits for your friends and family members directly on their website or by contacting an SMGF representative at info@smgf.org.

Questions to be Answered

I found an 1841 census for Pontmorlais, Merthyr Tydfil, Wales that lists
Mary Mason age 55,
Richard Mason age 30,
Nahomi Rees age 13,
John Rees age 10
and
Maria Rees age 6.

It appears that Maria's Mother was taking care of the orphaned children. Richard, Maria's brother is also listed. William does not appear at this address so he must have been away. The census only listed the persons who had spent the night at the address- it did not note permanent residents.

Saturday

Great Contrasts of Living Conditions


The Cyfartha Castle, a prominent fixture of Merthyr Tydfil, is a reminder of the great wealth and incredible suffering that was prevalent during the iron age period of history.

It was built by the well known ironmaster, Richard Crawshay II, as his family home in 1824 and has been called the most impressive monument of the industrial iron age in South Wales.

The Crawshays gained the great wealth needed to build such an edifice on the backs of the iron and coal workers in the valleys. The discrepancy between the wealth of the "iron families" and the pitifully poor living conditions of the workers in their industries contributed to the Merthyr risings of 1831.

Conditions that led to Migration

In studying the history of Merthyr Tydfil I have learned that it was not a far stretch for the coal and iron workers there to migrate to Pennsylvania to work under more promising conditions. [I wonder if they felt the promises were real.] from Wiki-pedia we read,

Merthyr Tydfil - Influence and growth of iron industry

Merthyr was situated close to reserves of iron ore, coal, limestone and water, making it an ideal site for ironworks. Small-scale iron working and coal mining had been carried out at some places in South Wales since the Tudor period, but in the wake of the Industrial revolution the demand for iron led to the rapid expansion of Merthyr's iron operations. The Dowlais Ironworks was founded by what would become the Dowlais Iron Company in 1759, making it the first major works in the area. It was followed in 1765 by the Cyfarthfa Ironworks. As other works were established, along with associated iron ore and coal mining, Merthyr grew from a hamlet of some 700 inhabitants to an industrial city of 80,000 people.

The demand for iron was fuelled by the railways and by the Royal Navy, who needed cannons for their ships. In 1802, Admiral Lord Nelson visited Merthyr to witness cannon being made. Several railway companies established routes that linked Merthyr with coastal ports or other parts of Britain. They included the Brecon and Merthyr Railway, Vale of Neath Railway, Taff Vale Railway and Great Western Railway. They often shared routes to enable access to coal mines and ironworks through rugged country, which presented great enegineering challenges. In 1804, the world’s first railway locomotive - "The Iron Horse", developed by the Cornish engineer Richard Trevithick, pulled 10 tons of iron from Merthyr on the newly constructed tramway from Penydarren to Abercynon. This now resides in Swansea Museum.

During the first few decades of the 1800's, the ironworks at Dowlais and Cyfarthfa continued to expand and at their peak were the most productive ironworks in the world. 50,000 tons of rails left just one ironworks in 1844, to enable expansion of railways across Russia to Siberia. At its peak, the Dowlais Iron Company operated 18 blast furnaces and employed 7,300 people, and by 1857 had constructed the world's most powerful rolling mill. The companies were mainly owned by two dynasties, the Guest and Crawshay families. One of the famous members of the Guest family was Lady Charlotte Guest who translated the Mabinogion into English from its original Welsh. The families also supported the establishment of schools for their workers.

Merthyr Tydfil - The Merthyr Riots

The riots of 1831 were probably precipitated by the ruthless collection of debts, which caused great poverty and hardship amongst workers affected by lower wages when the iron trade was depressed.

There is still controversy over what actually happened and who was to blame. It was probably more of an armed rebellion than an isolated riot. The initiators of the unrest were most probably the skilled workers; men who were much prized by the owners and often on friendly social terms with them. They also valued their loyalty to the owners and looked aghast at the idea of forming trade unions to demand higher wages. But events overtook them, and the community was tipped into rebellion.

The owners took fright at the challenge to their authority, and called on the military for assistance. Soldiers were sent from the garrison at Brecon. They clashed with the rioters, and several on both sides were killed. Despite the hope that they could negotiate with the owners, the skilled workers lost control of the movement.

Some 7,000 to 10,000 workers marched under a red flag, which was later adopted internationally as the symbol of the working classes. For four days, they effectively controlled Merthyr.

Even with their numbers and captured weapons, they were unable to effectively oppose disciplined soldiers for very long, and several of the supposed leaders of the riots were arrested. Some were transported as convicts to the penal colonies of Australia. One of them, Richard Lewis, popularly known as Dick Penderyn, was hanged, creating the first local working-class martyr. Alexander Cordell's novel The Fire People is set in this period. A serious political history of these events, The Merthyr Rising was written by the Merthyr-born marxist and writer Professor Gwyn 'Alf' Williams in 1978.

The first trade unions, which were illegal and savagely suppressed, were formed shortly after the riots. The rising also helped create the momentum that led to the Reform Act. The Chartism movement, which did not consider these reforms extensive enough, was subsequently active in Merthyr.

Many families had had enough of the strife, and they left Wales to utilise their skills elsewhere. Numerous people set out by ship to America, where the steelworks of Pittsburgh were booming. It only cost about five pounds to travel steerage.

Monday

Possible Pennsylvania Connection

Jesse T. Rees' history written in 1956 states that "William Rees' parents were John and Mary Jones Rees. They had the following children: John, [William], George, Evan, Benjamin, Elizabeth, Mary, Ann, Sarah, Ruth and Suzanne. Some of the brothers and sisters of William Rees came to America and settled in Pennsylvania. However, their names are not known."

I have been sifting through the records of Pennsylvania and have found that in the 1810 census of Montgomery County, Upper Providence there were listed one Benjamin, one Evan and one John Rees. They are listed close together in the census list [alphabetical list] and are the only Rees' listed. I can not find them in the 1820 census record.

I found two other records that might give a clue or two:

From a 1797 document it states, "Sarah Pugh married a Samuel Bell." They had one daughter, Hannah who married an Evan Rees of Providence township." Could this be our Evan? They had the following children: Samuel, Evan, Daniel and Sarah and were members of the Baptist church.

The other is an entry from 1805 in Chester County, Pa. that sites a John Rees as justice of the peace. This seems more of a long shot but I add it as fuel for thought...

Friday

The John Rees Family

Seven of their twelve children grew to adulthood and are represented in the picture. Back row: Jesse Thomas, John William and George LeRoy. Front Row: Mary Maria, Sophronia, John and Sophronia Inez. Two deceased daughters are shown in paintings on the wall: Martha Naomi and Florence Mae.

Early Family History

From THE HISTORY OF the JOHN REES FAMILY;

PIONEERS OF UTAH

Records compiled by Jesse T. Rees 1956

"John Rees was born in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, on March 15, 1834. He was the son of William Rees(1) and Maria Mason Rees. His father was an unusually large man, being about six feet tall and weighing a little more than two hundred pounds. His mother was a small, gentle, tenderhearted, and liberal-minded woman. They were both moderately religious and worshiped at the Wesleyan Church, then the dominant church of Wales.

There were three children in the family: Naomi, Maria, and John. Their home was located at 102 High Street, Merthyr Tydfil. Due to the remoteness of the family from schools and the reduced condition of their finances, the children had very meager facilities for securing an education. About the only sources left to them through which they could acquire learning was the teaching of the parents, and their own personal experience. Unfortunately for them, the father’s time was fully employed in providing a living, and the mother, frail and sickly, could do little more than care for the children during the day, and attend to the other household duties.

The children’s education was somewhat limited and their difficulties were many and hard. The family, however, found much to live for and experienced a great deal of happiness until misfortune brought to them the greatest sorrow of their lives - the death of the wife and mother. This left the care of the children to the bereft father. Sorrow came again in the death of Naomi at Merthyr Tydfil in 1849. Maria and her daughter Naomi are buried near the front walk of the Old Church at Merthyr Tydfil.

John Rees, the subject of this history, related that he and his father were converted to Mormonism by hearing a song. He said they were on their way home from work one evening when they chanced to pass a small church in which some Mormon preachers were holding a meeting. The preachers were just beginning to sing and John and his father stopped to listen. The song was so uplifting and impressive that they were impelled to remain until the song was finished, then they continued their journey home. They could not forget the song. It was so inspiring that they were sure the preachers were the servants of God and were preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The song was “The Resurrection Day.” John claimed that this was the first time the song was sung in Wales. The father joined the church in 1850, and the son was baptised by Orson Pratt in 1852 at Liverpool.

At a very young age John lost the sight of his left eye. He often related the incident that caused him to go through life with this handicap. It was customary in Merthyr Tydfil for the children coming home from school to stop at the village blacksmith shop to see the hot sparks fly as the smith pounded the red hot metal into horseshoes and ploughshares. On one such occasion, a hot piece of metal flew into John’s left eye causing immediate blindness. While this was a great disadvantage, it was often said that John Rees saw more with one eye than most people do with normal sight.

William Rees became well versed in the scriptures and was an eloquent preacher of Mormonism. He and his companion, Elder John Thain, also a prominent and eloquent preacher of Mormonism, brought many converts into the church and added greatly to the membership of the branch where they were working.Shortly after his baptism, John Rees, with his father and sister Maria, immigrated to America. They crossed the ocean in a sailing vessel named “Josiah Bradley” and landed at New Orleans after a voyage of two months and three days. It was a long, tiresome journey. They had to cross the Belt of Calms, which caused everyone much anxiety and concern. John Rees often told of one experience when their vessel drifted into the calms, where there was not a breath of air stirring. Everyone anxiously waited, sincerely praying that sufficient wind would blow so they could continue their journey to America, but not a breath of air stirred. The minutes grew into hours, the hours grew into days, and it began to look like the days would grow into weeks. Everyone secretly harbored the thought of being left there to perish. After several days, when all hope had vanished and everybody was at the height of despair, an Elder called in a clear voice, “Calm your nerves. There is no cause for worry. God will not leave us here to perish. This vessel will start moving at 10 o’clock tomorrow morning.” This positive declaration gave a faint hope, though strong doubts were harbored by most everyone. All through that long night the murmur of passengers could be heard praying that God would give aid and comfort to these forsaken few. The following morning was calm and silent as usual. The faint ray of hope had vanished long before the crucial hour. At 10 o’clock everyone had gathered on deck in anticipation of a miracle which they knew would not occur. But to the wonder and astonishment of all, a gentle breeze did begin to blow at exactly 10 o’clock and the vessel soon began to move and gracefully continued moving westward until arrival at New Orleans, Louisiana, after a voyage of two months and three days as stated above. The ship’s records are located in the office of the LDS Church Historian, Salt Lake City, Utah, and show as passengers William Rees age 49, boiler maker, Maria Rees age 19, and John Rees age 15.

From New Orleans they sailed up the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers to St. Joseph, Missouri. From there John and his father walked 150 miles to Council Bluffs, where they secured employment a number of miles apart. They began to work to get means to go on to Utah. In the meantime, Maria, who was staying with Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Rogers, took ill and died in St. Louis. (The Rogers later owned the adjacent farm to John Rees in Benson, Utah.) The funeral was held at the Rogers’ home. Her father and Mr. and Mrs. Rogers were the only persons present. John heard nothing of his sister’s death until he again visited his father.

John and his father continued their work. The son went over every two weeks to visit the father. You can imagine how much he must have enjoyed those visits. The last one he made, he was somewhat discouraged and downhearted. He anticipated the happiest visit of his whole life. He longed for the encouragement and good advice of his dear father. He knocked at the door and waited for his father’s loving greeting. Instead, a stranger met him at the door to inform him that his father had died and had been buried ten days previously at Bellville, Illinois. How do you think the poor boy must have felt? Perhaps you rather not think about it. He probably thought,

“Life has been rugged and hard at best,

With little time to repine

Yet, I’ll try to feel with a hearty zest

That truly this life is mine.

Yes, this is my life and I must live

The very best I can

And give to the world all I have to give

For the love of God and man.”

The young man was left an orphan without anyone to look to for council and protection, and not a single relative on this side of the Atlantic Ocean. He did not lose courage, however, but persevered and in 1853, came to Utah. The company in which he came consisted of 14 wagons. On the way, John Rees saved Mariner W. Merrill from drowning in the Platte River. Merrill had swum the river for an ox that had been left behind and, in returning, became exhausted. John being an expert swimmer, went to his assistance and brought him safely to shore. The following description of this event is taken from Apostle Merrill’s diary:

“We arrived at Council Bluffs June 17, 1853, with our company of eight wagons, and camped near the Missouri River. We made our arrangement to be ferried across on a large flat boat managed by oarsmen. In a few days we succeeded in all getting across the river safely with our wagons, teams, and outfit. On the first day of July, we left the Missouri River with 73 wagons in our company and winded our way slowly to the Rocky Mountains, nothing serious occurring to impede our progress. However, some little incidents occurred occasionally to cause a sad feeling in the camp. On one occasion I came near being drowned in the Platte River, but through the blessings of the Lord and the kind aid and assistance of one Brother, John Rees, a Welsh Brother with one eye, and who lives in Benson Ward, Cache Stake. He being an excellent swimmer saved me from a watery grave by assisting me from the middle of the river, where I had lodged on a sandbar. Being thus saved, we proceeded on our way with joy and thanksgiving.” (Page 30 in the book Utah Pioneer and Apostle Mariner Wood Merrill and family.) John Rees saved two other men from drowning after coming to Utah.

The trip across the Plains was made in two months and four days, just one day longer than the trip across the ocean.

In Utah, John Rees worked for Gaudy Hogan for some time, and also worked in Bountiful for William Muir for four years. He loved and respected both of these men. He went to Green River to meet the hand cart company in 1856 and in 1857 he went with others to meet Johnson’s army, which was coming to Utah to destroy the Mormons. He often related how they each held up several hats on sticks to give the army the impression that they had great strength.

In 1860, John Rees moved to Hyde Park and made his home with Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Rogers until he married Sophronia Molen on July 31, 1862. This was the first marriage ceremony performed in Hyde Park. They first lived in a dugout, as many others did in the early settlement of that town, however, later they erected a very neat two-roomed log house. To them were born 11 children, two of whom are still living, viz., Jesse T. Rees, and Dr. G. L. Rees. Four of the children died very young, and five died after reaching maturity: Naoma, Mary, Inez, John, and Florence. The children were all born at Hyde Park with the exception of Florence and Leroy who were born at Benson. The farm at Hyde Park consisted of 52 acres of A No. 1 farm land and 20 acres of meadow or good grass land. It was in seven separate pieces. When Hyde Park was settled the Indians were hostile, therefore, the land was cut into small tracts so the farmers could work close to the town and be quickly assembled in case of an Indian attack. The Reeses, by their industry and perseverance, made a good livelihood and were well thought of and respected in their first home. A few years later, desiring to better their financial conditions, they procured three hundred twenty acres of land in Benson, a new settlement four miles west of their Hyde Park home. (One hundred sixty acres of this amount was obtained thru the Desert Act.) Here they engaged in farming and dairying. John Rees and his good wife were successful in their new venture. They built a large comfortable home and supplied it with the best furniture of the times. At this home everyone was welcome. There was always plenty of good food and no one was ever turned away from the door if he were hungry or cared to eat. The children of John and Sophronia were all given a college education and three of them chose teaching as their profession.

It is a little difficult to give the history of one person without giving some of the family history, but let us now go back to the subject of this article. John Rees was not a large man. In stature he was about five feet, seven inches tall and weighed on the average about 160 pounds. He was very strong in the prime of life and possessed greater endurance than any other man your historian has ever had the chance to accurately test. No one, I am sure, could do more physical work in a day than he. Before binders came in use, men went in groups to bind the grain by hand. He had the reputation of binding as much grain as any two men in the group in which he worked.

Now let us close this article about John Rees, a great and good man whom to know well was to respect and love. Dr. George Thomas once said, “He was a man of few words, but what he said he meant, and what he thought, he was not afraid to say.” He was very courageous. No one ever heard him complain; no one ever heard him boast of what he had done. With steadfast purpose he pursued the even tenor of his way, doing good wherever he could. His motto was “Sacrifice anything rather than principal.” He was straightforward in all his dealings with his fellow men. The businessmen of the town where he traded gave him the name of “Honest John.” Who can say anything better of a man than, “He was honest?”

Sophronia R. Molen was born on December 16, 1837, at Springfield, Bureau County, Illinois. She was the daughter of Jesse Molen and Laurany Huffaker, who owned a valuable farm near Nauvoo. In the Fall of 1846, when the mob was causing so much trouble, they tried eagerly to dispose of it that they might purchase an outfit to go with the Saints to the West. No one would buy, so he traded the farm for an old wagon and two yoke of oxen, and started west. About this time, a number of the family took the chills and fever. He went into Iowa where they wintered with his wife’s sister, Mrs. Majors and family. Jesse and sons worked here during the winter and spring and, by this means, obtained food for the family and provender for the stock. In June 1847, they continued their journey arriving at Winter Quarters just in time to find the company there starting out to follow the pioneers. A few days before arriving at this place, Mrs. Molen gave birth to twin girls on June 12, 1847. At 4 P.M. the next day her little daughter Nancy Jane was run over by a wagon and killed. She was buried at Kegcreek on the 13th at 10:00 o’clock A.M. Her coffin was a feed box which had been used to feed the horses grain. The next night one of Mr. Molen’s beautiful dapple gray horses was stolen. Although the Molen’s were meeting with much trouble, and had a poorer outfit than many of the others, they decided to continue on with the companies to find a home in the West. He sold a cow to get a few bushels of corn to add to the scanty supply of flour. After a long, tiresome journey of almost five months, they reached the Valley of Great Salt Lake on October 6, 1847. They found they had only 1/4 pound of breadstuff for each member of the family per day to last until the next June, so they were put on rations. After a long winter of cold and hunger, spring came and they could get some thistle roots and Sego Lily bulbs. This, with the milk from five cows, furnished the family’s entire living until they harvested all the grain the crickets had left.

During the spring and summer of 1848, Mr. Molen made adobes and built a large two story house about nine miles southeast of Salt Lake City on land he had drawn for his farm. In the spring of 1849, he moved his family from Pioneer Square to their new home (now South Cottonwood). From exposure to cold, he contracted a severe sickness (possibly arthritis) from which he never recovered, although this was not the cause of his death. Soon thereafter he was called on a mission to the Eastern States. However, he became ill in route and had to return. He died from erysypelas March 15, 1852, at the age of 46. His faithful wife, Laurany, died on March 7, 1854, also at the age of 46. This good couple raised a large family - 13 children, 8 girls and 5 boys. Jesse and Laurany Molen are buried near the main gate of the Salt Lake City Cemetery. Their graves are marked with a brass plaque. Sophronia Rosannah Molen was one of the children mentioned above, and was nine years old when she came with her parents to Utah. It was an experience she never forgot and one she always delighted to tell. From it she learned many useful things that were readily applicable in all the verities and realities of a pioneer home. She often related interesting experiences of things that happened on the way across the Great Plains, such as: digging segos and thistle roots in Utah; harvesting the crops that had not been devastated by the crickets; gleaning every head of grain dropped in the fields by the harvesters; and other ways by which they added to their diminishing supply of food.

After the death of her parents, Alexander went back to the States and Simpson went on a mission to the Sandwich Islands. Sophronia then had the responsibility of taking care of the family. This responsibility she carried for a number of years and carried it very well. She saw that the children, including herself, got what education they could in the early pioneer schools of South Cottonwood. She was an expert reader and story teller and later in life became a teacher in the elementary schools of Utah.

In 1860, Sophronia and other members of the Molen family moved to Hyde Park, in northern Utah, where she became the faithful wife of John Rees on July 31, 1862. They first lived in a dugout, as many of the people did in the early settlement of Cache Valley. They later lived in a very neat two-roomed log house, which the author feels must certainly have inspired the poet to write:

“I remember, I remember,

The house where I was born,

The little window where the sun

Came creeping in at morn;

He never came a wink too soon,

Nor brought too long a day,

But now, I often wish the night

Had born my breath away.

I remember, I remember,

The roses, red and white;

The violets and the lily-cups,

Those flowers made of light!

The lilacs where the robins built,

And where my brother set

The peach tree on his birthday,

The tree is living yet!

I remember, I remember,

Where I was used to swing;

And thought the air must rush as fresh

To swallows on the wing;

My spirit flew in feathers then,

That is so heavy now,

And summer pools could hardly cool

The Fever on my brow!


I remember, I remember,

The fir trees dark and high;

I used to think their slender tops

Were close against the sky:

It was a childish ignorance,

But now tis little joy

To know I’m father off from heaven

Than when I was a boy.”

Sophronia Molen was a professional cook, an expert with the needle and thread, a champion knitter, and a unique story teller. She also taught in the elementary schools. She could hold you spellbound while she told one of her famous stories. Her puddings and preserves tasted just a little better than anyone else’s. She could make more rolls, batts, or yarn, and could knit more socks, gloves, mittens, wristlets and caps, than anyone of the neighbors. She could knit these articles single, double, without patterns or with them, better than anyone in the community. She could make you a dress out of woolsey-linsey or a suit of clothes out of bluejeans better than any tailor in the city. She was an enchanting conversationalist and her ludicrous and effective comparisons enthralled everybody. Mrs. Rees told many interesting stories about harvesting, or collecting the sap from the sugar maples that grew on their farm near Nauvoo. This was made into syrup and sugar, and was the greatest source of revenue on the farm. This farm, one of the most valuable farms in Bureau County, Illinois, was traded for an old wagon and two yoke of oxen when the Mormon people were driven from Nauvoo by the mob. Their other farm, worth at least $13,000 was sold for 1/10 of that amount. These pioneers made great sacrifices for their religion.

Let us take a quick glance now at the Rees home in Benson. It was a two story seven room farm house with three porches. Properly painted and trimmed on the outside, it was classed as one of the beautiful houses of the Valley. Inside it was furnished with beautiful rugs and carpets, and as high a class of furniture as could be obtained here at that time. The family was prosperous and comfortable, although at that time prosperity and comfort were the products of much hard labor. John and Sophronia Rees operated a farm of more than 300 acres and seldom milked fewer than twenty dairy cows. There was little machinery in those days (a milking machine was unknown) and practically all the work was done by hand. Farm and dairy products were cheap. Wheat brought from 50 to 65 cents per bushel, eggs from 10 to 15 cents per dozen, and butter from 10 to 20 cents per pound. Under these prices, you can see that the farmers paid a high price for all the comforts they enjoyed.

The Reeses were well acquainted around the valley, had quite a number of relatives, and knew practically all the high church officials. The last named group had a standing invitation to come to the Rees home for a meal whenever they were in Benson at mealtime or any other time, if they were hungry or had time to make a visit. People had time to visit before the automobile came into use and they made good use of their time. Sunday was always a lively day at the Rees farm. Practically all of the official church visitors to Benson on Sunday, or other days, such as the Presidency of the Stake, Stake Sunday School Superintendents, or other appointed visitors, dined at the Rees home.

Mrs. Rees was for many years President of the Primary Association of the Benson Ward where she did a most excellent work. This was the first Primary Association organized in Benson. She was the first school teacher, and although her methods and the schoolhouse (George Thomas’ log granary) did not measure up very favorably with those of today, she fully realized her objectives and gave the students a firm foundation for their later educational work. Her motto seemed to be:

“I will follow the upward road today:

I will keep my face to the light.

I will think high thoughts as I go my way;

I will do what I know is right.

I will look for the flowers by the side of the road;

I will laugh and love and be strong,

I will try to lighten another’s load

This day as I fare along.”

On January 19, 1911, at the age of 75, Sophronia died of pneumonia, bringing great sadness to her family and her numerous friends. She was buried in the Hyde Park Cemetery. After the death of Sophronia, John continued to operate his farm for a number of years. Although his health was such that he had difficulty performing the many chores associated with the operation of a farm, he managed to harness his three old horses (Colonel, Major, and Josey) and do much of the planting and harvesting work.

In about 1914, however, it became evident that he could no longer operate the farm alone. Consequently, it was leased to his son John. Also in 1914, he had his son Jesse and family move into the old Rees home to provide the needed care in his aging years. The adjustment from a life of quiet and loneliness to the noise and activity associated with a house full of children must have been quite difficult for “Grandpa Rees,” which he was now called. Since children are more impressed by idiosyncrasies than character or accomplishments, they did little to ease the adjustment. Consequently, the countryside often rang with “Grandpa’s” booming voice calling one or another of his grandchildren to task for some perpetrated mischief.In the winter of 1918-19 he contracted pneumonia. He was almost 85 years of age, and since the “wonder drugs” had not then been discovered, little hope was held for his recovery. After an illness of a few weeks he died on February 6, 1919.

Although on that bleak winter day of 1919 the life of John Rees ended, his characteristics and ideals have and will continue to live on in his children and his children’s children. John Rees was a Mormon Pioneer who left his indelible mark along the trails of the great Plains and upon the everlasting hills of Utah.

(1) William Rees’s parents were John Rees and Mary Jones Rees. They had the following children: John, William, George, Evan, Benjamine, Elizabeth, Mary, Ann, Sarah, Ruth and Suzanne. Some of the brothers and sisters of William Rees came to America and settled in Pennsylvania. However, their names are not known."

Hyde Park and Marriage

In 1860 John moved to Hyde Park where he stayed with Mr. And Mrs. Thomas Rogers (the same family that had kept and sheltered William's daughter, Maria, in St. Louis (seemingly small event at that time).

John married Sophronia Rosanna Molen [born-16 Dec 1837 in Springfield, Bureau, IL] on July 31, 1862. They were the first couple to be married in Hyde Park. Like most early settlers in Deseret, they first lived in a dugout but eventually built a neat two-roomed log cabin. To them were born eleven children. Four died very young, seven reached maturity (Naomi, Mary, Inez, John, Florence, Jesse T. and Guy L. Rees).

Saving an Apostle's Life...

John, at age 15 was now all alone in a strange new land. He mustered up courage and in 1853 fulfilled the dream that had been his family’s as he made the trip to Utah. The company he traveled in consisted of 14 wagons and took two months and four days, just one day longer than the sea-going trip across the ocean had taken. During the trip John, an excellent swimmer, saved Apostle Marriner W. Merrill from drowning in the Platte River. Elder Merrill had swum the river for an ox that had been left behind and in returning became exhausted. Apostle Merrill recounts the event from his journal:

An excerpt from Apostle Merrill’s journal states: “We arrived at Council Bluffs June 17, 1853 with our company of eight wagons and camped near the Missouri River. We made our arrangement to be ferried across on a large flat boat managed by oarsmen. In a few days we succeeded in all getting across the river safely with our wagons, teams and outfits. On the first day of July we left the Missouri River with 73 wagons in our company and winded our way slowly to the Rocky Mountains, nothing serious to impede our progress. However, some little incidents occurred occasionally to cause a sad feeling in the camp. On one occasion I came near being drowned in the Platte River, but through the blessing of the Lord and the kind aid and assistance of one Brother John Rees, a Welch brother with one eye, and who now lives in Benson Ward, Cache Stake. He being an excellent swimmer saved me from a watery grave by assisting me from the middle of the river where I had lodged on a sandbar. Being thus saved, we proceeded on our way with joy and thanksgiving.” Pg. 30 in the book, Utah Pioneer and Apostle Merrimer Wood Merrill.

After arriving in Utah, John had many an adventure including going to the Green River to meet the handcart company in 1856 and the following year went with others to meet Johnson’s Army, which had been sent to destroy the Mormons. John related how they held up several hats on sticks to give the appearance of having more men.

[picture of Apostle Merrill]

Death Comes too Soon

After arriving in Missouri John and his father walked 150 miles to Council Bluffs where they secured employment a few miles distance from each other. They needed to both work so that money could be saved for the family to go west.

Maria stayed with a Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Rogers but took ill and died at the Rogers in St. Louis, Missouri. The funeral was held at the Rogers home. The Rogers and her father, William were the only ones in attendance. John did not know of his sister’s death until sometime after the funeral.

After Maria's death, John and his father continued to work. They would visit each other every two weeks. One day John went to visit his father and knocked at the door. A stranger answered and told him his father had died 10 days prior and was buried in Bellville, Illinois. What a shock that was! John, at age 15 was now all alone in a strange new land.

The "Josiah Bradley"

Shortly after the baptism of John Rees, his father and John, along with his sister, Maria, immigrated to America. Their voyage on the “Josiah Bradley” lasted two months and three days. It was a long, hard journey which ended in New Orleans. Their journey by sea forced them to cross the “Belt of Calms” which caused everyone concern, as not a breath of air would stir in these calms. John tells of an experience where the people anxiously waited, praying that sufficient wind would blow so they could continue their journey to America, but not a tiny breath of air stirred. The minutes grew into hours and the hours grew into days. It began to look like the days would grow into weeks.

The passengers secretly harbored the thought that they might be left there to perish. After several days, all hope was slowly vanishing. At that very moment, a voice pierced the calm. An elder stood up and declared boldly, “Calm your nerves. There is no need to worry. God will not leave us here to perish. This vessel will start moving at 10:00 tomorrow morning.”

This positive declaration provided a glimmer of hope. All through the night many passengers prayed. The following morning the air was still and quiet as usual. At 10:00 A.M. everyone gathered on the deck, wanting to believe. Promptly at 10:00, to the wonder of everyone there, a gentle breeze began to blow. The vessel started to move and gracefully kept moving until it reached the port in New Orleans, Louisiana. The ship’s records are housed in the Church Historian’s office, Salt Lake City, Utah. They show the passengers ages as: William Rees, age 49, boilermaker, Maria Rees age 19, and John Rees, age 15. These new converts had arrived in the U. S. but their journey was far from over for the little family from Wales.

From New Orleans they sailed up the Mississippi River to St. Joseph, Missouri and from there John and his father walked 150 miles to Council Bluffs where they secured employment a few miles distance from each other. They needed to both work so that money could be saved for the family to go west.

In the Blink of an Eye

John Rees was not a very large man in stature. He was 5 ft. 7 inches tall and weighed 160 pounds. While still a lad, John lost the sight in his left eye. He often told the story of how it happened:

It was customary for the children in Merthyr Tydfil to stop by the village blacksmith on their way home from school. The children, including John, loved to watch the hot sparks fly as the smithy pounded the red hot metal into horseshoes and plowshares. On one such visit, a hot piece of metal flew into John’s left eye causing immediate blindness. While this is normally a handicap, it is said that John could see more with one eye than most people could with normal sight (another life event with important consequences).

Leaving Family Behind

Conversion to Mormonism brought about a total life change for many early Saints from Wales, including John and William Rees. William was an unusually large man for the time, weighing more than two hundred pounds and reaching six feet in height. He was married to a sweet, gentle, liberal minded woman with a tender heart, Maria Mason Rees. They were both moderately religious and attended the Wesleyan Church, which was the dominant church of Wales at the time. They resided at 102 High Street, Merthyr Tydfil and had three children: Naomi, Maria and John.

The family residence was somewhat isolated from the town and schools so the children were left to find an education by whatever means they could. William was busy full time with trying to secure a living for the family and his wife was kept busy with the household duties and caring for the children. Still, they were a happy family despite financial difficulties and hardships. William’s wife, Maria died leaving William alone to care for the children as well as to have to work to sustain them. Their daughter Naomi died in 1849 at Merthyr Tydfil. They are both buried near the front walk of the Old Church there.

[picture of High Street]

The Song Bore Witness

John Rees recounts the story of his conversion to Mormonism through a song. He said that he and his father, William Rees, were walking home from work one evening and happened to pass a small church in which some Mormon preachers were holding a meeting. The preachers had just commenced to sing and so they paused to listen. Something about the song compelled them to listen, then they continued on their way home. The song bore witness to them that these preachers were indeed men of God. The song they sang was “The Resurrection Day”. John claimed it was the first time it was sung in Wales. William joined the church in 1850 and John later joined in Liverpool being baptized by Orson Pratt in 1852. (a seemingly small event that has had historic reverberations for many descendants).


I have searched and searched for the song and the only one I have come up with that was contemporary for the time is this one:

The Day of Resurrection

Text: John of Damascus; trans. by John Mason Neale
Music: Henry T. Smart, 1813-1879
Tune: LANCASHIRE, Meter: 76.76 D

1. The day of resurrection!
Earth, tell it out abroad;
the passover of gladness,
the passover of God.
From death to life eternal,
from earth unto the sky,
our Christ hath brought us over,
with hymns of victory.

2. Our hearts be pure from evil,
that we may see aright
the Lord in rays eternal
of resurrection light;
and listening to his accents,
may hear, so calm and plain,
his own "All hail!" and, hearing,
may raise the victor strain.

3. Now let the heavens be joyful!
Let earth the song begin!
Let the round world keep triumph,
and all that is therein!
Let all things seen and unseen
their notes in gladness blend,
for Christ the Lord hath risen,
our joy that hath no end.
By going to this website you can hear the melody as well:

http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh303.sht



The Field Was Ripe...


Seemingly small events often turn out to be large and significant when viewed from the perspective of a few years. This point is well illustrated from a true story which occured in 1832 in and near Merthyr Tydfil, Wales:

"Elder William Henshaw of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints organized the first branch in south Wales at Penydarren, a small village near Merthyr Tydfil in 1843. Henshaw spoke no Welsh and was not fluent in the language. William Henshaw spoke only English. Therefore, membership growth was slow but this growth trend was about to change. In the spring of 1845 Captain Dan Jones, a native Welshman, assumed leadership of the proselyting in Wales. Establishing his headquarters at Merthyr Tydfil, Jones began publishing a newspaper and proselyting tracts in the Welsh language.

Under Jones' leadership, membership in Wales grew rapidly. At the end of 1848 there were 4,645 members in Wales--most of them in the southern region around Merthyr Tydfil. By 1851, there were more than 1,190 active members in the Merthyr Tydfil District alone.

Named for St. Tydfil--a Christian princess slain in the fifth century--the settlement of Merthyr Tydfil dates to Roman times. The town became an early industrial center in the 1750s, with four ironworks in operation by the 1840s. Collieries (a coal mine together with its physical plant and outbuildings) were just then becoming very important to the region's economy in Victorian Britain. Experiencing the explosive growth typical of industrial Britain during the early decades of the 1800s, thousands of families located at Merthyr Tydfil looking for employment in the mines and foundries. During the 1840s, as the Mormon missionaries arrived in Wales, Merthyr Tydfil experienced, as did much of Britain, a serious depression. Such a depression seems to have made many individuals more receptive to new philosophies and religious ideals.

Many of these people, while looking for economic betterment, embraced various nonconformist religious societies. By 1850 the Church of England was a minority Protestant faith in South Wales, as seven out of every ten Protestants belonged to a nonconformist congregation. According to one study, in the early 1850s Mormon membership briefly rivaled the Baptists as one of the leading churches in the region. One historian, Ronald Dennis, described the Merthyr Tydfil of the 1840s as a "radical cultural cauldron". For just over a decade, LDS missionaries prospered in South Wales."