MEMORIES OF MARGARET THOMAS JOHN By Bonnie King

To one degree or another, we all experience the memory of a relative that truly contributed a lot to the happiness of our lives. One such person for most of us was Margaret Thomas, a young girl born in Wales in 1814. Even though her native language was Welsh, many stories have been written about her in English and preserved on the FamilySearch website. Here are some favorites. Sign-in and view at URL: familysearch.org/tree/person/memories/KWJF-ZZP 

Margaret’s parents were William Thomas and Ann James. She was the second child born into a large family. In time she married Thomas John. About that time, she was working as a servant in the home of some neighbors. The couple joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and began a life of dedication to their beliefs, received some persecution for it and a gave a lot of service to others. A descendant of her son Henry John wrote this about his mother:

“Margaret Thomas John was called an angel of mercy. She was always ready to leave her work and run to help with sickness. With the blessings of healing in her hands she lovingly toiled among the people sharing her joys, her tears, and her song. No one knows how many babies she delivered, but it was many. She taught her daughters well. They could all do the household tasks pertinent to girls at that time. They learned to take raw wool, clean it, dye it, spin it into yarn, and then knit it into clothing.” (1)

Her young years began in August 1814 in Wales when she was born as the oldest daughter to William Thomas and Mary Ann James. Her father was a shoemaker and she married a young man who was also a shoemaker. When they joined the Church in 1851, they experienced religious persecution for about ten years until they finally saved enough money to start their journey across the ocean to “Zion” in the valley of the Great Salt Lake. This young family with eight children left their homeland in April 1861. One infant son was buried in Wales and their oldest daughter did not make the trip. (2)

Their travels would take them about one and one-half years to complete and began from Liverpool England.  Margaret Thomas John sailed on the ship “Manchester” with her 8 children, (3) while her husband Thomas John sailed on the ship “Escort” and left two days after her. He was working on that ship to earn his passage to New York. The voyage took about 33 days and they arrived at Castle Garden about five days apart. Since the Civil War was raging, the father and oldest children found work in New York, making boots etc. for soldiers. They rented a home and allowed the youngest children to go to school for 14 months. In June 1862 they departed on the NY Central Railroad and headed for Florence, NE to begin their journey as Pioneers. (4)

They had an experience on the train that was almost disastrous and Margaret’s son Henry John recorded the unfortunate experience and how it affected their family. (5) 

After arrival at Florence, or Winter Quarters, the family lived in a tent for six weeks while waiting for the church wagon teams and oxen to arrive to take them the last part of the journey to the Salt Lake valley. It was a difficult time because almost all of their belongings had been burned earlier. They had no extra clothing, etc. They finally left Florence on 8 August 1862 and traveled for ten weeks and arrived in Zion on October 17, 1862. They had to walk all the way. (6)

Life in Zion began in Wellsville, Utah territory. They found work, food, and a place to live. It was a time to be grateful to have finally arrived. Their son Henry John said that this was a time of famine of flour for a short time. “We were forced to live on potatoes for a couple of weeks. My mother, Margaret, would boil and mash them and sweeten them with molasses. I believed the Lord blessed us for we were quite satisfied.”  (7)

After five years they moved to Portage. They had many new experiences there developing the land and meeting and helping the neighbors. Margaret’s youngest child, Mary Jane John Hawkley, has “memories” of helping the Indians and said that “they entertained Chief Pocatello and his seven brothers several times. Mary Jane has told of the first visit these men made to her parents’ home and of the terrifying experience. Chief Pocatello came to the door and demanded food, and Margaret told him, ‘Yes, I will feed you.’ Immediately she began making biscuits and preparing a meal like those she fed her family. Her children were afraid of this great Indian and his brothers because the news of his wickedness and treachery had traveled far and wide, and as her mother saw the fear in her children’s faces, she said gently, ‘Don’t be afraid, and above all, don’t let them know of your fear.’ On an average once a week the Indians came and each time they were treated as guests. It was at this home, they learned to sit at the table and use knife, fork, spoon and plate as the white people did. These Indians learned to call the children by name and were kind to each of them…They soon learned to call their parents ‘papa John’ and ‘mama John’.” (8) -URL: familysearch.org/tree/person/memories/K2Q6-GQZ

The Legacy Margaret and her husband Thomas John left continues on. On January 29, 1883 the first Reunion of this marvelous couple was held at their home in Portage, Utah. Over 70 people attended the dinner and program. Many kind words were spoken. “Margaret John arose and said she was thankful for the respect paid to her by the Bishop and all present.” (9)

Margaret Thomas John, 79, widow of Thomas John, passed away on May 8, 1894, in Portage, Utah.  The beautiful, shared headstone of this couple and Thomas’ second wife, Jane Green John, can be viewed at the Portage Cemetery in Lot 50. (10)

The current Thomas and Margaret John Family Organization website lists the names of many relatives buried in this cemetery.

See URL: thomasandmargaretjohn.org. 

At the top of this website, click on “Family” tab to find the names of their children. Also click on “History” tab and then “Portage Cemetery” to find the names of over 922 persons interred at this site. For a very detailed drawing of many of the descendants of their ten children, look for the “Interactive Map”. It is located under name of “Thomas and Margaret”. This is wonderful. You can hopefully find some of your ancestors listed on this chart. They have 144 grandchildren.

At a Daughters of the Utah Pioneers gathering, Marie Webster, a descendant of her son William John, said in May 1967 some thoughts shared by many: 

“If it hadn’t been for my ancestors such as the John’s, accepting the true gospel of Jesus Christ when they heard it in their native land, and were willing to make the necessary sacrifices to come to Utah, what would my life have been? Because of their sacrifices, I am able to enjoy all the comforts of life, religious freedom, and the privilege of living in this great country. Yes, I owe much to my pioneer ancestors.” (11)

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References– all are from “Memories” for Margaret Thomas on FamilySearch.org. A free account is needed to view documents at URL: familysearch.org/tree/person/memories/KWJF-ZZP

The numbering system for this article begins with her “memories” at the top left corner as #1. Note

that her documents are shown in rows of six. It is presented just like reading a page of a book-left to right.

1. Roots of Faith: Thomas John and Margaret Thomas, M#2, by Ethel John Roderick, see pg. 7  

2. Roots of Faith: Thomas John and Margaret Thomas, M#2, by Ethel John Roderick, see pg. 3

3. Arriving Passenger List to New York, May 4, 1861, M#8

4. Johnstown-Published 2020, M#11, compiled by Henry John, Ethel Mary John Roderick, LaVerd John,

Vivian John Baker and FamilySearch, see pgs. 7-8

5. Life of Thomas John and Descendants by His Son, M#10, by Henry John, see pg. 7

6. Mormon Pioneer Overland Trail, M#13, by Henry John – excerpts, see pgs. 2 and 7

7. Life of Thomas John and Descendants, M#10, by Henry John, see pg. 17

8. Note: an exception here. These are “memories” of her daughter, Mary Jane John Hawkley. You will need to

open a new URL: familysearch.org/tree/person/memories/K2Q6-GQZ, M#10, see pg. 1

9. The First Thomas John Reunion-1883, M#14, contributed by NorrCynde1 in April 2020, see pg. 2

10. Shared Headstone of Margaret Thomas John with Thomas John and 2nd wife Jane Green John, M#9,

photo contributed by bobjohns1 in July 2021

11. Margaret Thomas John-Sketch of the Life of Margaret Thomas John, M#4, by Marie Webster and

Nora Lund, DUP Historian in May 1967, see pg. 3