Abel Evans

Verland Edith Evans Smith's Great Grandfather

Abel Evans
June 17, 1812 – November 30, 1866

Born June 17, 1812, Abel Evans first drew breath in the picturesque village of Llanboidy, County of Carmarthen, South Wales. He was the first of seven children born to Ann Hughes and Samuel Evans. His father was an iron miner, as were most of the folks in their village, and Abel joined his father in the mines as soon as he was old enough to be of use, as was the custom for all the boys in Llanboidy. Somewhere along the line, he learned to read and write and figure. He lived an honest, moral and upright life.
Samuel had to leave the mines because of an accident that injured his back so severely he could not straighten up. Because of this, he learned to weave baskets in order to earn his daily bread in his later years.
Abel’s mother, who died when he was about thirty-two, lived to see Abel grow from a gregarious, high spirited youngster to a public spirited man with a special talent for debating and public speaking. It was this talent that led to an invitation to debate a couple of Mormon missionaries who were preaching a strange new gospel. Able did not belong to any denomination but he was interested in God and was familiar with the Bible. When he came to debate, he stopped in the middle of it and said he couldn’t argue with them because they were right. He was baptized by William Henswhaw February 10, 1844. According to the L.D.S. Biographical Encyclopedia, he was believed to be the second person baptized in Wales, but we believe there were others before that, and that perhaps he was the second to be baptized in South Wales. His father, Samuel, was baptized three days later. Less than a month before this most important happening in his life, Abel’s mother died of phthisis on January 25,1844. Samuel later married Catherine Powell and they, too, emigrated to Utah, February 4, 1854, sailing on the Golconda.
Soon after his baptism, Abel was ordained to the priesthood and began his travels as a missionary. He was unusually successful, baptizing everywhere he went, opening branches which grew into conferences as he traveled from South Wales to North Wales and back again. On February 7, 1948, he was ordained a high priest under the hands of Orson Pratt, the general authority in charge of the Wales Mission, And Captain Dan Jones. Abel was soon put in charge of the North Wales branches. And so, for six years, from 1844 until 1850, when he was called to lead a group of converts to America, Abel devoted his time and considerable talents to spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Many miracles were wrought as he was especially imbued with the gifts of healing and the discernment of spirits. He was a man of strong faith, the Lord working many miracles through his instrumentality, many being healed of their maladies through his faith and prayers, among other several cases of cancer and cholera.
Captain Dan Jones was to become one of Abel’s close friends through their missionary efforts. When Elder Jones sailed from Wales with a group of converts in February, 1849, for Utah, Abel was among the friends on hand to pelt the ship with oranges for as long as they could reach it. It was Captain Jones who requested that Abel be released from his mission to accompany another group of emigrants from Wales to Utah. So, Abel who was appointed leader of this group of saints, sailed for America on the Josiah Bradley from Liverpool, February 5, 1850, arriving in New Orleans on the 18th of April of that same year.

Mary Jones, one of the converts from the Wern Branch caught his eye, and by the time they reached New Orleans, Abel had wooed her and won her. They were married after they landed, possibly in New Orleans, but most probably in St. Louis, Missouri, as they were detained there for a week before continuing on to Council Bluffs, Iowa. They were not sealed to each other until September 18, 1855, after they had gone on to Utah.
They spent the next two years in Council Bluffs where he had been named to the High Council immediately after his arrival there. It was there that their first baby, Elizabeth Ann, was born and it was there they buried her when she was only ten months old.
In 1852, they crossed the plains with Captain Morgan’s Company, in which Abel served as a sub-captain. Soon after their arrival in Utah, they located in Lehi (at that time, know as Evansville) and Lehi is still home to a great many of their descendants.
For the next 15 years, Abel was prominent in the affairs of Lehi and Utah County. Among the positions he held were Captain of the Militia, Marshal of Lehi City, Chief Deputy Sheriff of Utah County and for a period he served as Historian, keeping all of the records for Lehi.
He served the Church as President of the High Priest Quorum, tithing clerk, second counselor and then first counselor to Bishop Davis Evans (no relation). Thus, he remained active in church and civic affairs until the April Conference in 1865, when he was called to fill a mission back in Wales, fifteen years after he had left his native country. Although he was now living in polygamy with Mary Jones, Martha Morgan and Jane Davis, and was the father of ten living children, he was ready in twenty-two days to leave for New Jersey, from whence he sailed, arriving in Liverpool, England, July 28, 1865. He was assigned again to the North Welsh Mission over which he became president. Where he labored unceasing diligence as along as the powers of life continued to him.
On March 25, 1866, Abel was presiding at the Conference held in Temperance Hall, Merthyr, Wales, at which President Brigham Young and Orson Pratt were present.
He became ill with a cough while assisting some Saints to embark on the ship “John Bright” at Liverpool, May, 1866, and while attending a conference in Birmingham the following September, he slept in a damp bed, which renewed the cold and coughing upon him. Although his condition as serious, he continued his preaching, both indoors and out. Being exposed from time to time, until he became so weak that he could not stand and until the day of his death he did not seem to realize his condition. On November 30, 1866, he lay dead in his bed at #2 Brecon Road, Myrthr Tidfil, where he had been staying at the home of Thomas James.
Abel was the husband of three wives, namely, Mary Jones, Martha Morgan, and Jane Davis. He was the father of sixteen children, nine of whom reached maturity, namely, Abel John, William, Samuel, Mary, Sarah, Catherine, Hyrum Edward, Martha and Jane.

Portions of the report of Abel’s death, which was sent to Orson Pratt by F. D. Richards, is as follows:
Dear Orson Pratt:
Dear Brother:
It becomes our painful duty to record the departure of another faithful
Minister of the Gospel, Elder Abel Evans, late President of the Welsh District;
who departed this life on Friday, Nov. 30th, at about ten minutes past 7 p.m. of consumption. His first illness was contracted by standing guard overnight while
the saints were embarked on board the ship, John Bright, at Liverpool, on or about the 1st of May last. He struggled against this cough and cold with apparent success until sometime in September last while attending conference in Birmingham, he got wet, which renewed the cold and coughing upon him.
Just after getting wet at Birmingham during the second week of October, while traveling in the Carmarthen Conference, he slept in a damp place which fastened the cold and confirmed his cough upon him, from which time he rapidly grew worse until his death. This was the immediate cause of his death, added to former exposures.
His indomitable energy and courage would not allow him to yield before the influence of the destroyer; and he continued to travel and preach out of doors and in until he became too weak to stand, still unwilling that his afflictions should be even referred to his friends, which was the reason we had not correct information of his real condition until our letter of particular inquiry which reached us only within a week of his decease. At this time, he was only able to be dressed daily, but not sit up even for this. It is deeply to be regretted that means or changes in circumstances might have been employed to mitigate the severity of his complaint at least, if not permitted to prevail for his recovery. From the time of his confinement to the house, all that the country could afford or that could be derived from the faithful attention and adminstrarion of faithful saints was bestowed….
Elders John Parry and John E. Rees were his faithful attendants at the residence of Brother Thomas James.
The deep and abiding affection which he had won in the hearts of all the Saints around, secured for him more of kindly consideration and tender manifestation than he could accept. He was strong and unshaken to the hour of his death that he should recover, and rebuked those who manifested any doubt. So great was his confidence of recovery, it was not until the day of his decease, that he consented for Brother Parry to write to his family in Utah to inform them that he was sick of a cold, but that he expected to be well in a few days and would write them himself. He did not seem to realize that he was very ill, and had no idea he was dangerous; nor did he complain of any disease or pain, except the inconvience and weariness of the cough. He died with the utmost quieted, as a person falling asleep.
I assisted Elders J. W. Young, Parry, Morris, Rees, and Davies to lay his body out. Just as his family would wish to have it done if they could have been present to direct, and by request, I spoke to those at the funeral, according to the measure of the Spirit given to me. All was conducted with respect throughout, and only for the very stormy weather, a very numerous company would have been present. The funeral was on Tuesday the 4th instant at 3 o’clock p.m. Several of the American Elders were present – John W. Young, John Parry, Elias Morris, John Rees, Richard J. Davies, Joseph Lawson and myself.

F. D. Richards