Abel Evans

Verland Edith Evans Smith's Paternal Great Grandfather

Abel Evans

Abel Evans, one of the Latter-day Saint Elders who died while filling a foreign mission, was born June 24, 1813, at Carmarthenshire, South Wales. His boyhood and early life were spent in the coalmines of his native land, and he never joined any of the religious
denominations, although he always lived an honest, moral and upright life. Becoming a convert to “Mormonism,” he was baptized Feb. 10, 1844 by William Henshaw and is believed to be the second person baptized by divine authority in Wales. Soon afterwards
he was ordained to the Priesthood, traveling as a successful missionary and opening up branches which subsequently grew into conferences. He devoted about six years to the ministry, traveling in South and North Wales and labored with great success. Under the hands of Orson Pratt and Dan Jones he was ordained a High Priest Feb 7, 1849. 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. He emigrated to America in 1850, and while crossing the ocean he
became acquainted with Mary Jones, whom he married after landing in America. The
next two years were spent in Pottawattamie county, Iowa, where he was chosen as a High
Councilor. In 1852 he and his wife crossed the plains with ox teams in Captain Morgan’s company and soon after his arrival in the Valley he located in Lehi, Utah County, where he was chosen captain of militia, marshal of the city, deputy sheriff of the county, etc., and also acted as a counselor to Bishop David Evans. Thus he continued very active as a local officer until the April conference, 1865, when he was called on a mission to his native country. He arrived in Liverpool July 28, 1865, and after laboring as a traveling Elder in Wales he was appointed president of the Welsh District, where he labored unceasing diligence as long as the powers of life were continued to him. He became ill with a cough while assisting some Saints to embark on the ship “John Bright” at Liverpool in 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 was serious, he continued his preaching, both indoors and out,
Being exposed from time to time, until he became so week that he could not stand and until the day of his death, which occurred at Merther Tydfil, Wales, Nov. 30,1866, he
did not seem to realize his condition. Bro. Evans 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. Abel Evans was a man of considerable ability and was especially endowed with the gift of healing and discernment of spirits.



Latter-Day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, by Andrew Jenson, 1920, volume 3