I hear some people say that their family history has all or mostly been done. They feel there isn’t much left for them to do or worry about. A lot of my family history has been done, at least on one side of my family and I admit I was somewhat relieved.
Therefore, I decided to take a close look at the memories and sources of information that had been diligently collected, recorded and shared. I wanted the names of these ancestors I didn’t know to become real people.
For some reason, one day my eye caught a particular name, Jenett Marie Thomas. I am so grateful I noticed her, as she has greatly impressed and influenced my life. I would like to share some of what I learned about someone who is now one of my favorite people.
Jennett was born in 1837 in Wenvoe, Glamorgan, Wales, the 11th of 14 children. Her father was a shoe cobbler and her mother a practical nurse. The family was introduced to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and her parents were baptized in 1847. The following year, five of her older siblings were baptized and six years later, William and Anne Thomas and seven of their oldest children, boarded the “Jersey” for the seven week ocean journey to the United States. It had taken a long time to save the $20 to pay for each member of the family to travel. A sturdy wagon was built to carry all of their belongings to Liverpool which was a rigorous 100 mile trek from their home through the mountains.
The Thomases were among the 300 passengers in steerage which was crowded, dark, damp and unsanitary. They were expected to provide their own food for the journey and help keep the ship clean. After landing in New Orleans they promptly left for St Louis, then Iowa and on to Nauvoo. Jenett’s father was encouraged by Lucy Mack Smith to go from there to help build Zion in Utah. Joining the Joseph W. Young Company and ox team, they left on June 3, 1853 arriving on October 10. They mostly walked, but occasionally Jennett and the other children were able to ride one of the oxen.
The Thomas family made their temporary home at the immigrant camp, all of them trying to find ways to earn money to buy food for the winter. In February of 1854 they were directed by Brigham Young to go help settle Box Elder. There they lived in a dugout home with a dirt floor in the old fort until building a better house with a thatched roof.
It was here that 17 year old Jennette met Veruleum Dives from England and was married in the endowment house in Salt Lake City. They lived happily in Brigham City where their first son and daughter were born.
While attending General Conference in Salt Lake City in October of 1856, Brigham Young tearfully called for assistance to be given to emigrants caught on the plains of Iowa and Wyoming in early snowstorms. Veruleum decided to answer the call volunteering his team and left at once. He was gone for six weeks leaving her to care for their two children and their crops.
It wasn’t but seven months later that Brigham Young asked the Thomases to go with him and twelve teams up north to Camp Lemhi on the Salmon River to check on a settlement of Saints that were having trouble with some Native Americans. She found camping along the way, the nightly preaching and dancing memorable and appreciated the beautiful scenery of Idaho, even the sagebrush and waving grass of Malad Valley. After returning to Brigham City in April of 1857, her son passed away at the tender age of one.
To protect themselves from the possible invasion of Johnson’s Army, families from various towns left for safer ground, south of Provo, while the men remained behind ready to burn their homes if the army came to wreak havoc. When they learned they were not in danger, they returned to their homes to find everything as they left it and the grain fields were covered with beautiful crops, the finest they’d ever seen.
The couple had four more children. Sadly, her baby was only three months old when Veruleum passed away in 1864, leaving her to raise her family alone. With the help of her oldest son Verl, they gleaned the wheat fields and tried to raise enough food from their small garden. Through thrift and toil her family never suffered from want.
One of my favorite stories happened at this time. One day Brigham Young came calling to see her in WIllard. After a few minutes, young Verl walked in the house wearing an old worn out pair of boots. They visited for awhile then President Young asked what size boot he wore. Verl told him. President Young began to take off his new boots and told Verl to try them on. He asked how they fit. Verl replied that they were a little big. President Young asked if they would work at which Verl replied he thought they would. President Young then put on Verl’s old, worn out boots and walked out the door.
During the time Jannett was a widow, several men came to court her. Many were looking for a second, third or fourth wife. One fun story tells of her seeing the approach of a man with a new broom in his hand. Perhaps a Welsh courting custom. She ran into her bedroom and crawled under her bed. Her children invited him in and they looked and looked for her but couldn’t find her so the man left and took his new broom with him.
About a year later, a man named Thomas Daniels, a widower with six children, approached her. He told her he could help her with her family and he knew she could help him with his. He asked her to marry him. She knew it would be difficult, but she knew how to work hard so she accepted. They were married in Malad, Idaho in 1867. Malad being the countryside that she had noticed almost 11 years earlier. They had another eight children. She fiercely loved her family. They lived a busy, happy and productive life serving their community and church in or near Malad the rest of their lives. They watched it grow from a cluster of log cabins with dirt roofs, no schools or meeting houses to a civilized and beautiful community.
In 1837, Joseph Smith predicted that the saints would go to the Rocky Mountains and there become a mighty people. Jennett Marie Thomas Dives Daniels was indeed one of those mighty people. Although she was not even 5 feet tall and thin as a “splinter,” she was known for being committed, resilient, ambitious and determined. She experienced profound grief and pain, but her life was balanced with amazing blessings and miracles. She lived and loved the gospel of Jesus Christ. She loved and respected the prophet Brigham Young following his words closely.
I truly believe that each one of us has an incredible heritage. There might be some scoundrels along the way, but doesn’t that make life interesting? There are some very inspiring and exciting stories just waiting for us to discover. Who will be the ancestor that becomes alive and real to you?
– Sheri Montgomery, Little Cottonwood Ward, Granite View Stake