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Edwards, John, 1831-1898

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: 1831 - 1898

Biographical History

John Edwards (1831-1898) was an early Welsh convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in the Utah War from 1857 to 1858.

John Edwards was born on May 10, 1831 at Hirwaun, Glamorganshire, Wales to parents Edward Edwards and Elizabeth Thomas. Edwards was raised in a religious household: his father was a Weslayan Methodist and his mother was an Armin Baptist. His family joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the 1840s and soon after, in 1849, Edwards and his family emmigrated from Wales to settle in the United States of America. After their arrival, Edwards' father, sister, and mother contracted cholera; while his mother recovered, his father and sister both died of the disease.

Edwards married Charlotte Stephens in 1851 while at Council Bluffs and they had seven children. Together they crossed the plains and arrived in Salt Lake City, Utah, during the October session of General Conference. To support themselves, Edwards found work and his wife made money through her sewing and they built a home in Salt Lake City. During 1857-1858 Edwards left his family to serve in the Utah War where he worked as cook for the generals at the camp.

Edwards died on January 10, 1898, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Citation:
Edwards, John - Life History, January 30, 2014: welshmormon.byu.edu/Resource_Info.aspx?id=2821 (b. 1831 in Wales; father was Weslayan Methodist and mother was Armin Baptist; baptist teachings influenced conversion; joined the church in Wales; emmigrated from Wales to America; 1849 his father, sister, and mother had cholera, mother lived and father, sister died; had seven children with wife; crossed the plains to settle in Salt Lake City; supported themselves through Edwards' work and wife's sewing; sealed to his wife in 1852; none of children stayed in the Church; served in Utah War, cook for generals)

John Edwards, January 30, 2014: welshmormon.byu.edu/Resource_Info.aspx?id=2821 (b. May 10, 1831; Hirwaun, Glamorganshire, Wales; d. January 10, 1898 in Salt Lake City, Utah; emmigrated from Wales to USA; married Charlotte Stephens at Council Bluffs, Iowa in 1851; parents Edward Edwards and Elizabeth Thomas)

Found in 1 Collection or Record:

John Edwards journal

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 8367
Scope and Contents Materials include photocopies and transcriptions of John Edwards' journal written four years before his death. Included is Edwards' life history from 1831 to 1894. The autobiographical journal provides details about his joining the church in Wales, immigrating to the United States with his family in 1849 (as well as the deaths of his family around the same time), and his account of settlement and family life in Salt Lake City, Utah. Among other recollections, he writes about his faith,...
Dates: 1894
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / John Edwards journal

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