Daniel Webster Jones (Mormon) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Daniel Webster Jones |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | August 26, 1830 Howard County, Missouri |
| Died | April 20, 1915 (aged 84) Mesa, Arizona |
| Resting place | City of Mesa Cemetery 33°26′18″N 111°49′58″W / 33.4384°N 111.8329°W |
| Notable works | Forty Years Among the Indians (autobiography) |
| Spouse(s) | Harriet Emily Colton |
| Children | 14 |
| Relatives | Fay Wray (grand-daughter) Jeffrey M. Jones |
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Daniel Webster Jones (born August 26, 1830, died April 20, 1915) was an important American pioneer and a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He helped settle Mesa, Arizona, translated parts of the Book of Mormon into Spanish, and led the first missionaries to Mexico. He also worked with Native American people and was a hero in a famous rescue mission in 1856.
Contents
Early Life and Adventures
Daniel Webster Jones was born on August 26, 1830, in Howard County, Missouri. When he was 12, he became an orphan. In 1847, he joined a group of volunteers to fight in the Mexican–American War. After the war, he stayed in Mexico for several years. During this time, he learned to speak Spanish. In 1850, he joined a group herding sheep to California.
Joining the Latter-day Saints
While traveling in 1850, Daniel had an accident with his pistol. It fired, hitting his leg. His companions left him with a group of Mormon settlers in Provo. There, he learned about their beliefs and was baptized on January 27, 1851. The next year, he married Harriet Emily Colton.
Heroic Handcart Rescue
In October 1856, the leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Brigham Young, announced that many Latter-day Saint immigrants were stranded in Wyoming. These were the Martin and Willie handcart companies, who were traveling west using handcarts.
About 25 men, including Daniel, quickly left Salt Lake Valley to find them. They found the Willie Handcart Company near South Pass. Daniel and two others went ahead to find the other groups. They helped them reach an area called Martin's Cove.
Daniel, along with Thomas Alexander and Ben Hampton, stayed behind to guard supplies at Fort Seminoe. They spent a very difficult winter there. Daniel later wrote about their struggles in his autobiography.
Missions to Mexico and Arizona
In 1874, Brigham Young asked Daniel to translate parts of the Book of Mormon into Spanish. This was to prepare for a missionary trip to Mexico. Daniel completed this work with help from others.
After the translation, Daniel led a group of missionaries to Mexico. This mission lasted from 1875 to 1876.
When he returned, Brigham Young asked him to start a new settlement in the Salt River Valley in Arizona. Daniel's group left St. George, Utah, and arrived in Arizona in March 1877. Daniel invited local Native Americans to live with them. This caused some disagreement, and part of the group left to start another town. Daniel's settlement was first called Jonesville, then Lehi, and eventually became part of Mesa, Arizona.
His Autobiography
After some time, Daniel moved to the Tonto Basin area. Sadly, in 1882, his wife and youngest child died in a storm. In 1890, he published his autobiography, called Forty Years Among the Indians: A True yet Thrilling Narrative of the Author's Experiences among the Natives.
In his book, Daniel shared stories about joining The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He also wrote about the rescue of the handcart companies in 1856. His book also describes his experiences with Native Americans and Mexican people, and the early days of settling Mesa, Arizona. It is an important book for understanding the history of the American West and the Latter-day Saints.
Later Life and Legacy
Daniel Webster Jones passed away on April 20, 1915, at the age of 84. He was buried in the City of Mesa Cemetery.
Daniel was the grandfather of famous actress Fay Wray, who starred in the 1933 movie King Kong. He was also the great-great-great grandfather of Jeffrey Jones, who became the first Latter-day Saint senator in Mexico.
