Benjamin Nephi
Adams, the eldest son of George Phillip and Sara Ann Beynon,
was born 29 October 1841, at Merthyr Tydfil, Glamorganshire,
South Wales.
In 1860, the
family (Benjamin, his parents and three brothers - Clement Carlos, George Alma
and John Henry), emigrated to America and made their home at Mieral Ridge, Trumbull
County, Ohio. Desiring
to move farther West they came to Lehi. Utah, in 1864 where they lived for three years. At Lehi their seventh child was born, a daughter - Matilda.
Again driven by an
unknown force, they moved north in 1867, to Portage, Utah,
where they lived for a year before moving to Malad in
1868. While living in Portage,
Benjamin met a girl by the name of Letitia Johns,
whom he thought a great deal of but who was not destined to be his wife for she
became the wife of Bishop Gibbs.
Going into Malad, he met the girl of his dreams, Mary Ann Clark, the
daughter of William and Eliza Thomas Clark. He being a man of great principle
went back to Portage
to break the engagement with the former girl. Thinking she may yet win him, she
followed him back to what is known as the Malad River Bridge,
but to no avail for he married Mary Ann Clark.
To this union were
born twelve children, eleven girls - Margaret, Charlotte, Sarah, Rosie, Mary,
Eliza, Matilda, Florence, Cora, Carrie and Georgina, and one son - Benjamin Carlos. He was endowed
and sealed to his wife on October 30, 1895 at the Logan Temple.
The early part of
his married life was spent freighting by team and wagon to Pocatello
and Montana.
A trip required several days.
They raised a
great deal of truck gardening which went to make up his load along with cheese
and butter or whatever else was to be had.
Mary Ann died in
1906, at the age of 56 after a life of service to others. Besides her large
family, she had eight to ten women patients at one time to care for as she was
one of the few mid-wives in the valley.
Benjamin later
married a widow, Mary Skinner from Provo,
who was living at Lehi. He alsoburied her.
Getting along in
years he moved back to Malad to be near his family in
his last days. He made his home with his eldest daughter, Margaret (Mag).
A tragedy occurred when his grandson-in-law
was fatally burned in a fiery accident. Having been to view the remains he
returned home and lay down to rest before lunch. His passing was silent, for he
did not awaken for lunch. He had earned his rest as he passed away on July 19,
1924 in Malad,
Idaho, at the grand age of 78.
Joint
funeral services were held for him and the grandson-in-law with a numerous posterity to honor his good name.
Submitted by Mike Williams
