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Sarah Ann Wright Jones, daughter of James Wright and Elizabeth Adamson, was born July 19, 1829, Stockport, Cheshire, England. Much to the sorrow of the little family, the father met his death while working as a carpenter in a factory in England. A beam fell and hit him on the head. At the time of her father's death there were John, age eight. Sarah, age four, William, age two, and four months later baby Elizabeth was born. The mother worked at what ever she could seek out a scant living for her little family, but because of the adverse circumstances, little education could be given to them. John died two years after his father, and it became necessary for little Sarah Ann to live at her uncle's home. She was treated cruelly here, not getting enough to eat and being whipped, so she left and obtained work in a treadmill. Sarah would steal away to the Latter Day Saint meetings, and by her faith and administrations from the elders she was cured of a cancerous growth under her chin, that she had obtained while staying at her uncle's. The mill was owned by Mr. Moorhouse, father of Mrs. Barrett, the lady who built the Barrett Hall in Salt Lake City. Sarah helped her widowed mother all she could, and to her sister, Elizabeth, who was in ill health most of the time, she was not only kind but showed her sisterly love and devotion. She joined the church at a young age, and in 1852 she came from England to Salt Lake Valley by way of New Orleans. It took seven weeks and three days to cross the ocean. At New Orleans she took a sailboat traveling up the Mississippi River to Winter Quarters. Here they were furnished with covered wagons and provisions to make the trip to Utah. All the young folks were expected to walk; Sarah, being young, walked all the way from the Missouri River to Salt Lake. The women would wash their clothes in the streams and hang them on their arms to dry while they walked along. In a short time after arriving in Salt Lake she married William Roberts Jones. She bore him ten children, eight boys, and two girls. Only four lived to maturity. She was an excellent helpmate and a good mother, and always gave a helping hand where there was sickness and want. One outstanding good deed of unselfishness she demonstrated at the time of the famine when so many were without food of any kind. Wheat that year was scarce and few people had white flour. Many came to them to get white flour. At one time the bin was blessed and Sarah was told it should never be empty. Both Sarah and William would give the flour to people without each other's knowledge of it. It seemed to be a bin of everlasting supply, because no matter how many pans of flour were given away, the bin was never empty and there was always one more pan full left. Sarah sat many times all day cording wool by hand, and then spinning on her spinning wheel. Their clothes were made of homespun woolen cloth or buckskin. Calico those days were one dollar a yard, as it had to be brought from the east by wagons. She made her own candles, and also grew and dried their fruit and some vegetables. They would cut the fruit and dry it on the roof of their home. It took three days for them to get a load of wood to burn. Sarah had a calm disposition. When the first automobiles were made, James Samuel Jones, her son, purchased one. Before he had learned to drive the car, his children and mother begged him for a ride in the new car. They were all having such a good ride and a jolly good time, when they noticed the automobile was heading straight for a telephone post. The children were all frantic but Sarah sat back with arms folded saying. "If you sit still, you won't get hurt so much.” With his mothers calm attitude James was able to guide the machine to safety. In 1855-1856 her mother, Elizabeth Adamson Wright and sister Elizabeth Wright, came in the Belated Handcart Company; the captains were Edward Martin and Daniel Tyler. This company became lost; some were frozen to death, the remaining being found by President Young's son, young Brigham, and William Kimball. Elizabeth, her sister, was unable to walk for three months, having her legs, fingers, and breast frozen stiff. Her mother was so badly frozen that she was unable to walk for six months. Sarah and her dear husband, William, nursed these people back to health. Later Sarah's mother moved to Springville and was buried there. Sarah had dark brown hair, blue eyes and was five feet six inches in height. In her latter years her hair was snowy white. She was an active church member and regular tithe payer, loveable, kind mother and partner. She died April 15, 1915, and was buried in the Salt Lake Cemetery April 18, 1915. This worthy couple left four children, their oldest son, William R. Jones, husband of Jessie Penrose; James Samuel Jones, husband of Annie M. Sims; Patience Mary Jane Jones, wife of Thomas W. Sims; Frank David Jones, husband of Carrie Mace; and also twelve grandchildren were living.
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