Overview of the Collection
Biographical NoteNathaniel Vary Jones was born October 13, 1822 in Brighton, New York the son of Samuel and Lucinda Kingsley Jones. Jones worked as a ship carpenter under his father until about age seventeen. In 1839 Jones moved to Wisconsin and there joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In 1843 he moved to Nauvoo, Illinois. During the summer of 1843 Jones was called to serve as a missionary for the Church in the eastern states (Ohio and New York) and proselyted from 1843 to 1844. In 1845 Jones married Rebecca M. Burton in Nauvoo. After working on the Nauvoo Temple, he moved with the Saints to Council Bluffs, Iowa, where he joined the Mormon Battalion on July 16, 1846 and marched to California under the command of Col. Cooke. After his discharge at Fort Leavenworth on August 24, 1847, he met his wife and child in Far West, Missouri. On May 6, 1849, they left Council Bluffs, Iowa, and arrived in Salt Lake City, Utah Territory in August 1849. He served in the Nauvoo Legion as a 1st Lieutenant, served as a Salt Lake City Alderman, was bishop of the LDS 15th Ward, and served a second LDS mission in Calcutta, India from 1852 to 1855. In the spring of 1856, Jones was called by Brigham Young to travel to Las Vegas and work in the church's lead mines. In 1857 he returned to Salt Lake City and served in the militia during the "Echo Canyon War." He served a third mission to England from 1859 to 1861. In the fall of 1861, he was sent to Iron County, Utah Territory to set up an iron-smelting operation, but was called back to Salt Lake in 1862 to set up plants nearer Salt Lake City. In February 1863 Jones died of pneumonia. He left four wives and ten children. Source: Biographical sketch of N. V. Jones, by Rebecca B. Jones, Fd 9. Content DescriptionThis collection contains the papers of Nathaniel V. Jones (in photocopy form). These papers, spanning the years of 1847-1864, consist of correspondence, legal documents, missionary papers, certificates, a biographical sketch, and his estate settlement papers. Of particular interest in this collection is the Jones' missionary correspondence during mission in England. During this time he became involved in a conflict with local church authorities over the collection of church money and was confined to his quarters. In one letter he berates his wife for passing on an incriminating letter to Brigham Young, and then Young requested that all of Jones' correspondence be passed on to him (Young). Another item of interest in this collection is Jones' estate settlement papers which documents how his estate was divided between his wives. Use of the Collection
Restrictions on Access : Restrictions
Open to public research. Restrictions on Use : CopyrightIt is the responsibility of the user to obtain permission to publish from the owner of the copyright (the institution, the creator of the record, the author or his/her transferees, heirs, legates, or literary executors). The user agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Utah State University Libraries, its officers, employees, and agents from and against all claims made by any person asserting that he or she is an owner of copyright. Permission to publish material from the Nathaniel Vary Jones papers must be obtained from the Special Collections Manuscript Curator and/or the Special Collections Department Head. Preferred Citation :Nathaniel Vary Jones papers, 1847-1861. (COLL MSS 158). Utah State University. Special Collections and Archives Department. Administrative InformationDetailed Description of the Collection
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