William Harman and Jane Davies (with mother Mary Sibley)

William Harman

William Harman is Steve's great-great grandfather, born Nov 22, 1820 in Merthyr Tiddvel, Wales. He worked in the coal mines, beginning as a very young boy. He heard the gospel for the first time from two young Utah elders on the streets of his native city. He immediately sensed the truth of the words spoken and was baptized a member of the Church in 1847. He was a very enthusiastic member and was very anxious to share the wonderful truth with others. He would spend all of the week days down in the dark coal mines, and all day Sunday in the service of the Lord. He loved the work--it was life to him at its best.

William’s life was filled with many faith promoting events and he always fervently bore testimony to the truth of them. They filled his life with joy and thankfulness. Notwithstanding these wonderful experiences in his life and sincere attempts to share the gospel with his wife and children, not one member of his family could see the truth.

One of William's uncles was extremely wealthy, and he had no children. He was getting old when he called William to his home and said, “William, I have looked over all my relatives and I have chosen you to be my sole heir. You must begin now to take over my responsibilities, but there is one condition. You must promise that you will renounce this Mormonism and never go to Utah.” William said without hesitation, “If I must renounce my faith and promise never to go to Zion, then you may keep your wealth for I choose my religion and Utah.”

From the time he joined the church he had a great desire to go to Utah, but he wanted his family to go with him. Time passed and he could see that his wife and family had no intention of joining the church or leaving Wales. His children were now grown, and he had done everything he could to get them to see the light, but to no avail. Finally he told them that unless they showed some intention of listening, he would go to Zion alone. Even this did not stir them, so he left on his own.

When he arrived in Utah, he learned that his wife had died, even though she was healthy when he left. William felt terrible and sought the Lord in grief, asking if he had done the right thing to leave her. He received a wonderful answer to his prayer. He saw the spirit world. He saw his wife and friend sitting sewing. They were conversing while sewing and his wife said, “Yes I made a great mistake. I know the Lord is displeased with me, my husband was right, now I know the gospel is true and I am full of sorrow for the part I played in opposing the church. I was in the wrong.” This answer to his prayer was a great consolation to him and he thanked the Lord for it. He had his wife sealed to him in the temple.

After a few years he married Jane Davies, a widow. They had four children. After coming to Utah he first worked on the Temple Block in construction, and later, after the completion of the temple, in caring for the grounds. He lived to be 80 years old, full of faith till his death on Dec 31, 1900 in his home in Salt Lake City.

Jane Davies

Jane Davies (also known as Martha Jane Thomas) is Steve's great-great grandmother, born September 18, 1843 in Ffynnon Tydfil, Glamorganshire, Wales. Her father died of cholera when she was eleven years old. When Jane was twenty years old she and her mother, Mary Sibley, listened to the Latter-day Saint missionaries preach at a street meeting and were later baptized. Jane married Richard Henry Thomas who was also a member of the LDS Church. They came to America and were married in Salt Lake City in 1872. They had their first child in 1873, and Richard died the same year. Her child died in 1875 at the age of two.

When Jane was thirty-three, she married William Harman on October 12, 1876. After William's death in 1900, Jane stayed in Salt Lake City, a devoted member of the Church, and died there on 2 November 1909 at age sixty-six.