Ancestors of the Restoration

John Pledger Thomas, Jr. and Mahala Jane Mathews

John Pledger Thomas, Jr.

We do not know when or where John Pledger Thomas was baptized into the church, but we do know that he was married to 16 year-old Mahala Jane Mathews while crossing the plains in 1846 in Potawatamie County, Iowa. He was born on September 1, 1822 in Marlboro County, South Carolina.

According to some writings of his daughter, Mary Jane Thomas Gardner, this young couple, John and Mahala, endured many hardships on the plains; food often became scarce and clothing was not too plentiful. Nevertheless they tried to be cheerful. At night, they would dance and try to forget their troubles.

"They arrived in Salt Lake in the fall of 1847. They at once began to make a home and soon a small log cabin was built. Two years later a son was born to John and Mahala, and then on February 1, 1852, the second child, Mary Jane, was born into this world."

This little family lived a quiet life in Salt Lake City for the next nine years. According to the 1850 and 1860 census, John and Mahala brought five little souls into this life. One, Mahala, born in 1850, appears to have died as an infant. John Pledger Thomas, due to some illness, passed away on August 4, 1861.

Mahala Jane Mathews

Mahala Jane was born March 17, 1829 in Green County, Alabama. As has already been established, she married John Pledger Thomas in 1846 at the age of 16 years. It has been said that she was a shy girl and that she felt embarrassed when she left her father's wagon to ride with her husband in his wagon.

After her husband passed away, she decided to start life anew and, with her four children, headed toward the land of "Dixie" in Southern Utah. She traveled by wagon until she was able to catch up with the Earl Company and eventually met her brother, who was well acquainted with the roads and led them all into Pine Valley.

They arrived there on Christmas Day, 1862. Mahala was very skilled at cording, spinnnig, dying, and weaving. She sewed all of the clothing for her family and taught her girls these same skills.

Records show that Mahala became the second wife of a gentleman by the name of Richard Cannine Gibbins and had three children by him: Mahala/Mahallie Gibbins, born in 1864 (died young), and Andrew Mathews Gibbins, born May 31, 1866 in Pine Valley, died in Bisbee, Cochise, AZ in August 19, 1917.