On July 10, 1857, John Deveraux married in Salt Lake City, Utah a widow named Ann Perkins Price. The same day, he was endowed and sealed to Ester for eternity in the Endowment House. (Ancestral File)

In the 1870 Federal Census, John was listed as age 65, living in Newton, Utah County, Utah with a wife named Anne, age 60. His occupation, farmer; he owned a personal estate worth $200 and property valued at $275. He could read and write and his birthplace was listed as England. At first, it appeared that record of John did not occur in the 1880 census. Since the 1890 census was destroyed by fire, there seemed no additional sources of information available about John or his wife Ann. However, by searching alternate spellings, one researcher found John and Ann listed in the 1880 census as John Devarax living in Goshen, Utah! Following is an extract of the census information as found on www.familysearch.com.

John DEVARAX is listed as married, white, aged 78 and a farmer. His birthplace is listed as England. The birthplace of his parents also is listed as England.

Ann DEVERAX is listed as married (the wife of John DEVARAX), white, aged 70 with "keeping house" as her occupation. Her birthplace is listed as England. The birthplace of her parents also is listed as England.

Source: Census place, Goshen, Utah, Utah; Family History Library film, 1255338, NA Film number, T9-1338; Page number, 224B.

The following paragraph is found in a biography written about his daughter, Harriet Richins, by Gladys Richins Hilton:

“Harriet’s aged father, who had become blind, came to live with her. She cared for him for six years and most of the time he was bedridden. She did everything she could to make him comfortable until he died. He was always very appreciative of everything anyone did for him and prayed his Heavenly Father’s blessings on those who were caring for him, using the expression, “God bless and save you.” (Hilton)

John lived to be ninety five years old before his mission on this earth was finished and he never lost his faith in the gospel that he and Ester had sacrificed so much for. The faith and courage it took for them to leave their home in England and start on a trip of the magnitude that they did, at the age they were, and with Ester being as sick as she was, is phenomenal. Ester Deveraux gave her life for the true gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. What a great legacy they left for their descendants and how proud we should be to be counted among them.

John passed away in his daughter’s home in Pleasant Grove, Utah on February 9, 1895 and was buried in the Pleasant Grove Cemetery. The engraving on his gravestone reads JOHN DEVERAUX 1805-1895 “HANDCART PIONEER.”

Note: There is a discrepancy between English records and American records as to John Deveraux’s birth date. English records list him born in 1800 and American records list his birth date as 1805.