In the meantime, this fine young man, Robert Jones, a widower with three children who had come from England on the same ship as Miriam, had settled near Henneferville also. He had crossed the plains with the Henry Chapman Company by ox team. When this company arrived in Echo Canyon, they were met by Edward Richins who brought them to his home. It was a log house about two miles north of Echo. Edward had married Robert’s step-daughter, Ellen Tipper, who had come from England previous to this time. This was a happy reunion for all. They always remembered the freshly baked bread with homemade butter that Ellen had prepared for them. They referred to it as a feast.

Robert stayed with Edward and his wife and was a great help in harvesting the hay and doing other farm work that fall and winter. His children were living with relatives in Henneferville until a later time. It seems that a close friendship developed between Robert and Miriam during their six-week voyage from England as they soon found each other after Miriam came to Henneferville. Then their courtship began. About three months later on December 2, 1866, they were married at Croyden, Utah by Bishop James Walker. A dinner party was given in their honor by Charles and Harriet Shill. This was a happy event on their wedding day.

Robert and his wife, Miriam, continued living with Edward on the farm. It was about this time in early winter that Edward wanted to build a new log house. The logs had been haled from the canyon by ox team in early fall. Robert was a good workman and was anxious to help get the homes built, and the work began. It was one large room with door and windows and was joined on to the other house. Each house faced south so that from the outside it looked like one long log house with two front doors. With this addition there was more room for two families. When it was completed, Edward lived in the new part, and Robert’s family lived in the older one.

No doubt Ellen was happy with her new house at this time as she was expecting her second baby. It was December 3, 1866 when the baby was born. He was a beautiful baby boy, and they gave him the name of Alma Ether. They were especially happy with this baby as their first child, Albert Edward, had passed way when he was a year old.

About a month later a group of young folks were going to a dance at Croyden, and Edward and Ellen went with them as they had done previously. Their mode of transportation was by ox team and sleigh. Everyone had a nice time as they all enjoyed dancing. But a short time after, Ellen developed a bad cold and other complications set in; and after weeks of intense suffering she passed away February 15, 1867 of a severe nervous condition.

Of course, Edward was very much grieved over her death and concerned about his motherless child. Robert and Miriam were grieved also over the death of such a close friend, and they extended their sympathy and helped console Edward in every way possible. They were a great blessing to him at this time for which he was very thankful. Miriam took full responsibility of his baby during the next few months. The farm work went on, and in the following springtime Robert leased Edward’s farm on shares or for a portion of the income from it.

In the early summer Edward had met a fine young woman who had come from England a short time before they met. She was Sarah Beard and was living with her brother, Thomas Beard, in Coalville. He asked her to come and keep house for him and take care of his baby. Sarah consented to help Edward in his home for a while even though she didn’t know him very well. In a short time he liked her very much and found her to be a good housekeeper. They were soon in love with each other and planned their wedding day for June 16, 1867. They were married at Croyden, Morgan County, Utah.

The farm produced good crops and gardens that year and things were going well for all. By fall Robert’s wife, Miriam, was expecting a baby. It was a boy born September 18, 1867. A woman, Johanna Stephens, was with Miriam when her baby was born. She was a “midwife” and delivered babies when no doctor was there. Mary Stephens took good care of Miriam and the baby until she was well. The little boy was given the name of Alfred R. Jones.

The following year was not very good. The grasshoppers came so thick that they ate most of the crops, and everyone suffered from the ravages of these terrible pests. These families had scarcely enough to eat and not enough bedding to keep them warm. The next summer Robert worked for the railroad company as the first track was under construction near Echo. He worked by hand for 75 cents per day. Then later he worked with ox team and scraper which paid more.

While the railroad work was going on, there were many men living at Echo and some of them had families. This gave Miriam an opportunity to earn a little money by doing washing for the railroad men or families in Echo. The clothes to be washed were brought from Echo by young boys and returned by them also. It was hard work but Miriam was paid well.

By this time Robert and Miriam were making plans to build a home in Henneferville. They had obtained a plot of ground in the northwest section of the settlement and were getting logs for the house which was built like other log houses. It was probably about the year 1869 when they moved from the Richins’ farm to their new home where they lived as farmers most of their lives.

Time was passing by, and they had not yet had their endowments. On 9 August 1869 they went to Salt Lake City for this purpose and were married by Apostle Wilford Woodruff. As members of the Church they were active in the ward where Robert held many different positions. When the Henefer Sunday School was organized in 1871, he was appointed the first superintendent. His counselors were James Paskett and William Brewer. He held this position twenty-five years. On July 9, 1877, Robert was chosen to be a counselor to Bishop Charles Richins, which position he held until 1890. A few years later on August 2, 1903, he was ordained a Patriarch in Summit Stake. Miriam was active in Relief Society with Mary Stephens as the first president on record. Later she worked in other auxiliaries also.