Heber Thomas's Reunion with Marantha
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George Evan Stoddard, son of George Earl Stoddard, Jr., son of Elthira Dana Thomas, daughter of Heber Harris Thomas
Heber Harris Thomas, born in 1862 in Taibach, Glamorganshire, Wales, the youngest of five children of Thomas Thomas and Mary Harris Thomas. His father died shortly before he turned one year old. Heber's oldest sister, Marantha Althira, was ten years older than Heber. Heber and his mother emigrated to Utah in about 1876, when Heber was 13 or 14 years old. About a year before Marantha had married John Evans. They remained in Wales, settling in the small city of Aberdare, where John became a grocer. When Heber returned to Great Britain as a missionary in April 1888, 12 years later, he traveled to Aberdare to see his sister Marantha before beginning his missionary service. The following is an extract from his missionary journal.
Monday 30th - . . . At 12 noon I took train for Aberdare, to there visit my sister. I reached my destination at 7:30. I walked into my brother-in-law's shop and he supposed me to be some traveler seeking orders. I had to make myself known to him. We then went into the house and saw my sister. She was getting ready to go out. I asked her if she knew me, and she replied no, and yet she said "there's something about your forehead that resembles my brother Heber." Upon this I made myself known to her, and she wept for joy to see me.
May 1888
Tuesday 1st - My sister and her husband where extremely pleased to see me, as I was to see them. My sister, however, received quite a shock at my sudden appearance, for I had not sent her word to say that I was coming, and as a result of it she was quite sick all day. I did not go away from them this day nor the day following.
Source: Heber Harris Thomas. Untitled mission journal, 1888, in the possession of the Family and Church History Department, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, copy in the possession of George Evan Stoddard.
