The following is the first in a series of articles giving greater detail from the stories behind the hidden things in our recently released Treasures of the Restoration jigsaw puzzle. If you haven’t gotten yours yet, BUY IT HERE.

If you have, bookmark or print this page so you can hang on to the story to share with your family as you come upon The Maid of Iowa when you do the puzzle. The cover art for this article can help you know what it might look like.

According to columnist Jerry Sloat the Maid of Iowa, it was “a boat of most unusual distinction”. It was the first steamboat ever built in Iowa, and its design made it able to navigate much shallower water than most similar vessels of its time. It went where no others could.

It was captained by a Welshman whose name you may recognize; Dan Jones. He and Levi Moffit built the steamboat with the intent to compete in the trade that was filling the Mississippi at that time. In fact, it is estimated that between 1825 and 1850, “more than half of the products grown or manufactured in the United States were carried by steamboat along the Mississippi and its tributaries”.

It was a booming business, but Captain Dan Jones’ unusual little boat would carry much more precious cargo than he ever knew when he built it.  

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In March of 1843, Elders Parley P. Pratt and Levi Richards, having just landed in New Orleans with about two hundred British converts, sought to charter a boat to take them up the river to Nauvoo. Contact was made with Captain Jones. Though many captains of that era were reluctant to help the Mormons, he agreed to take them.

On April 12, the little vessel, overflowing with enthusiastic and no doubt weary passengers, was met at Nauvoo landing by a crowd of joyful Saints. The journey from St. Louis has been a difficult one, requiring extra time to navigate all of the ice still flowing in the river. According to Donald L. Enders:

Joseph Smith, President of the Church and mayor of the city was the first aboard the boat and “could not refrain from shedding tears” at the privilege of again greeting old friends and welcoming the new arrivals. So appreciative was the Mormon Prophet of Captain Jones’ service that when Joseph came face-to-face with him he laid his hand upon the captain’s head and said, “Bless this little man.” This touching encounter was the beginning of an affectionate friendship between the two, and it soon led to the Welshman’s conversion to Mormonism and, in behalf of the Church, to Joseph Smith’s arranging a partnership with the captain in the steamboat trade. Within a month, Captain Jones was baptized, and the Prophet began the purchase of half interest in the Maid of Iowa, buying Levi Moffit’s share of the boat for $1,375.

Yes, in its few short years on the Mississippi before the saints left Nauvoo, the Maid of Iowa would carry hundreds of converts to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from New Orleans to their new home in Zion. It would also take many Elders of the Church the other direction, sending them on to their missionary efforts in far off lands.

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The Maid of Iowa had a reputation on the Mississippi for being a “dry” boat, lacking the alcohol, gambling and other types of entertainments common to most steamboats and their crews. Often Captain Dan Jones would be greeted with foul language, laughter, and abuses from other crews as he passed. Once when another vessel attempted to run the Maid down, Captain Jones hollered out that that he would shoot the other boat’s pilot if they did not steer clear.

It was with that same valiant heart that Dan Jones accompanied the prophet to the Carthage Jail as a support and protection. The night before the martyrdom, Brother Joseph asked Dan Jones if he was afraid to die.

“Has that time come, think you?” He asked, and then added, “Engaged in such a cause, I do not think that death would have many terrors.”

It was then that Joseph uttered what many refer to as his last prophecy in this life:

“You will yet see Wales and fulfill the mission appointed you before you die.”

The next morning, Joseph asked Dan to deliver a letter on his behalf to a lawyer in Quincy, Illinois. As Jones departed the jail on horseback, bullets flew at him, but none struck. In his haste and panic, this man who had traversed the most remote tributaries of the Mississippi in the Maid, took the wrong road to Quincy. It was a mistake that would save his life and ensure that the Prophet’s last prophecy could come true.

It was later learned that a mob had been waiting to intercept and likely kill him on the true road to Quincy.

Captain Dan Jones would return to the river once again, this time as a passenger bound for a mission to the British Isles. He was eventually asked to preside over the missionary efforts in his home country of Wales. There were just over 200 Latter-day Saints when he arrived in that position. During the three years of his leadership there, 3,600 people were baptized. When Jones finally left the land that Brother Joseph promised he would see again, there were 72 branches of the Church there, and 4,645 Latter-day Saints.

As for the Maid of Iowa, it didn’t long survive after the Saints left Nauvoo in 1846. It was last known to have been running the Des Moines River in 1851. And now is your chance to spot it somewhere in our Treasures of the Restoration puzzle map and remember Captain Jones when you do.

References:

Donald L. Enders, “The Steamboat Maid of Iowa: Mormon Mistress of the Mississippi”, BYU Studies, Journal 19:3.

Gordon B. Hinckley, “The Thing of Most Worth”, Ensign, September 1993, 2.

Rex LeRoy Christensen, “I Have a Question: I’ve heard that a Dan Jones was one of the most successful missionaries of the early church. Can you tell me more about him?” Ensign, March 1982, p. 19.

Jerry Sloat, “The Maid of Iowa Was the Pioneer of Iowa Steamboats.” Daily Gate City, 1 Oct. 2008,.