Robert and Elizabeth Nelson

Robert Nelson

• Born 4 September 1819 in Donegal, Ireland
• died 10 February 1902 in Smithfield, Utah
• parents made him marry Elizabeth after a stormy night out (read the story for more info)
• Crossed the plains in 1853 with the Moses Clawson Company
• Lived in a modified chicken coop their first year Utah

Elizabeth Joseph Nelson

• Born 1 November 1819 in Donegal, Ireland
• Died 12 May 1902 in Smithfield Utah
• Came to America in 1850 with her family sailing on the ship the "North Atlantic"   
• lived in St. Louis Missouri earning money to complete the journey to Utah
• was known for her cleanliness and butter making skills

ROBERT NELSON AND ELIZABETH JOSEPH

The following is an account of an incident that happened many years ago. The scanty details have survived through tradition. I suppose no one knows precisely what happened, but this is the way cousin Fon Hogg told it to Zona Hatch.

Robert Nelson, our great grandfather, as a young man, lived in Ireland. He was courting a   young Jewess by the name of Elizabeth Joseph. One time Robert and Elizabeth and some

friends decided to boat out to a small island off the cost of

Ireland for a picnic.

As they left shore with their boats, the water became choppy.  The wind blew and some of them became fearful because the storm seemed to be worsening. It was decided that they would return to the mainland and forget their picnic, that is, except for Robert. He said, "I came for a picnic, and I'm going to have my picnic." He and Elizabeth went on alone and made their way to the island. Although the two of them were safe on this bit of land, the storm continued; and in a while, the water became completely unsafe for a boat. Darkness came and the young couple had no choice but to remain on the island alone all through the night.

When the sky began to light up, the winds ceased and the water became calm enough for their trip home. It is very likely they anticipated the fury of their parents, especially Elizabeth’s; but worse than fury, they returned to find themselves in disgrace. Robert and Elizabeth were forced into immediate marriage by their parents. Because Robert was a

Christian and Elizabeth was a Jewess, the marriage arrangement, though unavoidable, was not acceptable to her parents. As was common under such circumstances, the Jewish parents severed their relationship with Elizabeth and her husband. Robert and Elizabeth began their married life estranged from her parents, John and Martha Joseph.

The following account was written by Jane M. Tidwell, their youngest daughter. The items in brackets are from an account written by LeAnne Tidwell Schlegel:

Elizabeth Joseph was born September 16, 1818 in Donegal, Ireland. [Elizabeth and Robert were born in Ireland. First Elizabeth joined the LDS Church. They were married in (Donegal per JMT) Muff, Ireland on December 12, 1842.  Robert joined the church about 3 years later.] Later they moved to Scotland, locating near Paisley. [They had 2 sons there.] 

They worked there until they earned enough money to pay their passage to the land of promise. [Around 1849/1850 they sailed on the ship "North Atlantic" from Scotland to America.]  They were on the sea eleven weeks; the sea being very rough at times, they would almost give up and think the ship would go down. But they arrived safely and landed at New Orleans, and from there they took a boat for St. Louis, Missouri. 

Going up the Mississippi River, they remained in St. Louis to earn money enough to prepare for the journey across the plains. [Two more children were born here: Joseph and Mary.] In the spring of 1852, the start was made. Mother and her son, Samuel, walked all the way from the frontier to Salt Lake City. They arrived in October 1852. My father and another man bought one yoke of oxen between them, and with an old wagon, they brought the belongings of the two families. While on the Sweetwaters, one of the oxen died, and my father borrowed an ox from a man who had one to spare; so they landed in Salt Lake City with one ox and an old wagon. 

I have often heard my mother relate the experience of their first winter in Salt Lake. They had no place but an old chicken coop which some kind man let them have. Father cleaned it out as nicely as he could and plastered it with mud, and they lived there 'til spring. They then moved to Farmington and lived there until the spring of 1860 [where they had 4 more children], then moved to Smithfield where they remained until their deaths.

They arrived in Smithfield on April 4. They lived in a dugout and wagon box until October, then they moved into our new log house: one room with a dirt roof. The house was built in the fort lines (where Claypools Store now stands just west of Smithfield Implement). From the time they arrived until they raised their first crop and had it threshed, they lived most of

the time on thickened milk, and they did not have enough of that. When they threshed, they had to take out wheat with one team to Brigham City to have it made into flour. My mother's

family was quite short of clothing, so they had a few sheep and she prepared the wool and made the family's clothes.

While living in Farmington, my mother would walk to Salt Lake to do her shopping and return the same evening. Mother was noted for her cleanliness and also for being one of the best

butter makers in the country. She also made soap and would give to those in need. She was always kind to those in need and was always willing to divide. She never was afraid of work.

Her many kind acts are still remembered by some of the dear pioneers still living, especially sister Margaret Sant and husband. Father was also a hard-working man. In the early days, he was noted for his ability in cradling and stacking grain. He served as a school trustee here in Smithfield for a number of years.

He held the office of High Priest. They were true to the gospel that they left their native land for. They were firm believers in the law of tithing and taught it to all their children, all of whom

have tried to follow their example. They were the parents of ten children, four girls and six boys. Three died in infancy and two after they had grown to womanhood. They have five living children, 3 sons and 2 daughters;

(Note: On Grandma's audiotape she joked about her parents giving her for tithing; but records indicate only 9 children.) namely, Samuel Nelson and Mrs. Royal E. Tidwell of

Smithfield; Joseph Nelson of Logan; John Nelson of Nampa, Idaho; and Mrs. A. A. Hatch of Vernal. All are members of the church of which their parents were true and faithful to the last.

They both lived to the age of 84 years when they passed away.

We, as sons and daughters of these dear pioneers, can never realize what they passed through and all for the sake of the Gospel we all love. May the memory of these dear pioneers never be forgotten. 

Jane M. Tidwell

Fort at Smithfield Utah, Robert and Elizabeth lived here with their family.

Smithfield Cache County, Utah,

Friday Jan. 3, 1930

TRIBUTE TO OUR PIONEERS

(Contributed by the Utah Pioneer Daughters)

MR. and MRS. ROBERT NELSON

Elizabeth Joseph Nelson was born September 16, 1818 in Donegal, Ireland and lived there until 22 years of age; was married to Robert Nelson December 12, 1842 at Donegal, Ireland. Later they moved to Scotland, locating near Paisley. They worked there until they earned enough money to pay their passage to the land of promise in the meantime they heard the gospel preached by the elders. They accepted same and had a greater desire to leave the land of their birth and come to Zion.  In 1849 they started for Zion. They were on the sea eleven weeks; the sea being very rough at times they would almost

give up and think the ship would go down. But they arrived safely and landed at New Orleans where there they took a boat for St. Louis, Missouri.

Going up the Mississippi River they remained in St. Louis to earn enough money to prepare for the journey across the plains. In the spring of l852 the start was made.

Mother and her son Samuel, walked all the way from the frontier to Salt Lake City. They arrived there in October 1852. Father and another man brought one yoke of oxen and an old wagon, the belongings of the two families.

While on the sweet waters one of the oxen died and father borrowed an ox from a man who had one to spare, so they landed in Salt Lake with one ox and an old wagon.

I have often heard mother relate stories of their first winter in Salt Lake.  They had no place to live but an old chicken coop which some man cleaned and plastered with mud. Here they lived until the next spring when they moved to Farmington and lived until their death.

They arrived in Smithfield April 4th. They lived in a dugout and a wagon box until October then moved into our new one roomed log house with a dirt roof.  The house was built on the lines of a fort. From the time we arrived until we raised our first crop and had it thrashed, we lived most of the time on thickened milk and we did not have enough of that.  When we threshed, we had to take our wheat with one team to Brigham City to have it made into flour.  Mothers family was quite short of clothing, we had a few sheep and she prepared wool to make our clothes.

While living in Farmington, mother would walk to Salt Lake to do her shopping and return the same evening. She was noted for her cleanliness and for being one of the best butter makers in the country.

She also made soap and would give to those in need. She always was kind to those in need and was always willing to divide. She was never afraid of work.

Her many kind acts are still remembered by some of the dear pioneers still living especially Sister Margaret Sant.

Father was a hard working man in the early days. He was noted for his ability in cradling and stacking grain. He served as a school trustee here in Smithfield for a number of years. He held the office of a High Priest.

They were true to the Gospel for which they left their native land. They were firm believers in the law of tithing and taught it to all their children; all of whom have tried to follow their example. They were the parents of ten children; four girls and six boys. Three died in infancy and two girls died after they had grown to womanhood.

Jane M. Tidwell.

The Indians, Grasshoppers and Bread

Robert and Elizabeth Nelson received the gospel in the year 1849 and soon after sailed from Scotland to the United States. It was a voyage of seven weeks, on a sailing vessel. On landing at New Orleans they took a steamer up the Mississippi River to St. Louis.

Robert Nelson remained in St. Louis for a period of two and a half years. He worked in the sugar factory for a man named Belsher.

In 1852 Robert and a man named George Marshal bought a yoke of cattle, and the luggage of the two families was put in a wagon. Mrs. Marshal was rather a delicate woman and had to ride most of the way. Elizabeth and son Samuel (age 7) had to walk all the way across the plains. When they came to the streams they had to ride across. Samuel made the trip barefooted. They arrived in SLC in October, then came as far north as Farmington where they stopped and prepared for winter.

In coming into the valley at Echo Canyon, one of the oxen died and another one was borrowed to complete the journey. They sold the other ox and Robert and Mr. Marshal divided the money received. Also, Robert took the wagon box and his partner the running gear.

They lived in a one room log house and were compelled to eat bran bread. The following year, 1853, they were hard up for food and Sam would go out and dig sego roots and get nettles to boil for greens- not a very rich food. In the fall of 1853 Robert worked hard and earned some wheat so they had bread for the winter. In 1854 they built a dirt wall at Farmington, to protect them from the Indians. In building this wall, they would have boards around and when threw dirt in Sam would have a mallet and pound the dirt down. They followed that occupation all that summer and fall. In the year 1855 Robert tried to farm and by doing so he raised some wheat so they had bread that winter. During the year 1856 the grasshoppers came by the millions and ate everything! This made bread very scarce the following year.  Robert managed to get some barley but could not get the hulls off so they had to eat the barley with the hulls on and they would get stuck in your mouth when you ate the bread. 

During all this time it was almost impossible to get clothes. Roberts’s family was underfed. In 1857-58 we got along better as there was more food in the country. In the spring of 1860 Robert sold out what he had and got a yoke and two cows and came to Cache Valley and located in Smithfield. During this year flour was scarce and they had to live on two meals a day. But they raised a crop that year and after threshing it they had plenty of wheat to eat that winter. They spent most of their time in getting out logs to build a meetinghouse. During the fore part of that winter of 1860 they got logs to build a house.

On the 23rd of July, 1860, they had trouble with the Indians. They were hauling brush to build a bowery so that they might celebrate the 24th. Sam was hauling clay to build a chimney. During the noon hour the Indians commenced shooting. Nearly all the men were in the fields. Thomas G. Winn, Sam Cousins, E.R. Miles, Moroni Price and Samuel Nelson. The Indians shot Sam Cousins, Jim Cowens near the heart, and shot John Reed through the windpipe, which killed him. After they shot these men, they went back and took their things and started for the canyon. The Indians were camped on the East side of town. On the top of the hill, just east of Smithfield City they met Ira Merrill and killed him, then shot Solyman Merrill but didn’t kill him. Then the Indians went to to Smithfield Canyon and disappeared behind some ledges of rock.

They were counseled to build a fort, the creek running through it. There was a heavy growth of trees along the creek and the men trimmed the trees so the Indians couldn’t get in without seeing us seeing them. This caused us to have to stand guard every night and even then the Indians came in and stole horses out of the stables. During the summer of 1860 all the cows were herded in one herd to protect them from the Indians and when we went into the canyons we would carry guns for protection.

The Trouble with the Indians cont. until 1863 and the winter general corner and a group of men came up and went out and gave the Indians a good licking killing some of them. After that we didn’t have so much trouble with the Indians.