History of Clark Alexander Mickelson
by Clayton and Ethel Brough
Clark Alexander Mickelson was born on 11 May 1912 in Lago, Idaho. His parents were Michael Mickelson and Sarah Emeline Harris. Clark's father was a successful farmer and rancher. Clark's parents had seven children.
Clark received his early schooling in Lago and as a boy of ten rode the horse on the hoist to take the brick and mortar up while building the Lago school house. Clark attended and graduated from Thatcher High School, where he met his future wife, Helen Nichols.
In 1932 to 1934, Clark served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) in California. Upon returning to Idaho, Clark married Helen Nichols on 20 February 1935 in the LDS Temple in Logan, Utah. They were the parents of five children, and raised their family in Lago, Idaho.
Clark and Helen successfully engaged in farming, dairying and the raising of poultry at their "Lago View Ranch". In 1958, Clark and Helen went out of the chicken business and into the Grade A Dairy business. They milked 75 to 100 head of cows at one time, and many of their cows made state records in production. Clark was one of the organizers of the Gem Valley Dairymen's Association or Co-op at Thatcher, Idaho. He served as vice-president of that organization, and as a director of the Challenge Cream and Butter Association of Los Angeles, where they marketed their products. He served on the Bannock Dairymen's Association Board and on the executive board of the Federated Dairy Farms Inc. of Ogden. While serving in that capacity he helped organize Western General Dairies, Inc. of Midvale, Utah, where he served as a director. In all, Clark served over 30 years as director of various dairy boards.
Clark was always interested and involved in community programs and development. He helped organize the Lago Cemetery District--which was located across the road just southeast of his home--and assisted in clearing the sage, surveying the plots and putting in a sprinkler system. He was appointed commissioner of the Lago Cemetery District in 1940, a position he held until his death in 1993. Clark also served as road overseer for six years; a community committeeman for eleven years, and four terms on the board of the Gem Valley Grain Growers. He was honored by the Idaho Dairy Association as Dairyman of the Year.
Clark and Helen loved and enjoyed their children and extended family. When Clark joined the dairy board in Utah, he and Helen went on some long trips and were able to take several vacations to the eastern United States and southeast Canada. They were Christians in the largest sense of the word, and as active members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) they contributed much to their church and community, while supporting extensive genealogical research and family history work on their ancestors and kin.
In 1979, Clark and Helen built themselves a new house northeast of the cemetery. On 16 October 1993, Clark died, and on 19 October 1993 he was buried in the Lago Cemetery--which he had helped establish and beautify decades earlier.
History of Helen Isabel Nichols
by Claytonand Ethel Brough
Helen Isabel Nichols was born on 3 June 1913 in Payson, Utah. Her parents were Benjamin Thomas Nichols and Olive Lovenia Booth. Helen's father was coal miner and carpenter, and her parents had eleven children. Her mother died (in 1924) when Helen was only ten years old, and her father passed away (in 1935) when she was twenty-one years old.
In the early 1920's, Helen's parents moved to Standardville, Utah, where, unfortunately, her mother died in childbirth on 13 January 1924. In 1925, Helen's father decided to try chicken farming and moved his family to Samaria, Idaho. Later, Helen attended Thatcher High School, where she first met her future husband, Clark Alexander Mickelson, in 1928.
In 1932 to 1934, Clark Mickelson served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) in California. Upon returning to Idaho, Clark married Helen on 20 February 1935 in the LDS Temple in Logan, Utah. They were the parents of five children, and raised their family in Lago, Idaho.
Clark and Helen successfully engaged in farming, dairying and the raising of poultry at their "Lago View Ranch". In 1958, Clark and Helen went out of the chicken business and into the Grade A Dairy business. They milked 75 to 100 head of cows at one time, and many of their cows made state records in production.
Helen enjoyed cooking and was an excellent cook at anything she tried. She made delicious meals, pies and cakes. She was especially known for her candy--including Boston Creams, taffy and fudge. She enjoyed canning all kinds of fruits, vegetables, jams and jellies. Helen was known as the "African Violet Lady" because she had such a green thumb and loved working in the garden and planting a large variety of colorful flowers. Helen was a good seamstress. She designed and sewed most of her families' clothes. She was known as a fast, beautiful quilter and made many quilts for her family and friends. She also did beautiful handwork, and crocheted numerous afghans and baby shawls.
Helen was always happy and would laugh at most every situation, good or bad. Her home was always full of love and kindness, and no matter who would stop by they were always welcome to come in and eat with the family.
Clark and Helen loved and enjoyed their children and extended family. When Clark joined the dairy board in Utah, he and Helen went on some long trips and were able to take several vacations to the eastern United States and southeast Canada. They were Christians in the largest sense of the word, and as active members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) they contributed much to their church and community, while supporting extensive genealogical research and family history work on their ancestors and kin.
In 1979, Clark and Helen built themselves a new house northeast of the cemetery. On 21 October 2000, Helen died, and on 25 October 2000 she was buried in the Lago Cemetery--which her husband, Clark, had helped establish and beautify decades earlier.
Michael Mickelson" is listed in FamilySearch Tree, PID#: KWZB-KPX.
Genealogical research on the ancestors of Anthon Peter Mikkelsen and Githe Jensen was conducted by Inger Ludlow, an Accredited Genealogist in Salt Lake City, Utah, between 1976 and 1980. Copies of Inger Ludlow's research conclusions and prepared family group records are in possession of Ethel M. Brough.
History of Michael Mickelson, originally published in the book "The Ancestors and Descendants of Anthon Peter Mikkelsen and Githe Jensen" by the Mickelsen & Mickelson Genealogical Organization, Grace, Idaho, June 1980, pages 54-58. Text below:
Michael Mickelson (known as Mikael Mikkelsen in Denmark) was the first child and son of Anthon Peter Mikkelsen and Githe Jensen. He was born on August 28, 1873, at Aastrup Brohus, Sct Hans, Hjorring, Denmark.
When Michael was about eight years old, he, his parents and his three younger brothers: Canute, Henry and Theodore, left Denmark on August 12, 1881, and immigrated to the United States, arriving in Franklin, Idaho on September 11, 1881. During his family's trip to America it was Michael's job to carry "a hat box and hold Canute's hand," while his father carried Henry and his mother carried Ted.
Upon arriving in Idaho, Michael's father and mother settled their family in the small community of Lago, Caribou County, Idaho.
When Michael's family first settled in Lago there were little or no fences or sagebrush along the bench area north of their homestead, just mainly tall grass and occasional outcroppings of lava reef. As Michael grew older he gained a great love for nature's beauty and the life of the outdoors.
Within two years after Michael's family had settled in Lago, one spring morning Michael left the family cabin to pick flowers from a high hill to the north of their residence. He became so engrossed in picking the numerous buttercups, sego-lily's, blue-bells and other flowers on the hillside that for a while he was unaware of eyes watching his every move. Then, as he straightened from picking some flowers he saw three painted Indians approaching him at a gallop. He had been warned by his parents about the Indians in the area, so he immediately ran for home as fast as his legs could carry him. The Indians, either elated or amused at Michael's apparent fear, whooped and yelled all the time they chased him-right up to the cabin door. Then, while the Indians stopped their horses and started laughing, Michael tore into the cabin and crawled under his bed, so frightened that he remained under his bed for the greater portion of the day.
On another occasion, one early afternoon young Michael went to hunt for some family cows which had come up missing. He finally located them among a neighbors herd of long-horn beef cattle. However, in trying to separate the cows from the other cattle he eventually found himself surrounded on a lava reef for several hours by some of the meaner long-horn beef. Several hours later his father finally found him and rescued him.
As a child and throughout his manhood, Michael not only had a great love and appreciation for nature and the outdoors, but he also enjoyed treading and studying. Although his formal education was very limited he took advantage of every available moment to learn how to read, write and spell, and to learn mathematics, history and geography. Indeed, by the time Michael had become a young man his self-educated vocabulary and expertise in mathematics exceeded that of the average college graduate. Also, through exercising self-discipline Michael developed an excellent memory and throughout his life memorized hundreds of lengthy poems-being able to recite a poem for almost every occasion.
As a youth Michael also had the responsibility of carrying mail by horseback to various homes in the Lago community. He would ride his horse five or six miles, tie him up, crawl across bridge stringers over Bear River on his hands and knees and walk another 2½ miles to the post office.
Concerning his youthful years after his family had settled in Lago, Michael has written:
"We were very poor, and there was much work to be done. The land had to be grubbed, plowed, and fenced. We moved onto this place (in Lago) and lived here for nine years, scrimping and trying to make ends meet, and then father's health began to fail-he suffered much for several months with Bright's disease, and finally on September 29, 1890 he passed away. Our family had increased since coming to America. Mother had given birth to three girls and another boy. One of the girls died at birth, the other girls were named: Annie Dagmar and Rebecca, the baby boy was named Anton Otto.
"Now the burden of taking care of and supporting this large family fell on my shoulders, and I was just seventeen years of age. I had never had much schooling as the school term was only three months long, and with Father having been ill for so long, I would have to miss school to cut willows for fire wood. I would chop willows for three days a week so that I could go to school the other two days. I also had to fish and hunt in order to obtain food for our use. [Michael did trapping, duck hunting, and hunted coyotes and bears to pay the taxes and buy enough food for his mother and brothers and sisters during these years.] Mother had a few chickens, and we had a few cows by this time. Mother sold eggs and made butter to help keep the wolf form the door. Time has a way of passing and soon my younger brothers grew large enough to help assume some of the responsibility, and we would go to the sheep camps and shear sheep in the spring in order to earn a few dollars to help our family along.
"We surely did out-grow our small log cabin, and my greatest desire and ambition was to build my mother a new house. So I went to the canyon and cut logs for it and had Mr. Hilliard saw them into lumber. A Mr. Gergensen made the rock foundation. Loren Waite did the carpenter work. John Ray did the painting and Ephriam Gasperson did the plastering. In the year 1897 when we moved into our new home, and it was indeed a happy day for the entire family, and it certainly filled my heart with joy to see my beloved mother able to enjoy a nice home, for it was a lovely and beautiful home, equal to any being built at that time. I found a market for dressed ducks in Denver. So I took my double barreled shot gun and killed and dressed wild ducks and sold them and their feathers and was able to buy paper, carpets, and furniture for our new home."
It was because of Michael's industrious nature and his willingness to stay and finish a job that needed to be done, whether it was shearing sheep in the spring months, cutting and hauling logs in the fall and winter, or farming the homestead in the summer, that his mother and family were soon able to enjoy some of the small comforts of life and keep food on the table.
Following his father's death, Michael's influence in the community began to rapidly grow. This was due to his industrious nature, his clean manly habits, and above all his honest and upright convictions and consideration for his fellowman. Michael's motto throughout his life was: "Let your word be as good as your bond." He always preached that if you owed a man you didn't need to sign a note to tell him so, because you knew you owed him, he knew you owed him, and God, who is everyone's final judge knew you owed him.
In his twenty sixth year Michael became interested in the Mormon religion and on March 3, 1899 was baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Jonathon Gibbs. He was confirmed a member of the L.D.S. Church on March 5, 1899 by Lewis S. Pond.
In February of 1899, Michael attended a "Bow Dance" in Thatcher, and bought the food basket of Sarah Emeline Harris, the eldest child of Alexander Harris and Josephine Octavia Ann Weaver. As a result of this day's purchase and entertainment, a courtship started between Michael and Sarah (called "Sadie") and they were eventually married on July 19, 1899, in the L.D.S. Temple in Logan, Utah. The marriage ceremony was performed by Marriner W. Merrill, then President of the Logan Temple.
During the next twenty-two years, Sarah gave birth to two girls and five boys: Ethel Josephine, Estella Bergetta, Harris Anton, Melvin Theodore, Clark Alexander, Reao Henry, and Franklin Michael. Concerning his beautiful and wonderful wife, Michael has written:
"One year I had just got the heading of my grain done, and had it stacked in large stacks and had paid the man for cutting it when a large black cloud formed, and we had a bad thunderstorm, in which lightning struck my stacks of grain and burned them all to the ground. These were the kinds of things which made life hard and very discouraging at times. But I had a wonderful helpmate who was always willing to sacrifice and help in every way she could to make ends meet. She was a wonderful seamstress and made most of our clothes, even made our garments when we were first married. How she could mend and darn! So well that it was hard to tell where the tear had been. And what a cook she was! She could make a bowl of soup out of almost nothing and make it taste like a chef's soup of great renown. She was also a good mother to our seven children. These days were not easy for the women folk for their work was hard and strenuous. We had to carry all our water up a very steep hill from the creek and on wash day this meant a lot of water had to be carried. Sometimes I would be in a hurry to get to the canyon (we always left around 5:00 A.M.) and I would forget to carry the water which of course meant that much more extra work for the women folk to do by themselves."
Michael and Sarah were good parents to their children. They taught them the gospel and moral principles of life. Michael would often take his children with him to the mountains when he went after lumber, or took them fishing with him or to a movie show in Grace (which was ten miles north of Lago). Though he and Sarah worked hard and long hours each day, Michael would always gather his family in their home very Thursday night for a "home evening." Also, each evening, after the cows had been milked and all the other livestock had been taken care of, Michael and Sarah's children would all gather around the large kitchen table and listen to their father read stories from the "Youth's Companion" publication, which contained true stories of early trappers and Indians and their experiences while living in the Mid-Rocky Mountain Region.
In the ear 1918, an influenza and rabies epidemic raged throughout the northern intermountain region. Michael's children's pet cat left home one day and later came back with the disease. Soon thereafter the cat bit Michael's four oldest sons: Harris, Melvin, Clark and Reao. However, Michael was equal to the impending disaster, and spent 21 days of travel (back and forth to the Soda Springs) taking his sons to the doctor for the series of shots that saved his son's lives.
Concerning events that followed his marriage to Sarah, Michael has written:
"In August of 1901, myself, Sadie, her father and mother, my mother and our baby daughter Ethel all took a trip through Yellowstone Park. We were gone a whole month, camping out in the open each night. We traveled in wagons and buggies.
"We lived in the home which I had built for my mother for two years after our marriage. It was quite a house full of people, there being besides my mother, five of my brothers and sisters still home and most of them grown. Also a Mr. Waite and two of his children lived in our home for about two and one-half years.
"Finally Ted and Henry decided to go to the Teton Basin area and file on homesteads up there. Ted, not being quite old enough was not able to file on any land for himself, so mother went along and filed for herself, then when Ted was old enough he filed on more land and bought his mother's share. We were then by ourselves with the exception of Beckie, who continued to live with us another year, then went to live with mother and Ted in the Teton Basin.
"We were then living by ourselves, though by this time the Lord had blessed us with two daughters: Ethel and Estella. (Five boys came later.)"
Prior to his courtship and marriage, Michael learned to play the piccolo and cornet, later trying his hand at oil painting. Following his marriage Michael was often called upon to pay his musical instruments, while also taking upon himself a number of civic and religious responsibilities.
A few years after his marriage Michael was sustained as second counselor in the Trout Creek War Bishopric. After serving in this office for a few years, he was sustained as Bishop of the War. He served as Bishop two different times and served in the Bishopric for 27 years. At the time of his death he was serving as an L.D.S. stake missionary.
During his lifetime Michael also served in various community positions: Justice of the Peace, Deputy Game Warden, Fire Warden for Cache National Forest, and as an advisor to the Forestry and Fish and Game Departments of his area.
During the earlier years of his married life Michael became a master at the Taxidermy trade, giving extremely fine life-like appearances to game animals killed by himself and his many friends. He performed taxidermy work on eagles, hawks, ducks, pheasants, owls, deer, bobcats, coyotes, bear, elk, sheep and other animals. A large grizzly bear rug graced a portion of the parlor of his home, and deer heads made the high walls of his home rich with the feeling of nature at its best.
In conjunction with his farm, Michael also ran the "Lago Sawmill" for many years. He often gave wood and lumber to those who really stood in need without asking for any repayment. He also provided much of the timber which was used in many of the buildings in his valley during his lifetime. In the late 1930's, an incident at his sawmill almost cost him his life. While sawing lumber with his youngest son Franklin, the saw threw an edging at him, striking him in the forehead at such an angle as to split his scalp knocking him unconscious. The edging then went through the sawmill roof and traveled for a distance of seventy five yards across the road and into the field beyond. In another logging related incident Michael was likewise nearly killed: In the fall of 1920, while logging east of Lago with his eldest son Harris, one of Michael's horses fainted and feel on top of him, driving a 5-pound axe in his chest-just above his heart. Michael and Harris then road a wagon load of logs two miles, and then Michael walked another two miles to his home bleeding all the way. As he opened the back door of his house he let out the word "Mother!" (calling for Sarah) and then fell on his face. His boots were filled with blood. Sarah and his second daughter Estella quickly turned him over and poured flour into the five inch wound-stopping the bleeding. Fortunately, by the spring of 1921, Michael had so improved that he was once again going up the canyon for lumber.
Michael's ability and knowledge of the forest's and nature were unexcelled. He was second to none in estimating the number of board feet in a standing tree marked for the loggers axe, and he was an expert naturalist and authority on the aspects of fish and game and their habitat. For instance, one time he took his sons into the rugged terrain of some of the Cache Forests when visibility dropped to zero in a dense packed-in fog. Soon his sons became uncertain as to their direction when Michael informed them how they could tell they were going north by the position of the moss and other facts of nature!
Michael was also a fearless hunter. Three of his hunting instances have been recorded by his son's as follows:
Michael was a great outdoorsman and hunter. He loved to work in the timbers. One time he went into the hills and found a grizzly bear track. He made a small corral enclosure of poles, leaving an opening at one end and placing a bait of horse meat inside. Then he set a trap in the opening, catching the bear that night. The next morning he said that when he got up a mile or so where the bear was he could hear the bear hollering and snarling. As he went along trying to find him, he soon discovered that the animal had dragged the trap and himself into some thicket. As he approached the animal, the bear took the trap, which weighted fifty pounds, into his paws and bounced it up and down and then chewed it with his teeth trying to get free of it. He quickly killed the animal before the bear had a chance of charging him.
"Another time he went out into the Caribou Mountains to aid some sheep men who were having trouble with a bear which was constantly attacking and eating their sheep. The sheepherders asked him to come and see if he could track and kill the bear and Michael obliged them. He eventually found the den in which the bear was in and told the men which were with him that if it was a black hear 'we'll have to dig him out, but if it's a grizzly it'll come out if we shoot into its den.' So he placed himself on one side of a tree which had fallen near the den and sat down on the ground. He said he had taken one shot into the den when immediately the bear poked his head out. As he did so Michael shot him, just creasing the top of the animal's forehead taking some of its hair off. The bear then ducked down low and charge directly towards Michael just about as fast as he could go. Michael quickly took three more shots at him, and when it was all over the bear lay only a few feet on the other side of the three truck where Michael was sitting. They took the bear into Soda Springs and he measured a little better than 11 feel when he was stretched out on a wagon. They figured that he weighted around 1,100 pounds.
"Another time Michael met a bear up Trout Creek Canyon, and this time he had to go into the den and dig him out. He said he put his face down within a foot of the bears face and then shot him point blank. He then had to get a chain down into the den, put it around the bear's food and drag the animal out with a horse."
In closing it is worth mentioning that because of Michael's magnetic personality and his great interest in each and every individual he ever met he had numerous friends. Other people's problems became his problems, their sorrows his sorrows. Also, Michael understood the frailties of human weakness and forgave accordingly; the teachings of the Savior seemed to be exemplified in his every deed, and honesty, charity and love towards his fellowmen were his constant desire.
Michael died on September 27, 1952, in Lago. Sarah died eleven years later, on March 27, 1963, also in Lago. They were both buried in the Lago Cemetery.History of Michael Mickelson,originally published in the book "Gems of our Valley" by the Grace Literary Club, Grace, Idaho, 1977, page 436. Text below:
Michael Mickelson was born August 28, 1873 two miles west of the city of Hjorring, Denmark, son of Anton and Gitte Jensen Mickelson. They had a farm of about 20 acres with a good home which consisted of one long house - living quarters in the west end, a dining room, bedroom, kitchen and parlor or living room. Next was the granary, a place for hay and the east end was for cattle, pigs and poultry. The reason for having only one building was to save space on land for the country was thickly populated.
After nine years in Lago, their father Anton, died leaving the responsibility of the farm and family to Michael, who was then seventeen. They had a few chickens and cows and the mother sold butter and eggs. Michael would hunt and fish for other food. He and his brother would go to the sheep camps and shear sheep in the spring to earn a few dollars.
In 1897 they moved into a new home. Michael found a market for dressed ducks in Denver, so he took his shotgun and killed and dressed wild ducks and sold them to buy paper, carpet and furniture for the house.
Michael was baptized into the L.D.S. Church on March 3, 1899 by Jonathan Gibbs and was confirmed March 5, 1899 by William McGee Harris. He was married to Sarah Emeline Harris [on] July 19, 1899 in the Logan Temple. This couple were the parents to two daughter: Ethel and Estella, and five sons: Harris, Melvin, Clark, Reao and Franklin.
He died September 27, 1952.
History of Sarah Emeline Harris, as written by herself, Sarah Emeline Harris.
This history was published in the book "The Ancestors of Michael Mickelson and Sarah Emeline Harris" by the Mickelson Genealogy Committee, Utah, 2001, pp. 12-20. Minor grammatical editing included. Text below:
It was about the year of 1878 or 1879 when my parents, Alexander Harris Jr. and Josephine Weaver moved on a place on Sanderson Creek in a lovely meadow in southern Idaho.
Grandfather Harris bought the homestead from a man named John Morrison. They lived in a one room log house, and were the owners of one cow, a mule team, and some chickens.
Being short on cash, my father thought he would go work on the railroad between Bancroft and Soda Springs as they were grading the railroad with team and tongue scrapers, so Father made use of his mules. He was very kind to animals and gave them plenty of oats.
Mother stayed on the ranch with Father's small sister Gertrude who was four years old. Mother milked the one cow, churned butter and one of the chickens was her pet. She came into the house and would lay an egg every day.
Mother was frightened of Indians [as] they would come in bands, half to three quarters of a mile long, one behind the other. They traveled north in the Spring and south in the Fall.
Aunt Gertrude told me she could remember once when Mother saw some Indians coming, she locked the door, took Aunt Gertie by the hand and ran for the John Sanderson's place, who lived a fourth of a mile to the north. The Indians went to the house, walked all around, looked in the windows and waited almost all day for them to return. But they stayed with Mrs. Sanderson over the night, she said she was so frightened after seeing Indians in the day, that she would hardly dare turn over in the bed, or take a deep breath at night. This was the summer of 1879.
Father was away three months and came home in the autumn and put up a little of the wild meadow hay.
The winter came on and I was born the 9th day of January 1880. My grandmother Sarah Clark Weaver was with mother for a few days after my arrival.
I think of my Mother in that lonely cabin, away from everyone and no Doctor's, no railroads, no telephones. But Mother was a real pioneer and always put the best foot forward, and all her trust in the Lord. For she was a woman with a great deal of faith.
Father wanted to go on the railroad the next spring, but Mother pleaded with him not to go.
She said: "Alex, I will live on straight bread and water, if you will only stay home with me and Gertie".
A bunch of men went, Hogan's and Pond's and others also, but they were cheated out of their pay after hard summer's work, so Father was very glad that he listed to his wife.
Well, Father was very ambitious, so he got Heber M. Wells (who later became Utah's first governor - he was Father's pet cousin) to let him have money to buy cattle to raise on shares, and we began to get on quite fast. Mother was so very saving and Father was so very ambitious. He would laugh if we ever said we were tired, as he said young people never got tired.
The range was free and there was not much to spend our money for, as there was not stores nearer than Soda Springs. Then we could only buy yardage goods, and foods which consisted of dried fruit, rice, dried beans and such.
We always sent two cows to Kunz dairy in the spring and Kunz returned them in the fall with a quantity of cheese. The wheat was hauled to a grist mill, and ground into flour, graham flour, cracked wheat for cereal and bran for the chickens and pigs.
We shored our vegetables and potatoes in a pit or a root cellar. We had our own meat, pork and lard. We smoked our own hams and bacon and buried them in the wheat bins in able to keep them.
We had plenty of baby beef and from the fat Mother made soap and candles. We each had a tin candle holder to carry upstairs as it was too dangerous for children to carry a kerosene lamp. That was a daily job to clean the glass lamp chimneys and fill the lamps with coal oil or kerosene and trim the lamp wicks.
One time when Mother was alone with Aunt Gertie, a skunk got in the chicken coop. Mother got a long handled hay fork and socked it in the skunk's head, but no more said than done, when the skunk socked her in the eyes with an ill smelling fluid. She thought her eyes were blinded and went to the creek and bathed her eyes for a long time.
These things were told to me of course by my parents. There was a stage station north from our place about three miles, they called it China camp, as there was a lone China man who was keeper of the station. He was called Columbia, and was a great friend of mine. He would always have a present for me, of a quarter or some nickels. This was a sort of Post Office, James and Jesse Moore from Soda Springs were the first mail carriers.
When I was four or five, we moved from the meadow, up on the highway. Father built a new house from rough boards on the outside and rough boards on the inside and sawdust for insulation. We had two rooms: a large living room, facing east and a lean-to on the north which was our kitchen. We really felt rich. Mother whitewashed the inside with clay from Soda Springs, as there was no lime or calcimine handy.
The house was gone over every fall and spring and how clean it smelled when it was done. We had our beds made from straw. We made a large box shaped case from pillow ticking. We called them straw ticks. The straw was renewed twice or three times a year discarding the old straw, washing the ticks. I think some things were more sanitary then, than now. Another tick was made and filled with cat tails (a reed like plant) for winter, which was as warm as her feather bed.
We certainly had a wonderful home and wonderful parents. Mother was never too busy to sit and give us good advice and show us the straight and narrow way. She never was a fault finder or never criticized her fellow associates or ever allowed her family to.
We would never dare find fault or criticize one person who held responsible positions. Not even a ward teacher. We were taught forgiveness of each other. To look for the beauties of this life. "Could I have lived the life I was taught a little more fully".
When I was seven years of age, my Father was called on a mission to Tennessee, where he labored for three months, but the low climate and the scant diet disagreed with him and his health became so poor he was honorable released. His companion's name was Mr. Condie.
George Tanner ran the place while Father was away. After Father returned home, Mother regretted that he had to return so soon. Well, Father decided to build a real home with the materials he was able to get at Logan. By this time he began to haul rock for the foundation. A Danish man by the name of Jensen who lived where Laura Robbin's place is at now, made the foundation.
Father turned a small stream of water into a pit of loose soil and we tramped it with our feet. Not being able to get a mixer. Then we made adobes from the mud, dried them on the lawn and insulated the whole house with these adobes set together with mud mixture and this made the house warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
Joseph and Hans Monson and Alonzo Skidmore (Verna Merrill's Father) were the carpenters. Thorp was the plasterer. Lewis was the painter on the outside. John Bay painted the interior. John Bench from Logan was the paper hanger. We now had one of the nicest homes in the valley.
We had seven large rooms with closet and pantry. We moved in on November 1888 and on the 29th of January 1889 my baby sister Harriet Josephine was born. In February my Grandfather Alexander Harris Sr., died very suddenly while at his home in Mound Valley. An hour before he had been shooting at a mark with his boys.
Our schools were only three or four months long in a year, so I went to Henry, Idaho and boarded with Father's sister Mary Christensen and attended school one summer. Then I came to Lago one summer and Harriet Titus and myself stayed with Harriet's grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Knut Christensen, then a school house was built at Cove, and I drove a team of horses with sleigh and gathered up children along the way. We had to unhitch and feed our horses. Then unharness them when we got home.
After finishing district school, I went to Preston, Idaho to the new Academy which was a Church school and my Father was a very heavy donor to this building.
The first year I boarded with Hattie Thatcher. This was the year Father bought my organ. He got it in Logan. I took music lessons from L.D. Edwards, a Frenchman who was the composer of the music "I Know That My Redeemer Lives." He was some professor and conducted a very fine choir in Preston, Idaho.
The second year I boarded at the home of Soloman H. Hale. His wife Anna, being my great aunt and who had lived in the valley. I was right at home. Solomon Hale was first counselor to Geor Parkinson in the Stake Presidency.
Heber I. Hale and I did our studying together. We had a pan of popcorn every evening. Heber raised his own corn, and popped it fresh every evening.
I had some very dear friends in Preston. The third and last season, I stayed with one of Mother's sisters Nora Stephenson who lived a good one and a half miles from the school.
I always walked or sometimes waded, as there was no cement walks. But there were a few board sidewalks. I used to be almost stalled at the crossing at Main and Center. I wore gun-rubber boots and changed to shoes when I got to school.
When I came home, there was a branch Primary organized at Cove, with Mrs. George Smith as President and I was an aid to help her. That was my first primary work. We lived seven miles from the Church house and had to travel by team or horseback. However I had a fine pony who I called Coly, and I owned a side saddle.
And when it was stormy weather we would ride our horses as the roads would get so muddy. We had no bridges over the river, and had to ford when we came to parties at other wards.
We had our milking done by sunrise, as we were the first on the milk route and John Harrington, the milk hauler, hauled with team and wagon to the First Cooperative Creamery in the valley, and was run by a man named Webber, an eastern man and his daughter Mabel. Every man had a tester of their own.
We were never lonesome as we always had a great deal of company. President Grant's family spent the summer with us. We thought so much of his son Daniel, who was three years old. But he died the next winter from diphtheria.
Mother used to go and assist her friends and relatives when there was sickness and I had to carry on at home.
One day I was busy with the morning's work, when Aunt Ann came in and wanted dinner for eight. Sol and Anna Hale, Brigham Young Jr., and wife and son's and three of the Cannon boys. They were on their way to Yellowstone Park.
I surely was embarrassed, but with Auntie's help, I finally got the dinner over with. I also served meals to Carl G. Maiser while at Sol Hale's. And roomed with his daughter Nettie.
Nettie Maiser taught the first kindergarten in Preston, Idaho. She was a wonderful person.
We did all our shopping at Soda Springs, Idaho. And would lay in a six month's supply in the fall, as the snow got so deep across the prairie, and no fences or land marks to guide one. It was risky to go across.
If we ran out of supplies, we would borrow from our kind neightbors, or manufacture things for ourselves. I just lacked six months in finishing my schooling, as I was sick all winter in 1898. And in 1899 I met Michael Mickelson in February at a bow dance. (This is where the girl fixed a lunch in a box or basket with a bow on it. The young men were bid and pay for the lunch and then eat it with the girl who had fixed it.) He came and brought his sister Annie to visit me, and he kept returning at intervals and the 3rd of March he was baptized into the L.D.S. Church and the 19th of July we were married in the Logan Temple by Marriner W. Merrill.
We spent the first night of our married life in the house that my Grandfather Weaver had built in Millville, Utah.
We stayed with Aunti (Sarah Elizabeth) Holmes, we called her Grandfather's third wife. She had two children home, Uncle David and Aunt Phoebe, that was 52 years ago. Mother was with us.
Thos Stephensen (my cousin) and Frankie Campbell were married the next day after we were.
We traveled with team and white top wagon, two days going down and to two days sat Millville and Logan and two days coming home. We stayed overnight at Aunt Nora's (she was my Mother's oldest sister).
We got to Mother's home Saturday and came to Lago on Sunday morning. We went to Church and announced our wedding dance, thinking we might escape a shivaree, but not such good luck.
After we retired Sunday evening, we suddenly heard a great noise outside our window, there was the shivaree party, but all they did was make a big noise, and stayed around awhile, then went home.
Mother gave us a small family dinner. Father gave us two milk cows, and we received a few presents from some of our best friends.
We moved in with Michael's family which consisted of his Mother, three brothers, two sisters, Mr. Waite, his son Glenn, his daughter Rena, Michael and myself.
I stayed at my mother's home until I had finished a dress-making course which I had started in June. It was a three month's course under the direction of a Miss Hansen. Others who took the course were Harriet Titus, Amy (Larkins) Thatcher, Hattie (Bassett) Stainbrook, Addie (Scott) Huffacre and Jane Scott and myself. We learned to cut our own patterns by the buddington cutting machine.
I walked two miles to the Cove school house to the class.
I also helped Frank Andres the hired man, milk the cows by hand. I sewed for my sister Ethel, and Mother as they were going to Logan to College for the winter and when I came to Lago, I sewed for Mother Mickelson and her girls. I made over a set of clothes for Rebecca, from some clothes that belonged to a daughter of Mr. Waite's who died from appendicitis.
We spent our first Christmas at a program at the Presbyterian Church.
I was very anxious to get a present for my husband, but had no way of obtaining one. So Annie rode old (Dick) a black horse we owned, down to Brother Herd's store and got a shaving mug for him. He gave me a pair of chicken dishes (there were into the shape of hens and the top half was a cover, and you could put jewelry, etc. in them).
We would attend both the Presbyterian Church and the L.D.S. Church.
Michael was the first member of their family to join the L.D.S. Church. We all lived together and I did most of the sewing. I took in some sewing and received $3.50 for making a dress. We lined each dress and overcast the seams, put crinoline in the skirt and whale bones in the waist.
We had a fine family of five boys and two girls, all of whom were married in the Temple and they have fine families.
All total I have helped in the Relief Society forty years from President to counselor's to teacher's positions.
I sewed everything we wore but Michael's overalls, and socks. I knit his and the girls sox and stockings from black yarn. I also cut patterns for most everyone in Lago. There was no ready made clothes in the stores, so we had to sew or go without. When clothes were worn, we tore them into strips and sewed them together, and had us a new carpet made for our floors. I had two of these carpets made for our dining room. We put clean straw under the carpet for a padding. I also used scraps of the new material for quilts.
We had our own wool, and we washed and dried and (picked the straw from the wool) then carried it with hand cards, for our quilts.
I made camp quilts from the backs of overalls, and the tails of woolen shirts, and skirts.
I also made all our lye soap. I saved the bear fat, and the fat from the deer, beef and mutton for our soap.
We hauled our wheat to the grist mill and had our flour, cereal and bran (for the chickens) ground so we had our winter supply of bread stuff. We were poor but happy.
We had no picture shows to go to, but we subscribed for the Youth's Companion and Michael would read to the children in the evenings.
Folks of the community had a house party two or three times a week, we had chicken with all the trimmings, everyone had their turn, we really loved our neighbors.
We made a trip to the Teton Basin with horse and wagon. We were six days on the road and camped out every night, and we had a nice time, but we came home on the train. Now people make the trip up and back in one day.
When we were first married, I did my washing on a washboard and boiled my clothes in a boiler. I carried all my water from Trout Creek and when I had four children we got a well. How thrilled we were, we had to carry it out and carry it in, we hadn't many conveniences, but we got along fine.
We had a great deal of company and enjoyed our humble life. In 1906 I was chosen in the Relief Society organization. I was first chosen as Treasurer, then as counselor to Maretta Bassett. Nest I was made President, with Lutie Swensen and Noami Mendenhall as counselors. Then I was counselor to Lutie Swensen, then I was President, with Gwen Redford as counselor. Then I was counselor to Mollie Bassett and when my son Melvin was Bishop I was sustained as President again for three years. I enjoyed this work a great deal. I was Sunday School teacher and counselor in the Primary to Mrs. Agnes Durrant who would ride a horse from Thatcher to Lago to attend Primary.
We had real nice times at the old creamery with the Durrant's we would take our lunch and picnic at the Hot Springs, or down the river. We also had nice times gathering huckleberries in the mountains, with some of our dear friends.
Michael did a great deal of logging from the canyon. I would take my sewing and go as far as Claborn Morehead's and visit and sew until Michael came home from the canyon, then Lizzie would have supper ready and we would eat with them before we went home.
Our children went to school down by the cemetery in as one room school house. I boarded two school teachers. A Mrs. Wm. Bennett and Miss Helen Latterner. I enjoyed their association a great deal. A few years later we boarded a young teacher from Missouri, her name was Margaret Collins.
We now have six children, our two daughters are attending High School at the first High held in the valley.
Ethel marries Vernon Mendenhall at the age of 17½ years of age, then in a year she makes us grandparents by giving birth to a tiny baby girl which they named Vernona. We were all so happy.
Family Group Record information comes from the personal records and documents of Ethel M. Brough.
History of Benjamin Thomas Nichols and Olive Lovenia (Lovinia) Booth
A history of Benjamin Thomas Nichols and Olive Lovenia (Lovinia) Booth can be found in the 2002 book, "The Life and Times of Benjamin Thomas Nichols and his wife, Olive Lovenia Booth, 1875-1934...[and] their Children...and their Ancestors...." which has been made into a digital book by the Family History Library (FHL) in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is available for free online viewing. Also, this book is available on seven fiche at the FHL (FHL US/CAN Fiche, #6005509, 7 fiche).
The Utah Death Record lists Olive as "Olive Lovinia Booth"--as reported by her husband, B.T. Nichols.
History of Benjamin Thomas Nichols and Olive Lovenia (Lovinia) Booth
A history of Benjamin Thomas Nichols and Olive Lovenia (Lovinia) Booth can be found in the 2002 book, "The Life and Times of Benjamin Thomas Nichols and his wife, Olive Lovenia Booth, 1875-1934...[and] their Children...and their Ancestors...." which has been made into a digital book by the Family History Library (FHL) in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is available for free online viewing. Also, this book is available on seven fiche at the FHL (FHL US/CAN Fiche, #6005509, 7 fiche).
Olive Nichols died of an "Intestinal obstruction".
Anthon Peter Mikkelsen was buried on 1 October 1890 in the small Gentile Cemetery (later called the Old Lago Cemtery) located on the top of Old Elliott Hill in Lago, Caribou Co., Idaho.
Genealogical research on the ancestors of Anthon Peter Mikkelsen and Githe Jensen was conducted by Inger Ludlow, an Accredited Genealogist in Salt Lake City, Utah, between 1976 and 1980. Copies of Inger Ludlow's research conclusions and prepared family group records are in possession of Ethel M. Brough.
History of Anthon Peter Mikkelsen and Bergetta (Githe) Jensen
A history of Anthon Peter Mikkelsen and Bergetta (Githe) Jensen can be found in the 2001 book, "The Ancestors of Michael Mickelson and Sarah Emeline Harris", which has been made into a digital book by the Family History Library (FHL) in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is available for free online viewing. Also, this book is available on microfilm at the FHL (FHL US/CAN Film # 1440477, Item #10).
The gravesite of Bergetta Jensen Mickelsen is posted in FindAGrave at:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=17541726History of Anthon Peter Mikkelsen and Bergetta (Githe) Jensen
A history of Anthon Peter Mikkelsen and Bergetta (Githe) Jensen can be found in the 2001 book, "The Ancestors of Michael Mickelson and Sarah Emeline Harris", which has been made into a digital book by the Family History Library (FHL) in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is available for free online viewing. Also, this book is available on microfilm at the FHL (FHL US/CAN Film # 1440477, Item #10).
History of Alexander Harris Jr., and Josephine Octavia Ann Weaver
A history of Alexander Harris Jr. and Josephine Octavia Ann Weaver can be found in the 2001 book, "The Ancestors of Michael Mickelson and Sarah Emeline Harris", which has been made into a digital book by the Family History Library (FHL) in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is available for free online viewing. Also, this book is available on microfilm at the FHL (FHL US/CAN Film # 1440477, Item #10).
History of Alexander Harris Jr., and Josephine Octavia Ann Weaver
A history of Alexander Harris Jr. and Josephine Octavia Ann Weaver can be found in the 2001 book, "The Ancestors of Michael Mickelson and Sarah Emeline Harris", which has been made into a digital book by the Family History Library (FHL) in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is available for free online viewing. Also, this book is available on microfilm at the FHL (FHL US/CAN Film # 1440477, Item #10).
In the 1841 Census, William Nichols is listed as being about 17 years old (born about 1824), not born in Northumberland, and working as a "Coal miner".
In October 2007, Ethel M. Brough obtained the marriage certificate of "William Nichols" and "Bell Stavers" from England, which stated that they were married by Banns on 13 December 1846 in the parish of Trimdon, Durham, England; that William Nichols was "of full age" and a Widower and Miner of Trimdon, and that his father was John Nichols, a Miner; and that Bell Stavers was "of full age" and of Trimdon, and that her father was Robert Stavers, a Miner. The marriage was witnessed by John Nichols and William Ledbitter.
In the 1851 Census, William Nichols is listed as being about 30 years old (born about 1821), a "Coal miner" and living in Franwellgate, Durham, England. His wife is listed in the 1851 Census as "Esabell", age 24 years.
Historical Note: William Nichols was a Mormon Piioneer, as follows (in FS PID# KWVQ-2XG):
William Nichols was baptized into the LDS Church in England in February 1853; and Ellen White joined the LDS Church in England on 19 April 1854. They were married on 19 March 1854 in Kelloe, Durham, England.
"In the Spring of 1868, the [Nichols] family made plans to leave England and join with the Saints in Utah. With the help of the Perpetual Emigration Fund," William, Ellen, and their three daughters (Catherine, Isabella and Mary Ellen) "joined with the 146 such company that had been sponsored by the Church. This company consisted of 412 British, and 45 Swiss and German Saints booked on the sailing ship Resolute for New York…. Their ship, the Resolute, failed to arrive as scheduled, and the shipping company quickly pressed into service an aging fire-damaged substitute [sailing ship] named the Constitution. On June 24 [1868] the ship…left at midnight, ready to set sail for New York…. On Sunday, August 5th [1868], they [arrived and] cast anchor in New York Harbor. After going through customs at Castle Garden, the luggage and emigrants then transferred by tug boat up the Hudson River to where they boarded a train. On August 7th at 2:00 pm. the train pulled out, following the Hudson River, reaching Albany the next morning. At noon the group resumed their travels and their train meandered through Rochester into Canada and then Detroit, Chicago to Omaha. The Chicago to Omaha part of the trip was especially difficult on the company as the railroad had only provided three passenger cards for nearly 500 people, making up the different with some uncomfortable box cars…. They reached Omaha on the morning of August 13th and continued that evening at 7:00 for Benton or the end of the line in Wyoming. The train arrived in Benton, Wyoming, August 16, 1868." (See the 2002 book: The Life and Time of Benjamin Thomas Nichols and his wife Olive Lovenia Booth, 1875-1934, pages 227-246.)
William Nichols and Ellen White traveled in the John Gillespie Company which had about 500 individuals and 50 wagons when it began its journey on 23 August 1868 from the outfitting post at Benton, Wyoming, and arrived in Salt Lake City on 13 September 1868.
(See: https://history.lds.org/overlandtravels/pioneerDetail?lang=eng&pioneerId=37603)
(Also: https://history.lds.org/overlandtravels/pioneerDetail?lang=eng&pioneerId=37600)
(Also: https://history.lds.org/overlandtravels/companyDetail?companyId=126)History of William Nichols and Ellen (Eleanor) White
A history of William Nichols and Ellen (Eleanor) White can be found in the 2002 book, "The Life and Times of Benjamin Thomas Nichols and his wife, Olive Lovenia Booth, 1875-1934...[and] their Children...and their Ancestors...." which has been made into a digital book by the Family History Library (FHL) in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is available for free online viewing. Also, this book is available on seven fiche at the FHL (FHL US/CAN Fiche, #6005509, 7 fiche).Historical Note: William Nichols was excommunicated from the LDS Church on 24 July 1870, but was re-baptized on 18 October 1875. Copies of the Coalville Ward Records and subsequent research verifying these church actions are in the possession of Ethel M. Brough. Research Note: Based on comments by older family members, it is probable that William Nichols and Ellen White were excommunicated from and later reinstated back into the LDS Church because of some minor infraction (such as "drinking tea") or because they "disagreed" about something with their local LDS church leader. The following information was sent by the Temple Department of the LDS Church to Neldon E. Nichols on 10 April 1984: "This is to inform you that on 28 February 1984 the priesthood and temple blessings were restored by proxy in the Salt Lake Temple for your great grandmother, Ellen White, who was excommunicated on 28 August 1870 and was reinstated by baptism on 18 October 1875. On 20 March 1984 the priesthood and temple blessings were restored by proxy in the Salt Lake Temple for your great grandfather, William Nichols, who was excommunicated on 24 July 1870 and was reinstated by baptism on 18 October 1875. We have verified that your great grandfather was sealed to parents on 20 June 1958 in the Salt Lake Temple and your great grandmother was sealed by proxy to her parents on 1 October 1980 in the Provo Temple. These dates are their official sealing dates and should be entered into your records."
Historical Note: The LDS Sealing Record for William Nichols to Isabel Stavers (who had died) and Ellen White can be found at the Special Collections Division of the Family History Library, Film # 1149515 - Sealing # 13510. This record states incorrectly that William Nichols was born in "West Renton", Durham, England, however, he was born in "West Rainton."
The christening of "Eleanor White" is listed in the parish register of Bishop Middleham, Durham (FHL Film # 1894208, Item #5), which states that she was christened on 16 October 1832 as the daughter of George and Catharine White of Bishop Middleham, and that George White was a "Labourer".
Historical Note: Ellen White was a Mormon Pioneer, as follows (in FS PID#: KWVQ-2XL):
William Nichols was baptized into the LDS Church in England in February 1853; and Ellen White joined the LDS Church in England on 19 April 1854. They were married on 19 March 1854 in Kelloe, Durham, England.
"In the Spring of 1868, the [Nichols] family made plans to leave England and join with the Saints in Utah. With the help of the Perpetual Emigration Fund," William, Ellen, and their three daughters (Catherine, Isabella and Mary Ellen) "joined with the 146 such company that had been sponsored by the Church. This company consisted of 412 British, and 45 Swiss and German Saints booked on the sailing ship Resolute for New York…. Their ship, the Resolute, failed to arrive as scheduled, and the shipping company quickly pressed into service an aging fire-damaged substitute [sailing ship] named the Constitution. On June 24 [1868] the ship…left at midnight, ready to set sail for New York…. On Sunday, August 5th [1868], they [arrived and] cast anchor in New York Harbor. After going through customs at Castle Garden, the luggage and emigrants then transferred by tug boat up the Hudson River to where they boarded a train. On August 7th at 2:00 pm. the train pulled out, following the Hudson River, reaching Albany the next morning. At noon the group resumed their travels and their train meandered through Rochester into Canada and then Detroit, Chicago to Omaha. The Chicago to Omaha part of the trip was especially difficult on the company as the railroad had only provided three passenger cards for nearly 500 people, making up the different with some uncomfortable box cars…. They reached Omaha on the morning of August 13th and continued that evening at 7:00 for Benton or the end of the line in Wyoming. The train arrived in Benton, Wyoming, August 16, 1868." (See the 2002 book: The Life and Time of Benjamin Thomas Nichols and his wife Olive Lovenia Booth, 1875-1934, pages 227-246.)
William Nichols and Ellen White traveled in the John Gillespie Company which had about 500 individuals and 50 wagons when it began its journey on 23 August 1868 from the outfitting post at Benton, Wyoming, and arrived in Salt Lake City on 13 September 1868.
(See: https://history.lds.org/overlandtravels/pioneerDetail?lang=eng&pioneerId=37603)
(Also: https://history.lds.org/overlandtravels/pioneerDetail?lang=eng&pioneerId=37600)
(Also: https://history.lds.org/overlandtravels/companyDetail?companyId=126)History of William Nichols and Ellen (Eleanor) White
A history of William Nichols and Ellen (Eleanor) White can be found in the 2002 book, "The Life and Times of Benjamin Thomas Nichols and his wife, Olive Lovenia Booth, 1875-1934...[and] their Children...and their Ancestors...." which has been made into a digital book by the Family History Library (FHL) in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is available for free online viewing. Also, this book is available on seven fiche at the FHL (FHL US/CAN Fiche, #6005509, 7 fiche).Historical Note: Ellen White was excommunicated from the LDS Church on 28 August 1870, but was re-baptized on 18 October 1875. Copies of the Coalville Ward Records and subsequent research verifying these church actions are in the possession of Ethel M. Brough. The following information was sent by the Temple Department of the LDS Church to Neldon E. Nichols on 10 April 1984: "This is to inform you that on 28 February 1984 the priesthood and temple blessings were restored by proxy in the Salt Lake Temple for your great grandmother, Ellen White, who was excommunicated on 28 August 1870 and was reinstated by baptism on 18 October 1875. On 20 March 1984 the priesthood and temple blessings were restored by proxy in the Salt Lake Temple for your great grandfather, William Nichols, who was excommunicated on 24 July 1870 and was reinstated by baptism on 18 October 1875. We have verified that your great grandfather was sealed to parents on 20 June 1958 in the Salt Lake Temple and your great grandmother was sealed by proxy to her parents on 1 October 1980 in the Provo Temple. These dates are their official sealing dates and should be entered into your records."
Marriage Notes for William Nichols and Ellen White-20
The marriage of "william Nichols" and "Eleanor White" is listed in the parish register of Bishop Middleham, Durham (FHL Film # 1894209), which states that William Nichols was "of the Parish of Kelloe" and Eleanor White was "of this Parish", and that their Banns were published on February 26, March 5, and March 12, 1854.
Brith Certificate for John George Nichols is in possession of Ethel M. Brough. Earlier family records incorrectly stated that John George Nichols was born on 16 April 1855 in Bishop Middleham, Durham, England. However, according to John George Nichols birth certificate, he was born on 17 April 1855 in the same geographical area--of Seghill, Earsdon, Northumberland--as was his grandfather, John Nichol (born 19 August 1792).
The death of John George Nichols is listed in the online FreeBMD.
The death location of Margaret Nichols is listed in the online FreeBMD, which lists the registrated death as having been recorded during the January-March quarter of 1865 in the district of Easington, County Durham, England.
The death location of George Nichols is listed in the online FreeBMD, which lists the registrated death as having been recorded during the October-December quarter of 1866 in the district of Durham, Country Durham, England.
The birth of "John Booth" was obtained from family group records compiled in the 1900's, which stated that he was born on 1 April 1837 in Middleton, Lancashire, England.
The christening of "John Booth" is listed in the Bishop's Transcripts of Middleton, Lancashire (FHL Film # 1545702, Item #5), which states that he was christened on 4 June 1837 in Middleton, and that his parents were "James and Ann Booth" of "Middleton" and that James Booth was a "Weaver". Also, the christening of John Booth can be found in the FHL Film #1545699, which reads as follows: "June 4 [1837], John
s[on of] James and Ann Booth, [of] Middleton, Weaver.""John Booth" is listed in the 1841 Census (FHL Film # 306928, p.48) for Hopwood, Middleton, Lancaster, England, as follows:
James Booth, 25 (years old--but rounded off so born about 1812-1816), Yes (born in the county of Lancashire)
Ann, 25 (years old--but rounded off so born between 1812-1816), Yes (born in the county of Lancashire)
Martha, 5 (years old--born about 1836), Yes (born in the county of Lancashire)
John, 3, (years old--born about 1838), Yes (born in the county of Lancashire)
Mary Ann, 2 months (born about April 1841--as the 1841 Census was taken on 6 June 1841) Yes (born in the county of Lancashire).The 1851 Census lists John Booth as being about 13 years of age (born about 1838), born in Middleton, Lancashire, and working as a "Silk dresser in for Weaver", and residing with his parents, James Booth (age 37) and Ann (age 37), and four siblings, at: at: Back Mount Street, Christ Church (ecclesiastical district), Manchester, Lancashire. (Caution: the 1851 Census digital extraction mistakenly lists John Booth as John "Borth".)
The following information on John Booth were published in the 2002 book, "The Life and Times of Benjamin Thomas Nichols and his wife Olive Lovenia Booth":
"John [Booth] relates that by the time he was about fourteen years old there had been an epidemic of cholera in England [which actually took place in 1854] and the cemetery had been forced to empty the vaults to make room for the new dead. He said, 'As I watched them haul the skeletons out in two-wheeled carts, I wondered if my mother was among them.' When he went home he found the parish cart at the home taking his small brother and sisters to the poor house. He does not mention his older sister Martha but said he was told he could go and find relatives to live with. John had eight uncles on the Booth side, one Tetlow aunt, and one aunt, Judith Booth Ogden. John walked to Bolton to live with his mother's brother, Thomas Tetlow. His uncle took him into the mines to work. Of these times John only said, 'There was a blight on potatoes that year and as my uncle was poor, our meals were distasteful.' When John was nineteen he ran away and found work in the coal mines at Bury, Lancashire, England. One account said he was seventeen and was very careful not to let his uncle know where he had gone. It also said he got work at Pendlebury in the coal mines about four miles from Manchester." (Page 271.)
"John Booth, had left England for America on August 20, 1859, landing in New York, then taking the train to join up with John Lythgoe in Saint Louis to help earn means for the rest of the family to come to America." (Page 348)
Research Note, April 2008:
John Booth left on the ship "Emerald Isle" from Liverpool, England on 20 August 1859, and arrived in New York on 1 October 1859. The LDS church leader was Henry Hug. (FHL Film # 175552.)Research Note, August 2008:
In August 2008, Kathleen Mellor Barnes (of Lancashire, England) told Ethel M. Brough (of Utah) that her Booth ancestors in England had passed down "a family tradition that a great uncle went to America to prospect for gold". Interestingly, John Booth (1837-1914) is the great grand uncle of Kathleen Mellor Barnes, and he did go "to California and worked in the Placer Gold Mines" between about 1860 and 1864 to "save enough money to send to England for our loved ones" and was "paid in gold dust that had to be changed into currency at Sacramento."Historical Note: John Booth was a Mormon Pioneer, as follows (in FS PID#: KWNL-QK7):
John Booth was baptized into the LDS Church in England on 5 May 1855; and Ann Lythgoe joined the LDS Church in England on 1 May 1848. They were married on 31 May 1857 in Pendlebury Eccles, Lancashire, England.
John Booth left on the ship Emerald Isle from Liverpool, England on 20 August 1859, and arrived in New York on 1 October 1859. He then took a "train to join up with John Lythgoe in Saint Louis to help earn means for the rest of the family to come to America…. By early 1864, John Lythgoe and John Booth had managed to send enough money to pay passage for the rest of the family to come to America. (See the 2002 book: The Life and Time of Benjamin Thomas Nichols and his wife Olive Lovenia Booth, 1875-1934, page 348.)
"John Booth tells us that "When the Civil War started, we [John Lythgoe and John Booth] decided to go to Utah. We are told that the two traveled west with a train of emigrants…to the Missouri River…. We walked and worked our way from then on. …When we got to Fort Bridger [Wyoming], we got in a train of emigrants that was leaving for Utah. At Green River a girl…got her leg broken and had to be hurried to Salt Lake City to be taken care of. John Lythgoe and I were among eight young men to carry her to a doctor at Salt Lake. She was carried on a stretcher." (See the 2002 book: The Life and Time of Benjamin Thomas Nichols and his wife Olive Lovenia Booth, 1875-1934, page 277. Note: The listing of John Booth in the 1864 Joseph S. Rawlins Company-which appears in the Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel website--is not correct.)
In 1864, Ann Lythgoe Booth traveled with her mother, Esther Lythgoe Wilcock, and her two sisters (Elizabeth and Rachel) and her two children (Lucy and Ellen), from England on the sailing ship Monarch of the Sea, destined for Utah on April 27, 1864.
"[Esther's son] James [Lythgoe] said that 'My father came to see me a few days before I set sail for America, and I accompanied him to the Bolton Station and gave him half sovereign 10 shillings as I parted with him. My mother held means for his emigration until the last but he would not go'. …We do not have all the facts but James [Lythgoe] has passed down to us that 'the only objection father had against coming to Utah was his dread of the sea'."
"On the morning of June 3rd [1864] their ship [carrying Ann Lythgoe Booth and company] arrived at New York where the landing of the emigrants at Castle Garden at once took place. In the evening they boarded a steamer for Albany, New York, and from there they traveled by train to St. Joseph, Missouri, thence by steamer up the Missouri River to Wyoming, Nebraska." (See the 2002 book: The Life and Time of Benjamin Thomas Nichols and his wife Olive Lovenia Booth, 1875-1934, page 348-349.)
When Ann Lythgoe Booth arrived in Nebraska, she and her two daughters (Lucy and Ellen) then traveled with Esther Wilcock Lythgoe and her two daughters (Elizabeth and Rachel) in the Joseph S. Rawlins Company--which had about 400 individuals and about 50 wagons when it began its journey on 15 July 1864 from the outfitting post at Wyoming, Nebraska (the west bank of the Missouri River about 40 miles south of Omaha). This company of Saints arrived in Salt Lake City on 19 September 1864.
(See: https://history.lds.org/overlandtravels/pioneerDetail?lang=eng&pioneerId=31103)
(Also: https://history.lds.org/overlandtravels/companyDetail?lang=eng&companyId=245)
Ann Lythgoe Booth and her "family finally arrived at their destination in [Coalville, Utah, in] September 1864, where John Booth had arrived only the day before, having escaped capture by Indians when leaving from Virginia City, Nevada, two months earlier." John Booth stated that he "reached Coalville [Utah] one day ahead of the Emigrant Train" where he finally met up with his wife, Ann Lythgoe, and their two daughters. (See the 2002 book: The Life and Time of Benjamin Thomas Nichols and his wife Olive Lovenia Booth, 1875-1934, pages 285 and 305.)History of John Booth and Ann Lythgoe
A history of John Booth and Ann Lythgoe can be found in the 2002 book, "The Life and Times of Benjamin Thomas Nichols and his wife, Olive Lovenia Booth, 1875-1934...[and] their Children...and their Ancestors...." which has been made into a digital book by the Family History Library (FHL) in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is available for free online viewing. Also, this book is available on seven fiche at the FHL (FHL US/CAN Fiche, #6005509, 7 fiche).
In the 1851 Census, Ann Lythgoe is listed as being about 14 years old (born about 1837), born in West Leigh, and working as a "Weaver" while living with her parents in Worsley, Lancashire.
In the 1861 Census, Ann (Booth) is listed as being about 24 years old (born about 1837), born in West Leigh, married and working as a "Cotton Weaver", while residing with her parents, Thomas and Esther Lythgoe, on Bolton Road, Pendlebury, Lancashire.
According to the book "Pioneer Women of Faith and Fortitude" (p.311), "John Booth and Ann [Lythgoe Booth's] brother, John Lythgoe, had come to America and worked to earn money to send for Ann and other members of the family. Ann [Lythgoe Booth] and other family members came west with the Joseph S. Rowlins Company, and arrived in Salt Lake, on 20 September 1864."
Historical Note: Ann Lythgoe was a Mormon Pioneer, as follows (in FS PID#: KWNL-QKQ):
John Booth was baptized into the LDS Church in England on 5 May 1855; and Ann Lythgoe joined the LDS Church in England on 1 May 1848. They were married on 31 May 1857 in Pendlebury Eccles, Lancashire, England.
John Booth left on the ship Emerald Isle from Liverpool, England on 20 August 1859, and arrived in New York on 1 October 1859. He then took a "train to join up with John Lythgoe in Saint Louis to help earn means for the rest of the family to come to America…. By early 1864, John Lythgoe and John Booth had managed to send enough money to pay passage for the rest of the family to come to America.
(See the 2002 book: The Life and Time of Benjamin Thomas Nichols and his wife Olive Lovenia Booth, 1875-1934, page 348.)
"John Booth tells us that "When the Civil War started, we [John Lythgoe and John Booth] decided to go to Utah. We are told that the two traveled west with a train of emigrants…to the Missouri River…. We walked and worked our way from then on. …When we got to Fort Bridger [Wyoming], we got in a train of emigrants that was leaving for Utah. At Green River a girl…got her leg broken and had to be hurried to Salt Lake City to be taken care of. John Lythgoe and I were among eight young men to carry her to a doctor at Salt Lake. She was carried on a stretcher." (See the 2002 book: The Life and Time of Benjamin Thomas Nichols and his wife Olive Lovenia Booth, 1875-1934, page 277. Note: The listing of John Booth in the 1864 Joseph S. Rawlins Company-which appears in the Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel website--is not correct.)
In 1864, Ann Lythgoe Booth traveled with her mother, Esther Lythgoe Wilcock, and her two sisters (Elizabeth and Rachel) and her two children (Lucy and Ellen), from England on the sailing ship Monarch of the Sea, destined for Utah on April 27, 1864.
"[Esther's son] James [Lythgoe] said that 'My father came to see me a few days before I set sail for America, and I accompanied him to the Bolton Station and gave him half sovereign 10 shillings as I parted with him. My mother held means for his emigration until the last but he would not go'. …We do not have all the facts but James [Lythgoe] has passed down to us that 'the only objection father had against coming to Utah was his dread of the sea'."
"On the morning of June 3rd [1864] their ship [carrying Ann Lythgoe Booth and company] arrived at New York where the landing of the emigrants at Castle Garden at once took place. In the evening they boarded a steamer for Albany, New York, and from there they traveled by train to St. Joseph, Missouri, thence by steamer up the Missouri River to Wyoming, Nebraska." (See the 2002 book: The Life and Time of Benjamin Thomas Nichols and his wife Olive Lovenia Booth, 1875-1934, page 348-349.)
When Ann Lythgoe Booth arrived in Nebraska, she and her two daughters (Lucy and Ellen) then traveled with Esther Wilcock Lythgoe and her two daughters (Elizabeth and Rachel) in the Joseph S. Rawlins Company--which had about 400 individuals and about 50 wagons when it began its journey on 15 July 1864 from the outfitting post at Wyoming, Nebraska (the west bank of the Missouri River about 40 miles south of Omaha). This company of Saints arrived in Salt Lake City on 19 September 1864.
(See: https://history.lds.org/overlandtravels/pioneerDetail?lang=eng&pioneerId=31103)
(Also: https://history.lds.org/overlandtravels/companyDetail?lang=eng&companyId=245)
Ann Lythgoe Booth and her "family finally arrived at their destination in [Coalville, Utah, in] September 1864, where John Booth had arrived only the day before, having escaped capture by Indians when leaving from Virginia City, Nevada, two months earlier." John Booth stated that he "reached Coalville [Utah] one day ahead of the Emigrant Train" where he finally met up with his wife, Ann Lythgoe, and their two daughters. (See the 2002 book: The Life and Time of Benjamin Thomas Nichols and his wife Olive Lovenia Booth, 1875-1934, pages 285 and 305.)History of John Booth and Ann Lythgoe
A history of John Booth and Ann Lythgoe can be found in the 2002 book, "The Life and Times of Benjamin Thomas Nichols and his wife, Olive Lovenia Booth, 1875-1934...[and] their Children...and their Ancestors...." which has been made into a digital book by the Family History Library (FHL) in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is available for free online viewing. Also, this book is available on seven fiche at the FHL (FHL US/CAN Fiche, #6005509, 7 fiche).
Marriage Notes for John Booth and Ann Lythgoe-28
In March 2003, the Nichols and Booth Family Organization obtained a copy of the marriage certificate of John Booth and Anne Lythgoe from England, which stated that they were married by Banns on 31 May 1857 in the parish church of Eccles, Lancashire, England; that John Booth was a "Minor" (in age), and a Bachelor and Collier of Knowles Square, Pendlebury, and that his father was James Booth, a Weaver; and that Anne Lythgoe was a "Minor" (in age) and a Spinster of Oak Street, Pendlebury, and that her father was Thomas Lythgoe, a Carter. The marriage was witnessed by John Collier and Catharine Harrop.