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 Donegall, Ireland. [Elizabeth and Robert were born in Ireland.  First Elizabeth joined the LDS Church. They were married in (Donegall 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