Alice Breakell Neibaur Rosenbaum
Alice was born 22 May 1841 about a month after her parents arrived in Nauvoo, Illinois. Her parents Ellen and Alexander Neibaur had been on four different ships, coming from England. Her mother had been sick most of the way. She was their fifth child. Her oldest brother Joseph William, born 6 January 1835 had a great time crossing the ocean. Her other siblings were Margaret Jane born 20 February 1836, and Isaac born 30 March 1839. A brother Samuel Breakel was born 7 January 1838 but died before the trip.
Her Jewish father and English mother were new members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They were anxious to meet the Prophet Joseph Smith. When they arrived they were greeted by other saints and helped cared for until they were able to buy property and build a house.
Nauvoo was a beautiful city. The family enjoyed the saints. Her father taught the Prophet German and Hebrew. While living there a sister Bertha was born 14 December 1842. A brother Hyrum was born 30 November 1844 and another sister, Leah, born 29 August 1846.
Alice was about 5 years old when the Saints were forced to leave Nauvoo in September of 1846. It was a hard trip to Winter Quarters. She had to help her mother with the other children. She would play with them as her mother attended to other responsibilities. Her mother had another baby Rachel who was stillborn 29 December 1847 three months after they arrived there. The family lived in Winter Quarters till May 1848.
It was then, they began their journey across the Plains. For five months they trudged across the dusty plains. She had to walk a lot of the way. Her mother guided a pair of lead cows and milked them twice every day. Food was scarce. It was a happy time when they shot a buffalo and they shared a little meat. They were happy to reach the Salt Lake Valley on 24 September 1848.
Her parents acquired a lot on 2nd South and 2nd East. They started to build a small house. That winter was a bad one. They lived in a tent while their house was being built. Several times the tent was blown down in the night. At times the weight of the snow made the tent fall on the children. Her father and fourteen year old brother Hyrum, made adobes from mud and clay to build a hut 12 by 14 feet. It had a dirt floor and roof. The Neibaur family now had seven children. Her sister Sarah Ellen was born on a rainy day 21 May 1849.
Her father began his practice as dentist and also engaged in the manufacture of sulfur matches. They all helped in the match making business, making boxes and filling them with matches. Then they would take them to stores and do trading for the family.
More children were born to the Neibaur family. Rebecca Ann born 21 March 1851, Mary Esther born 4 December 1852, Matilda Isabella born 30 January 1854.
She was baptized 31 October 1852, the same day as her sister Bertha. They were in the 13th ward and attended many activities with other children. The family attended the laying of the cornerstone of the Salt Lake Temple. It was really fun to go to the hot springs in the north part of Salt Lake City.
In 1855 was the coming of the grasshoppers and crickets. It was a time she could never forget. She was hungry with the rest of the family. All they had to eat was bran mush and pigweed. They were taught to not be dependent on anyone but themselves. They were taught to not murmur. Alice's youngest brother Nathan Alexander was born 14 September 1855.
When Johnson's Army was threatening to come in the valley, Alice helped others in their family herd their pigs down to Provo. They could not loose the pigs. They needed the meat they would provide. They stayed there a month and were happy to see their home was still standing.
At the age of sixteen she married Morris David Rosenbaum 2 April 1858. He had come to Salt Lake City in 1854 and being Jewish, came to see her father. Morris told that as he approached the Neibaur home, he had a feeling he would be married in that house. He soon fell in love with beautiful Alice Neibaur. He joined the Church the day before her father performed the marriage ceremony in their home. The young couple made their first home in Salt Lake City. They were sealed by Brigham Young on 2 July 1858. Two children were born while living there. They are Sarah on 23 September 1850 and David on 11 May 1860.
In 1861 they moved to Brigham City, and bought property. They were one of the first Pioneer Merchants of Brigham City. They also had a boarding house for the workers of the railroad. Her sister Rebecca came to work for them serving tables. The rowdy rail road workers tried to gain her heart in marriage.
Children born in Brigham City were Ellen born 17 November 1862, Fanny born 6 November 1864, Alice born 22 January 1866 died 21 October 1866, Morris born 30 July 1867. Alexander born September 13, 1869, Aaron born 17 October 1871 died June 1893, Joseph born 21 January 1874 died 18 July 1874, Margaret born 15 August 1877 died 23 April 1879, Leah born 16 November 1879 died 12 June 1893. Alice gave her permission for him to marry a widow, Abigail Snow Caldwell, 11 August 1867 in Brigham City.
In March of 1880 her husband received a call to go to Germany as a missionary. He left in June. She had to take care of their business and raise the children alone. It took all of them working together to support themselves. He returned in April of 1881.
It was after his return that they moved to Mink Creek, Franklin County, Idaho for a short time. Abigail was born 30 May 1882 and Bertha born 26 December 1883 when Alice was 41 years old. Morris passed away there when Bertha was two years old. She moved back to Brigham City. Alice raised the family alone, and was a widow for twenty nine years. She died at the age of seventy two 21 March 1814 in Brigham City.
Information taken from the journal of Morris Rosenbaum and the Daughters of Utah Pioneers book Women of Faith and Fortitude volume 111, pages 2119 and 2657, and the histories of Sarah Neibuar O'Dricoll and Rebecca Neibaur Nibley.