EDMOND NELSON & JANE TAYLOR NELSON
About the years of 1823-1824, there was a movement from St. Clair County and Monroe Counties to Jefferson County near Mt. Vernon. Both the Nelsons and Taylors obtained land in Jefferson County near Mt. Vernon.
Edmond and Jane Taylor Nelson lived in Jefferson County until their son Price William was about fourteen years of age. There four sisters and three brothers were born. Young Price William was a hard working boy. He became rather retiring and very quiet, but willing to lend a hand to any in need. He loved to swim and hunt and enjoyed helping his Uncles with their ferryboats.
In the spring of 1836, Edmond Nelson was baptized by a man by the name of Burquett and followed the Church movement to Missouri along with his three brothers James, Abraham, and Hyrum. It was there that the Prophet Joseph Smith stayed overnight with the family and left his blessings with them. Price William Nelson, Sr., was baptized 15 Oct. 1835 at Adam-Ondi-Ahamon. Lyman Wight baptized his mother Jane Taylor Nelson in the fall of 1838.
In the year of 1838, Edmond Nelson attended conference at Far West, Missouri. The Prophet advised them to gather there at once. He collected a few of the family belongings together and left the next morning after getting back from conference. The family underwent many persecutions along with the other Saints.
When they arrived at Far West it was overcrowded and they went to Shoals creak where they camped in tents and wagons all winter. In that cold and wet country, their son Price William became very ill with rheumatic fever, and was sick most of the winter. It was there that his brother Joseph Smith Nelson was born, 20 Dec. 1836.
In the early spring of 1839, they started for Quincy, the place which had been designated by the Prophet for the Saints to cross the Mississippi River. Before they reached there they were compelled to stop on account of the illness of their son Price William and William Goforth Nelson. There Edmond rented a house until they were to go on about thirty miles east of Commerce (Nauvoo). In the fall, Price and his father went into Nauvoo and built a two-room log cabin, and the family moved in the next spring of 1840. There they opened a rock quarry on the East end of their property, from which they paid their temple assessments and tithing. The boys and their father also floated a great deal of wood and saw timber down the river. They bought timber for the sawmill from as far as eighteen miles up the river. Much of their stone and timber went into the Nauvoo Temple.
They lived in Nauvoo about six years, during which time they became personally acquainted with the Prophet and the early church leaders.
Price William Nelson, Jr., loved the Prophet Joseph Smith dearly. He saw the Prophet return after he had started to flee west and was sad because he feared for his life. A few days later, he was called to view the remains of the Prophet. He walked away feeling that a great deal of his own life had been lost.
When they reached the Green River in Wyoming, they found the water high. While crossing, one of the wagon boxes floated off and headed straight for the rapids a short distance below. In the box rode a woman and a girl of about nine years of age. For a few moments all was confusion. Price William, Jr. grasped a long rope by the end and handed the other to a man standing by. He plunged into the cold water and swam desperately until he reached the wagon box. He was then drawn back to safety.
The beautiful little daughter of Patriarch James Lake stood on the banks and watched. Fear clutched her heart as she watched the wagon box float down the stream, picking up speed as it neared the rapids of death below. The young man sank out of sight in the cold, muddy water. Then he was up again, swimming as no other man in the outfit could swim. Suddenly, he reached the wagon box, tied in the rope, and waved for the man on the bank to pull them in.
Up to that time the beautiful little Lydia Ann Lake had not paid much attention to the quiet retiring young man. Suddenly he became her hero. Their friendship grew. Soon they were in love. But the journey had taken its toll. His father, Edmond, contracted mountain fever and never fully recovered. He passed away at Mountainville (now Alpine), Utah. He was the first to be buried there.
When his father passed away on 3 Oct 1850, Price’s first thought was the care of his mother Jane Taylor Nelson and his brothers and sisters. They all urged them to go ahead with the wedding. Price William, Jr. and Lydia Ann Lake were married the last day of the year 1850. The above information was obtained from the records of Mansel H. Nelson.
In volume one of the Mansel H. Nelson book, page 104, Mansel records the following interesting information. Lydia Ann Lake Nelson, daughter of James Lake, a wife of Price W. Nelson, was born 13 May 1832, Camden, upper Canada. She married Price William on 31 Dec. 1850. She died 14 Jan 1924, while living with her oldest son, Edmond, in Eagar, Apache Arizona.
Lydia Ann Lake has a very interesting lineage. She was the fifteenth great-granddaughter of England’s King Edward I and Eleanor of Castile. She was the sixteenth great granddaughter of the great Spanish King Ferdinand III. Duncan I, King of Scotland, who was killed by MacBeth (as told by Shakespeare) was her twenty fifth grandfather. Besides England and Scotland, we find her ancestral lines in Ireland, France, Greece, Italy, Sicily, Sweden, Russia, Wales, and the Vikings of the North. Almost all of these lines lead back into the tribes of Israel.
In Feb 1914, Joe Brinkerhoff visited Lydia Ann and wrote the story as she told it. We lived at my father’s ranch about five miles north of Ogden, until we moved to San Bernardino, California, in June of 1852. We lived there for seven years during which time my husband was in the sawmill business with Amasa Lyman and Charles Rich. For seven years we moved to the mountains in the spring and back to the valley in the fall.
Heeding the call of the First Presidency we came back to Utah, and stopped at Payson. But not being satisfied, we remained there only about eighteen months, and then we went to Franklin, Idaho. I remained there for about a year while my husband operated a sawmill at Logan, Utah. We lived comfortably in the village of Franklin for six years.
We were called to assist in settling the Muddy Mission in southern Nevada. We found there an ideal climate and very productive soil and followed farming for a living. We lived there for six years, and had an abundance of such things as could be produced from the soil, but difficulty in obtaining clothing. Due to troubles with Nevada government we were forced to leave our fertile land with luxuriant crops almost ready to harvest and go back to Utah.
We moved to Glendale, Utah, where we arrived with only those provisions which could be carried in one wagon. Brother Nelson and the boys constructed a shingle mill and did fairly well financially. We lived there about seven years.
In a general move to settle Arizona, we were called to assist with the settlements and the Indian mission. Our son Edmond was called to assist Warren M. Johnson at Lee’s Ferry. Then we moved to Moencopi, and were among the first settlers of that place. After one and one half years we moved to Pine Creek, near Payson Arizona, where he went into ranching and stock and soon had a good home. It was while here that we made a trip back to St. George in the company of Jane and John A. Allen who were going to the temple. Our purpose was to have our children sealed to us. Annie, the wife of my son Will, accompanied us and looked after the children for us.
When the Saints were making new settlements in Mexico, my husband was desirous to assist in opening the new country. We broke up our home and moved south. When we arrived in Cave Valley, the boys, Bailey and Lee, with their father put up a gristmill. They also made chairs. After about five years, we moved to Oaxaca, Sonora, Mexico, and made a home about five miles up the river from town.
In the fall of 1902, Brother Nelson’s heart began to fail, and he died 27 Oct. of the same year. Two years later a flood swept away everything from the ranch and I went to live with Alvin. Since then I have spent a short time my children as follows: Lee at Tombstone; Jane at Hubbard; Bailey at Morales, Sonora, Mexico; Lorana at Col. Juarez, Mexico. I came out with the main body and went to Hubbard, arriving there 5 Aug 1912
Edmond came after me the following Oct. I am now (27 Feb. 1914) at his home in Eager, Arizona am proud to remark that of my thirteen children, eleven raised large families.
REMARKS BY MARGARET ELAINE RUSSELL HOOPES
The original manuscript that I have of Price William Jr.’s life story is so dim I have tried to retype it so it would be easier to read. I have tried very hard to keep the original manuscript of his document in tact. However, it concerned me greatly that he had left out names and dates of his noble family, so I have inserted them as I have them recorded.
I have not changed the spelling or wording. His manner of speech and styling to me is awesome. I am impressed however and to give a little information that I have that is recorded by Mansel H. Nelson. I am aware that this information has been widely distributed. However to me it is helpful to have it readily available while reading this manuscript. I am very grateful to Mansel for recording this valuable information concerning Price William Nelson Jr’s., parents Price William Nelson Sr, and mother Lydia Ann Lake Nelson. During the entire manuscript there is not one mention of this noble mother who bore thirteen children complaining of any sickness that surely she must have endured, as she crossed the plains in a covered wagon. She must have endured many hardships as she struggled through every kind of disaster. This is a reminder to me that there is no hardship that I have been, or will be compelled to endure that can compare to this great great, great grandmother of mine. She was born 13 May 1832, in Camden, upper Canada. And passed away 14 Jan. 1924 while living with her oldest son Edmond, in Eagar, Apache, Arizona. She lived 92 years.
I am Margaret Elaine Nelson Russell Hoopes. My Grandfather Edmond Nelson is the first child of Price William Nelson, Sr., and Lydia Ann Lake Nelson. Price William Nelson Jr. is his younger brother, and to my knowledge is the only one in the family of thirteen children who kept a diary. We are all indebted to this great man for following the prophets in keeping a record of our lives. Also, we cannot forget the great work that Mansel H. Nelson has done. Mansel Nelson’s work and information is priceless and will last through eternity for the records that he has given to us, as will Price William Nelson, Jr.