Mickelson & Nichols

Mickelson & Nichols Family Organization

Genealogies of the Ancestors of Clark Alexander Mickelson and Helen Isabel Nichols

The Mickelson & Nichols Family Organization (MNFO) is a grandparent family organization and was officially organized in 2001. The MNFO is named after Clark Alexander Mickelson (1912-1993) and Helen Isabel Nichols (1913-2000), who were married in 1935 in Logan, Utah, and had five children: Lovene (b.1936), Joan (b.1940), Roger (b.1943), Ethel (b.1947) and Willard (b.1950). As of 2013, there were over 200 descendants of Clark and Helen Mickelson. The following pictures show the family and ancestors of Clark Alexander Mickelson and Helen Isabel Nichols.

Clark Alexander Mickelson, 1912-1993

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.

Helen Isabel Nichols, 1913-2000

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.

Ancestral Information and Weblinks

Ethel Mickelson Brough and her husband, Clayton, presently serve as full-time volunteer family genealogists for two family organizations directly associated with the MNFO: the Mickelson & Harris Family Organization and the Nichols & Booth Family Organization. Extensive genealogical and historical information about the ancestors of Clark Alexander Mickelson and Helen Isabel Nichols can be found on these two websites.

Gravesite Information and Weblinks

Most of the headstones and gravesites of the direct ancestors of Clark Alexnader Mickelson and Helen Isabel Nichols who were buried in America are listed on FindAGrave, and can be seen by clicking on the names below:

Clark Alexander Mickelson (1912-1993, buried in Lago, Idaho)

Parents:

Michael Mickelson (1873-1952, buried in Lago, Idaho)

Sarah Emeline Harris (1880-1963, buried in Lago, Idaho)

Grandparents:

Anthon Peter Mikkelsen (1835-1890, buried in Lago, Idaho)

Bergetta (Githe) Jensen (1845-1927, buried in Tetonia, Idaho)

Alexander Harris Jr. (1856-1937, buried in Thatcher, Idaho)

Josephine Octavia Ann Weaver (1856-1938, buried in Thatcher, Idaho)

Great-Grandparents:

Michael Pedersen (1810-1873, buried in Huntsville, Utah)

Dorthe Knudsdatter (1814-1887, buried in Lago, Idaho)