Robert Francis Neslen (1832 - 1912) Profile

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death-date-qualifier-death

Robert Francis Neslen

birth-date-qualifier-birth

Andrew Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, 2:518

Andrew Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, 2:518.

1852 Norfolk and Suffolk England1858 New Jersey and Connecticut1858 Scotland1870 England1874 Salt Lake City1890 Europe

Transcript for Andrew Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, 2:518

Historical Department journal history of the Church

Historical Department journal history of the Church, 1830-2008, August 23, 1835, Page 1.

Historical Department journal history of the Church.

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959, Vol. 2, Page 19, Line 724.

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959, Vol. 2, Page 113, Line 83.

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959, Vol. 1, Page 105, Line 83.

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959, Vol. 1, Page 17, Line 724.

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959.

Robert F. Nelsen journal, 1857-1866

Robert F. Nelsen journal, 1857-1866.

The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star, 17:554, September 1, 1855

The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star, 17:554, September 1, 1855.

Claudius V. Spencer Company report, 1853

Claudius V. Spencer Company report, 1853, Page 13.

Claudius V. Spencer Company report, 1853.

Hannah Tapfield King autobiography, circa 1864-1872

Hannah Tapfield King autobiography, circa 1864-1872, Vol. 6.

Transcript for Hannah Tapfield King autobiography, circa 1864-1872, Volume 6, circa 1864-1872

Hannah Tapfield King autobiography, circa 1864-1872.

Kirkham, James, [Autobiography], in E. Kay Kirkham, George (Wm.) Kirkham: His Ancestors and Descendants to the Third Generation [1973], 66-67

Kirkham, James, [Autobiography], in E. Kay Kirkham, George (Wm.) Kirkham: His Ancestors and Descendants to the Third Generation [1973], 66-67.

<center xmlns:its="http://www.w3.org/2005/11/its" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">We Start for Zion</center>
At last everything was in readiness for our journey across the plains, a distance of a thousand miles. Our company was composed of saints with sixty wagons. Each wagonwas drawn by two yoke of oxen beside some cows. Besides our captain we had a chaplain and some night riders [herders]. My father [George William] used to stand guard in his turn around the camp and the cattle. Some times our chaplain [James Bond] would call the camp to prayers and if they did not attend he would stand on a wagon and look at the people. On our journey we had many difficulties to put up with and narrow escapes.
<center>Prairie Fire and Stampede</center>
At one time we were surrounded by a prairie fire but escaped without injury. We also had a stampeed and some twenty persons were injured. One man was killed and onewoman very badly hurt. One day we encountered a great herd of buffalo which stopped our train for some time and several were killed for meat for the company. We also came in contact with many tribes of Indians.
<center>Indians</center>
In order that we might travel in peace with them we had to feed them and sometimes give them presents. While journeying on our way we had to wade many streams,sometimes rivers and while walking barefoot in the hot sand I got my feet badly burnt. One was so bad that I could not wear my shoe.
 When we arrived at what is known as the Big Mountain it was late in the afternoon as my father had to be helped up the mountain, he was the last of the train. The two hindwheels of our wagon was locked with chains and one yoke of cattle was to take the wagon down. Just as we started down the mountain the sun set in the horizon and in the distance huge dark clouds were to be seen and soon the heavens became black.
<center>The Storm</center>
 The lightning flashed and the heaven artillery roared, clap after clap came the thunder and soon the rain descended in torrents. My mother [Mary Ann Astington] had arrived early in camp at the foot of the mountain in the afternoon but I was left with my father and as it was not safe for me to ride I had to walk. I had no coat or hat on and soon became very wet with the rain and in the darkness of the night I soon got lost and wandered alone sometimes in the ditch by the side of the road up to my waist in water.
When the lightning came I was able to see where the road was and by listening to the sound of a cow bell that was on the end of some wagon in the distance, by the time the storm abated I was able to overtake the wagon and was picked up and taken into camp about two o'clock in the morning.
When I arrived in camp I was wet and sore and very frightened. My father had got to camp about one o'clock and with the camp was very muc[h] excited over my absence but had prayed for my safety.
<center>We Arrived at Salt Lake</center>
On September 18th 1859 we arrived all well in the valleys of the Great Salt Lake and camp on what was known then as Emigration Square. The day was beautiful and the sun shone in all his splendor. Our train was led into the city by a two wheel covered cartdrawn by one small white ox. The animal was covered with garlands of wild flowers andon the sides of the vehicle was this motto in large letters: HAIL COLUMBIA, THIS BEATS THE HAND CARTS.

Transcript for Kirkham, James, [Autobiography], in E. Kay Kirkham, George (Wm.) Kirkham: His Ancestors and Descendants to the Third Generation [1973], 66-67

Miles, Johanne Kristine (Jane), [Reminiscences], in Carrie Mouritsen Jones and Jerald Olean Seelos, comp. and ed., The Mourits Mouritsen Family [1982], 432

Miles, Johanne Kristine (Jane), [Reminiscences], in Carrie Mouritsen Jones and Jerald Olean Seelos, comp. and ed., The Mourits Mouritsen Family [1982], 432.

<xhtml:p xmlns:its="http://www.w3.org/2005/11/its" xmlns:xhtml="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Jane [Johanna Kristine Mouritsen], as she was called, celebrated her sixth birthday on the Atlantic Ocean enroute to a new home in America. She recalled later how "the butter kegs slid from side to side of the ship room when the sea was rough and how nice the ship went when the wind blew the right way." She told that "we came with oxen teams and I walked most of the way. My dear father [Lars Mauritsen] would put me in the wagon to ride to give me a rest, but as we had a load of goods this was heavy. The folks had to walk to save the oxen all they could. My mother [Maren Mauritsen] walked all the way and she was very industrious. She knew she would have to do the cooking and she would pick all the wood she could find so she could make a fire. She would bake bread for us too. Father brought a young man and woman across the Plains with us so Mother had to feed them too."</xhtml:p>

Transcript for Miles, Johanne Kristine (Jane), [Reminiscences], in Carrie Mouritsen Jones and Jerald Olean Seelos, comp. and ed., The Mourits Mouritsen Family [1982], 432

Pedersen, Lars Christian, Autobiographical sketch [ca. 1919], 3-4

Pedersen, Lars Christian, Autobiographical sketch [ca. 1919], 3-4.

On Monday the 6th of June a portion of our company was organized on the campground a little south of the City, into a “Handcart Company” which started from here on the 9th to cross the plains, by pulling their children, bedding, cooking utensils, and part of their provisions on a two wheeled cart, which looked rather a heavy task for a man and his wife to undertake across a desert of 1,100 miles. But however that was accomplished and they arrived at Salt Lake City about 2 weeks before us, who left Florence on Thursday June the 23rd with an oxtrain of 60 wagons, which company was organized with Elder R[obert]. F. Neslen as captain. The company was divided in companies of 10 wagons each with a captain. I not being able to purchase cattle of my own, drove in connection with Niels Jacobson (also a poor man) an oxtrain for R. Hansen for which service I had my mother and our baggage on the wagon free of charge. However we had to walk on bad roads, which done very well had my mother not being well and suffered a great deal of pain in the long finger of her right hand which became stiff and useless to her in afteryears.
Before starting on our journey it was agreed by a unamumouse vote of the company what amount of load for each yoke of cattle and not to exeed that and to have no person on the road who had [not] conformed to that rule But to assist those who might be unfortunate and loose their cattle by death or otherwise as the plains were dangerous both from poisenous weeds and Indian depredations. After traveling a short distance some ot [of] the cattle begun to get tired and worm [worn] down, and cows were yoked up but they were not able to draw the heavy loads but gave out too. Consequently help was asked for which they got for awhile, but also these cattle gave out and several begun to die which caused ill feeling as it was argued that these wagons had more load than was allowed[.] On account of which Captain Neslen called the people together on Sunday July 10th when we were camped on Wood River and gave instructions in this particular. It was found that S[oren]. P[eter]. Guhl and others mostly of the leading men were overloaded and was afterward obliged to unload some of their heavy articles such as stoves and earthen or China ware which they buried on the bank of Platt[e] River for safe keeping till they returned for them, which they realy did after apostatizing on their arrivel in Utah, and went back to make there homes with their own kind of people.
On July 15th as we were about hitching up our teams a misfortune occured through the carelessness of parties who had tiched [hitched] their teams to their wagons and then laid down under and about the wagons, while others were busy yoking up unhadny [unhandy] cattle. And when a wild cow belonging to my mother was yoked up, she bellowed, and five teams were frightened and run. Killed J[ens]. C[hristian]. Waden [Vaden] and wounded several others more or less. This caused considerable confusion in camp[.] S. P. Guhl who several accused of being the cause of contention by his overloading which caused the displeasure of God on the people went down to the river “Platt[e]” to drown himself but said he was unable to fine sufficient water was sitting on the river bank contemplating when people came in his search. After burying the dead, dressed the wounded who afterwards all recovered, we proceeded on our journey until we came to “Hans [Hams] Fork” here Apostels [Apostles] John Taylor and F. D. Richards also Elder Peter Hansen of the 2nd Ward Salt Lake City met us with provisions and cattle to help us through to the valley. Elder Hansen was appointed to take charge of the Scandinavian part. After receiving necessities for the journey and instructions from the brethren we left in charge of Hansen on the 5th for the west, and Taylor &amp; Richards waited to assists Captain Stevensens [Stevensons] company who was one days journey in the rear of us.
On the evening of the 7th as we were camping on the “Big Moore” [Lauritz Larsen] a child, 1 year old, of N[iels]. P[eter]. Larsens died and next morning elder P[eder]. A[ndersen]. Fjelsted died after a long illness both being buried in the same grave on the 8th of September, after which we started for Great Salt Lake Valley where we arrived on the 15th [September] 1859 at 6 o’clock P.M. and camped on the [“]Union Square” that night.

Transcript for Pedersen, Lars Christian, Autobiographical sketch [ca. 1919], 3-4

Petersen, Johanne Mariah, [Reminiscences], in Carrie Mouritsen Jones and Jerald Olean Seelos, comp. and ed., The Mourits Mouritsen Family [1982], 426

Petersen, Johanne Mariah, [Reminiscences], in Carrie Mouritsen Jones and Jerald Olean Seelos, comp. and ed., The Mourits Mouritsen Family [1982], 426.

"I being young and able to walk, walked all the way assisting in gathering wood and buffalo chips for the next night's fire."
Mariah confirms that the family did travel with the Robert Neslen company; she further relates: "Several in this company died on the road, among them was P[eder]. A[ndersen]. Fjeldstad and a baby belonging to N[iels]. P[eter]. Larsen, the elder from Pleasant Grove who baptized me into the Church. These two were buried in the same grave."
Upon another occasion misfortune overcame us. I well remember as we were yoking up the cattle, some being already hitched and carelessly some of the company were lying in the shade of the wagons, when a wild cow was put into the yoke and began to bellow. This frightened five teams and they ran away, killing J. C. Madsen and more or less wounding several others. One of the company, who several accused of being the cause of the contention, went down to the Platte River to drown himself but said he was not able to find sufficient water. He was found sitting on the bank contemplating when people came to his rescue."

Transcript for Petersen, Johanne Mariah, [Reminiscences], in Carrie Mouritsen Jones and Jerald Olean Seelos, comp. and ed., The Mourits Mouritsen Family [1982], 426

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/chd/landing

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Lowestoft, Suffolk, England, United Kingdom

birthPlace

baptizedBy

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arrived-at-home

departed-from-home

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Local mission to counties of Norfolk and Suffolk.

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Hannah Rebecca Neslen

Samuel Neslen

Eunice Burgess Francis

Susannah Frances Neslen

Samuel Francis Neslen

Elizabeth Burgess Neslen

Esther Frances Neslen

Eunice Neslen

Phebe Neslen

William Francis Neslen

pioneerCompanyReferenceIdValue

departed-from-field

Great Salt Lake City, Great Salt Lake, Utah Territory, United States

On his return to the States in 1858 from his mission in England, he was appointed to labor in New Jersey and Connecticut until he was instructed to return to England. Only served about a month.

arrived-in-field

In 1858 he was appointed to return to England. He labored in the Glasgow conference, Scotland and presided over it.

Eastern States Mission, New Jersey and Connecticut

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set-apart

Labored in London conference and presided over it. Visited all conferences in British Mission.

priesthoodQuorumWhenCalled

Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah Territory, United States

setApartBy

Labored as a home missionary 1874, for many years

Robert Francis Neslen

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