Note to my husband's family: The following
is a small history and conversion story of Edmond Nelson and his wife Jane
Taylor. They were the parents of 13 children. Jane is probably your Cherokee
link. They were the first Nelsons on your line to join the church. Your Nelson
and Alldredge family lines start in Virginia then North Carolina and then
move on to Tennessee and then Illinois. This is the way the country opened
up for settlement and as you study the history of our country you will see
how your ancestors were some of the first settlers in each new area helping
to pioneer and open up this great land. Edmond is your third great grandfather
or fourth if you are a cousin. The lineage goes this way: Ada, James Mark,
Price William, Price Williams, Edmond. -Cindy
EDMOND NELSON
1799-1850
JANE TAYLOR NELSON
1805-1870
written by Mansel H. Nelson
Edmond had been reared in a family where love for each other was the first consideration. He had inherited from his father a great love for the soil and for good animals. He loved to see things grow from the good earth. He took more than usual pride in caring for his horses and cattle. And having grown up on the great frontier he loved to work in the timber.
He married Jane Taylor 3 Oct 1820 in Monroe County. She was born 1 Jan 1805, the daughter of Billington and Mary Elizabeth Modglin Taylor. The Taylors had also moved from North Carolina to Tennessee, and then on to Illinois, first settling in St. Clair County, and later in Monroe County. At the time of their marriage Edmond was not quite twenty-one years of age, and Jane was not quite sixteen years of age. A record of their marriage license was found in Waterloo, Illinois which is where they were probably married.
Their first son, Price Williams, was born at Keokuk, Iowa. Edmond and Jane had probably gone north up the Mississippi river possibly to work in the timber at the ferryboat crossing. However, by the time Elizabeth was born in 1824 they had moved back south and settled in Jefferson County near Mt. Vernon, Illinois. A few years later his father moved into that vicinity.
Edmond Nelson and his brothers had heard a lot of talk about the Mormons. It seems that they were coming in from all over the world, and people were getting worried that they would soon be so numerous that they would take over the whole country. Some steps had been taken against them but Edmond did not like some of the stories and evil boasting he heard from men he met. He felt that no people should have been treated so cruelly just because of their belief in a strange prophet.
Then came the day when the first Mormon missionaries stopped at his
home. He invited them in and treated them kindly. He was interested in hearing
their side of the controversy. But they seemed to have no enmity toward their
persecutors. They answered quietly and simply that if those who had been
guilty of the many atrocities against their faith and people had known and
understood the true principles of the Gospel as taught by the Prophet Joseph
Smith, they would never have mistreated his people. Edmond wanted to know
about these principles for which they were willing to suffer and die. He
listened with sober interest to every word of their message. There was a
ring of pure and undefiled truth in what they claimed. Their answers to his
questions came without hesitancy as if these men actually knew God. Edmond
called in his brothers, and perhaps his parents, to hear this new message
from God. He made the decision that would shape the rest of his life and
his death. He was baptized in 1836 and from that time forth his whole life
was built around his faith and service in the church. He died in Mountainville
(Alpine), Utah 13 September 1850 having never fully recovered from the chills
and fevers he and his family were stricken with at Mt. Pisgah.
The following is Jane Taylor Nelson's obituary as found in
the Deseret News, Vol. 19, p. 241, 29 June 1870:
"Died at Franklin, Cache Co.,
June 2, Jane Nelson aged 66 yrs., 4 months and 1 day. Deceased was born in Pawes
Valley, Tennessee. At the age of 16 she was married to Edmond Nelson in
Jefferson Co., Ill. She was baptized in Grand River near Adam-Ondi-Ahman by
Lyman Wight; was driven to Shoal Creek, afterwards moved to Nauvoo with the
Saints, living there until 1846. She then moved to Mt. Pisqah remaining there 4
years. "
"She came to Utah in 1850. Her husband died in
Mountainville, Utah County, Dec. 13th, 1850. She was among the first settlers of
Franklin, where she resided until her decease. She was a faithful Saint and
affectionate mother, and was highly esteemed by all who know her. The people of
this city turned out almost enmasse to pay the last tribute of respect to her
remains."
-------------------------
Return to forefamilies.com
Return to Nelson.forefamilies.com
-----------------
This history was originally posted at my
site:
http://members.aol.com/Cballd/nelsoned.html
where it had over 512 hits.