My Pioneer Roots
A Family's Journey from Denmark to Zion
One of the greatest marches in American history was the Mormon trek westward, culminating in the arrival of pioneers to the Salt Lake Valley of Utah. There, they laid the foundation for a new civilization known as the Great Basin Kingdom. From that base, the church spread its wings and has made a positive impact wherever it finds itself around the world.
My ancestors, the Nelson family, were part of that remarkable migration. Converts to the church from Denmark, they journeyed by ship and then by train before being called by Brigham Young to settle in southeast Idaho. From there, they moved to Brigham City and eventually to various places around the globe.
Today is July 24th here in the state of Utah—known as the Days of ’47, when Utahns celebrate the arrival of the pioneers to the Salt Lake Valley. It’s a day worth remembering and celebrating, and for the last 177 years, the great migration continues to take place.
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Thank you Roger. I stand in awe of those early pioneers. Below are my thoughts that I wrote yesterday.
PIONEER DAY
Today, July 24th, is Pioneer Day in my native Utah. When we moved to Rochester in 1987, I had a vague idea that we had some family history in the Rochester area. Later Kathleen and I purchased the home where the first missionary of the church, Samuel Smith, in 1830 stopped for the night at the Tomlinson Inn. (The home is located on the corner of Rt. 64 and Boughton Hill Road in Mendon.) When Samuel entered the Inn there was another traveler named Phinehas Young who was eating dinner, with the owner and his family. Samuel boldly approached the man and said “Sir there is a book I wish you to read.” He presented him with the Book of Mormon. That single book circulated through Mendon and was read by many including Brigham Young and Heber Kimball (my 3G grandfather.) I few years latter nearly 60 Mendon residents had converted to the church and decided to move to Kirtland, Ohio where the headquarters of the church was then located.
Approximately 16 years later Joseph Smith was shot by a mob in Carthage, IL. In those 16 years church members had been driven from OH, MO, and IL. They decided they needed to leave the US for a place they could live unmolested. It was determined go to the Rocky Mountains, in the Mexican Territory. In a very real sense they were “undocumented aliens.” Over the next several years approximately 70,000 church members from all over the world made the trek west. Most traveled in covered wagons, while 3000 pulled handcarts or walked the full distance of over a 1000 miles averaging 9 miles/day. Some were elderly some were infants, carried by their mothers, 1900 (3.5%) died. I had 79 relatives that made the trek, ranging from infants to elderly.
I can hardly imagine the feelings of these Mendon, NY natives when they descended a mountain pass and stopped at an overlook of the barren desert of Great Salt Lake Valley. Brigham, was sick at the time. He arose from his bed in his wagon looked out on the expanse of the desert valley, and announced, “This is the right place. Drive on!”
Kathleen and I, and our 2 little boys reversed that trek in 1987 when we set off for a new life in the land of our ancestors. I stand in awe of the sacrifices of those brave men and women. There is a little cemetery in Mendon on Boughton Hill Road where family members of the Youngs and Kimballs are buried. It is the highest point in Monroe County and you can barely see the Xerox Tower in the distance. The building where I now practice law. In my mind I see two young fathers and dear friends standing on that bluff looking out over the landscape of Monroe County and turning west with no idea what trials would await them. So on this day, 192 years since they stood on that bluff, I honor the men and women of that little band of seekers.