LIFE OF DAVID
NICHOLAS
A Pioneer of 1861
David
Nicholas, son of William and Hannah Nicholas, was born in Wales, Great
Britain, on October 23, 1822, and joined the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints shortly after the
first missionaries came to Wales.
Before
coming to Utah, I remember him telling of some of his experiences. Once he was preaching to a crowd and someone
said if David Owen were here he would soon put him to rout. As it happened, David Owen came along. He and Father got in a discussion on the
principles of the Gospel and Father put David Owen to rout so bad that the
people hooted him.
Father and
his parents came across the ocean in a sailing ship. It took them six weeks to come to New
Orleans, where they took passage on a steamboat up the Mississippi River.
His mother Hannah died on the boat and was buried on the bank, as
near as I can tell, on the Arkansas
side of the river.
He and
father came up the river to St. Joe, where they started across the plains in
ox-train. I heard him say they saw the
buffalo by the hundreds. If they took a
stampede they would not turn aside for the ox-train; but would break right
through, jumping between the wheels and the wagon.
When they
landed in Utah they settled in Brigham City.
His father died there.
When
Johnston’s Army was on the way to Utah, Brigham Young advised the people in the
north part of the territory to move south.
My Father came to Spanish Fork, where he met my mother, Mary, the
daughter of Daniel Cadoret. She was born March 30, 1832. They were married and had four children born
to them: David W., Louise, William John,
and Daniel Thomas.
About this
time the Indians had made it known that there was much coal in the mountains
near where the town of Wales now stands.
As many of the Welsh people had been coal miners in the old country,
they moved to Wales to work the coal mine and wanted Father to move there;
because he was a fairly good scholar for those times, and they wanted him to
keep books and keep track of the coal business.
When the
Indian war broke out the people of Wales would go to sleep in the adobe meeting
house. I remember my Father throwing me
over his shoulder and packing me there.
The people had beds all over the floor.
It was hard to get any sleep, because the kids would squawk and kick all
night.
Brigham
Young advised the people of Wales to move to Moroni
as they had a fairly good fort built of rocks.
(see enclosed photo – appears never finished.)
After the
Indian trouble was over the Welsh people moved back to Wales, all but my
father, who stayed in Moroni and has lived here ever
since.
My father
was acquainted with many of the Indian chiefs:
Tabby, Joe, Jake Aropaen, Neise
Santaquin, and perhaps others (doubtful).
I remember
coming to Moroni when only two or three years
old. One time I saw a sight I don’t
think I will ever forget. A bunch of
children from eight to sixteen years old were down on the flat where the ball
park now is, or was at that time. They
were picking grease-wood buds in the spring of the year. They would cook them for greens. Many of the people had to eat greens and
roots, thistle stalks, or anything they could get to keep life going on.
We have had
wars besides the Indian war – there were grasshopper wars. I have seen the grasshoppers so thick in the
air you could not see where the sun was.
I have seen them light on a patch of wheat in the forenoon and by night
there would be nothing left but a few bare stalks. I remember my father spreading the straw on
the outside of the fence around our garden.
The hoppers would go in the straw to roost for the night and we would
set the straw on fire and burn them up.
I think I
have the distinction of being the youngest person that ever stood guard during
the Indian war. They had a rock bastion
on the hill where the Elementary School now stands. There would be two men appointed to stand
guard every night. For some cause or
other the man that was to go with Father couldn’t go so he took me along. As near as I can remember I was about eight
years old.
My father
furnished oxen to help bring the immigrants here. He also furnished quite a sum of money to
help build the co-op store, and was first secretary there.
Written
by his son
David W. Nicholas, Moroni
g-father of Grant Mildenhall
March 8, 1988
This is my
attempt to put together a little history of our grandparents: David William Nicholas and Margaret Ann
Draper.
David
William Nicholas was born December 28, 1861 in Spanish Fork, Utah, to David Nicholas and Mary Cardry. He was the 2nd
of five children and had two sisters, Hannah Elizabeth, who died when a year
old; and Louisa, and two brothers, William John and Daniel Thomas. He also had a half-brother and sister, James
Phillip DuFresne and Mary Ann DuFresne
(this information from Aunt Lila).
Margaret
Ann Draper was born Octover 24, 1863, in Draper,
Utah, to Moses Draper and Rachel Marilla Hiefner. She was the
fifth of 11 children and had six sisters, Julian M., Amanda A., Ada, Anna, Lauretta and Celstia and six
brothers, Moses H., William J., GeorgeT., Erwin and Ervin who were twins; and Melvia
A.
Our
grandparents were married May 2, 1881.
They were the parents of 12 children:
David Gomer, James Charland, George Warren, Royal, William Edmond, Maggie May,
Hannah Lorraine, Hattie Delora, Franklin Dewey, Mary
Zelma, Daniel Odell and Lila Ione. Only
three of these children lived to maturity; David Gomer,
Hannah Lorraine and Lila Ione. The
others died before they were one year old except James Charland
who was about two years and two months.
My mother told me they died with the croup which is a disease of
children, causing hoarseness, coughing and difficulty in breathing.
Grandfather’s
father, David, came across the ocean in a sailing ship with his parents. It took them six weeks to come to New
Orleans. Here they took passage on a
steam boat up the Mississippi. His mother
died on the boat and was buried on the Arkansas side of the river.
David and
his father started across the plains in an Ox train. When they landed in Utah they settled in
Brigham City, Utah. David’s father died
there. When Johnston’s Army was on the
way to Utah, Brigham Young advised the people in the northern territory to move
south so David came to Spanish Fork where he met and married Mary Cardry.
When
grandfather was about three years old, his parents moved to Wales [Utah] as his
father was asked by the coal miners to keep books and keep track of the coal
business. There were Indians in the
mountains near the town of Wales and when the Indian war broke out the people
of Wales would sleep in the adobe meeting house. Grandfather said he remembers his father
throwing him over his shoulder and packing him to the meeting house. He said there was beds
all over the floor and the kids would squawk and kick all night and it was hard
to get any sleep. Brigham Young advised the people of Wales to move to Moroni as they had a fairly good fort there that was built
of rocks.
When the Indian trouble was over most of the people moved back to Wales but grandfather’s family stayed in Moroni. Grandfather would have to have been more than
three years old when they moved back to Moroni as
Louisa was born in Wales when he was about three years seven months old. Grandfather lived in Moroni
ever since.
Times must
not have been too plentiful as grandfather said he saw children picking
greasewood buds in the spring of the year.
The would cook them for greens. Many of the people would have to eat greens,
roots and thistle stalks or anything they could get to keep life going.
Grandfather
said they had wars besides Indian wars.
They had war with the grasshoppers.
They were so thick in the air that you couldn’t see the sun. They would light on a patch of wheat in the morning
and by night there wouldn’t be anything left but the stalks. His father would spread straw on the outside
of the fence around the garden and the hoppers would go into the straw at night
David Nicholas baptized May 1850 by Elder Walter Roach. Confirmed by Jeremiah
Thomas. Ordained
Elder by Elder William Phillips about May 1852. Emigrated to Utah 1854. Rebaptized by Elder Lauritz Lauritzen, Aug. 1881. Confir the same
week ordained Elder by Lars Swensen, 1881.
Ordained High Priest May 23, 1889.
My Father William Nicholas born in Fishguard County Pembroke, May 13th 1786. Died April 30, 1865 in Brigham City.
My mother, Hannah Jenkins Nicholas born at Fishguard County of Pembrok,
Sept. 5th, 1787, died in the Mississippi the latter part of April
1854.
David Nicholas, son of the above, born Oct 3rd
1822, baptized May 1850.
Mary Cadorot, wife of David Nicholas born March 30, 1832, Died May 10th 1882.
James Dufresne,
Son of Mary Nicholas born Sept 9 1856 (by 1st husband). Died at Salt Lake City 25 Sept 1871.
Mary Ann, Daughter of Mary Nicholas born April 23, 1858,
died March 11th 1864 (by 1st husband)
Hannah Elizabeth, Daughter of David and mary Nicholas born Dec 25, 1860. Died Jan 28 1861.
David William son of the above born Dec 28
1861.
Louisa Daughter of above born July 3,
1864.
William John, son of above born Oct 1, 1867. Died Oct 17, 1888.
