Daniel Morgan Nelson

  General Notes:

Calvin Warby notes:
A BRIEF LIFE HISTORY OF GRANDFATHER DANIEL MORAN NELSON Written by his granddaughter, Doris Walker.
Daniel Morgan Nelson was born January 12, 1854, at St. Louis, Missouri, a son of Edward Banks Nelson and Agnas Morgan. He crossed the plains when he was 10 years old in 1864. They settled at Logan, Utah first, but in the spring of 1865 moved to Beaver, Utah. Before he was married he and his father were running a shingle mill up Indian Creek from Beaver. He lost two fingers of his left hand in the mill. He was married to Sarah Warby, October 8, 1876. She was the daughter of James Warby, Jr and Mary Blanch. They lived for some years on a small ranch at Devil Creek which is southwest from Beaver. Their children had to walk 2 1/2 miles to public school and 3 miles to high school. He worked at helping lay brick and other odd jobs. They moved to Arizona in the year of 1885 but did not like it there so came back to Beaver in about a year. Later he was in partnership in a shingle mill in East Fork of Beaver. He made shingles. He had six children by his first wife. She died June 3, 1887 and their youngest son, Ray, followed in death the same month. His marriage to his wife's sister, Matilda, took place that fall on the 30th of September, 1887. To them were born 13 children, making him the father of 19. He was what they called in those days a "water witch," and people would come to him from all over to get him to come and find where to dig for water. By holding a forked green willow a certain way in his hands he would walk over the ground and when he was over the water the stick would turn in his hand. This was very accurate. By the swiftness of the turning of the stick he could estimate the depth of the water. In the spring of the year of 1896 he and three others made an exploration trip to Lucern Valley, Daggett Co., and were so taken up with the country they went back and immediately began preparing to move out there. The company left Beaver July 23, 1896, and arrived at their destination August 16. It consisted of four families, 24 members, seven wagons 150 head of cattle, 60 or 70 head of horses and two mules. Daniel Nelson was the overseer. On arriving they hurriedly prepared cabins for winter. Grandfather was the instigator of getting a school and a branch of the church. Salaries weren't high if a job could be found at all. Men worked in surrounding hay fields for a dollar a day; twenty cents an hour for a man, thirty cents for a man and team on the canals -- but that was better than nothing. A year from that December his oldest daughter, Sarah, my mother, married Alvin Smith who had come with them. This was the first marriage in Lucern Valley. In a history written in 1947 by Dick and Vivian Dunham, entitled "Our Strip of Land" the following paragraphs were taken concerning this group of people: "This first group of settlers were as follows: George Warby, his wife, Caroline, and one child; James Warby, unmarried; Steve Warby, unmarried; Joe Warby, unmarried; Franklin Twitchell, his wife, Maria, and two children; Daniel Nelson, his wife, Matilda, and eight children; and Alvin E. Smith, unmarried. Each party had brought along a small number of cattle, a few poultry, stoves, and house hold goods. Before fall, they had selected their homesteads and built rough, log cabins for shelter. "Thus the new little Mormon Community began its first, long winter in Lucerne Valley. What did they eat -- well, there was plenty of game. We hear that Frank Mann, passing through, killed twenty-eight deer for them. And it seems that Shade Large and George Finch helped them out. Whenever one of their riders came across a "Ceader buster" - a seven or more year-old steer which had repeatedly escaped roundups -- it was delivered to the new homesteaders with their compliments. And we are told that Shade Large also helped out by sending them sauerkraut and other supplies. "There was enough money that fall (meaning the next fall) for some of the settlers to make the long hard trip over the Carter road down to Vernal to get apples and honey, then as now, two of Ashley Valley's agricultural specialties. And at least one other trip was made that fall over the mountains, this time to procure a license for the marriage of Sarah Ann, daughter of Dan Nelson with Alvin Smith. (This is an error as the license was sent for by mail.) It was a gala event, this first wedding in the new community. Everyone was there, including the recent arrivals, Willis and Annie Twitchell, and Henry and Elizabeth Twitchell. The Finches and Herfords and Larges were out in force, and a large delegation came down with Mark Anson from Burnt Fork. It was a gay affair, with plenty of spirit." (It lasted for three days). "In the summer of '98, Dan Nelson made five trips over the mountains to Vernal, trying to arrange for a school and a church. He was finally successful. On August 7, 1898 the Uintah Stake authorities gave permission for an L. D. S. church organization to be established. Willis Twitchell was chosen the first presiding elder. Nelson also persuaded the county authorities of the necessity for a school, and that fall learning began in earnest for the small fry of Lucerne Valley, with Ben Slagowski as teacher."
Grandfather Nelson had three children by his second marriage, Matilda Warby, when be came to Lucern Valley, later known as Manila, Daggett County. He had 10 children born after arriving in the Valley. He took his family of 8 children and his wife, in a wagon and drove to Salt Lake Temple on October 10, 1906 where he had them sealed to him. Two other children were born after that. His oldest son by his second marriage, George, went into the first world war and lost his life in France, September 27, 1918. Daniel Nelson moved to Vernal, Utah, in about the year 1921 where he lived until his death in June, 1932. He was sick a year before he died. Two previous years 1928 and 1929 he spent the winters in Manti doing temple work. They lost their youngest daughter, Sarah, on September 22, 1925, with diphtheria, Some years after he moved to Vernal he had an accident on the mountain, His car went backwards off a very high gorge about 500 feet. He told the story that as he went out of the car he said "My Lord," putting himself in the Lord's hands. He was thrown from the car and went to the bottom of the gorge. He was bruised from head to his foot but had only one small chip of bone off his shoulder blade. But from a blow he received over his liver at this time, he later developed cancer of the liver which eventually caused his death on June 18, 1932 at Vernal, Utah, at the age of 78. He had a Patriarchal Blessing given him by Patriarch Joseph A. Quebell. It is presumed this was given him before he moved to Manila. He was loved by everyone. "Uncle Dan," as he was known, became a stately whitehaired gentleman whom everyone looked to for advice and council. He was a true pioneer. His was not an easy life but one which will have its reward in Heaven.

Occupation Mill Operator/labourer. Daniel: Daniel married Sarah's sister after her death, the same year

  Noted events in his life were:

• source. Kirrily Cant (nee Stock) who writes:
Daniel married Sarah's sister after her death, the same year

• Occupation. mill operator & labourer

Daniel married Sarah Warby, daughter of James William Warby and Mary Ann Blanch, on 8 Oct 1876 in Beaver City, Beaver, Utah USA. (Sarah Warby was born on 5 Mar 1854 in Raymond Terrace, NSW Australia, christened in San Bernardino, California USA, died on 3 Jun 1887 in Beaver City, Beaver, Utah USA and was buried on 5 Jun 1887 in Beaver City, Beaver, Utah USA.)

Daniel next married Matilda (T) Warby, daughter of James William Warby and Mary Ann Blanch, on 30 Sep 1887 in Beaver City, Beaver, Utah USA. (Matilda (T) Warby was born on 10 Feb 1868 in Beaver City, Beaver, Utah USA, died on 27 Dec 1932 in Vernal, Uintah, Utah USA and was buried on 29 Dec 1932 in Maeser Fairview Cemetery, Utah USA.)