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While Henry was still a boy, his parents joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He was baptized into the church on July 17, 1839, by the apostle W. Richards. Sometime afterwards the family left for Nauvoo, arriving there on September 1, 1840, when Henry was 13 years old. Henry's two brothers, William and Isaac also went with them. He received his patriarchal blessing about this time from Hyrum Smith. On the 6th of October 1844 he was ordained a Seventy by Joseph Young and others and set apart as a member of the 13th quorum. He assisted in building the Temple at Nauvoo, and upon its completion he received his endowments there on the 3rd of February 1846. Receiving his endowments was the fulfillment of a prophetsy made to him by Joseph Smith, the Prophet.
Henry married Sarah Ann Richmond on May 16 1847 in Nauvoo, Hancock Co. Illinois. There is some conflict regarding this as one history says they were married in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, while enroute to Utah. She is the daughter of Thomas Richmond and Sarah Ann Burrows. She was born 20 November 1829 at Bottesford, Leicestershire, England.
The young couple started westward with the body of the saints. They were in an ox-team company. On the way their first child Henry Thomas Nelson was born 28 October 1850 at Council Bluff, Pottawatamie, Iowa. Within a year the young family arrived in Utah and settled in Provo, Utah County. While in Provo Their Daughter Elizabeth Ann was born on February 22nd 1852. On September 6, 1852 Henry Nelson and Sarah Ann Richmond went to Salt Lake City and were sealed for time and all, eternity Heber C. Kimball officiating, this was before the Temple was built so it was done in the endowment house. A son Jessie Richmond Nelson was born December 29. 1854.
Many times Henry told his grandchildren of the great plague of crickets and how he and his wife and children went out into the fields to fight them. Almost to the point of exhaustion they all knelt in the fields, as all the other saints were doing, and prayed to God for deliverance from the plague. He told how the lord had answered their prayers.
They lived in Provo for about 14 years, then the family, along with his aging mother, moved to Heber City in Wasatch County in 1864. In 1878 they moved to Buysville, where Henry lived out his life. Buysville later became Daniels and is located at the mouth of Daniels Canyon.
Additional children were born to this family while in the Heber City area. They are William Richard Nelson born 29 March 1856; Wilford Nelson born 12 May 1858; Sarah Alice born 2 December 1859; Mercy Jane born 1 December 1861; Joseph Everett Nelson born 26 August 1863; Margaret born 16 May 1865; Emma born 11 January 1867; John Benjamin Nelson born 14 February 1868; Hyrum Nelson. born 20 January 1870 and Mary Emily born 29 December 1871/72.
Henry was a good fisherman and also a successful farmer. He was superintendent of the Sunday School at Buysville. Henry and his boys hauled wood to Salt Lake City by ox teams to fire the furnaces when the temple was being built.
Henry and his wife experienced all the hardships and privations incident to life in a new country. He never tired of rehearsing to his family the many and miraculous manifestations of the power of God that had come under his observation, exhorting them to the last to be faithful and true to the causes they had espoused.
He was preceded in death by 2 children and left his wife and 11 children to morn his passing. Henry died 12 September 1897 (1894) in Buysville, Wasatch County, Utah and was buried in the cemetery at Heber City. At the time of his death he was a High Priest in the LDS Church.
[This information from family records and a story written buy Elfie Nelson Blackley (a grand-daughter) for the "Daughters of Utah Pioneers."]
| UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, | United States Second District court for |
| Territory of Utah, | the territory of Utah |
| Utah county,ss. |
BE IT REMEMBERED, That on the tenth day of March, A.D. 1859, Henry Nelson a subject of Queen Victoria made application and satisfied the court that he came to reside in the United States before he was eighteen years of age, and there upon, the said Henry Nelson appeared in open court, and was sworn in due form of law, and on his oath did say, that for three years just past, it has been his bona fide intention to become a citizen of the United States, and to renounce and abdure forever, all allegiance and fidelity to every Foreign Prince, Potentate, State and Sovereignty whatever.
And, Thereupon, the court being satisfied by the oaths of "William Nelson and Lucious N. Scooil two citizens of the United States, that the said Henry Nelson of one year last past has resided in this territory, and for five years previous thereto, he resided in the territory aforesaid, that during that time he has behaved as a man of good moral character---- that he is attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States, and well disposed to the good order or the inhabitants thereof, and admitted him to be a citizen of the same. And thereupon the said Henry Nelson was, in due form of law, sworn to support the Constitution of the United States, and absolutely and entirety renounce and abdure forever, all allegiance and fidelity to every foreign prince, potentate, State and Sovereinty whatever, and particularly to Her Majesty Victoria queen of Great Brittain Ireland whose subject he hereto has been.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto
subscribed by name, and affixed the seal of said
court, this tenth day of March one thousand eight
hundred and fifty-nine, and of the Independance of
the United States and Eighty fourth
Clerk,
Lucious N. Scooil