BackGround: Manti Temple, Manti, Utah
Created 14 November 2006
Nelson was born 1 September 1806 in Milford, Otsego, New York and married first 24 December 1826 in Fitchville, Huron, Ohio, Sarah BLACKMAN the daughter of Josiah BLACKMAN and Tryphenia SMITH. She was born 5 April 1806, in Columbus, Oswego, New York died 18 August 1864 in Moroni, Sanpete, Utah.
He married second 4 November 1851, in Manti, Sanpete, Utah. Margaret DUNCAN, the daughter of John DUNCAN and Jane TRAFTON. She was born 30 August 1798, in Gloicester, Northumberland, England, and died 18 April 1869 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah.
He mareied third 20 February 1856, in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, Nancy Meribah BEHUNIN, the daughter of Isaac BEHUNIN and Almina (Polly) TYLER She was born 7 February 1841 in Springfield, Delaware, Pennsyhlvania and died 18 Oct 1910 in Elsinore, Sevier, Utah.
Nelson died 29 November 1890 in Elsinore, Sevier, Utah.
Higgins, Nelson, a member of Zion's Camp, captain of Company D Mormon Battalion, Bishop, etc., was born Sept. 1, 1806, at Milford, Otsego county, New York, the son of Daniel Higgins and Mary Dagget. When the boy was ten years old, his father moved to Ohio, leaving the boy with a married sister. In the course of a year the sister died and the boy started out on foot on a journey of about four hundred miles to find his family in Huron county, Ohio. At the age of twenty-one he married Sarah Blackman, by whom he had ten children. Becoming a convert to "Mormonism," he was baptized in 1834 and was shortly after ordained a Priest and appointed to preside over a branch of the Church where he resided. As a member of Zion's Camp in 1834 he marched to Missouri under the direction of the Prophet Joseph Smith. He was ordained an Elder at the time of the dedication of the Kirtland Temple and soon afterwards ordained a Seventy, becoming a member of the first quorum of Seventy. In 1837 he moved to Missouri and there passed through the mobbings and persecutions endured by the Saints in that State. Subsequently he located in Nauvoo, Hancock county, Illinois, and left there in the general exodus with the Saints in 1846. Having arrived on the Missouri river, he enlisted in the Mormon Battalion and was elected captain of Company D. He spent the winter of 1846/1847 with the sick detachment of the Battalion at Pueblo, and arrived in Salt Lake Valley July 29, 1847. In 1849, together with others, he was called to Sanpete Valley to assist in establishing a settlement there and thus he became one of the founders of Manti. Later he moved to Moroni, where he also became one of the first settlers. In 1855 he was called to Carson Valley, now in Nevada, to assist in establishing a colony of Saints there, and remained there until 1857. In 1864 he was called to go to Richfield to preside over that infant settlement, being ordained a Bishop under the hands of President Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball. Richfield was temporarily abandoned in 1867 because of Indian troubles, but in 1871 when the place was resettled, Bro. Higgins again returned to his post in Richfield as Bishop and labored in that capacity until 1873, when he was honorably released and moved to Brooklyn, a small settlement between Elsinore and Monroe. Here he spent the remainer of his life. Brother Higgins was successively captain, major and colonel in the Nauvoo Legion and served as general in the absence of Charles C. Rich. He was successively captain, major and colonel during the Walker war while living in Sanpete, and was a major and commanding officer all during the Black Hawk Indian war. Amidst these trying frontier conditions he reared a large family. In 1852 he married Margaret Duncan, and in 1856 he married Nancy Meribah Behmin, by whom he raised eight children. His whole life was one of unusual activity, and he exhibited courage, devotion and faithfulness in everything with which he was associated. In the latter part of his life he was very feeble and scarcely able to move about. He died at Elsinore, Sevier county, Utah, Nov. 20, 1890.
Sarah Blackman, daughter of Josiah and Tryphenia Smith Blackman, was born April 5, 1806 at Columbus, Oswego County, New York. She became the wife of Nelson Higgins and, in 1834, four years after the organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they, with their four children, became members and endured all the persecutions inflicted upon the Saints in Ohio, Illinois and Missouri. When the Saints were forced to leave Nauvoo in 1846, again they, with their seven children, left their homes and possessions. While at Council Bluffs Nelson Higgins was appointed Captain of Company D, Mormon Battalion and Sarah and their children accompanied him on the march. Sarah, with a kind and gracious spirit, added much to the morale of the group. At the last crossing of the Arkansas River the officer commanding gave orders that some of the women and children who had accompanied the troops as far as Santa Fe be detached and sent to winter in Pueblo. It is said that there was much sickness at Fort Pueblo and but for the tender nursing of Sarah and other women of the Battalion many more deaths would have occurred during their forced stay in this isolated place situated on the eastern base of the Rocky Mountains. When spring came they journeyed on to the valley. Shortly after their arrival Captain Higgins, with his family, and fifty other families, was called to settle Sanpete County. The roads were long and rough, the men walking all the way through the canyon clearing boulders from the path of the wagons. They made camp at Manti. Holes were dug in the hillside for shelter. When the men came in from work at night they would have to kill snakes in these dugouts before making up the beds. The first death that occurred here was the little daughter of Nelson and Sarah Higgins. To them were born the following children, most of whom accompanied their parents on the famous march of the Mormon Battalion: Alonzo, born in 1828; Almira, born May 28, 1830; Alfred, born July 27, 1832; Drucilla, born December 18, 1833; Carlos S., born January 29, 1842 and Wealthy born at Pueblo in 1846.
Sarah passed away August 18, 1864 at Moroni, Utah at the age of fifty-eight years.
Almira was the daughter of Nelson and Sarah Blackman Higgins. She was married to John Darwin Chase, a member of the Mormon Battalion and was one of the women who accompanied the Battalion on its famous march. In 1849 they were called to help settle Manti where her husband later presided as bishop at Fort Ephraim. In 1856 they went to Carson Valley, Nevada and then returned to Nephi. From there they moved to Moroni. Here Almira and two daughters died the same day having been stricken with smallpox. She was the mother of twelve children. Ivy C. Anderson
Nelson Higgins, son of Daniel and Mary Daggett Higgins, was born September 1, 1806 at Milford, Oswego County, New York. He embraced Mormonism and was baptized in 1834. In June of 1846, while the Saints were on the move west, Nelson responded to the call of his country to go with the Mormon Battalion. His wife, Sarah Blackham, and eight children accompanied him. He was commissioned Captain of Company "D." The Battalion's line of march from Fort Leavenworth took them up the Kansas River and then westward to the Arkansas which they followed upstream for another hundred miles. The last crossing of the Arkansas was on the 16th of September, and here the commanding officer gave orders that a number of families, which had accompanied the troops to that point, should be detached and sent under the command of Captain Nelson Higgins and a guard of ten men, to Pueblo, a Mexican town situated at the eastern base of the Rocky Mountains. He and his family spent the winter of 1846-47 with the sick detachment of the Battalion at this place. While there a girl was born making their ninth child whom they named Wealthy Matilda.
The Nelson Higgins family arrived in Salt Lake Valley July 29, 1847. In 1849, with others, he was called to Sanpete Valley to assist in establishing a settlement there. Later he moved to Moroni, and in 1855 was called to Carson Valley. In 1864 he went to Richfield to preside over that settlement. He became a well-known figure in the Walker and Black Hawk wars, attaining the rank of Colonel. Mr. Higgins passed away at Elsinore, Sevier County, Utah, November 20, 1890 at the age of 82 years.
D. U. P. Files
On April 5, 1806 Sarah Blackman was born in Columbus, Oswego County, New York to Josiah and Tryphenia Smith Blackman. She became the wife of Nelson Higgins on December 24, 1827, and was later sealed to him. In 1834, four years after The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized, they became members. Along with their children they endured the persecutions inflicted on the Saints in Ohio, Illinois, and Missouri. When the Saints were forced to leave Nauvoo in 1846, they took their six children and went with the Saints. When Brigham Young asked for volunteers for the Mormon Battalion, Nelson joined and became a Captain in Company D. He took with him his wife Sarah and their children: Almira, Alfred, Drucilla, Nelson Daniel, Heber Kimball, and Carlos Smith. Alonzo, their oldest, had died in 1839; Clarissa, their eighth child, died in 1845. At the last crossing of the Arkansas River, Lt. Smith gave orders that some of the women and children who had accompanied the troops be detached and sent to winter in Pueblo, along with many of the men who were sick. They went with the Higgins' Detachment in September of 1846. Sarah's husband was captain of this group. When they arrived at Pueblo, those men who were able built crude cabins which were warmer than tents. There was much sickness at Pueblo, but for the tender nursing of Sarah and other women of the Battalion, many more deaths would have occurred during their stay in this isolated place situated on the eastern base of the Rocky Mountains. During their stay at Pueblo, Sarah gave birth to a girl on May 2, 1847, who she named Wealthy Matilda.
The group arrived in the Salt Lake Valley with Capt. James Brown's Company on July 29, 1847. Shortly after their arrival, Captain Higgins, along with his family and fifty other families, were called to settle Sanpete County. The roads were long and rough. The men had to walk all the way through the canyon clearing boulders from the path of the wagons. They made camp at Manti where holes were dug in the hillside for shelter. When the men came in at night they would have to kill snakes in these dugouts before making up their beds. Sarah passed away August 18, 1864, at Moroni, Utah, at the age of 58 years. She was the mother of ten children and was known for her kind and gracious spirit.
Almira, the daughter of Nelson and Sarah Higgins, married John Darwin Chase at Pueblo. John was a member of Company B.
Drucilla, the daughter of Nelson and Sarah Higgins, accompanied her parents and later married Warren Stone Snow.
Wealthy Matilda, the daughter of Nelson and Sarah Higgins, was born at Pueblo and died March 22, 1849, in Manti at the age of two.
Source:
Daughters of the Utah Pioneers, Salt Lake City, Utah.
from Women of the Mormon Battalion
Compiled and edited by Carl V. Larson and Shirley N. Maynes
keyed to digital by Renda Taylor Feb 2005
Name Father Mother Birth Date Higgins, Sarah Alice Higgins, Nelson D Blackman, Sarah 02 Jan 1852
1850 Census , , Utah. Page 115
R Estate Where
Name Age Sex Race Occupation Value Born
Nelson HIGGINS 44 M ---- Farmer $ 0,200 New York
Sarah " 44 F ---- ---------- -------- New York
Alfred " 20 M ---- Farmer -------- Ohio
Druzilla " 17 F ---- ---------- -------- Ohio
Nelson D " 15 M ---- ---------- -------- Ohio
Heber K " 11 M ---- ---------- -------- Illinois
Carlos S " 9 M ---- ---------- -------- Illinois
1860 Census Moroni, Sanpete, Utah.
R Estate Personal Where
Name Age Sex Race Occupation Value Value Born
Nelson HIGGINS 53 M ---- Farmer $ 0,350 $ 0,450 New York
Sarah " 54 F ---- ---------- -------- -------- New York
Heber K " 20 M ---- F Laborer -------- -------- Illinois
Carlos S " 18 M ---- F Laborer -------- -------- Illinois
Sarah A " 8 F ---- ---------- -------- -------- Utah
Nancy M " 19 F ---- Seamstress -------- -------- Illinois
Ann " 18 F Ind. Severent -------- -------- --------
1870 Census Nephi, Juab, Utah. Page 326
Name Age Sex Race Occupation Value Value Born
HIGGINS Nelson 63 M W Laborer $ 0,200 $ 0,250 New York
" Nancy 38 F W Keeping House -------- -------- Illinois
" Nelson W 5 M W At Home -------- -------- Utah
" Joseph 4 M W At Home -------- -------- Utah
" Alvin I 3 M W At Home -------- -------- Utah
" Moroni 1 M W At Home -------- -------- Utah
1880 Census Elsinore, Sevier, Utah. Page 504C
Mar | Place of Birth |
Name Race Sex Age Relat Sta Occupation |Self Father Mother|
HIGGINS Nelson W M 73 ----- M Farming N. Y. N. Y. N. Y.
" Nancy W F 39 Wife M Keeping House Ill. N. Y. N. Y.
" Nelson W F 15 Son S Works on Farm Utah N. Y. Ill.
" Joseph W M 14 Son S Works on Farm Utah N. Y. Ill.
" Lewis W M 9 Son S Works on Farm Utah N. Y. Ill.
" Nancy W F 3 Dau S ------------- Utah N. Y. Ill.
List of families who accompanied the Mormon Battalion: Mrs. Celia Hunt, wife of Captain Jefferson Hunt; sons, Hyrum, John, Joseph Parley; daughters, Jane, Harriet, Mary; second wife Matilda, in the family, Peter Nease, Ellen Nease, John Bosco and wife Jane. Mrs. Lydia Hunter, wife of Captain Jesse D. Hunter, of Company B, died at San Diego; left an infant and perhaps other children. Mrs. Mary Brown, wife of Captain James Brown, of Company C.; son, David Black and some children by first wife. Mrs. Sarah B. Higgins, wife of Captain Nelson Higgins, of Company D; sons, Alpheus, Don Carlos; daughters, Druscilla, Almira (married John Chase at Pueblo), and one child born at Pueblo. Mrs. Susan Davis, wife of Captain Daniel C. Davis, of Company E; son, Daniel C. Davis, Jr. Mrs. Fanny Maria Huntington, wife of Dimick B. Huntington; sons, Clark Allen, Lot; daughters, Martha, Zina, Betsy Priscinda (born at Pueblo). Mrs. Malinda Kelley, wife of Milton Kelley; daughter, Malinda Catherine (born at Pueblo, later wife of Benjamin L. Alexander). Mrs. Elizabeth Shelton, wife of Sergeant Sebert C. Shelton; sons, Jackson Mayfield, John Mayfield; daughters, Sarah Mayfield, Caroline and Maria.
Council Bluffs, Missouri River, July 16, 1846. This day I enlisted in the Mormon Battalion, which is to march to Upper California by the way of Santa Fe, under the command of Lieut. Col. Allen, by order of the President of the United States. Our company was this day organized with Nelson Higgins captain. I was appointed third sergeant of Company D. The company was marched six miles from here to the river flat, to a trading house, where we drew our blankets and C.......... and on the nineteenth we received many rich instructions from Br. Young and others of the Twelve, pertaining to this campaign, and the future designs of the Church. On Monday we left this place and moved down the river four miles.
July 29, 1847:
"The pioneer settlers of Salt Lake Valley now began to receive reinforcements. The first to arrive was Captain James Brown's detachment of the Mormon Battalion, accompanied by the main portion of the Mississippi Saints who had joined the soldiers at Pueblo. Being aware of their approach, President Young and others, on the 29th of July mounted their horses and went out to meet them." Captain Nelson Higgins, of Company D., and Third Lt. Wm. M. Willis of Company A. were included in the company. About 140 members of the Mormon Battalion and 100 of the Mississippi Saints, together with 60 wagons, 100 horses and mules and 300 head of cattle now added to the size of Salt Lake City.
Name Age Date of Birth Place of Birth Co. Higgins, Nelson D. 13 Oct 9, 1835 ----- -- ----- --
By mid June Brown and his company were at the Platte River where they waited two weeks for the Nauvoo Mormons. When no one arrived they continued traveling on the Oregon Trail towards Fort Laramie until they learned there were no Mormons ahead. They were advised by a trader to go to Fort Pueblo, Colorado, for the winter. Fort Pueblo was in a sheltered valley; trappers residing there had corn; other food and supplies could be obtained from nearby Bent’s Fort. John Brown and his group arrived in Pueblo August 7, 1846. They immediately began building log cabins and planting crops. Absalom P. Dowdle was appointed presiding elder of the Pueblo branch.
Meanwhile, as the Mormon Battalion continued west along the Arkansas River, Lieutenant A. J. Smith, temporary battalion commander, decided to send the women, their husbands, and children back to Pueblo. The chance meeting with John Brown had provided him with an answer of what to do with the women and children. This first detachment, known as the Higgins Family Detachment (Arkansas Detachment), consisted of 11 men, 9 women and 33 children under Captain Nelson Higgins. They left the battalion on September 18 and arrived in Pueblo in early October, 1846.
CHILDREN of Nelson HIGGINS and Sarah BLACLMAN:
1. ALONZO b: 20 Oct 1827; Florence, Huron, Ohio
d: 1 May 1839; , , .
2. ALMIRA b: 28 May 1830; Florence, Huron, Ohio.
md: 17 Feb 1847; Pueblo, Pueblo, Colorado
John Darwin CASE
d: 23 Feb 1873; Moroni, Sanpete, Utah.
3. ALFRED b: 27 Jul 1831; Florence, Huron, Ohio.
md: 26 Feb 1858; Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah.
Diantha ALLEN
d: Abt 1852; Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah.
4. DRUZILLA b: 18 Dec 1833; Florence, Huron, Ohio.
md: 16 May 1855; , , Utah.
Warren Stone SNOW
d: 10 Feb 1892; , , .
5. NELSON DANIEL b: 9 Oct 1835; Florence, Huron, Ohio.
md: 18 Oct 1855; Manti, Sanpete, Utah.
Sarah Jane LOWREY
d: 22 Oct 1890; Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah.
6. HEBER KIMBALL b: 4 Sep 1839; Greenplain, Hancock, Illinois.
md: 1 Jan 1866; , , Utah.
Sarah Josephine MECHAM
d: 14 Mar 1873; Nephi, Juab, Utah.
7. CARLOS SMITH b: 2 Jan 1842; Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois.
md: 26 Mar 1862; Moroni, Sanpete, Utah.
Dorthea Christensen JEPPSEN
d: 21 Nov 1919; Lave Hot Springs, Bannock, Idaho.
8. CLARISSA b: 14 Feb 1844; Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois.
d: 1845; Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois.
9. WEALTHA b: 2 May 1847; Pueblo, Peublo, Colorado.
d: 24 Nov 1849; Manti, Sanpete, Utah.
+ 10. SARAH ALICE b: 4 Jan 1852; Manti, Sanpete, Utah.
md: 24 Dec 1972; Richfield, Sevier, Utah.
William Franklin CURTIS
d: 2 Feb 1934; Provo, Utah, Utah.
CHILDREN of Nelson HIGGINS and Margaret DUNCAN:
OO. NONE KNOWN b: -- --- ----; , , .
CHILDREN of Nelson HIGGINS and Nancy Meribah BEHUNIN:
11. MELVIN AMDRES b: 5 Jan 1863; Moroni, Sanpete, Utah.
12. NELSON WILLIAM b: 31 Mar 1865; Richfield, Sevier, Utah.
md: 18 Nov 1891; Elsinore, Savier, Utah.
Maria Christina HANSEN
d: 19 Jun 1941; Monroe, Sevier, Utah.
13. JOSEPH HENRY b: 30 Sep 1866; Richfield, Sevier, Utah.
md: 22 Jun 1889; Rico, Dolores, Colorado.
Margaret Ann LUSTER
d: 11 Nov 1933; Elsinore, Sevier, Utah.
14. ALVIN ISAAC b: 26 Sep 1868; Salem, Utah, Utah.
d: Bef 1880; , , Utah.
15. LEWIS b: 15 Dec 1870; Nephi, Juab, Utah.
md: 25 May 1915; , , Utah.
Margarette Matilda BARNEY
16. HYRAM SMITH b: 27 Jun 1872; Richfield, Sevier, Utah.
d: Died Young ; , Sevier, Utah.
17. ELMIRA MARYBAH b: 25 Jul 1875; Elsinore, Sevier, Utah.
d: Died Young ; Elsinore, Sevier, Utah.
18. NANCY LORETTA b: 31 Mar 1876; Elsinore, Sevier, Utah.
md: ; , , . div.
Moses WILLIAMS
md: ; , , . div.
George COLLINS
md: 9 Jul 1897; Richfield, Sevier, Utah.
Samuel Benjamin HARMON
md: ; , , .
James Monroe Cranson IDE
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