Family History
Joseph Nicholas was born March 31, 1822, in Parma, Ohio to Jesse Nicholas and Mary Small. He was the 7th of nine children born to this couple. Joseph married Nancy Allen on January 1, 1847 or 1848 in Parma, Ohio. They are parents to nine or ten children. The nine children are listed above. The possible tenth child is “Joe” listed as being born in 1849. Our direct ancestor is their child Rosa Florence Nicholas who was born May 31, 1872 in Willard, Utah.
Joseph and Nancy moved from Ohio to Utah some time between April 28, 1850 (the birthdate of their daughter Sarah Anetta Nicholas) and February 8, 1853, the birthdate of their daughter, Eunice Alice Nicholas, who was born in Sessions or Bountiful, Utah. They lived for a time in Willard, Utah and then moved to Almo, Idaho as one of the original settlers.
Joseph was baptized into the LDS Church in April 1853. He was endowed in the Endowment House March 17, 1854, the same day he was sealed to Nancy Allen.
Joseph died October 15, 1888 in Willard, Utah. He was buried in Willard, Utah.
Joseph Nicholas
March 31, 1822
Joseph Nicholas
31 March 1822 to 15 October 1888
Parents:
Jesse Nicholas (1784-1846)
Mary Small (1783-1830)
Siblings:
Margaret Nicholas (1807-1888)
Denis Nicholas (1809-1891)
Sarah Nicholas (1812-)
Jesse Nicholas (1815-1836)
Joshua Porter Nicholas (1817-1876)
Mary Ann Nicholas (1820-1860)
Lois Louise Nicholas (1824-1907)
Nicholas (1833-1833)
Spouse: 1 January 1847 or 1848
Nancy Allen (1827-1905)
Children:
Sarah Iantha Nicholas (1848-1848)
Sarah Annette (or Anetta) Nicholas (1850-1886)
Eunice Alice Nicholas (1853-1933)
Joseph Gordon Nicholas (1855-1944)
Nancy Helen Nicholas (1858-1939)
Mary Ann Nicholas (1862-1935)
Ida Pauline Nicholas (1867-1958)
Clarissa Eva Nicholas (1870-1870)
Rosa Florence Nicholas (1872-1937)
Copyright (©) Ward B. Rasmussen. All rights reserved.
(Nancy Allen related the following to her granddaughter, Nancy Lerona Durfee, who related it to her daughter, Hazel Dawn Ward):
Nancy Allen Nicholas was born 8 August 1827 at Willsborough, Essex, N.Y. She was a cripple not by birth but because she had the disease known as Cholera. The only remedy they had to combat the disease was a medicine called Calamoe. It would arrest the disease but if too much medicine was given it would have a crippling effect. The medicine caused her to be crippled in her legs. She came across the plains but had to ride all the way in the wagon, regardless of stream or mountain trails, she said her husband always walked beside the oxen to steady them and to comfort her.
Several years after they reached the Salt Lake Valley, they moved to Willard, Utah, and later decided to move to Almo, Idaho.
She and her husband were coming across the Snowville flat between Snowville and Strevell. There were no settlers or homes in the area at the time. One of the horses rubbed off his bridle, her husband got out of the wagon to replace the bridle. Before he got the bridle on, the horses became frightened and began to run, leaving her husband behind. She didn't have the lines in her hands. She tried to hang onto the wagon to keep from being thrown out. She began to pray to the Heavenly Father for help. Suddenly in the trail ahead stood a man. He was able to stop the team and quiet them. He replaced the bridle and handed her the lines. She thanked him and turned to see how far behind her husband was. When she turned around the man was gone. She could see for miles in all directions but they never saw the man again. She knew he had appeared in answer to her prayer.
Six of Joseph & Nancy’s children: Top L-R: Ida, Mary Ann, Rosa; Bottom L-R: Nancy, Joseph, & Eunice
