A Brief Sketch of the Life
of
Cynthia Louise Child
By
Her Daughter
Annette Nealson[1]
Cynthia Louise Child was the daughter of Myron Barber Child and Emeline Elmer. She was born in Ogden, Utah December 14, 1861. At that time Ogden was called Bingham Fort. Her father homesteaded a tract of land 3 miles south west of Ogden, now called Riverdale where the family moved into a new home. This tract of land included the area from the Weber River west to the hills known as the little flat, then north about ½ mile. At this time, the land was not surveyed, but was described by choosing a land mark upon which all the settlers agreed to. Later on, it was all surveyed using proper methods.
Cynthia Child went to school at a place called “The old Tannery”. This was used for recreation until a school house was built. All her girlhood days were spent in Riverdale. She married Pete Tourval Nealson on October 7, 1889 at Ogden by Charles Midleton. They lived in a rock house located in the rear of Myron Childs home where her first child was born, March 10, 1882, Annette Nealson. When the baby was a few months old, Myron Child gave them one acre of land about one block north of his home. A narrow street was opened up to their home called the Lane. It was here that a home was built. On July 2, 1884, and a second child was born named Asa Laurence Nealson. The house where Asa was born was soon sold and Cynthia and Pete bought a place on the main road next to her mother’s home, Emeline and Myron Child’s home. While a house was being built at this location, she and her family lived in part of her mother’s house where another daughter was born, Emeline Louise, on the 13th of July1886. This daughter lived only a short time and died on 17th of August 1887. A few months later another daughter was born on November 10, 1887 and she was named Polly Edith. By this time, the family was living in their new home. Another son came along, Myron William on 10th of September 1889 also born in the new home. Their new home was rented out and the family moved up the street about one block on the opposite side of the street where another son was born, 18th of July 1891, named Earl Nealson.
About a year later, they moved back into their old home where two new rooms were added and here they seemed to be very comfortable. It was here that two more sons were born, Pete Ray Nealson (6th of May 1893) and Chancy, (14th of June 1895). When Chancy was a little baby, Cynthia and her husband were going to Ogden in a small cart pulled by a horse. The shaves broke loose from the cart and caused it to go over backwards. Pete kept hold of the of the lines which caused the horse to back over Cynthia tearing her dress off of her back by the horse’s shoe. She carried the print of that horseshoe on her back for a long while. She was saved from instant death by a higher power.
On September 7, 1898, Annette was married to Arthur Silas Burnett. It was at this time That Cynthia’s health began to fail. Before this she had always had good health. On 1st of June 1900, twins were born by her, a boy and a girl, Lydia and Lester. Lydia died after 8 hours and Lester died a month later. Cynthia was in a very critical condition throughout that summer. In addition, all the children came down with the measles and Earl had pleurisy and pneumonia. On 19th of August, 1900, Annette’s husband, Arthur Silas Burnett, died leaving her a pregnant widow. Cynthia was very weak and all of this was a sever trial to her and the family. Soon the family got well once more, but in the later part of October, Edith came down with Typhoid fever and she was near death for three weeks. On November 10, 1900, a son was born to Annette. He was named Arthur Silas Burnett. On the same night, Edith passed the crisis and everyone seemed once more on their way to being well again. Cynthia had regained her health for which everyone was very grateful. For Christmas that year, father got the five boys all new suits, hats and shoes and all were very happy. About the 15th of January, Pete heard a noise outside and he got up and went to the door and it was storming and cold. He said he had seen a man standing close under the eaves of the house. He asked him what he wanted but the man did not answer and he invited him inside but the stranger disappeared. Cynthia heard this conversation and asked who he was talking with . All was explained and this happened about midnight. Both went to sleep and Pete said he saw the five boys all dressed in their new clothes going some where, but only four of them had hats on. He related all of this to us the next morning. None of us could understand it. The children all went to school and were all well. At noon time, William came home (this was on Friday) complaining of a bad headache and so he was treated for a cold and put to bed. About dark time, his mother went to call him for the evening meal, but he was unconscious. Doctors were called and he had spinal mingitis. Everthing was done; Elders were called in, but to no avail. He died Sunday evening, January 19th, 1901. Thus, four deaths were in the family over a seven month period.
The family sold out here and moved to Clinton, Utah where they bought ten acres of land. Annette had been left 10 acres to her so the family farmed the 20 acres. The family prospered for four years. The boys were growing up so they needed more land so they sold out and moved to Roy, Utah where they bought 40 acres of land. It was here they built a new home, and it was here Annette remarried (Lovell Edgar Gibson). Soon after, Edith married William Wayne and Laurence married Ella Dullenbar and Earl married Nora Mansfield. Then came the great world war. Ray and Chancey were called to the colors. Ray stayed at Camp Kerney and Chancey went to France. This was a hard blow to Cynthia whose health was failing fast. But, the Lord heard her prayers and both boys were returned safe without a scratch. Shortly after the war, Chancey married Leila Williams. The folks were very comfortable now, only Ray was at home, but, Cynthia’s health continued to fail. She now had 21 grandchildren and one great grandchild. She truly had been a devoted wife and Mother and honest in all her ways, doing her best for home and family. No sacrifice was too great for her children. She died on May 2nd 1922.
A few word about my father, Peter Thorval Nelson:
“Father came to New York from a little town on the coast of Norway. They came with the John Murdock Company to Salt Lake City. They settled in Lehi. His Mother died there. She had married a man by the name of John Murdock whose wife had died and left two sons and a daughter. She (the Mother) had a baby boy by this marriage but the mother died soon after the child’s birth and he is buried in Lehi. (We can get some information likely from the John Murdock Family) My Father was quite certain that the folks were all baptized in Norway. Father lived with Bishop Proctor of the 10th ward in Salt Lake City. Then he lived with Joseph Fife in Riverdale before marrying Cynthia Louise Child.”
[1] Editor’s note: This history was transcribed as written by my grandmother, Annette Nelson Gibson in her own handwriting. She wrote this history on August 23rd 1939, a few months before her husband, Lovell Edgar Gibson died. I am using the name “Nealson”, as this is the way my grandmother spelled her maiden name in the hand written document, even though most of the records spelled her name “Nelson” including her siblings.
of
Cynthia Louise Child
By
Her Daughter
Annette Nealson[1]
Cynthia Louise Child was the daughter of Myron Barber Child and Emeline Elmer. She was born in Ogden, Utah December 14, 1861. At that time Ogden was called Bingham Fort. Her father homesteaded a tract of land 3 miles south west of Ogden, now called Riverdale where the family moved into a new home. This tract of land included the area from the Weber River west to the hills known as the little flat, then north about ½ mile. At this time, the land was not surveyed, but was described by choosing a land mark upon which all the settlers agreed to. Later on, it was all surveyed using proper methods.
Cynthia Child went to school at a place called “The old Tannery”. This was used for recreation until a school house was built. All her girlhood days were spent in Riverdale. She married Pete Tourval Nealson on October 7, 1889 at Ogden by Charles Midleton. They lived in a rock house located in the rear of Myron Childs home where her first child was born, March 10, 1882, Annette Nealson. When the baby was a few months old, Myron Child gave them one acre of land about one block north of his home. A narrow street was opened up to their home called the Lane. It was here that a home was built. On July 2, 1884, and a second child was born named Asa Laurence Nealson. The house where Asa was born was soon sold and Cynthia and Pete bought a place on the main road next to her mother’s home, Emeline and Myron Child’s home. While a house was being built at this location, she and her family lived in part of her mother’s house where another daughter was born, Emeline Louise, on the 13th of July1886. This daughter lived only a short time and died on 17th of August 1887. A few months later another daughter was born on November 10, 1887 and she was named Polly Edith. By this time, the family was living in their new home. Another son came along, Myron William on 10th of September 1889 also born in the new home. Their new home was rented out and the family moved up the street about one block on the opposite side of the street where another son was born, 18th of July 1891, named Earl Nealson.
About a year later, they moved back into their old home where two new rooms were added and here they seemed to be very comfortable. It was here that two more sons were born, Pete Ray Nealson (6th of May 1893) and Chancy, (14th of June 1895). When Chancy was a little baby, Cynthia and her husband were going to Ogden in a small cart pulled by a horse. The shaves broke loose from the cart and caused it to go over backwards. Pete kept hold of the of the lines which caused the horse to back over Cynthia tearing her dress off of her back by the horse’s shoe. She carried the print of that horseshoe on her back for a long while. She was saved from instant death by a higher power.
On September 7, 1898, Annette was married to Arthur Silas Burnett. It was at this time That Cynthia’s health began to fail. Before this she had always had good health. On 1st of June 1900, twins were born by her, a boy and a girl, Lydia and Lester. Lydia died after 8 hours and Lester died a month later. Cynthia was in a very critical condition throughout that summer. In addition, all the children came down with the measles and Earl had pleurisy and pneumonia. On 19th of August, 1900, Annette’s husband, Arthur Silas Burnett, died leaving her a pregnant widow. Cynthia was very weak and all of this was a sever trial to her and the family. Soon the family got well once more, but in the later part of October, Edith came down with Typhoid fever and she was near death for three weeks. On November 10, 1900, a son was born to Annette. He was named Arthur Silas Burnett. On the same night, Edith passed the crisis and everyone seemed once more on their way to being well again. Cynthia had regained her health for which everyone was very grateful. For Christmas that year, father got the five boys all new suits, hats and shoes and all were very happy. About the 15th of January, Pete heard a noise outside and he got up and went to the door and it was storming and cold. He said he had seen a man standing close under the eaves of the house. He asked him what he wanted but the man did not answer and he invited him inside but the stranger disappeared. Cynthia heard this conversation and asked who he was talking with . All was explained and this happened about midnight. Both went to sleep and Pete said he saw the five boys all dressed in their new clothes going some where, but only four of them had hats on. He related all of this to us the next morning. None of us could understand it. The children all went to school and were all well. At noon time, William came home (this was on Friday) complaining of a bad headache and so he was treated for a cold and put to bed. About dark time, his mother went to call him for the evening meal, but he was unconscious. Doctors were called and he had spinal mingitis. Everthing was done; Elders were called in, but to no avail. He died Sunday evening, January 19th, 1901. Thus, four deaths were in the family over a seven month period.
The family sold out here and moved to Clinton, Utah where they bought ten acres of land. Annette had been left 10 acres to her so the family farmed the 20 acres. The family prospered for four years. The boys were growing up so they needed more land so they sold out and moved to Roy, Utah where they bought 40 acres of land. It was here they built a new home, and it was here Annette remarried (Lovell Edgar Gibson). Soon after, Edith married William Wayne and Laurence married Ella Dullenbar and Earl married Nora Mansfield. Then came the great world war. Ray and Chancey were called to the colors. Ray stayed at Camp Kerney and Chancey went to France. This was a hard blow to Cynthia whose health was failing fast. But, the Lord heard her prayers and both boys were returned safe without a scratch. Shortly after the war, Chancey married Leila Williams. The folks were very comfortable now, only Ray was at home, but, Cynthia’s health continued to fail. She now had 21 grandchildren and one great grandchild. She truly had been a devoted wife and Mother and honest in all her ways, doing her best for home and family. No sacrifice was too great for her children. She died on May 2nd 1922.
A few word about my father, Peter Thorval Nelson:
“Father came to New York from a little town on the coast of Norway. They came with the John Murdock Company to Salt Lake City. They settled in Lehi. His Mother died there. She had married a man by the name of John Murdock whose wife had died and left two sons and a daughter. She (the Mother) had a baby boy by this marriage but the mother died soon after the child’s birth and he is buried in Lehi. (We can get some information likely from the John Murdock Family) My Father was quite certain that the folks were all baptized in Norway. Father lived with Bishop Proctor of the 10th ward in Salt Lake City. Then he lived with Joseph Fife in Riverdale before marrying Cynthia Louise Child.”
[1] Editor’s note: This history was transcribed as written by my grandmother, Annette Nelson Gibson in her own handwriting. She wrote this history on August 23rd 1939, a few months before her husband, Lovell Edgar Gibson died. I am using the name “Nealson”, as this is the way my grandmother spelled her maiden name in the hand written document, even though most of the records spelled her name “Nelson” including her siblings.
RHB
