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- WILLIAM W. NELSON. William W. Nelson is a well known sheep
and cattle man residing at Tooele. He still retains large
landed interests yet has sold off some of his property. In the
conduct of his business affairs he has met with substantial
success, resulting from his unabating energy and persistency
of purpose. He was born in England, June 24, 1850, a son of
William and Catharine (Chapelle) Woodward. The father died in
England and in 1858 the mother came to the new world with her
son and soon afterward married Mathias Nelson. Her destination
was Tooele and she crossed the plains with a handcart company.
At Salt Lake she was married to Mr. Nelson.
William W. Nelson took the name of his stepfather, by whom he
was reared. Soon after reaching his majority he homesteaded
one hundred and sixty acres of land and devoted his attention
to the raising of cattle and sheep. For a time he was in
partner ship with P. M. Clegg, who is mentioned elsewhere in
this work. His life has been one of untiring activity and
sound judgment in his business affairs has brought him a very
substantial measure of success. Year after year he has cared
for his herds and nis flocks and his business dealings,
energetically conducted and honorably directed, have placed
him in a position among the men of affluence in this part of
the state. While he has sold some of his property, he still
owns two hundred acres of excellent farm land at Erda, Tooele
county, whereon he is now engaged in the raising of registered
shorthorns, having some of the fine cattle of this part of the
state.
In 1877 Mr. Nelson was united in marriage to Miss Eliza
Rowberry, a daughter of John and Eliza (Barber) Rowberry. Her
father was one of the first to settle at Tooele, Utah, being
sent thither by Brigham Young in 1849. Until his death in 1885
he was the leading figure in the county, prominently
Identified with its history in many ways. He served as
representative from his county in the state legislature to the
time of his death and was the first representative of Tooele
county in the general assembly. He filled various other
offices of public honor and trust. He was probate judge, was
mayor of the city and at all times contributed to its progress
and upbuilding. For twenty-five years he was bishop of Tooele
county and with its material development was also closely
associated. He built the first flouring and grist mill in
Tooele county, conducting the business in partnership with E.
T. Benson. He had four wives, Mrs. Nelson being the only
daughter of his first marriage. She had two brothers, Joseph
and John, who became cattlemen of Iona, Idaho, but the former
died in 1917. To Mr. and Mrs. Nelson have been born eight
children. Cleo is now the wife of Bert Howls, who is engaged
in the stock business and resides in Uinta Basin, Utah, also
owning a home in Tooele. William S., who occupies a farm at
Erda, married Isabelle Bowen and has four children: Dorothy,
Edna, Grant and Afton. Maud is the widow of Joshua Brown, and
resides in Tooele with her four children: Joshua. Bertha, Dale
and William. Caroline is the wife of Oliver Nelson, a farmer
living on East street, Tooele, who is connected also with the
International Smelting Company in charge of the scale house.
They have six children: Lucile, Jules. Carol, Reed, Glen and
Eliza H. Eliza, the next member of the Nelson family, is the
wife of Orson McKendric and resides on East street. Tooele.
Her husband is smelter foreman and they have three children:
Leverda, Cleo and Kay. Pearl E. is the wife of William G.
Gillespie, who is employed at the smelter electric power
house, and they have two children, Kenneth and Berth. Rawlin
J. married Mandy Anderson, by whom he has one child, Russell,
and they reside on a farm at Erda. Bertha is the wife of
George E. Tripp, who has been honorably discharged from the
army, was formerly of Salt Lake but is now in Denver, where he
is acting as instructor of invalid soldiers. He has been a
machinist, working on the Liberty motors at San Antonio,
Texas. Mrs. Nelson was one of the first children born at
Tooele and at present is the oldest resident of Tooele county,
having continuously resided here since ber birth on the 29th
of February, 1852. She is a member of the Daughters of
Pioneers of Tooele County. Mr. and Mrs. Nelson occupy an
attractive brick residence on East street, wbJch was built in
1912, and he also owns several other dwellings, from which he
derives a good rental. They are both highly esteemed people of
the community, having a circle of friends that is coextensive
with the circle of their acquaintance.
~Source: Utah Since Statehood: Historical and
Biographical, Volume 2, by Noble Warrum, 1919