Ninian Neilson-Life Story Part Two

Ninian Neilson

1821- 1889

A History by Ray L Nelson
Pictures and documents added by Lois C. Berrett

In the British Census 1851, Ninian and family are in Fifeshire at Dalgetty.  They are residing in the home of Martha Fife, a widow.  They are lodgers living in this home and the census taker reported their condition as “pauper family out of work.”  In pursuit of work they moved a lot.  Conditions were not good.  As with so many of these Collier families Ninian and Christina remained associated and active in the LDS faith but they did not take their family and emigrate like the rest of Ninian's siblings did in the early 1850s.  Only Ninian, and Hogg remained in Scotland.  Ninian's siblings: John Neilson, Martha Morgan, Jane Patterson, and Edward Banks Neilson, families in tow, had all emigrated over a period of 4-5 years after their introduction to their new faith.

Dalgetty Bay

Records of the Edinburgh Conference, in the various branch registers give us bits and pieces, collateral families and priesthood advancements.  But it is precious little.  More and more Ninian and Christina are at or near Dunfermline, Fife.  As their children grow they can obtain work in the textile industry so prevalent in that city.  For some reason, perhaps health, Ninian moves away from mining and is shown working as a carter.  Probably delivering and selling coal, door to door.  Edward, goes into the mines.  Catherine is employed as a servant. The family resides on Woodhead Street.

Page 1 of Dunfermline LDS Church Records 1847

Page 2 of Dunfermline LDS Church Records 1847 Con. from page 1

Page 1

Page 2 a continuation from page 1

On 15 March 1867 at the family residence in Dunfermline, Alexander Masterton, age 21 of Baldridge Burn, and Janet Neilson, age 20, a power loom operator and spinster, were married after the banns of the Church of Scotland.  And then in August a granddaughter is born at the same address.  The birth record is specific that the father was not present. The little girl is named Christina.  Then on the 27 of November, Janet, the mother of this three month old baby died.  She had been ill since the baby's birth.  1867 was a difficult year for Ninian and Christina.

On April 12, 1868 after a long and lonely winter the Neilson family with the exception of Ninian, who is an elder, is baptized. Christina and each child is baptized by brother Thomas Spowart and he or James Hoggan performed the confirmations.  Exactly why all of them are baptized is unclear.  It may have had a great deal to do with the loss of their sister Janet and a new conviction of their faith.   They also had decided to emigrate.

Ninian-Passenger List from the ship Constitution

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, British Mission Emigration Record 1863-1874; FHC# 25692; June 1868, states

Ship: Constitution (for notification #216) Entry No. 171; Nenny Nelson, 46, Carter, Scotland Edward, 25, ticket # 138 28 pounds 11 shillings 4 d; Draft 8 pounds 10 shillings 0d; Seafare 11 pounds 10 shillings 0d; Order Departed Liverpool, England on 24 June 1868 and arrived in New York, New York on 6 August 1868; 8 pounds 11 shillings 4 d; Returned

In a separate register of the Dunfermline Branch, the family is shown on Woodhead Street with all the members with whom we are familiar and another daughter-- Janet, whose date of birth is given a 6 September 1868.  By that date, Ninian and Edward were arriving in Utah.   There is a lot of confusion about the Janet listed here.  Other records reveal that Janet was their oldest daughter and by the date of this register she was deceased.  Perhaps the entry refers to their granddaughter Christina Masterton, who was born in August of 1867 at their home.  But this interpretation means that the name, date and year of the entry are all wrong.  That's possible given the reputation of the “branch clerks.” And if Christina Campbell Nelson had the care of her granddaughter after the mother's death, she may well have preferred to call her Janet rather than Christina.  That would mean three Christinas under the same roof. On May 16, 1868, some four months before the birth date shown in the branch register above, Christina Masterton, age nine months passed away.  This death took place at Beveridgewell, Dunfermline.  And while the father Alexander Masterton is clearly not present, Ninian Neilson was.

Many question are raised here.  We are left only to ponder after 21 years as members of the LDS Church in Scotland what brought Ninian and Christina to leave?  Why had they delayed?  Was it money? Uncertain employment? Their children futures? Religious conviction?  Nevetheless, about one month after their granddaughter's death, Ninian and Edward are boarding the ship Constitution and leaving the British Isles forever.  On 24 June 1868 they departed Liverpool for New York, leaving Christina, and her children Christina, Catherine, Helen, John Alfred, and James Douglas waiting in Scotland for their turn.

While Ninian and Edward were at sea, on 7 July 1868, at the age of 25 in Baldridgeburn, Dunfermline, Alexander Masterton, a coal miner and widower of Janet Neilson died.  When will we come to understanding?

To be continued next week