A Tennant Family

On the little island of Oland, just off the coast of Sweden, lived Neils Johnson and his good wife, Kasja - Ols daughter. To this couple were born eight children. On the 5th day of August, 1859, Carl Peter Johnson the seventh child was born.

It was here that Father Neilson grew up learning the Swedish customs and the Swedish way of life.

Being taught by a Christian parent all the fine things of this life that was known to them at the time, he developed into an intelligent, honest, patient, industrious, and clean character. As a child, he obtained from his parents a love of Christ that lived with him all the days of his life.

Very early in life, he with the family had an experience that left an everlasting impression upon his soul. While spending an evening at home, there appeared a very peculiar light at the window. Each wondered what it could be. At last father spoke "That is a forewarning one of us will soon die." The next day, Carl's sister passed from this mortal life.

Another instance deeply impressed the life of this boy. When Carl's brother, who was a sailor, attempted to come home for a visit, there arose a terrific storm. The boat capsized, and the crew lost their lives. After a few days, his brother's body was washed ashore right at their own home, and thus making the family believe God surely had a hand in the destiny of all.

At the early age of 15, Carl applied to the Swedish government for employment and was given a job as a cook on a ship. For 15 years, he sailed the high seas. During this time, he visited most of the important countries of the earth. Some of the important ones were India, China, Australia, Africa, South America, North America, and many of the islands of the sea.

One of the bright spots he often recalled was being in New York at Christmas time and seeing the beautiful, bright lights. There seemed to be no other city in the world with such beauty at that season of the year.

All the vessels at this time were sailing vessel, which were guided by sails. So it took real man power to manage a ship in a storm.

On one occasion, a dreadful storm had broken. Carl climbed to the top of the mast to carry out an order. Losing his balance, he slipped and fell. His thumb caught in the rope and he hung there until some one could get to him and loosen his thumb. On getting to the deck, they found his thumb so badly injured the doctor just snipped the end without administering any anesthetics or other deadening aid.

On another occasion, while in the cold North Sea up by Greenland, another terrible storm arose. Carl, being always alert, sighted another vessel coming their way. He called the 1st mate's attention to it and said, "We had better lower a sail and turn the ship or there may be a collision."

However, the mate could not see it that way until it was too late. So, there was a collision. The other ship was unlike and this one very badly damaged, but through the united effort of the sailors, the crew and most of the cargo was saved.

So on this ship, as all through his life, he had great wisdom and judgment and could figure out things quite accurately. While on the ship, he learned much about the stars, the sun, and the moon - which knowledge he had a chance to use after his life as a sailor was over.

At the age of 30 in the year of 1889, he received an honorable discharge from the Swedish government for his labor as a sailor. He came directly to the United States to make his home. He settled in Cortez, Colorado. Here he became interested in farming. Here also he met and married Lena Neilson Winroth. Three sons came to gladden this home.

The next year he moved to Salina, Utah using a covered wagon for the trip. A little later, they moved to California, but finding things more difficult here to make a living, he moved back to Utah.

Here he farmed, worked on the railroad, and did some carpenter work. Because he had learned the carpenter trade here at Salina, he built a house for his family and several other houses, some of which are still standing and could be found recently by his son because he knew the particular style of workmanship his father used - so neat, so true to plumb, so endurable. For he had learned very early in life, "That no task was worthy doing unless it was done well."

There seemed to be no end to the endurance of this man. Here in Salina he and his family cleared the sage from 80 acres of land with grubbing hoes. Then he turned the sod with a hand plow, and "made their bread with the sweat of their brow."

He also was interested in church and civic affairs, and always willing to do anything he could to help with the entertainment of the community. Here he served as water master, and made a point to see that each man received his right amount of water.

In 1365, he moved his family to Blackfoot and after 2 years, he moved to Egin Bench. He made these moves in covered wagons. Here, he at once became interested in farming and building a new home for his family.

Soon after this, he homesteaded some dry farm land at Sand Creek. This land was un-surveyed. So in order to obtain the lines of his property, he got the true directions from the stars and the shadow of the sun. Then paced the distance, thus establishing his boundary lines. So accurate were his lines that a surveyor did not have to make any changes.

In 1923, death called his help met home, leaving him lonely and down cast. But possessing those sterling qualities most of our early pioneers possessed, he soon threw off the shackles that bound him, and found another companion, Edna Phelps. They were married in 1928, then they moved to Texas. However, as there always seemed to be an unknown power pulling him to the west among the Saints, he soon returned to Egin Bench and spent the remainder of his days.

We believe this unknown power was the will of God, who guiding the destiny of this good man so his family would be reared among the valleys of the mountains among the Saints. Here, his son, Otto could learn God's ways and wax strong in the faith until he became a leader in civic affairs and a Bishop of his ward.

In the younger years of Father Neilson's life, he was very athletic, quick, agile, and walked with a light step. He loved to walk and enjoy the beauties of nature. He loved the plain, simple, genuineness of things. He was honest and fair in all his dealings. He loved to read in his Bible and delighted to quote from its sacred pages.

Although he never joined the Latter-day Saint's Church, he was true to his belief as a Lutheran, and traveled many miles to attend its meetings and worship. He was very tender hearted and loved little children. Even after he had suffered a stroke, he would love to get a small child in his arms and walk to and fro with it. He was very appreciative of every thing he enjoyed, and grateful to those who cared for him all the years of his declining health . And then when they would ask him what more they could do for him, he would say, "It's just so good with Ora as it can be."

As he grew worse, he often showed his appreciation just by patting her arm. We all know he loved those loving hands that administered comfort to that tired worn body.

So on the evening of the 30th of June, 1944 at the home of his son, Otto, with a smile upon his brow, he passed from this earthly existence "To God, who is our home." We feel if the worlds was filled with such characters as Carl Peter Neilson, there would be no more wars of deep sorrow.

As we think of the genuineness and farsightedness of Father Neilson, we think as the poet who wrote "The Bridge Builder."

An old man going alone highway came at the evening, cold and gray,
To a chasm vast and deep and wide. The old man crossed in the twilight dim.
The sullen stream had no fear for him. But he turned when safe on the other side and built a bridge to span the tide.
"Old Man," said a fellow pilgrim near. "You are wasting your strength by building here;
your journey will end with the ending day, you never again will pass this way.
You've crossed the chasm deep and wide. Why build you this bridge at eventide?"
The builder lifted his fair grey head - "Good friend, in the path I have come," he said,
"their followeth after me, today, a youth, whose feat must pass this way; this chasm, that has been as naught to me - to that fair-haired youth may a pit fall in.
He too, must cross in the twilight dim - good friend, I am building this bridge for him."

Father Neilson is survived by two sons - Albert of Susanville, California, and Otto of Heman, Idaho. Two step daughters - Mrs Minnie Blood of Blackfoot, Idaho, and Fred Winroth of Clayton, Idaho. Also surviving are 27 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren, and on great-great-grandchild. Six of these grand children are serving in the armed forces of the United States.

AS WRITTEN BY A GRANDCHILD, TAD,
SON OF OTTO NEILSON, IN JULY OF
1944 FOR A FUNERAL ADDRESS FOR
CARL PETER NEILSON

Carl Peter Neilson passed away on the evening of Friday, June 30th, 1944 in his sons, Otto, home. Funeral services were held on the following Monday at 2 PM in Parker LDS Church. He was buried later that day in Parker Cemetery under the direction of Hanson funeral home.