NEBEL, Mary Ann

1862 - 1925  (63 years)  Submit Photo / Document

Loading...

 Set As Default Person

 Restore Site Default Person

• Name	NEBEL, Mary Ann
  Birth	17 Sep 1862	Freerslev, Ringsted, Sorø, Denmark
  Christening	4 Oct 1862	Freerslev, Ringsted, Sorø, Denmark
  Gender	Female
  WAC	14 Sep 1882	EHOUS
  _TAG	Reviewed on FS
  Death	5 Oct 1925	Fairview, Lincoln, Wyoming, United States
  Burial	7 Oct 1925	Fairview, Lincoln, Wyoming, United States
  Headstones	Submit Headstone Photo
  Person ID	I65329	Joseph Smith Sr and Lucy Mack Smith
  Last Modified	19 Aug 2021

  
  

  Family ID

  F31022

  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	SMITH, Prince William ,   b. 2 Aug 1859, Provo, Utah, Utah, United States Provo, Utah, Utah, United Statesd. 16 Nov 1909, Fairview, Uinta, Wyoming, United States (Age 50 years)
  Marriage	7 Feb 1882	Leamington, Millard, Utah, United States
  Family ID	F31019	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	24 Jan 2022

  
  

• Photos

  At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.

  
  

• Notes

  Mary Ann Nebel was born September 17, 1862 in Soro, Denmark, daughter of John Peter Nebel and Anne Hansen. She had a twin sister named Trine Marie who died September 29, 1862. Mary Ann was christened on October 4, 1862 and her name is recorded as Karen Marie. She was also listed as Karen Marie on immigration records. Sometime after they were in Utah, her name was changed to Mary Ann, which name she used the rest of her life. The LDS missionaries came to Denmark with the gospel and Mary Ann’s parents were converted to the Mormon Church. Her parents were baptized March 28, 1863. They then made the decision to take their family and join the saints in America. On the 19th of June 1868, Mary Ann age 6, her brothers, Jens Peder, age 4 and Johan an infant, and sisters Johanne, age 7 and Sophie, age 2 along with her parents, boarded the Emerald Isle, and toward evening the ship glided out of the harbor of Liverpool, with about 1000 souls on board. This voyage, which lasted 56 days, was exceedingly unpleasant. Bad water and poor provisions brought sickness and death. Thirty-seven children and four adults died and were buried at sea, and many contracted diseases and died during the first few weeks after landing. At the dawn of day on August 11th they beheld for the first time the shores of America Mary Ann was the only child in the family who survived the ocean voyage to America. Her two younger brothers and two sisters had all lost their lives during the journey or just after they reached New York. Mary Ann said she remembered very few things about the trip. She and her parents traveled on to Utah in the Fred C. Anderson Company which was the last emigrant company to cross the plains during the years of the Mormon overland travel. Most of the members of this company sailed on the same ship as the Nebel family. The group had been detained at Ward’s Island hospital in New York City because of sickness but the health of the company gradually improved after leaving New York on October 4, almost two months after they arrived there. They traveled by train from New York City to Green River, Wyoming, arriving there on October 13. From there they met Church teams and 11 wagons that transported them to Salt Lake City. They spent the first while in Salt Lake City and while they were living there her parents went to Salt Lake City to the Endowment House to be sealed, but they left her home and she was sealed to them later in her life. Later they were sent with other Danish Saints to Mayfield, Utah where they lived the united order for three years. Mary Ann remembers that their home had a dirt floor and one room with a fireplace.When she was 12 years old she fell from a wagon load of grain. She was run over by the heavy load and her left leg was broken below the hip. She was not taken to a doctor as the nearest one was in Salt Lake. Those who examined her just thought her hip was out of place. She was put to bed with a weight tied to her leg. She stayed there for six long weeks. She suffered a lot of pain, which was almost unbearable, but everything was done for her that they knew how to do at the time. She said she could remember the people fasting and praying for her and how it eased her pain. Some time later she was taken to Salt Lake to a doctor but her leg had healed and so nothing could be done for her. To be left with a leg bone not set properly left her a cripple for life. Her left leg was always 4 inches shorter than her right leg. She always had a four-inch sole on her shoe. While they were in Salt Lake her brother Joseph was born on April 22, 1872. At the time Mary Ann was the only living child in the family so it was nice to have a baby brother. In the fall of 1877 the United Order in Mayfield was dissolved and they went to Joseph City, Utah where they homesteaded land and built a home. The house was built of rock and had two large rooms and was still standing in 1958. She received the best schooling there was in Mayfield, and Joseph City. She went to parties and dances with the boys and girls. One Halloween Party she tells about, the boys wrapped in sheets and hid behind a pile of logs. When the girls came by they jumped out and one girl fainted and was sick for a long time after. She worked for different people as she grew older. She received 75 cents a week and was very glad to have a job where she could make that much. In 1882 when Mary Ann was 20 years old her family who had been living in Goshen, Utah moved to Leamington, Utah so her father could work on the railroad and earn a little money for the family, which now consisted of four younger brothers besides Mary Ann. While in Leamington Mary Ann met her future husband Prince William Smith and they began making plans to be married in the spring. One day while William was digging a well, the bucket that was used to lift the rocks and dirt to the surface dropped back hitting him on the head, cutting a large gash and injuring him quite badly. His mother was ill at the time so Mary was asked to come to care for him. They decided to get married right then even though their plans had been to go to Salt Lake and go to the endowment house. Prince William’s father Silas was a Justice of the Peace so he married them on February 7, 1882 and then on September 14 of that year they went to the Endowment House in Salt Lake City and were sealed. William’s mother Sarah was not happy about the marriage because Mary was a cripple and she feared Mary would not be the kind of helpmate that was necessary for every pioneer girl to be at that time. William took out a homestead in Leamington and they made their home there for the next six years. They lived in a one-room log house about one-half mile from town. The floor was dirt and to keep the dust down she would sprinkle it with water. Their first child a son, William Henry was born here on September 5, 1883. When winter came they moved into town and her house had a pine board floor. She kept it very neat and clean by using sand to scour the floor so it was always white and clean. She took a lot of pride in this little home and was a very particular housekeeper, although she had few things to make housekeeping a pleasure. She made her own soap and used it to do the washing with her whole life. She never had a washer until her family was all grown.. William was working on the railroad and they were very happy. When baby William was old enough to sit alone, she heard him jabbering and pointing toward the corner. She looked and there was a big rattlesnake coiled to strike. A large kettle was close by. She grabbed it and plopped it over the snake, making a good, tight cover. She left it there until William came home and killed the snake While in Leamington she worked in the church as a Sunday School and Primary teacher. She was a very friendly person and made many friends. She kept in touch with some of them all her life. Their second child, Linna James was born in this little home March 20, 1885. He only lived eighteen months, dying September 11, 1886 of pneumonia. He was a beautiful child and it almost broke her heart when he died. She treasured his little shoes and pictures as long as she lived. Very shortly after Linna James’ death the family made the decision to move to Joseph, Utah to join Mary Ann’s parents, the Nebel family. William’s mother Sarah and sons Elias, and Alonzo made the move with them. It was here on January 11, 1888 that their third son, Leo was born. When Leo was one year old they moved to Star Valley, Wyoming. It was May of 1889. William’s mother Sarah and his brothers, Elias and Alonzo as well as the Nebel family was all part of the group that moved. There were not many families living in the valley at that time. They homesteaded on Salt River west of Dry creek, building a one room log cabin to shelter their little family. The first church meetings in Fairview were held in the log cabin of John C. Dewey who was the appointed presiding elder. Then in the summer of 1890 the settlers built a one room log meeting house. It was 20 x 28 feet with two windows and a big double door. The little family walked every Sunday to Fairview to the little log church house to attend their meetings. The first winter in the valley was very hard for them. They had never seen much snow. Winter came early and Mary said she felt shut away from everything and everybody and felt very lonely. They didn’t have food for their animals or enough food for themselves. The cow went dry and they had no milk for the children. In February they had very little flour and that was mixed half with bran. The snow was so deep and the wild deer were so poor and weak from hunger that the dog could overtake them. The family had plenty of boiled deer meat. As long as Mary lived she disliked the smell of boiling deer meat. The men in Fairview went on snowshoes to Afton a distance of 5 or 6 miles to get flour as long as there was any there. Later William and Mary’s brother went on snowshoes to Montpelier, Idaho fifty miles away and carried flour back to the family on their backs. When spring came William left and went to Woolie Valley, Idaho, on the Blackfoot River, to find work and earn money to build up their home. When time came for haying Mary went there also to help with the cooking for the hay men. She went over the tin cup road, west and north of the town of Freedom, Wyoming. They didn’t come back until late in the fall. When they got back they found they had left their homestead so long that their claim had been jumped by William Child. They no longer had a home. Mary’s father, John Peter Nebel, who was living in Fairview let them build a home on his property. On September 27, 1890, they were happy with the birth of a baby daughter, Olive Ann, but saddened because she was partly blind. They bought 40 acres of land next to William’s brother Elias about one mile east of Fairview on Salt River. They also bought a lot in Fairview, it was located on Bitter Creek Road in the second block south of the town blocks (in 2004 it was owned by Hillsteads). The house was log with a dirt roof and a lean to at the back. They bought it from Mary’s father, Peter Nebel Mary Ann made ice cream and sold it on holidays. She made it in a cream can set in a tub filled with ice and salt and whirled it from side to side by hand until it froze into ice cream William was tithing clerk in the ward. Butter, eggs and garden produce were turned in. She helped to care for it, causing her a lot of extra work. She had four more sons by this time. Frank Alvero, born July 15, 1892; Joseph Lymon, born July 27, 1894; Silas Asael, born October 3, 1896 and Wesley N. born January 28, 1899. She had many quiltings and rag bees and helped her neighbors in sickness and in any way she could. With such a large family and no work in the valley, Mary and William decided to move back to Utah. So in 1899 they sold their lot to Benjamin Wilson along with the 40 acres of land and with their seven small children the family left Star Valley. Grass Valley, Utah was where they intended to move. When they left Star Valley they had two wagons with good teams of horses. They were accompanied by Mary’s parents, the Peter Nebel family. They spent one winter and summer in Goshen, Utah, Joseph City, Utah and Leamington, Utah. They went to Grass Valley and were disappointed in it so they decided to return to Star Valley. They returned in 1900. They lived about one and one-half miles up Bitter Creek on the west side of the road. Here their second daughter was born December 8, 1891. She was named after a neighbor, Ida Kennington because Ida had been so kind and given her so much help. They seemed to be unable to get settled again and decided to go to the Big Horn area in northern Wyoming. Many people were moving there including Mary’s parents, the Nebels. They went as far as Spencer, Idaho and worked all summer. Then they changed their mind and returned to Fairview. This time they bought 160 acres one mile north of Fairview and settled down to make a home for their family. Ada May was born there on May 14, 1904. She was the 10th and last child and their only child that a doctor delivered. All of the others had been attended by Mary’s mother, Annie Nebel, who was a midwife. She was midwife for a lot of babies in the early days of Star Valley. William and Mary worked hard to improve the land. They cultivated 20 acres, planting it in alfalfa. The squirrels were so thick it was hard to raise a good crop. They came right into the house and even ate patches of grain right down to the ground. Sometimes they took most of the garden. Everyone called it the squirrel bed. William would go to Idaho each fall to work in the spuds or in the sugar beets, coming home with apples, spuds and flour for winter. William and Mary became discouraged with the ranch because of frost and squirrels so they decided to try Idaho again. They rented their place and moved to Iona, Idaho, staying for two years. They then came back to Fairview to try farming again. There were few fences and what fences there were would not keep the stray cattle out of the haystacks. Mary knew how to fix fence and herd the cattle, working in the garden, canning fruit for winter and curing their pork for the winter. She said they would go all winter without going to the store. With cows and chickens added to fruit, meat and flour they were ready for all their needs. Mary was a good cook and the wonderful loaves of bread she would bake were something to see. Her chicken dumplings were unsurpassed. Her children often spoke of the salt pork and milk gravy, the big kettle of potatoes, the stewed fruit or apple dumplings which she made on special occasions. Fresh green food was never seen in the winter time. Her house was always in order and the kitchen with bare board floor was always clean as a pin. The boys never found a button missing or socks undarned. The meals were on time and with plenty of what had been stored for winter. She seldom complained of her lot and would do without many things so the children could be kept in school. They were seldom late or absent although they lived a long way from town. It became a strict law in the family to go to school. She kept the clothes clean and neat, even if there were patches. She did most of her work sitting in a chair because of her crippled condition. She would push the chair around to sweep the floor, scrub and many other things. She made a lot of sacrifices to send her daughter Olive to Ogden to the blind school so Olive would be more able to enjoy her life. William died of pneumonia November 16, 1909 leaving her with nine living children. Their daughter Ida was eight years old when her father died and had been sick for a year with a brain tumor. It seemed that nothing could be done for her. She had seven operations on her head. She died in 1910 after suffering for almost two years. Mary lived to see all her children married except Will, her oldest child and Olive. Three of her sons were in World War I at the same time and the fourth in camp ready to leave when the War ended. They all came home safely. She was a faithful church member and encouraged her children to keep active. Some of the things she believed in and practiced faithfully were to make a quilt every year and to patch one article of clothing each day. She never let her dishes stand after a meal and never had her house in a litter no matter what she was doing. Her home was a happy one and the grandchildren loved to go to her home. She died of diabetes October 25, 1925 at the home she had helped to make. She was 63 years old at the time of her death. She was buried in the Fairview Cemetery, next to her husband. Sources: History by daughter-in-law Mrs. Leo Smith Mormon Immigration records Overland Travel records Mayfield United Order records Mary Ann (Karen Marie) Nebel (KWCB-RGF) Mary Ann Nebel Contributed By MichaelMangum1 · 12 May 2014 · 0 Comments Birth: Nov. 17, 1862, Denmark Death: Oct. 5, 1925 Lincoln County Wyoming, USA The community was shocked by news of the sudden death of Mary A. Smith, who peacefully passed away after four days illness. Sister Smith is one of the early pioneer of the valley and has remained there the greater part of her life. She was a true pioneer, typical of the women who played so large a part in those early pioneer days of hardships. She always did her part regardless of the circumstances with a willing and cheerful heart. Sixteen years ago sister Smith was left a widow by the death of her husband, William Smith, and since that time the responsibility of raising the family has rested on her and the older boys of the family. She leaves six stalwart sons and two daughters. Beautiful and impressive services were held in the Fairview meeting house. The floral offerings were beautiful, while music suitable to the occasion was beautifully rendered. The speakers were Pres. Barrus, Albert Black and Willard Brown. She was laid to rest in the Fairview cemetery. Smith, Mary A. ( i 9 Oct 1925 )Star Valley Independent Mary Ann NEBEL is the daughter of John Peter NEBEL and Anne NIELSEN Mary Ann NEBEL married Prince William SMITH 7 Feb 1882 in Leamington, Millard, Ut Family links: Spouse: Prince William Smith (1859 - 1909)* Children: William Henry Smith (1883 - 1964)* Leo Smith (1888 - 1963)* Wesley N. Smith (1899 - 1986)* Ida Smith (1901 - 1910)* Burial: Fairview Cemetery Fairview (Lincoln County) Lincoln County Wyoming, USA Plot: Block # 40 Lot 1 Plot 2 Created by: Carol STEVENS Record added: Sep 28, 2008 Find A Grave Memorial# 30160714 The Other Mary (Mary Nebel Smith) I have been thinking of writing a few words to the family of Prince William and Mary Nebel Smith of Fairview, Wyoming - words I should have spoken to Mary Smith while she was still alive, but I just kept putting it off until it was too late. And lately I have been thinking about her and all the family which are still living, for all her grandchildren who I’ve never seen, and especially those who have never seen Mrs. Smith, I will try and tell what a wonderful person she was. She was crippled in one leg. I don’t know just how she got her leg hurt, but it was at least four or five inches shorter than the other leg and she had to wear a built up sole on one shoe. It seemed to give her much pain as she worked very hard. I have stayed in their home and she really did work. It would have killed most women to have done as much work. She was up and had the front room scrubbed so clean you could eat off it. And she would have breakfast ready by the time the boys had the chores done. I have never seen her sit down and just sit. If she sat down to give her bad leg a rest, she would either knit socks, mittens or sweaters, or else churn butter, and while she churned butter, she would also read either the scriptures, or the song book, and rock and churn in time with whatever song she was singing. I never heard her say a single spiteful word to or about anyone. She really did like to talk to people, but she would keep right on working with a big smile on her face. I was about five or six years old when I first started going down to Smiths to take Ida for a horseback ride. Then one day Ida got hurt. As near as I can remember, they said it started from a sun stroke and then turned into a tumor or something like that. She sure did suffer. Sister Smith had to doctor and care for her. Also Ollie, the oldest girl, was blind but she would help all she could. Then Mr. Smith had emphysema which caused his death after a few years – I think about 1906 or1907. My mother died in 1905 and most of my aunts seemed to think I was a real stinker, and would always refer to me as that filthy brat of Jane’s. But Mother Smith was one of the few who thought I was in need of someone’s concern. Mary Smith and Esther Brown, Bishop Lorrain Brown’s mother always treated me like I was okay. When West and I would play too hard in the house, Mrs. Smith would sweep us outside and tell us to go find a big snow drift and tramp it down until we were tired enough to cry, then for us to clean ourselves up and come back in and she would fix us something to eat. I remember one time in Sunday School Sister Brown asked the class the name of Jesus’s mother and someone answered Mary. She said, “right”. Then she said, “Who was the other Mary?” I held my hand up and she said, “Who is it Mondell?” And I said, “She was the mother of Wes.” And Sister Brown said, “I never thought of it before, but I think you are right.” And I still think of her as “The Other Mary.” For I don’t know anyone as nice or who worked so hard and never complained at her suffering, and always had a smile no matter how she felt, and could find time to mother a filthy little brat like me. She would have to rate high with the God of Heaven and Earth, as well as all who knew her here on earth. I sincerely hope the family of Sister Mary Nebel Smith will forgive me for not telling her how much I loved her for all the kind things she did for me when I was growing up. But I do feel sure she knows now. And I’m sure she is still working as hard as ever and smiling as she always did. And I thank God he has permitted me to keep the sweet memories I have had of her all these many years. Very much love to all her family. Mondell Tolman Birth: Nov. 17, 1862, Denmark Death: Oct. 5, 1925 Lincoln County Wyoming, USA The community was shocked by news of the sudden death of Mary A. Smith, who peacefully passed away after four days illness. Sister Smith is one of the early pioneer of the valley and has remained there the greater part of her life. She was a true pioneer, typical of the women who played so large a part in those early pioneer days of hardships. She always did her part regardless of the circumstances with a willing and cheerful heart. Sixteen years ago sister Smith was left a widow by the death of her husband, William Smith, and since that time the responsibility of raising the family has rested on her and the older boys of the family. She leaves six stalwart sons and two daughters. Beautiful and impressive services were held in the Fairview meeting house. The floral offerings were beautiful, while music suitable to the occasion was beautifully rendered. The speakers were Pres. Barrus, Albert Black and Willard Brown. She was laid to rest in the Fairview cemetery. Smith, Mary A. ( i 9 Oct 1925 )Star Valley Independent Mary Ann NEBEL is the daughter of John Peter NEBEL and Anne NIELSEN Mary Ann NEBEL married Prince William SMITH 7 Feb 1882 in Leamington, Millard, Ut Family links: Spouse: Prince William Smith (1859 - 1909)* Children: William Henry Smith (1883 - 1964)* Leo Smith (1888 - 1963)* Wesley N. Smith (1899 - 1986)* Ida Smith (1901 - 1910)* Burial: Fairview Cemetery Fairview (Lincoln County) Lincoln County Wyoming, USA Plot: Block # 40 Lot 1 Plot 2 Created by: Carol STEVENS Record added: Sep 28, 2008 Find A Grave Memorial# 30160714