John Nicholson: A Biographical Sketch

JOHN NICHOLSON. BY ORSON F. WHITNEY. Intrepid, honest, earnest, true. These four words sum up the character of John Nicholson, as the author has known him by an acquaintance extending through a quarter of a century. Every quality named has been proved in repeated instances, not only in private but in public life. If this man ever feared man, either morally or physically, never to my knowledge has he shown it. The phrase "terribly in earnest" describes one feature of his character. True to his friends and to his principles, true in thought and utter- ance, he is a hater of hypocrisy, falsehood and deception. Two things, he once remarked to the writer, he wished to have said of him when he was gone—that he never cheated anyone out of a cent, nor robbed a woman of her chastity. Any one who knows the man would be willing to write for him in advance such an epitaph. A native of St. Boswells, a small village of Roxburgshire, Scotland, where he was born, July 13, 1839, he was the lourth child in a family of seven, whose parents were John Nicholson and Elizabeth Hewison. His earliest recollection runs back to a small hamlet called Carfrae Nill, from which, when he was six years old, the family moved to the town of Kelso, on the Tweed. When he was ten they removed to Edinburgh, the capital. His childhood was passed in comparative poverty, and his opportunities for educa- tion were few. One of his vacations was spent in a tobacco factory, where he turned a wheel by striking the rim with the palm of his hand, thus supplying the necessary force to enable the journeyman to twist the leaf into the manufactured product. His pay—thirty-six cents a week—he regularly turned over to his

JOHN NICHOLSON.] 363 mother, whom he dearly loved. He left school shortly after reaching the age of thirteen, and engaged as an apprentice to a painter and paper-hanger. From a boy he manifested a brave and independent spirit, en- shrined thoi^gh it was in a body far from robust. Healthy, active, and even athletic, he was still delicately organized; and yet in his youth and later manhood there was enough iron—and hot iron at that—in his composition, to make it exceedingly hazardous to trespass upon his rights or impose upon anyone to whom he was a friend. A natural foe to oppression, he took little account of odds when he stood up in his own defense, or flew to the rescue of the weak and unfortunate. I have heard it related how he interfered on one occasion with a big brutal fellow, much larger than himself, who was cruelly beating a comparatively small man. "Stop that," said John, fixing his piercing black eyes upon the bully, who, his attention now diverted, aimed a terrific blow at the courageous youth, who adroitly evaded the sledge-hammer fist of his assailant. But this was not all; young Nicholson was an expert wrestler, and immedi- ately clinching with his adversary and interlocking legs with him, he gave him what was called "the cleek." The fellow dropped to the ground. Three times John threw him, his repeated successes making him appear the aggressor, to an excited crowd of shouting men and screaming women who rushed to the scene. As he arose the second time from the prostrate form of his opponent, the latter aimed a vicious kick at him, and only by the sheerest good luck was he able to dodge the heavy hob-nailed brogan, which, had it hit him, would probably have laid him senseless. Determining to close the incident, he again threw Mr. Bully, and this time the latter's head came in such violent contact with the hard earth that he was rendered unconscious. Meanwhile the little man who was the cause of it all had escaped, and his champion, likewise moving off, looked back to see his late antagonist, surrounded by a curious throng, sitting up, rubbing his bruised head in a dazed, bewild- ered stare. But while combative to a degree, John Nicholson was in no sense an habitual "scrapper;" he loved peace, and was tender- hearted as a child. His love for little children, by the way, is one

864 IMPROVEMENT ERA. of his leading characteristics. His mind had a religious bent, a not unusual concomitant even of a warlike disposition. He never doubted the existence of God, of whom he had a vivid impression from childhood. He had a poetic nature, and his intense earnest- ness, his solemn and at times stern seriousness (though mirth and humor were alternating traits) well became him as a future warrior of the cross. Until he embraced "Mormonism," he never connected himself with any religious body. No other church or religion ap- peared to him to conform to those which Christ had established. He was fond of writing, and gratified his literary taste, even in youth, by penning correspondence for neighbors who were unable to write. This made him popular with many poor people. A ray of light struck him when he was about sixteen. One Sabbath day he was passing along a public highway, when he ob- served two men, one of them addressing a group of people gathered round. The speaker declared that God had raised up in America a Prophet named Joseph Smith, who had organized and established by divine authority the Church of Christ, with all its offices, powers and gifts, as it existed in the days of the Savior. Some of those who heard this were enraged, and hooted and threatened the two men. John Nicholson, on the contrary, was very much impressed, and implicitly believed the testimony. When the preachers retired, he followed them, occasionally going ahead and awaiting their approach, that he might observe them. Three years later he was sent by his employers to Bingley, Yorkshire, England, to work on a palatial residence called Harden Grange. While there he picked up a pamphlet written by Orson Pratt, entitled "The Necessity for Miracles." He read'it through without stopping, and then declared to a companion boarding at the same house, "This is all true." The one addressed made some slighting remark about the "Mormons," to which Nicholson re- plied, "I do not know about that, but I know this is true." After he returned to Edinburgh, he met the same man whom he had heard testify to the restoration of the gospel, the latter entering the family home on business. In response to an inquiry, he arose and said, "Yes, I am an elder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and"—stepping toward John—"you shall be one, too." To all explanations, subsequently given, the

JOHN NICHOLSON. 365 youth raised not a single objection, and the good man—the late Robert Hogg, of Morgan, Utah—baptized him on the eighth of April, 1861. He was confirmed the following Sabbath, April 14, by Elder David M. Stuart, who uttered a prophecy concerning him that was signally fulfilled. Shortly afterwards, he v/as ordained a deacon, and appointed clerk of the Edinburgh branch, and this was soon followed by his ordination as a priest. Soon after he joined the Church, people that he knew en- deavored to reclaim him from his "awful error;" but he readily confounded them, and occasionally insisted upon their admitting themselves in error. The firm will, not to say audacity, of the young convert was once manifested during a conversation with a certain coal agent of religious proclivities, who called upon him. In the course of their talk, John testified to him of the visitation of angels to the Prophet Joseph Smith. The answer was a blunt denial that any angel had visited the earth since the days of Jesus. "If I can prove from the Bible that you are mistaken, will you admit it?" asked Nicholson. The other said he would. He then opened the Bible, at the 22nd chapter of Revelation, and read the eighth verse: "And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down before the angel which showed me these things." Laying down the book, he asked his visitor to admit his error, but he was silent. Several times he re- peated the request, but the man still refused to speak. Nicholson then walked to the door, turned the key, put it in his pocket, and said, "I am at home here, you are not; I will let you out when you fulfill your agreement." The coal agent surrendered. In April, 1863, John Nicholson was ordained an elder of the Church, by President George Peacock of the Edinburgh conference. About this time came a request through the latter from Apostle George Q. Cannon, then presiding over the European mission, asking Elder Nicholson to devote his entire time to the ministry. It was also desired that he proceed at once to Leeds, there to labor temporarily until assigned to a permanent field. This call, owing to circumstances, was a severe trial to him, but he forthwith bade farewell to his fellow workmen, and went home to prepare for his mission. His mind was much troubled over the condition in which he would have to leave his parents. His mother was barely re-

366 IMPROVEMENT ERA. covered from a severe attack of inflammatory rheumatism, and was almost helpless; while his father was out of employment. Conse- quently John had been for some time their chief support. Within three days, however, on April 23, 1863, he was on his way to Leeds, with half a crown (sixty cents) in his pocket, exclusive of his railroad fare. He had labored but a short time in the Leeds conference when he received an appointment as traveling elder in the Hull confer- ence. While there, persistent activity prevailed, scarcely a week going by without the baptism of believers. At the close of 1863, he was appointed by President Cannon to preside over the Shef- field conference, where he labored with fair success for a year. In January, 1865, President Daniel H. Wells, then in charge of the mission, appointed him to the presidency of the Birmingham con- ference, one of the most fruitful fields in Great Britain. One of his experiences in the SheflSeld conference may here be related. It was associated with a district meeting held at the town of Whitington, the members of that branch and those of Barrow Hill, about two and a half miles distant, composing the congregation. A mob smashed the windows of the meeting-house, the rocks rattling into the hall, but no one was hurt. They tried to break in the door, but failed. After a while, silence prevailed and the service proceeded. At the close, a number of the brethren had to walk two or three miles to their places of abode. Elder Nicholson among them. A friend on the outside advised them to keep off the main road, as the mob had gone that way to ambush them. They, therefore, went along a narrow cut, with high banks, where trucks were run to and from iron mines. The mob, learning of this, rushed up behind the party, yelling, cursing and pelting them with stones. One of the brethren, struck on the head, was partially stunned, but was assisted onward. At the end of the cut, a pile of rocks was descried, and Elder Nicholson called on the brethren to halt and "give it" to the mobbers. Instead of obey- ing, they rushed to a neighboring fence, climbed it, and sped for home, with the exception of one, who temporarily stood ground with the elder. The mob, appearing in the open, resumed the rock-pelting process. Nicholson was struck on the breast with a large missile, the blow causing him to gasp audibly, but thanks to

JOHN NICHOLSON. 367 a thick handkerchief in his breast-pocket, he was but slightly hurt. His companion now went over the fence, leaving him alone—the concentrated point of attack. He decided to approach the mob. "Walking towards them he rebuked them, telling them they were a pack of contemptible cowards, and ought to be ashamed of them- selves. Awed by his fearlessness, they dropped their rocks, and before he could reach them, turned up the cut and vanished from view. He had evidently described them accurately. The spring of 1866 witnessed his departure from his native land. He had been released by the president of the mission, Apostle Brigham Young, Jr., and appointed to take charge of a company of about three hundred and fifty emigrants, whose destina- tion was Utah. The vessel chartered for tiiem was the American Congress, Albert Woodward, captain. It was the last sailing vessel that left Europe with a company of Latter-day Saints; the era of the steam-ship having arrived. They sailed from London on the twenty-third of May,and anchored in New York harbor on the fourth of July. During the voyage a most exciting and remarkable incident occurred, the company barely escaping shipwreck on the rocks of New Foundland; and only escaping, as Elder Nicholson believes, by a direct interposition of Providence. For four days, a dense fog had prevailed, preventing the captain from using his sextant. Nevertheless, he pushed onward, being anxious to make time. While this condition prevailed, he. Elder Nicholson and Elder John Rider, were one day conversing on the quarter-deck, when the last named, who happened to be looking ahead, suddenly pointed in that direction and said, "Captain, what is that?" The captain made no reply; but he acted. In an instant, he leaped to the wheel-house, and having no time for words, struck the man at the wheel a blow that sent him through the opposite door sprawling on the deck. Meantime the captain had seized and was manipulating the wheel, at the same time shouting with the voice of a lion, "All hands aloft to bout ship." This cry was echoed by the first officer, and in less time than it takes to tell it, the rigging was alive with the crew, each man working with tremendous activity. The cause of all the stir was that the ship was sailing directly toward the rocks. It was turned jast in time to avert a terrible calamity. What had enabled John Rider to see the breakers ahead, was the sudden lift-

368 IMPROVEMENT ERA. ing of the fog, like a raised curtain, thus disclosing the danger. Few if any of the other passengers were aware of the peril through which they had passed, the captain, a kind-hearted gentleman, having earnestly requested Elders Nicholson and Rider not to in- form the people, thus preventing much fear and a possible panic. When the vessel came to anchor, a great fire was raging in New York City, resulting in an extensive destruction of docks, ware- houses and shipping. The conflagration presented a striking and awful spectacle to those on board. The remainder of the journey to the frontier, then in Wyo- ming, was by steamboat and railroad, and came to an end on the fifteenth of July. Elder Nicholson was now penniless, having spent all his money on the people in his charge, many of whom were without means to obtain indispensable supplies along the way. By request of the brethren, he remained for some time at the out- fitting camp, doing clerical work for the emigration, and while there, performed by appointment the marriage ceremony uniting several couples. He left the camp on the seventh of August, in Captain Joseph S. Rawlins' ox-team train, of which he was chap- lain, commissariat, clerk and dispenser of medicines. He also acted as arbitrator in all cases of diflSculty, and ofiiciated on several occasions as sexton. There were nine deaths during the overland journey, incidents of a most pathetic character. The company reached Salt Lake City, October 1, 1866. One of the first to meet them was President Brigham Young, who visited their camp on Emigration Square. This was John Nichol- son's first sight of the great leader, whose personality and manner much impressed him. "Have you any relatives here?" the Presi- dent kindly inquired. "None," answered the newly-arrived emigrant. "Never mind," was the cheering reply, accompanied with a benevolent smile, "you have many friends." (To be concluded in next number).