--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Nicholson, John collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 8 number: 1 published: 1904-11 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'John Nicholson, "Some Incidents in the Life of Nelson A. Empey," *Improvement Era* 8, no. 1 (November 1904): 18–21.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0801unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera0801unse start_page: 18 end_page: 21 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1904-11) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0801unse publication_year: 1904 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1904, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Some Incidents in the Life of Nelson A. Empey 18 IMPROVEMENT ERA where the westward emigration crossed. The result was that he prospered beyond his most sanguine expectations; and before the close of 1849, he returned to Salt Lake with $5,000 cash, besides cattle, and a large supply of goods of various kinds. In 1852, the elder Brother Empey accompanied President George A. Smith to Iron county, to assist in the settlement of that part of Utah. He also took an active part in building up the city of Parowan. In 1853,Nelson'3 father was called to take a mission to Great Britain, This left the son in charge of the family. He had been with his father a good deal at the North Bear River ferry, and in 1854, took charge of and conducted it. He was then about nineteen years old. The father was called back from great Britain, in 1855, to assist in the emigration business, at Kansas, Mo., in which he was quite successful, having accumulated $2,000, and a large quantity of supplies. In 1856, Nelson was ordained a Seventy, and he and about thirty others were called to go on an Indian mission, to the White Mountains, a region that, so far as known, had never been trodden by the feet of white men. He was set apart by Orson Pratt, who predicted that his road would be marked out before him, and that the Indians would gather around him. Nelson was the youngest man of the party. As the country to which they were going had never been explored, the question was asked of President Young where it was situated. He answered that they should go to Fillmore and the Lord would provide a way before them. President Heber C. Kimball also gave minute details as to the appearance of the White Mountain country, even to the character of the streams and their courses. He also described the Indians, all having been shown him by vision. Nelson had learned the Shoshone language,on Bear River, and as he was adjusting his pack saddle, at Fillmore, an Indian approached him and asked where he was going. The answer was given, in Shoshone, that he was going to the White Mountains. The Indian was pleased to find a man who could speak a language with which he was familiar, and said he was from that country. His name was Moqui-cbi-ne-ab (Fighting Chief). He at once INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF NELSON A. EMPEY. agreed to guide the missionaries to White Mountains, and thus the promise of President Young was verified. The guide was true to his trust, but when the missionaries reached their destination, the Indians, who had never seen a white man before, would flee before the brethren, and they had to run them down to get at them. Many of them, finally, when they found that Nelson could speak the Shoshone tongue, with which they were familiar, would flock around him in large numbers, and the words of Brother Pratt, in this and other respects, were fully verified. The missionaries were absent from home five months. Directly after their return, Nelson and others were sent to the Elk Mountains Indian mission. Before the party reached their destination, however, the Indians had broken out and made an attack on the brethren, killing one of their number. The others barely escaped with their lives. The party reached home; but as several of the brethren who escaped from Elk Mountains were re ported lost. Nelson and others returned to hunt them up. The fugitives had scattered, and one of them was found nearly dead from hunger, thirst and fatigue, being unable to move. He was conveyed to Manti, and, by careful nursing, his life was saved. In 1857, Nelson and his father were engaged a considerable time hauling supplies to the brethren in Echo canyon. In 1858, President Young received information that a large body of Indians were stealing horses in Tooele valley. At midnight of the same day. Captain John R. Winder was instructed to furnish one hundred mounted men, armed and equipped, to be at the Governor's office at daylight in the morning. At the appointed time, eighty men were ready to depart to the scene of the trouble, under the command of Major- General George D. Grant. When they arrived at the point of the mountain, south, they encountered a tremendous snow-storm, so furious that the party had to take shelter in E. T. City, until the downfall abated. The following day, they proceeded to Skull valley. The captain selected Nelson A. Empey as the messenger to proceed to the main camp, to inform them of the situation. On receipt of the message General Grant ordered the whole camp to proceed and overtake the Indians. They followed their tracks all day, in mud and snow, and found themselves on the Big Desert, in 20 IMPROVEMENT ERA. a heavy snow storm. It obliterated the tracks of the Indians,and it was impossible to follow them further. The company were without food for themselves, or feed for their animals. They retired to the timber and brush, tied up their animals and rested. They returned to camp in Skull valley next day, rested one night, and, on the day following, returned to Salt Lake City, accompanied by two minute- men — William H. Kimball and Colonel Joseph A.Young. In the spring of 1858, Nelson was with Colonel Winder's company of one hundred and fifty men, on Lost Creek, at the head of Echo. The boys who were out on that campaign manifested daring that almost amounted to recklessness. Notwithstanding they had been instructed by Governor Young not to shed blood, they frequently rode up to detached squads of U. S. troops, who appeared to be afraid of them. The Saints had moved south from the city, in the expectation of its being burned to ashes, that it might not be possessed by the approaching hostile army. Nelson Empey, George D. Grant, Jr.,Lucien Ensign and James MacDonald were selected to do express- riding between Provo and Governor Young's headquarters, and other places. In those critical times, this was an arduous duty. It occupied the expressmen day and night, until the return of the Saints from "the move." Nelson and others were selected to go on a special errand to the Platte. They reached the other side of Little Mountain the first day out, and, when in camp, a messenger arrived with a letter from Governor Young to be delivered personally by Brother Empey into the hands of Governor Gumming, then on his way to Salt Lake City. The selected messenger started on this mission, over a mountain country, early in the morning. After a hard ride, he met Governor Gumming as that official was crossing the Weber river, which was running unusually high, so much so that the water was in the body of the Governor's carriage, and he was sitting in the vehicle with a portion of his lower limbs immersed. The messenger delivered the dispatch, and received one for Governor Young. The same envelope contained also a document from the President of the United States, in the form of a pardon of the people of Utah for their alleged rebellion against the authority of the American nation. With the same horse that carried him to the Weber, Nelson INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF NELSON A. EMPEY. 21 'sped to Salt Lake with the important trust confided to him, and, in due time, reached that point. Notwithstanding he was fatigued and almost exhausted, he determined to deliver the message from Governor Gumming into the hands of Governor Young the same night. He reached Provo at 11 o'clock, and, after one of the hardest rides on record, placed the document into the hands of President Young. The entire distance covered by this faithful and determined messenger was one hundred and twenty miles, a large portion of the ride being over rough and almost mountainous ground. A remarkable incident occurred as Nelson was riding on that journey as he was rattling along the road, his horse being on the "lope." As he approached the point of the mountain south, he was amazed to behold, in the clear moonlight, a short distance from his right and nearby, a band of about thirty horsemen. They made not the slightest noise, yet the movements of both men and animals were precisely similar to those of tangible beings. Closer and closer they came, until they were so near that Nelson looked into the faces of the men, who appeared to have pleasant facial expressions, and they gazed at him. They glided past and were finally lost to view. In relating this incident, he declared that it was not an illusion, as all his senses were keen and active, and his eyes were not deceived. When he first looked upon this phenomenon,he was seized with a sudden fear, which, however, soon subsided. He told President Young of this singular incident. The man of God replied that if our spiritual eyes were open we would behold people just as he had seen them. During those times an impressive incident occurred in connection with that noble-souled man, General Thomas L. Kane. A letter arrived for him, and President Young, being aware that the General's father had been ill for some time, felt sure the missive contained intelligence of his death. Nelson was selected to carry the letter to General Kane, who was then on his way east with Governor Gumming, and was camped in proximity to Big Mountain. The messenger reached the camp late at night. He called to the guard, and informed him that he had a message for General Kane. As he reached the firci