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Show NATHANIEL HENRY FELT From the L.D.S. Biographical Encyclopedia, Vol. II, by Andrew Jenson Nathaniel Henry Felt, a prominent Elder in the Church, a successful missionary and one of Utah's earliest legislators, was born February 6, 1816, at Salem, Essex County, Massa¬chusetts, the son of Nathaniel Felt and Hannah Reeves. He was the youngest of twelve children. The father, a merchant trader with the West Indies, died when Nathaniel was seven years old, leaving his family in straitened circumstances, hav¬ing lost his property, even to his family home, through mis¬fortune in business. He had an unusually liberal disposition and a conscientious desire to satisfy every claim made against him and the firm of which he was member. Nathaniel attended the common schools of his native place, and before and after school hours acted as errand hoy- tor a draper and tailor's establishment. He was not robust, but full of ambition to gain a collegiate education. He worked hard in that direction, but owing to the reduced circumstances of the family, had to abandon his purpose just as he was about to enter the high school and was apprenticed to a tailor at Lynn, five miles from Salem. He was then fifteen years of age. Six months before attaining his majority, and through the help of his only surviving brother, lie bought out an estab¬lishment in Salem and was soon employing twenty hands. He increased his means by some fortunate ventures in the African and China trade, it being the intention of himself and brother to found a commercial business. He also became interested in military matters, joining the Divisionary Corps of Inde¬pendent Cadets," which was organized with the Boston cadets in colonial times under British rule. Under their charter they we're required to wear scarlet coats, and were entitled to the right of line in parade, much to the annoyance of several volunteer organizations Through his musical interests Nathaniel became acquaint¬ed with Miss Eliza Ann Preston, a member of another of the old New England families, whom he married on the third day of October 1839. His mother's family was divided in religious belief, but he, though often solicited to do so, would not identify him¬self with any of tlhe popular churches. After carefully investi¬gating "Mormonism" however, he was converted and baptized a Latter-day Saint. His wife also joined the Church. In the winter of 1843-44 he was appointed president of the Salem Branch. During this period he became acquainted with such men as Brigham Young, Orson Pratt and Heber C. Kimball, who were frequent and welcome visitors at his home. They left it the morning that word was received of the mar¬tyrdom of the Prophet and the Patriarch, Joseph and Hyrum Smith. He had been advised by President Young to remain at Salem for the present, but as the clouds gathered around Nauvoo, and the mobs grew more threatening, he determined to join the main body of the Church at that place. Accord¬ingly, on the 5th iday of June 1845, after closing out his busi¬ness at a great sacrifice, he with his wife and son, Joseph Henry, set out for Nauvoo. There he entered into business and continued his labors in the ministry, being ordained one of the presidents of the 29th quorum of Seventy. Meantime the completion of the Nauvoo Temple was be¬ing hurried on, and his baggage, having arrived from Salem, by way of New Orleans, some of bis furniture such as car¬pets. tables, chairs, sofa and mirrors, were used to furnish the sacred house preparatory to the performance of ordinances therein. He took part in the defense of Nauvoo and was under fire as well as on regular guard duty. Through over-exertion in agisting the remnant of his co-religionists across the Missis¬sippi. after the departure of the vanguard, which he was pre¬paring to follow up, he was taken down with fever and ague, and his physical condition became such that he was counseled to take his wife, then almost an invalid, to St Louis and postpune his journey to the West, Accordingly he turned over his wagon outfit to John Taylor, one of the Twelve Apostles, and with his wife and two sons proceeded to St. Louis, arriving there early in November. February 14, 1847, he was appointed president of the St. Louis Conference, then numbering from seven to ten thousand Latter-day Saints, and the only organized conference in the United States. St, Louis was not only the gathering place of the Saints driven from Nauvoo, where they went to remain until a more permanent place was selected by the pioneers, but it became the out-fitting point for those traveling westward, and also where the missionaries, still sent out by the Church, looked for and received substantial assistance to take them on their journey both going and returning. At that point the immigrating Saints were received from foreign lands, by water from New Orleans, and there secured their outfits for the crossing of the plains. Upon Nathaniel H. Felt de¬volved almost entirely the duty of advising these immigrants, purchasing outfits and supplies lor them, and chartering the necessary steamboats to take them to Kanesville. It was al¬most a matter of congratulation with him that no accident occurred to and no scourge prevailed on any of the vessels thus engaged by him. There were instances, however, in which steamboats were secured by other persons, contrary to his advice. In one of these instances, as soon as he learned of it, he went to the wharf and urged the Saints to come ashore, telling them the boat was unsafe. Many took his advice, while others remained on board. The steamer had hardly left her moorings when she blew up, several lives beiing lost and much baggage destroyed. At St. Louis President Felt opened a correspondence with Colonel Thomas I Kane, who afterwards mediated between Utah and the Federal Government. Included in the St. Louis Conference were the branches of Alton and Gravois; the latter being his special pride. There wera gathered the coal miners, sturdy, reliable men, such as John Sharp, Adam Sharp, Adam Hunter and others. In 1848 President Felt took his family on a visit to their old home in Massachusetts where he was received kindly hy friends and relatives, and every inducement offered him but without avail, to induce him to give up "Mormonism" and remain. After his return to St. Louis the city was visited by that terrible scourge, the cholera. Every morning was heard the "dead wagon" as it passed around, the awful dry, "Bring out your dead," Accompanying these wagons were immunes, who would enter, take the corpses, sometimes without prepa¬ration, to the vehicles, and t he nee to the cemetery, where they were buried in trenches, hundreds at a time. The president of the branch was constantly called for by the afflicted people. He responded by visiting, administering and comforting them, scarcely taking time to eat or sleep. While many thousands of the citizens died, and many of the Saints were attacked, not one of the latter died through this scourge at that time. During the great fire which followed, not one of the Saints was burned out, although, as in the case of President Felt, the fire came right up to their houses. He lived in a frame building, and the fire, skipping it destroyed a brick building opposite. The conflagration, while it swept a way much prop¬erty, was looked upon as a great scavenger, which purified the city after the plague. In the spring of 1850 the Felt family consisting of the father, mother, two sons and an infant daughter, started for Salt Lake City, escorted as far as Council Bluffs by Ration's band discoursing sweet music in their honor. At the Bluffs, with two wagons, four yoke of oxen and two cows, they joined Hey wood and Woolley's Church merchandise train, which arrived at their destination on the 6th of October. They located on upper Main Street, just opposite President Heber C. Kimball's residence, which is still (at the time this article was written) the old family homestead. During the winter they lived in wagons and tents, and in the Spring huilt an adobe house of two rooms. Brother Felt's appointment as Alderman of Great Salt Lake City came January 9, 1851, from Governor Brigham Young, under the charter incorporating the city. Later, he was elected Alderman from the Third Municipal Ward which he represented for years. In August 1851, he was elected to the House of Representatives in the first Legislature of the Terri¬tory of Utah, In both the Territorial and City governments, he served on many important committees, receiving digni¬taries from the East, arranging for memorial services on the day of President Lincoln's funeral. He also took preliminary steps for establishing the water and lighting systems of the municipality. Nor was he idle in ecclesiastical matters. In 1851 he was appointed a traveling Bishop and as such visited nearly all tlie settlements and towns in Utah, instructing the Ward Bishops relative to tithing methods, records, reports, etc. In the militia he was commissioned hy Governor Young, April 12. 1852, chaplain on the general staff of the Legion, with the rank of Colonel. He had previously accompanied George A. Smith to Little Salt Lake Valley where they laid out the town of Parowan. The winter of 1854-5 found him in New York City, assisting John Taylor to establish the paper known as; "The Mormon and laboring in emigration matters. During this mission, in company with Apostle Taylor and Delegate Bemhisel, he called on President Franklin Pierce, in Washington, 15. C, At this time the President made the following statement relative to his recent appointment of Colonel Steptoe to succeed Brigham Young as Governor of Utah. He said "Gentlemen, you are well acquainted with the immense outside pressure that popular prejudice has arrayed against vouir people. This obliges me as Chief Magistrate to make some show in re¬sponding to it, so I have appointed Colonel Steptoe as Governor of Utah; but you will readily conceive that Colonel Steptoe, holding an honorable position in the United States army, will not be willing to resign that position for the un¬certain tenure of a four years Governorship of that distant Territory." Elder Felt returned to Salt Lake City iia October 1856, Having secured Government contracts to furnish supplies for the troops at Camp Floyd, he now engaged iin the grain and produce business, with David R. Allen, establishing stores in Salt Lake City, Nephi, and Ephraim. In the years 1865-6-7, he was on a mission in Great Britain where he labored in the office of the "Millennial Star" and later as pastor of the London district. From November 1869 until May 1870, he was a missionary to the New England States, laboring principally in his native State, Massachusetts. For a long period he was a member of the High Council and was actively engaged in public affairs, both State and Church, until 1873, when he was stricken with a severe illness, from the effects of which he never entirely recovered. During the remaining years he acted as a home missionary and contributed various articles to the press. He died January 27, 1887, leaving a posterity of eight sons, five daughters and sixteen grandchildren. He was the husband of three wives—Eliza Ann Preston who died June 19, 1875; Sarah Strange and Mary Louisa Pile whom he married respectively March 17, 1854 and December 7, 1856. In addition to his first wife, two sons and two daughters preceeded him into the great beyond. This information was obtained for us by Marilyn Felt Anderson. Marilyn is the daughter of Richard Norman and Jerda Amelia Peterson Felt. She is a granddaughter of Ceorge Francis Felt and a great-granddaughter of Nathaniel Henry Felt. Information for your Pedigree Chart, giving informa¬tion from Nathaniel Henry Felt back to George Felt born in 1601 Nathaniel Henry Felt Born Feb. 6, 1816 in Salem, Massachusetts. Married to Eliza Ann Preston-Oct. 3, 1839. Married to Sarah Strange—March 17. 1854 Married to Mary Louisa Pile—December 7, 1856. Died-January 22, 1887 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Nathaniel Felt Born 25, July 1771 in Salem, Massachusetts. Married Hannah Beeves S April 1791, Died—14 October 1823. David Felt Born Married to Suzannah Becket 8 November 1758. Died-After 1792. Jonathan Felt. Bom 4 March 1699 Married to Hannah Silsbee 26 July 1721 Died before 1753. Jonathan Felt Born March 23, 1687-8 in Falmouth, Massachu- sets. Married Elizabeth Purchase 3 January 1695 Died 1702 George Felt Jr. Born Baptized 22 January 1639-40. Married Phillipa Andrews 25 November 1662. Died George Felt. Born—1601. Married Elizabeth Wilkinson Died 1693. My Dream by Alice Redden I dreamed my Father called me Home, Across the Great Divide. I was very much bewildered, I thought surely I had died. St. Peter met me at the gate, He said, "Come follow me, There's something I must show to you, Something you must see." Then I saw rows of people Standing in a line, When I looked them over They were relatives of mine. Some among that massive crowd I remembered well, Some had lived long years before I came on earth to dwell. There were my great grandparents Whom I was pleased to see, But when I walked toward them They turned away from me. Then I saw my cousins, My uncles and my aunts. They said to me accusingly, "We didn't have the chance To do the work that must be done To start us on the way, To gain for us Eternal Life So here we have to stay," My father and my mother too, Were standing far apart. They looked so disappointed It made the tear drops start. I turned and saw my Savior, On his face there was a frown, "I died upon the cross for them And you have let them down." Behold your noble ancestors Waiting for the day When you would open up the gates To help them on their way." My heart was very heavy As I looked these people o'er, The blinding tears ran down my face, I turned to Him once more. "Please, blessed Savior, send me back. I'll make another try, I'll do the work for all my kin. I'm not prepared to die. I will not miss a single one. I'm so ashamed, Dear Lord. I'll try to do each ordinance According to Thy word." Then I awoke. The dream was gone. I had not passed away. But I made a resolution To start that very day. Baptisms, Endowments and Sealings I found were not a few. The more I searched and searched The more I found to do. But I will keep on hunting And searching all the while. Next time I meet my ancestors I'll meet them with a smile. Shared with us by Marilyn Felt Anderson 105 Bridge Street, Brighton, Colorado, |