NIELSON MARTHA by BAGGET

MARTHA NIELSON

by JAMES R. BAGGETT

Martha was born 16 November, 1895, at Richfield, Utah.  She was 11 years old when her mother died in Winter Quarters, so she was left in the care of her father and older sister, Caroline, who ran the household.  Martha was old enough, however, to be assigned responsibility for looking after her younger, sister, Ella, who was about 19 months old when their mother died.  Ella wrote that her father made Martha quit school to take care of her and that,  "Martha had cried and cried as she didn't want to stop."  Martha and Ella had some altercations when they were young, possibly because, as Ella wrote,  "She was a little jealous of me."  Ella thought that Martha was a good cook, and her thrifty, undemanding nature was appreciated by her father, because she cost him less than did her older sister, Caroline. 

On 27 September, 1920, at Pocatello, Idaho, Martha married Albert Lowell England, who was born on 16 August, 1901, in Union, Oregon, to George Albert England and Hattie Hartvigson.  Martha and Lowell's first child, Wanda, was born in Winter Quarters in 1921.  Their second child was born in Spring Canyon, Carbon County, Utah, in 1926, but they may have been living in Burley before that, because she was a witness, along with her sister, Jennie, at the marriage of Ella in Burley in 1922.  Martha and Lowell were also living in Burley about 1932 or 1933 when I was four and five years old, and at least a few years after that.  A number of times, my grandparents, Jennie and Tom, took me to their house in the southwest of Burley, and my mother's photographs indicate that their was a close relationship among the families of Martha, Jennie and Ella.  Leslie Boothe remembers Martha as being very kind to the Boothe children when they went to her house, always having cookies or something for them, but she was very shy or even reclusive, and always seemed to act as if she was afraid.  Martha was especially shy of having her picture taken.  I have dozens of photographs of her husband, Lowell and her children, but she was not included in single one of them. 

The England's were still living in Burley in 1941 when their last child was born, but on 1 October, 1945, when Jennie's obituary was written, they were in Ogden, Utah.  They eventually moved to Salt Lake City where Lowell died on 2 September, 1957.  The date and place of Martha's death have not been found.  Martha and Lowell's children are: 

Wanda LaPree--born 10 August, 1921, at Winter Quarters, married Elmer Rice.

Junior Lowell--born 13 August, 1925, Spring Canyon, Utah, married Grace Irene Noble.

Deanna--born 21 December, 1941, Burley, Idaho.

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Comments by Martha's family;  I remember her as a wonderful person, tall and thin.  She lived a very hard life from the time she was a child until she died.  Her husbands drinking problem caused her to be unhappy and fearful at times. 

Norma Jones said,  "She was shy and very undemanding.  She tended stay back and let others talk and get the attention.  I loved her very much and liked to visit her.  She always had a cookie or something for me. 

Les Boothe said,  "Martha was a wonderful person but she did have trouble showing affection.  I remember when Junior would come to my mother (Ella) for a hug."