Nebeker Nebeker John and Mary Woodcock Nebeker

until the mother was well.

“John was closely associated

with apostle Erastus Snow in

the settlement of southern

Utah, including what is now

part of Nevada. He was pro-

bate judge of Kane county,

now Washington County. Here,

while living in Toquerville, two

of his children were buried,

Susannah Adelia and Mary

Luella. John and his wife, Mary

Woodcock, had buried two

children before leaving Salt

Lake City, Encora Lurena and

William Woodcock.” (2)

John Nebeker was called by

Brigham Young to move part of

his family to southern

Utah, his wife Mary Woodcock

their children Encora Lau-

rena, William, Alfred, and Sa-

rah Ann came to Toquerville

where they added Susanna

Adelia, George (Wash) Wash-

ington, Mary Lurena, and

Zettie May Nebeker. Three of

John’s grown sons by Lurena

also came, Ira Nebeker, Aaron

Nebeker and Aston Nebeker.

They built a house on the east

bank of Ash Creek, which emp-

tied into the Virgin River. He

erected a rock house of six

rooms, also a cotton mill. He

planted all kinds of trees,

grapes, cotton, figs and nuts.

Here he operated the first

cotton mill this side of the

Mississippi River.

In 1862 “Mary’s sister Encora

Woodcock and her husband

George Batty and their six

children made their way to

Toquerville, our Mary and John

took them into their home until

they could build a dugout.

Mary Encora Batty and Mary

Nebeker were called and set

apart by Brigham Young to go

to salt Lake City and study

obstetrics.”(1) Mary as

a midwife, would deliver the

baby, wash and dress and

care for the mother and baby

Cotton Gins in Dixie:

“James McFate had erected a primitive hand-powered cotton gin. John Nebeker fol-

lowed with a water-powered mill built in a rock building and is still standing to-

day.” (2)

The cotton gin is an instrument to remove the seeds, from cotton . After ginning, the

raw fiber, now called lint is pressed into bales and shipped to the Cotton Factory

A cotton mill/factory is a factory for the production of yarn or cloth from cotton.

C a l l e d t o D i x i e I n 1 8 6 1 Mary Woodcock

Nebeker

John married a plural

wife, Mary Woodcock,

on September 12,

1854, in Salt Lake

City. She was a daugh-

ter of William Wood-

cock and Hannah

Stones of Pilley Green,

Yorkshire, England.

She was born Septem-

ber 19, 1830, and

came to Utah October

14, 1853, in the Cyrus

Wheelock company.

They had a home for a

while in Bountiful, later

on a ranch overlooking

the Jordan River. In

the fall of 1861,

H E W L E T T - P A C K A R D

Nebeker Nebeker

John and Mary Woodcock Nebeker

April 3, 2015 Compiled by Darlene Hutchings Odenwalder

to colonize the hot, arid wastes of the

southwestern Utah, to become known

as Utah’s Dixie.

Among the stalwarts called to the dif-

ficult mission was John Nebeker, a

pioneer of 1847. He was well

equipped for the task, for he had

means, had worked in the cotton mills

of his native state, Delaware, had

commercial education, was an experi-

enced farmer and fruit grower, a sad-

dle and harness maker, and had served

as justice of the peace in Salt lake

City.

As a cotton gin was needed at Toquer-

ville, Erastus Snow called upon John

Nebeker to erect a stone building on

his lot, to install the machinery, and

operate the mill.

(Continued page 3)

IMPROVEMENT ERA

APRIL 1940

A LANDMARK

of Cotton Time in

Utah’s Dixie

By

Mark A. PENDLETON

In presenting the business of the October

Conference, 1861, President Brigham

Young said it was is intention to call

upon a number of Swiss and other breth-

ren to go the southern part of the territo-

ry to raise cotton, indigo, grape, figs and

sorghum cane. War between the North a

and the South was in progress, and but

little cotton from the cotton-raising states

would reach the North. The time had

arrived for Utah to raise cotton to supply

the needs of the intermountain re-

gion. Accordingly, more then 300 peo-

ple, in the late fall of 1861, were called

J o h n N e b e k e r ’ s C o t t o n G i n

P a g e 2 C o m p i l e d b y D a r l e n e H u t c h i n g s O d e n w a l d e r

Sweet Sorghum has

been widely cultivated

in the U.S. since the

1850s for use in

sweeteners, primarily

in the form of

sorghum syrup. By

the early 1900s, the

U.S. produced

20 million US gallons

(76,000 m3) of sweet

sorghum syrup

annually. Making

syrup from sorghum

(as from sugar cane)

is heavily labor-

intensive.

Darlene standing in front of the entrance

to the John Nebeker’s cotton gin (2012)

What is Sorghum?

(Continued page 2)

It is claimed that it was the first gin mill

in the West driven by water power. It

played an important part in the develop-

ment of Utah’s Dixie. The “gin house”

is in a remarkable states of preservation

as the accompanying photograph shows.

Among the pioneer relics at the Utah

State Capitol is a small doily made by

Mrs. John Nebeker from the first cotton

ginned at this mill it was presented by

Mrs. Zettie N Kearl only surviving child

of the Nebekers.

be a substantial labor sav-

ing device.

From 1870 to 1872 John

acted as Probate Judge of

Kane County, Utah and

Toquerville as the county

seat. It was at this time

that all properties in

Toquerville were deeded to

John Nebeker by the presi-

dent of the United States

(presumably Ulysses S.

Grant) and, in turn, deeded

to the respective occu-

pants. This insured local

title and explains why the

name “John Nebeker” is

on all the abstract deeds. (2)

Locally, The Nebeker Cot-

ton gin is referred to as the

“The Old Gin House”. (3)

In the fall of 1861, John

Nebeker moved with a por-

tion of his family to Toquer-

ville where he raised cot-

ton and built and operated

this cotton gin, the first in

Utah. Prior to this time,

the people had to pick the

seeds out of the cotton

balls by hand, As Toquer-

ville farmers raised about

100 acres of cotton each

year, the gin turned out to

S e q u e n c e o f C o t t o n G i n ’ s O w n e r s h i p

P a g e 3

T h e N e b e k e r C o t t o n G i n

6 5 - 6 7 E a s t C o t t o n G i n D r i v e

The Gin is

on private

Property

Please do

not enter

without

permission

of the

property

owners

Gary and Darlene

Odenwalder

at

Cotton Gin Drive

(2012)

John Nebeker (First Probate Judge Kane County) 1972

to Ashton and Lucy Nebeker 1891

to Hans Anderson and Eliza Ann Slack Anderson (Carpenter, dairyman, maker of coffins, grindstone from silver Reef red

sandstone and oak.)

to John T. Beatty and Eva Slack Beatty 1946 (First Primary secretary age 12; fathered 21 exemplary children, chorister,

mayor. Left Helena with 3 farms and 250 cattle to fill Southern Mission.)

to H. LeGrand and Lorea (Johnson) Griffin 1963

to Hilda O. Larsen

to William and Melody Brady (3)

Sources: (1) A History of Toquerville Volume V Compiled by Wesley Larsen Page 80 written by Elivira Batty Suthweeds (2) John Nebeker in possession of Ruth Swenson Author un-

known. Courtesy Washington County Historical Society 2010

Compiled by Darlene Hutchings Odenwalder

Did you know?

John Nebeker and wife Lurena Fitzgerald Nebeker came to Utah in

1847. “He took a great interest in the cultivation of fruit tree, he and

his brothers bringing with them from Illinois a large quantity of ap-

ple seeds and peach pits... He said, “In 1853 President Young and I

raised the first apples —----- one each. Both were put together and

Mrs. Nebeker made the first apple pie.” John cut the first wheat in

1848 with a sickle. It is called May wheat.

Fun Facts

“First Apples fruited in Utah were

seedlings in the garden of John Ne-

beker in Salt Lake City, about the year

1855. Two varieties of which pro-

nounced worth of propagation and

were wildly disseminated. One an ob-

long yellow sweet apple good size,

ripping in September and called Pride

of the Valley; the other large yellow

fall apple called Mountain Chief “

Source: Volume 16 American Pomologist Society

Fruit Cultures 1877

John’s Father (George Nebeker)

had been a foreman of a Cotton

Factory in Delaware.

John Nebeker was the first man to

reap wheat and grind flour into

wheat in Salt Lake.

John and Lurena’s son Ira Nebeker

was one of the rescuers of the Mar-

tin Handcart Company, he was 17.


John Nebeker was a great and notable pio-

neer, not only is he mentioned in many Utah

and Mormon history books, he is also men-

tioned in the following:

History of Wyoming

Annals of Wyoming volumes 14-15

History of Idaho volume 1

The diaries of John D Lee

Nevada Historical Quarterly Volume 18-19

And many others…...

Mary Woodcock Nebeker

19 September 1830 12 February 1902


Pioneer Story of Mary Woodcock Nebeker by her daughter, Zettie May Nebeker Kearl Mary W. Nebeker

was indeed a true pioneer. Not only in name, but in deed. She sacrificed a great part of her life for the gos-

pel she loved so well. Mary was born September 19th, 1830 in the small village of Pilley Green, near Barns-

ley, Yorkshire, England. She was the seventh child of William and Hannah Stone Woodcock. She had

black hair and dark grey eyes. She was five feet, six inches tall. She joined the Church of Jesus Christ of

Latter-day Saints in the year 1851, being the only one in her family to join at this time. Her mother had

been an invalid for five years before she died, and Mary had worked to help her father to pay for the moth-

er’s sickness. So when she decided to join the company that was leaving for Utah, she went to her father

and asked him to lend her some money to help her immigrate to Utah. But her father said, “No indeed, I

will not. And if you do not give up on having anything to do with those low degraded people, I shall have

to ask you to discontinue your visits to my house.” Mary was almost broken hearted by the attitude of her

father, brothers, and sisters. But she knew she was right and felt that her Heavenly Father would help her

some way to go. Mary had an Uncle John Stone with whom she had lived and to whom she was greatly

attached and who had always seemed to be very fond of Mary. She went him and asked him to lend her

enough money to go to Utah, telling him that she would pay him back. He went into another room and

came back with a quart of gold sovereigns which he dumped on the table saying, “these and many more

like them shall be thine if thou will aide with me but nary a penny will I give to thee if thee goes with those

low, degraded people.” Mary said, “Uncle, I wish you could know the joy there is in the gospel and that

you would go to Utah with me.” But, he told her never! He told her he was ashamed of her and could not

think what had made her be so silly saying, “You were always such a sensible girl, Polly. How could you

become so deluded?” Mary undaunted, trusting to her faith in her Heavenly Father, she bid farewell to all

her family and went alone and almost pennyless. She went to a place called Ashton under Lyne, Lancashire

where a company of Saints were preparing to leave for Utah. An old lady Heaps, that was over eighty years

old, but is anxious to go to Utah engaged Mary as a maid to take care of her on the journey. O how de-

lighted Mary was, but two weeks before the Saints were to sail, the old lady died. This left May no way to

go. Mary had a young friend, a niece of the lady that had died, whose name was Sarah Ann Carter. Her

aunt had left her twelve leather seated chairs and she told Mary that they would sell the chairs and that

Mary should have what they got for them. So the did so and they got just enough to pay Mary’s passage

across the ocean. The company of three hundred and forty passengers left Liverpool February 15th, 1853

on the ship Elvira Owen. After thirty-five days, they arrived at the mouth of the Mississippi River, stayed

there two days waiting for a steamboat to take them to New Orleans. From New Orleans, they went to

Saint Louis, stayed over Sunday, and then went to Keokuck twelve miles below Nauvoo. They stayed at

Keokuck seven weeks waiting for cattle and horses, wagons, etc. Mary had been on deck when a large wave

had passed over the deck drenching them. Mary caught a bad cold, which settled in her legs causing them


Page 2


to swell. She was so lame that she had to walk with a stick. She had got a job of cooking and other work

with a family by the name of Whitworth. They left Keokuck June 1st, 1853. Cyrus H. Wheellock was cap-

tain of this company. There were 53 wagons. They got to Council Bluffs July 2nd, where they had to stay

till the 15th of July on account of high water. The company arrived in Salt Lake City October 6th , 1853.

Mary had walked all the way across the plains but fifty miles. The first winter in the valley, she lived with a

widow and her son and took car of a pre-mature baby whose mother had died. This baby died in the

spring, so Mary then went to live with a Mrs Lurina Nebeker, whose husband John Nebeker was away in

Green River Country, where he had been called by President Brigham Young. One day while Mary was

doing the family ironing, Mrs. Nebeker received a letter from her husband asking her to send him two new

shirts with the brother that had come to S.L.C. for supplies. Mrs. Nebeker cried very bitterly as she read

the letter from her husband. Mary said, “Oh, Mrs. Nebeker, whatever is the matter?” The reply was, “my

poor John wants me to send him two new shirts and here I haven’t a cent.” Mary felt very badly for this

poor woman that could not get shirts for her husband when he needed them so badly. Taking the ironing

to put away, she took her own to the room she shared with some of Mrs. Nebeker’s girls. She still shows

her great faith in her Heavenly Father, she knelt down by her bed and asked her Heavenly Father to open

the way for this poor woman to get the money for shirts or for cloth for to make shirts for her husband.

As she was about to arise from her knees, she saw three pieces of money on her pillow. She thought Mrs.

Nebeker had placed it there to see if she was an honest girl or not. Mary felt very badly about this. She

went to Mrs. Nebeker and asked if she put the money there. Mrs. Nebeker reply was, “indeed I did not. I

would not do such a mean thing especially at this time when I need it to get my poor John some shirts.”

Two of the Nebeker boys were asked if they had placed the money on Mary’s pillow. Ira said, “Money,

money, money. It seems in away in the dark ages of the past that I have heard that word but whether it

some thing to eat or wear I really have forgotten.” Mrs Nebeker said, “O boys, do be serious and say if you

put that money on Mary’s pillow or not.” Perry said, “Well rest assured that we did not, not by a jug full.”

They never did know where the money came from. Mary gave it to Mrs. Nebeker and she took it to the

store. The clerk said it was Spanish money and gave Mrs. Nebeker enough cloth to make two shirts. In

September 1854, Mary became the plural wife of John Nebeker and at the invasion of the Johnson Army

she was left in Salt Lake City to set fire to the Nebeker home if the men should cause any trouble. She

went through the great cricket war. For weeks this family of nine people lived on weeds and thistles for six

weeks (sic). They only had a little musty bran and a little milk. Mary’s first two children, a boy and a girl,

died the same day that they were born. And when her fourth child was born [my grandmother, Sarah Ann

Nebeker Findlay], her husband was called to go as a pioneer to help settle the southern part of Utah, so

Mary, feeling that she could stand the hard life of pioneering better the first Mrs Nebeker could, she with

her two children went down to help her husband. They made a home on the east bank of Ash Creek and


Page 3


and help (sic) start the little town of Toquerville and other settlements. Mary picked and spun the first cot-

ton raised in Utah. At first she did not like the dry barren country, but she soon grew to love it dearly, and

had a nice home, all kinds of fruit trees, nuts, grapes, etc. And so many dear beloved friends. She was ever

a friend of the Indians who called her Poage (Mother), they used to come in groups. About this time one

of Mary’s sisters and her family came down to Toquerville, to be near her sister. Oh, how happy Mary was

to see some of her loved ones from far away England. At this time Mary’s eighth child was born. She had

buried two since she came to Toquerville. Mary picked carded and spun the first cotton grown in Utah.

Mary’s joy was short lived as her husband was again called to be a pioneer to another country the north of

Utah, this time Bear Lake. Mary hated to again be parted from her sister and dear friends, but ever putting

duty before pleasure, she bad (sic) farewell to her beloved sister and dear friends and home and went with

her husband and four children to Bear Lake. They arrived in Laketown th middle of August 1871. Mary

was not very much impressed with this cold bleak country after her lovely warm home in the south, her

home was one large log room with ruff (sic) pine floor and home made furniture made from boxes and

pegs for legs. She had a large wooden box with a calico curtain around to put her clean clothes in, a dress-

ing table if you please, a very small mirror over it. How the snow did pile up this winter, it covered the

fences and it was so cold that many of the cattle froze to death. And they had to melt snow for all the wa-

ter they used, both for the home and for the horses and cows. As early in the winter a snow slide had

dammed the small creek up in the canyon. Mary’s family never knew till years after how badly she felt that

first winter. She made the best of conditions and made a happy home for her husband and for four chil-

dren. Most of this winter her husband lived in Salt Lake City and Mary’s eldest boy was only 13 years old

then- President Young called her to study to be a midwife as they were called, she was blessed and set apart

for this mission, which she did for many years. She would deliver the babe, wash and take care of both

mother and babe til the mother was able to take care of her self for two dollars and fifty cents. She was

called to be president of the Relief Society when it was first organized (which office she held for fifteen

years or more till her health became so bad that she had to be released. She was on of them that experi-

enced that awful time when the Shoshone and Bannack Indians were on the war path and camped on the

south shore of Bear Lake. Thousands of them and the people of Bear Lake had to feed them. My the num-

ber of cattle, sheep, and pigs, and grain it took to feed them. At least President Young and others came up

and made a peace settlement with Washakie and Tigitt (sic) [Naughites?] . Mary was a widow for 20 years.

She died at the age of 71 years old, February the 12, 1902 at Round Valley, she was living with her young-

est daughter at the time, Mrs. Zetti May Nebeker Kearl. [Transcribed from an account written by Zetti

May Nebeker Kearl and archived in the DUP Museum in Salt Lake City]

Wiley Nebeker

Born 8 March 1852 died 23 July 1867

Son of John and Lurena Nebeker


Source Historical Quarterly Volume 1-6 1928-1933 (1934) page 87



History of Utah By Orson F. Whitney

Volume IV 1904 pages 111

History of Utah By Orson F. Whitney

Volume IV 1904 pages 112

Documents

Nebeker Nebeker John and Mary Woodcock Nebeker