Life sketch of DAVID ERNEST NIELSEN

told by his son, Ernest A. Nielsen

David Ernest Nielsen was born in Salt Lake City, Utah April 27th, 1891.  He was the fourth of eleven children born to Carl Emile Nielsen and Sine Olene Jensen. In 1894 the family emigrated to Colonia Juarez Chihuahua, Mexico where they set up housekeeping in a tent while Carl built a house.  Not long after, the family moved again to Colonia Dublan where Carl built the first flour mill in the Colonies.  Some of Ernest's first recollections of events began around the time they lived in Colonia Dublan.  The family's stay in Dublan was cut short when the flour mill burned to the ground soon after it was going well.  Ernest was fourteen when this took place.  The family then moved to Colonia Garcia.  Ernest and his brother, Carl who was two years older than he tried their hand at freighting lumber on wagons down from the mountains.  They traded lumber for merchandise to haul back to Garcia.   They also carried the mail back and forth. About this time Carl Sr. was hired to build the huge sawmill installation at Madera.  Carl Sr. was the superintendent of construction and he took his two boys with him to work on the construction. During this time, Carl built a nice home in Garcia where the family lived.

In 1912 the Revolution in Mexico heated up and many of the Mormon people decided to move to the United States. This move is referred to as The Exodus. Ernest had been working for John Whetten and helped him drive his cattle to the United States.  The family, which consisted ot Sine and all the girls, (his brother Carl was married) moved to Blue Water New Mexico.  Carl Sr. had gone to Durango on some sawmill work where he was stranded and had to walk to a seaport on the Pacific Ocean where he was able to hitch a ride on a ship to San Francisco.

When the family left for Blue Water on the train to El Paso from Colonia Dublan, Ernest who had been taking care of the family, remained behind and helped the men trail all the horses and mules they had in Garcia and Pacheco, to the United States.  Then he joined his mother and sisters. Times were hard and people had to move to where they could find work. After the family fled Mexico for Blue Water and the horse herd had been driven to Grants, NM, Ernest returned with some men from Garcia.  This little group rode the train to Pearson, then walked to Garcia where they were able to catch some stay horses. They spent some time gathering cattle that belonged to them which they drove to Pearson and shipped to El Paso where they were sold.  The proceeds went to the owners of the stock.

The Nielsen family moved to Pima Az, and then to Sulfur Springs.  All this time Ernest was the sole supporter of the mother and sisters.  He tried farming, logged in the White Mountains of Arizona, and farmed some more until his father was finally able to get back to the family. Carl Sr. and Ernest went to work for Philps Dodge at the mines in Tombstone AZ, where Ernest had a terrible acciddent which put him in the hospital for many months.  His clothing became caught in a fly-wheel and he went around and around hitting the floor at every turn.  By a miracle his father was able to turn off the machine and he survived.  Ernest also survived an accident in the White Mountains when he was logging.  A large pine tree fell on him and crushed him badly.

In 1917 the political situation in Mexico had calmed down and the Mormons started to return to their homes.  The Nielsen family returned to the Colonies to start their lives again.  Ernest stayed in El Paso for some time to earn money to send home to the family. After a while Ernest returned to Garcia where he started a small store and began to acquire cattle.  During this time he was Ward Clerk of the Garcia Ward. In 1934 he married Guadalupe Ponce and took her to live on the ranch by Garcia.  By this time he had a respectable amount of cattle and the couple greeted the first of two sons.  This son was named Ernest Alonzo.  

Five years later the family moved to Colonia Juarez so little Ernest could go to school.  At this time a second son, Carl Rafael, was born.  He was named for his two grandfathers.

In Colonia Juarez Ernest had a store that did very well.  Next he sold the store and invested in orchards and what is referred to as "The Chicken Business".

In 1963 Ernest retired and turned the business over to his boys. In a tough environment and in tough times and with an education that barely included fourth grade, Ernest did well for his family.  His principles,which he strongly adhered to, included honest, hard work, and fairness in his trades with his fellow men. He lived in Colonia Juarez from 1939 until he passed away on the 4th of August, 1973. Ernest's wife, Guadalupe passed away in April of 1978. The surviving members of David Ernest's family are: one son, two daughters-in-law, 9 grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren.

Marilyn Bentley Nielsen's Remembrances of Ernest Nielsen

I first met my father-in-law, Ernest D. Nielsen, in 1957.  I had been invited to dinner at Ernest and Lupe's home by their son, Ernesto.  The honored guest at that dinner was Lucian M. Meacham a good family friend, excellent businessman and former director of the Juarez Stake Academy. By the time I got to know him Ernest was retired and was leading a quiet life.  He adored his sons and was proud of their accomplishments He was very kind and friendly to me when I joined his family. He loved his grandchildren who l;ved him back and called him Lito, short for Abuelito.  In the hands of these children he was very soft-hearted. They talked him out of many paletas and  rides to school on cold winter mornings He thought each one was special and was the best student in their school classes.

He kept a cow especially so we could all have plenty of milk. He often told me that he thought children should drink lots of milk to make them strong.The cow was an excuse for him to not stay away from home for very long at a time--it had to be milked might and afternoon  Sometimes he would get nervous and tell us he had to go milk the cow.  After he sold the cow, we used to joke with him about going to take care of the cow when he would suddenly have to leave one of our homes I remember him sitting in front of the fireplace--one leg crossed over another, blue eyes twinkling, telling stories about his many adventures. If only I had written these treasured memories down. He loved to read THE SATURDAY EVENING POST, TIME, and COLLIERS Magazines and we had some god conversations about current events. He had a black and white TV that was one of the first in Colonia Juarez. The children and Slim and I would make it a point to go to his house every Saturday night to watch favorite shows.  Lupe would always make delicious snacks for us. He taught me to line up the hood ornament on a vehicle with the edge of the road so I could drive straight on the narrow Mexican roads.

One early morning, a neighbor boy who was something of a delinquent, tried to steal our car. I heard the sound of the motor trying to turn over and went outside to investigate. I yanked the door open and the boy ran away.  I was so frightened that I went crying down the street to my in-laws' home.  Lito and Lita comforted me and LItao told me I had done a very dangerous thing.  He gave me an old bone-handled pistol and I kept it under the mattress for many years.  I never did learn to shoot it.

My memories of this good, honest,and kind man are precious to me and I am glad I was asked to share a few of them.

Marilyn Bentley Nielsen

Memories of Ernest Nielsen by His Grandchildren

I don't really remember Lito very well, I was very small when he died.  The images in my mind are of him sitting in that metal rocking chair out in the yard with his long skinny legs crossed.  I also remember him sitting by the fire in the winter with a poker making sure that it never went out.  No, I don't remember too much about him, but there are some things I know about him.  I've seen his name in the minutes of the Local Cattlemen's Association, and I know he was one of the founders.  I also know that he was one of the founders, and served as President, of the local Poultry Association.  Everybody that knew him talks about what an honest man he was..., and I now that he passed this great trait on to his sons.  If I sit and think about him I can still hear his voice, with that unique Colony accent, probably learned from speaking english, danish and later spanish.   Even though I don't remember Lito that well, I know that we have recieved a great heritage, and blessings from the sacrifices he and his parents made so that we could have the gospel in our lives, and I thank him for that. E. Clayton Nielsen

 

Memories of Ernest Nielsen by:  His grandaughter, Christine Nielsen Andes David Ernest Nielsen is my grandfather on my dad's side. He was married to Guadalupe Ponce. Everyone called her Lupe.  We started calling my grandparents Lito and Lita when we were really little because it was easier than saying Abuelito and Abuelita, ( grandpa and grandma).  I was thirteen when my grandfather passed away.  I remember him as a very tall, thin man with the most beautiful blue eyes that always twinkled.  He called me "sister" and to this day when I hear someone being called that, I think of my grandfather.  My grandparents were some of the first people in town to have a television.  We would go down every Sunday and watch Mutual of Omaha,The Wonderful World of Disney, and Bonanza.  My grandmother always made us scrambled eggs, toast from homemade bread, and chocolate milk!  It was our favorite meal.  Sometimes on the weekend I would go and spend the night with Lito and Lita.  I was afraid to sleep alone so they let me cuddle right up in the same room with them.  We spent alot of time playing with my cousins who lived next door to my grandparents.  When ever the paleta (popsicle) truck came by we would run in and ask for a peso. Of course they always gave us one.  When my brother Toney and I were in grade school we thought the 5 minute walk to school was so long. So, on cold winter mornings when our mom wouldn't give us a ride, we would run down to Lito's and beg him to take us.  He wasn't all that thrilled, but he never said no.  Lito didn't like any bickering between siblings or cousins.  When he heard us arguing he would clap his hands and say "Now, now, no more of that, everyone be nice".  My grandparents adored their grandchildren and we knew that we were welcome in their home any time. They were always happy to see us and would do anything they could for us.  After my grandparents passed away, we did their temple work.  My husband Fred and I were sealed for my grandparents and that was a wonderful experience for us. I am grateful that I got to know my grandparents, they were both kind, loving people and I can't wait for my boys to get to meet them. Christine Nielsen Andes

 

I do not have very many memories of my "Lito" because I was just six years old when he passed away. I do, however, have some images in my mind of him. I can remember that he was very tall and slim. I can picture him sitting in his easy chair in the corner of the room with his legs crossed at the knee as he surveyed what was going on around him with his twinkly blue eyes. I can remember a time when my cousins LeRoy and Tito and I were playing with a balloon and he told us we were putting too much air in it and it was going to pop. I was pretty amazed when just a few seconds later it did pop. Wow, I thought, how did Lito know that the balloon was going to pop? I thought he was a pretty smart man. The memories I have may be few, but what I do know is that he was a man who was kind and who loved his family very much. Judy Nielsen Weidner Daughter of Ernest and Marilyn Nielsen