Isabella's parents were:
David Henderson, a coal miner, b. Dec. 28, 1811 in Muirkirk, East Ayshire, Scotland and d. 1849 in St. Louis County, MO. &
Margaret Ada (Adam) Henderson, b. Aug. 12, 1816 in Hamilton, Old Monkland, South Lanarkshire, Scotland and d. Aug. 12, 1900 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino county, CA.
Margaret & David Henderson's children were:
1) William McDonald Henderson, b. Nov. 17, 1833/34 in Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, Scotland and d. Sep. 11, 1904 in Long Beach, Los Angeles county, CA. (William marr. Mary M. Winn)
2) Isabel/la Henderson Henderson, b. Mar. 10, 1835 in South lanarkshire, Scotland and d. Aug. 4, 1890 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino county, CA. Isabella marr. William Nish.
3) Margaret Victoria Henderson, b. Jul. 26, 1837 in Glasgow, Scotland and d. Sep. 6, 1921 in San Bernardino County, CA. She marr. Charles J. Mogeau and after his death, Henry C. Yager.
4) David Glen Henderson, b. Mar. 28, 1842 in New Monkland, North Lanarkshire, Scotland and d. Jul. 19, 1926 in Fontana, San Bernardino county, CA. He marr. Matilda Caroline Hawker.
5) Jeannette Adam Henderson, b. Jun. 7, 1844 in Calder, Old Monkland, North Lanarkshire, Scotland and d. Dec. 8, 1936 in Ontario, San Bernardino, CA. She marr. Thomas 'Tom' B. Walkinshaw, and later, William Brown Roberds of Corona, CA.
6) Mary Adam Henderson, b. May 27/31, 1848 in Scotland and d. May 24, 1904 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles county, CA. She marr. William Roberts Levick and then Thomas H. 'Tom' Ashcroft of Corona, CA.
7. Charles Henderson, who died as an infant.
*Note: After Margaret (Adam) Henderson's first husband, David Henderson died in St. Louis, MO. of a heat stroke (or cholera), Margaret became the plural wife of her sister Agnes' husband, John/James Easton. It was the Mormon custom that no woman of age remain unmarried, and this was most likely preferable to having a husband chosen for her by the Mormon Church. From this child, one child was born: John Alexander Easton who later changed his last name to Henderson. John Alexander Henderson was b. May 29, 1856 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino County, CA. and d. Mar. 28, 1938 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino County, CA.
*Note: Many parts of the following narrative were written by Ray Nish, and kindly contributed by Don and David Henderson.
Isabella was christened in the Bothwell Parish of the Church of Scotland in South Lanarkshire, Scotland.
Tied up at the Waterloo dock alongside the new landing stage on Liverpool's waterfront along England's west coast, the new Sailor Prince, a trim Canadian-built wooden sailing vessel - 950 tons, 145 feet long, 30 feet wide with a draft of 22 feet - was ready to take on its assigned passengers for its second Atlantic Ocean voyage to New Orleans on America's gulf coast. She had been engaged for the sailing by the Latter Day Saints Church agent of England to transport 60 Scottish families who had made arrangements with church representatives to emigrate to the New World. Their stated ultimate destination would be the Great Salt Lake Valley being developed by the Mormon Church in the Territory of Utah.
Mormon church missionaries had been proselytizing in Great Britain since 1837 and thousands of converts had been baptized in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Nearly 300 emigrants were provided passage to America in 1840 and the church was growing in England with promises of relief from the unemployment, harsh living and economic conditions prevalent along with "oppression, priestcraft and iniquity" of the land. The promised land of opportunity awaiting them in Utah was a way out. It is not known whether all passengers on the LDS ships were dedicated converts or had found a convenient method of emigration, but the Mormon agents contracted the ships, accepted reservations and payment for the passage from emigrants and made all arrangements for them. One must believe that those who signed up were at least going to take the first step toward seeking a new life in an adventure that promised opportunities; reservations and reconsiderations may come later.
In the fall of 1848, aboard the ship among the 60 Scottish families were Isabella's future husband, William Thomas Nish, 20, and his 13 year old brother, Robert Nish. (Ray Nish states that David Henderson and the Keir family were also passengers.) Their father, Thomas Neish, had died the year before at the age of 54 and they were leaving behind in Scotland their widowed mother, Elizabeth Penman Neish, and six sisters: Mary, Euphemia, Margaret, Ellen, another Mary and Agnes, who was already married. William was a miner, having worked the coal fields and mines of Lanarkshire around Bothwell, Old Monkland, Coatbridge and Glasgow area, and Robert at his young agealready had begun work as a minor. The name of the family, from a long Scottish line descendant from the MacGregor Clan in Glen Dochart, was changed once more as the brothers dropped the "e" from their surname. The family surname had changed through several generations, being at different times MacNeish, McNish, MacNish, McNeish, Neish, Nish, etc., the result of the clan's proscription and later the Highland Clearances.
The passengers landed in New Orleans, Louisiana, then went by a steam-driven paddlewheel-boat up the Mississippi River to Gravois a few miles south of St. Louis, MO. There, the Nish, Henderson and Keir families and other Scottish families and friends worked to accumulate money to finance the long covered-wagon journey West in 1850-1851.
David Henderson returned in the spring of 1849 to bring his family to America. They began their journey in Glasgow, sailing to Liverpool, England. From there, they boarded the ship 'North America' for their eight week voyage to America. Immigration records show that David and Margaret sailed from Liverpool with six of their children; William, age 14; Margaret, 12; David Jr., 7; Jeannette, 5; Mary, 2; Charles, age 3 months.
The eldest daughter, Isabella, stayed in Scotland, joining them when her grandfather sailed the following year.
The family lived in St. Louis, MO. for a year so that money could be saved for provisions, a wagon and a team of oxen for the trip west. It was during this time, most likely between June and September of 1849 that David Henderson died from heat stroke (or possibly cholera) while working in the coal mines near St. Louis. He was buried in St. Louis in an area known at the time as Dogtown. He left Margaret a widow at the age of 34 with 6 children to care for.
In 1851, William Nish, Alexander Keir, Margaret Henderson and other Scottish families in the 'Scotch Train"were ready to start the last leg of their long journey from Missouri to the Great Salt Lake Valley. As soon as a sufficient number of wagons could be made ready and all things prepared, the companies moved off under their respective captains. The agent remained on the frontiers, until all the companies were started, and then he would generally go forward himself, passing the companies one by one, and arrive in the valley first to receive them and conduct them into Great Salt Lake City.
On Jan. 21, 1852, William Thomas Nish and Isabella Henderson were married in Salt Lake City. William was b. in Wigtownshire, Scotland in about 1871/1872.
William and Isabella Nish's children were:
1. Margaret Nish, b. Nov. 2 (or 3), 1852 in Salt Lake City, UT. and d. May 20, 1932 in San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo, CA. Margaret marr. John W. Grant.
2. William Nish, b. Dec. 14, 1854 in Cedar City, UT. and d. in or before 1905. (According to Ray Nish, William died April 4, 1866.)
3. Elizabeth Penman Nish, b. Jan. 5, 1857 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino Co., CA. and d. Feb. 25, 1912 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino Co., CA. Elizabeth marr. Alvin Hancock.
4. David Nish, b. Aug. 14, 1859 in San Bernardino, CA. and d. Feb. 25, 1860.
5. Robert Glen Nish, b. Jan. 1 (or 30), 1862 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino Co., CA. and d. Jul. 7, 1936 at Loma Linda Hospital in San Bernardino, San Bernardino Co., CA. Robert marr. Isbel V. Shelley.
6. Isabella Grace Nish, b. Apr. 19, 1864 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino Co., CA. and d. Apr. 21, 1946 In Los Angeles Co., CA. Isabella marr. James Hilliard Poole.
7. James Easton Nish, b. Oct. 10, 1866 in Somersville - or San Francisco, CA. and d. Sep. 10, 1916 in Rialto, San Bernardino Co., CA. James marr. Ida I. Osborn.
8. John Grant Nish, b. Dec. 13, 1868 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino Co., CA. and d. Jan. 31, 1936 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino Co., CA. John marr. Mary Ellen Bessant.
9. Fredrick William Nish, b. Jan. 14, 1871 in San Bernardino, CA. and d. May 21, 1941 in San Francisco Co., CA. Frederick never married.
In 1853, Keir was sent to Cedar City in Southern Utah's Iron County "to open up the coal mines" (not far from where Zion National park was established a half century later, in 1909). William Nish moved his wife, Isabella and daughter, Margaret to Cedar City in answer to a church appeal for settlers and men to work newly activated mines. (After living in Salt Lake City about a year, Margaret Henderson and her children in 1853 moved to Cedar City where her sons, David G., John and William MacD. Henderson were employed in building a sawmill.)
By December of that year, when William and Isabella were there, the community was comprised of about 70 families, with half of the men working at the iron plant. Great progress was made in the mines that summer, but in September, a flash flood overflowed Coal Creek, burying the site of the iron works under three feet of water and carrying away charcoal, lumber and tools. The flood made mining impossible - for many months, as it turned out - and this setback, coupled with the state of increasing hostility toward non-Mormons in the Territory of Utah, led to William and Isabella Nish's decision to move on to San Bernardino, California, where the Mormon church was establishing a large mission and developing the valley. Keir organized a train of 15 or 16 covered wagons at Cedar City to come to California in September 1853 and the William Nish and Henderson families were in the caravan.
En route to California, according to family accounts which cannot be verified, some of the caravan was attacked by Mormons dressed like Indians and were threatened with death after being kidnapped. Some women and children were kept behind but men were permitted to continue their journey on the promise that they would leave their women and children. Apparently, according to this version, William and Isabella Nish were permitted to continue but their baby daughter, Margaret, was kept by the Mormons. (Attempts to verify this failed.) Albert Raymond Nish Sr., said that, according to the account passed down by his father, John Grant Nish (who was only 4 years old when his father William Thomas Nish was killed in a mine accident and remembered little of him), William and Isabella returned to Utah on horseback some months later, in 1854, to get their daughter. During their stay in Cedar City at that time, Isabella gave birth to the couple's second child, William on December 14, 1854. If this actually happened as related, it would appear that William must have returned to work in the iron works there, since the son's birth came more than a year after the young family had settled in San Bernardino. William and Isabella's next child, Elizabeth, was born in San Bernardino in 1857. It is not known how long they remained in Cedar City, but if this account is true, they must have remained there until at least sometime in 1855.
In the 1860 U.S. census, 24 yr. old Isabella H. Nish, b. in Scotland, was living in San Bernardino City, San Bernardino, CA. with her
28 yr. old husband, Wm. Nish, a farmer, b. in Scotland
7 yr. old Margaret Nish, b. in UT.
5 yr. old Wm. Nish, b. in UT.
3 yr. old Elizabeth Nish, b. in CA.
William's real estate was valued at $150 and his personal estate at $50.
The June 18, 1867 Great Register of Contra Costa County, CA. shows that 36 yr. old William Nish, was born in Scotland and naturalized Nov. 5, 1860 in San Bernardino County. He was working as a miner and his local residence was Somersville.
According to the 1868 Great Register of Voters for San Bernardino Co., CA., 37 yr. old William Nish, b. in Scotland, was a naturalized citizen. He was working as a miner and living in San Bernardino.
Between 1866-68, William and Isabella Nish lived at Somersville in Contra Costa county near the Carquinez Strait of San Francisco Bay. Their son, James Easton Nish was born on October 10, 1866 at Somersville, one of five coal-mining towns established by the Black Diamond Mines Company on the eastern slope of Mt. Diablo near Antioch and Pittsburg. Coal was mined from five mines there between 1859 and 1902, however, the East Bay Regional Park District acquired the land and is restoring the sites for public viewing.
Published accounts have stated that William Nish engaged in mining on the Sacramento River and later was employed on the Comstock lode in Nevada. No dates were given and this remains unverified. It is established, however, that he was killed in a Somersville mine accident on October 12, 1872, as reported in the October 19, 1872 issue of the Contra Costa Gazette, a weekly newspaper:
FATAL ACCIDENT - William Nish, a miner about fifty years of age (he was 44 at the time), was crushed and killed by a fall of rock in one of the slopes of the Pittsburg Mine at Somersville last Thursday evening, and leaves a wife and eight children living in San Bernardino county. The deceased was working on the night shift, and went into the mine about 4 o'clock on Saturday afternoon, and had been but a short time at work when the rock above, to the extent of several tons, fell upon, and crushed him. It is said that he was cautioned by a miner in an adjacent working, that his room was insecure without additional timbering, as there was too large a surface left without support, and his failure to heed the caution was attended with the fatal consequences.
In the 1880 U.S. census, 43 yr. old widow, Isabella Nish, b. in Scotland, was conducting a farm and living in San Bernardino, San Bernardino, CA. with her
22 yr. old daughter, Elisabeth U. Nish, b. in CA.
18 yr. old son, Robert G. Nish, working on the farm, b. in CA.
16 yr. old daughter, Isabella Nish, b. in CA.
13 yr. old son, James E. Nish, b. in CA.
11 yr. old son, John H. Nish, b. in CA.
9 yr. old son, Fredrick Nish, b. in CA.
Everyone in the family's parents were born in Scotland.
On Aug. 4, 1890, Isabella Nish died in San Bernardino, San Bernardino Co., CA. She was originally buried at Pioneer cemetery but was later moved to Mt.View cemetery.
David Henderson, a coal miner, b. Dec. 28, 1811 in Muirkirk, East Ayshire, Scotland and d. 1849 in St. Louis County, MO. &
Margaret Ada (Adam) Henderson, b. Aug. 12, 1816 in Hamilton, Old Monkland, South Lanarkshire, Scotland and d. Aug. 12, 1900 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino county, CA.
Margaret & David Henderson's children were:
1) William McDonald Henderson, b. Nov. 17, 1833/34 in Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, Scotland and d. Sep. 11, 1904 in Long Beach, Los Angeles county, CA. (William marr. Mary M. Winn)
2) Isabel/la Henderson Henderson, b. Mar. 10, 1835 in South lanarkshire, Scotland and d. Aug. 4, 1890 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino county, CA. Isabella marr. William Nish.
3) Margaret Victoria Henderson, b. Jul. 26, 1837 in Glasgow, Scotland and d. Sep. 6, 1921 in San Bernardino County, CA. She marr. Charles J. Mogeau and after his death, Henry C. Yager.
4) David Glen Henderson, b. Mar. 28, 1842 in New Monkland, North Lanarkshire, Scotland and d. Jul. 19, 1926 in Fontana, San Bernardino county, CA. He marr. Matilda Caroline Hawker.
5) Jeannette Adam Henderson, b. Jun. 7, 1844 in Calder, Old Monkland, North Lanarkshire, Scotland and d. Dec. 8, 1936 in Ontario, San Bernardino, CA. She marr. Thomas 'Tom' B. Walkinshaw, and later, William Brown Roberds of Corona, CA.
6) Mary Adam Henderson, b. May 27/31, 1848 in Scotland and d. May 24, 1904 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles county, CA. She marr. William Roberts Levick and then Thomas H. 'Tom' Ashcroft of Corona, CA.
7. Charles Henderson, who died as an infant.
*Note: After Margaret (Adam) Henderson's first husband, David Henderson died in St. Louis, MO. of a heat stroke (or cholera), Margaret became the plural wife of her sister Agnes' husband, John/James Easton. It was the Mormon custom that no woman of age remain unmarried, and this was most likely preferable to having a husband chosen for her by the Mormon Church. From this child, one child was born: John Alexander Easton who later changed his last name to Henderson. John Alexander Henderson was b. May 29, 1856 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino County, CA. and d. Mar. 28, 1938 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino County, CA.
*Note: Many parts of the following narrative were written by Ray Nish, and kindly contributed by Don and David Henderson.
Isabella was christened in the Bothwell Parish of the Church of Scotland in South Lanarkshire, Scotland.
Tied up at the Waterloo dock alongside the new landing stage on Liverpool's waterfront along England's west coast, the new Sailor Prince, a trim Canadian-built wooden sailing vessel - 950 tons, 145 feet long, 30 feet wide with a draft of 22 feet - was ready to take on its assigned passengers for its second Atlantic Ocean voyage to New Orleans on America's gulf coast. She had been engaged for the sailing by the Latter Day Saints Church agent of England to transport 60 Scottish families who had made arrangements with church representatives to emigrate to the New World. Their stated ultimate destination would be the Great Salt Lake Valley being developed by the Mormon Church in the Territory of Utah.
Mormon church missionaries had been proselytizing in Great Britain since 1837 and thousands of converts had been baptized in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Nearly 300 emigrants were provided passage to America in 1840 and the church was growing in England with promises of relief from the unemployment, harsh living and economic conditions prevalent along with "oppression, priestcraft and iniquity" of the land. The promised land of opportunity awaiting them in Utah was a way out. It is not known whether all passengers on the LDS ships were dedicated converts or had found a convenient method of emigration, but the Mormon agents contracted the ships, accepted reservations and payment for the passage from emigrants and made all arrangements for them. One must believe that those who signed up were at least going to take the first step toward seeking a new life in an adventure that promised opportunities; reservations and reconsiderations may come later.
In the fall of 1848, aboard the ship among the 60 Scottish families were Isabella's future husband, William Thomas Nish, 20, and his 13 year old brother, Robert Nish. (Ray Nish states that David Henderson and the Keir family were also passengers.) Their father, Thomas Neish, had died the year before at the age of 54 and they were leaving behind in Scotland their widowed mother, Elizabeth Penman Neish, and six sisters: Mary, Euphemia, Margaret, Ellen, another Mary and Agnes, who was already married. William was a miner, having worked the coal fields and mines of Lanarkshire around Bothwell, Old Monkland, Coatbridge and Glasgow area, and Robert at his young agealready had begun work as a minor. The name of the family, from a long Scottish line descendant from the MacGregor Clan in Glen Dochart, was changed once more as the brothers dropped the "e" from their surname. The family surname had changed through several generations, being at different times MacNeish, McNish, MacNish, McNeish, Neish, Nish, etc., the result of the clan's proscription and later the Highland Clearances.
The passengers landed in New Orleans, Louisiana, then went by a steam-driven paddlewheel-boat up the Mississippi River to Gravois a few miles south of St. Louis, MO. There, the Nish, Henderson and Keir families and other Scottish families and friends worked to accumulate money to finance the long covered-wagon journey West in 1850-1851.
David Henderson returned in the spring of 1849 to bring his family to America. They began their journey in Glasgow, sailing to Liverpool, England. From there, they boarded the ship 'North America' for their eight week voyage to America. Immigration records show that David and Margaret sailed from Liverpool with six of their children; William, age 14; Margaret, 12; David Jr., 7; Jeannette, 5; Mary, 2; Charles, age 3 months.
The eldest daughter, Isabella, stayed in Scotland, joining them when her grandfather sailed the following year.
The family lived in St. Louis, MO. for a year so that money could be saved for provisions, a wagon and a team of oxen for the trip west. It was during this time, most likely between June and September of 1849 that David Henderson died from heat stroke (or possibly cholera) while working in the coal mines near St. Louis. He was buried in St. Louis in an area known at the time as Dogtown. He left Margaret a widow at the age of 34 with 6 children to care for.
In 1851, William Nish, Alexander Keir, Margaret Henderson and other Scottish families in the 'Scotch Train"were ready to start the last leg of their long journey from Missouri to the Great Salt Lake Valley. As soon as a sufficient number of wagons could be made ready and all things prepared, the companies moved off under their respective captains. The agent remained on the frontiers, until all the companies were started, and then he would generally go forward himself, passing the companies one by one, and arrive in the valley first to receive them and conduct them into Great Salt Lake City.
On Jan. 21, 1852, William Thomas Nish and Isabella Henderson were married in Salt Lake City. William was b. in Wigtownshire, Scotland in about 1871/1872.
William and Isabella Nish's children were:
1. Margaret Nish, b. Nov. 2 (or 3), 1852 in Salt Lake City, UT. and d. May 20, 1932 in San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo, CA. Margaret marr. John W. Grant.
2. William Nish, b. Dec. 14, 1854 in Cedar City, UT. and d. in or before 1905. (According to Ray Nish, William died April 4, 1866.)
3. Elizabeth Penman Nish, b. Jan. 5, 1857 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino Co., CA. and d. Feb. 25, 1912 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino Co., CA. Elizabeth marr. Alvin Hancock.
4. David Nish, b. Aug. 14, 1859 in San Bernardino, CA. and d. Feb. 25, 1860.
5. Robert Glen Nish, b. Jan. 1 (or 30), 1862 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino Co., CA. and d. Jul. 7, 1936 at Loma Linda Hospital in San Bernardino, San Bernardino Co., CA. Robert marr. Isbel V. Shelley.
6. Isabella Grace Nish, b. Apr. 19, 1864 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino Co., CA. and d. Apr. 21, 1946 In Los Angeles Co., CA. Isabella marr. James Hilliard Poole.
7. James Easton Nish, b. Oct. 10, 1866 in Somersville - or San Francisco, CA. and d. Sep. 10, 1916 in Rialto, San Bernardino Co., CA. James marr. Ida I. Osborn.
8. John Grant Nish, b. Dec. 13, 1868 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino Co., CA. and d. Jan. 31, 1936 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino Co., CA. John marr. Mary Ellen Bessant.
9. Fredrick William Nish, b. Jan. 14, 1871 in San Bernardino, CA. and d. May 21, 1941 in San Francisco Co., CA. Frederick never married.
In 1853, Keir was sent to Cedar City in Southern Utah's Iron County "to open up the coal mines" (not far from where Zion National park was established a half century later, in 1909). William Nish moved his wife, Isabella and daughter, Margaret to Cedar City in answer to a church appeal for settlers and men to work newly activated mines. (After living in Salt Lake City about a year, Margaret Henderson and her children in 1853 moved to Cedar City where her sons, David G., John and William MacD. Henderson were employed in building a sawmill.)
By December of that year, when William and Isabella were there, the community was comprised of about 70 families, with half of the men working at the iron plant. Great progress was made in the mines that summer, but in September, a flash flood overflowed Coal Creek, burying the site of the iron works under three feet of water and carrying away charcoal, lumber and tools. The flood made mining impossible - for many months, as it turned out - and this setback, coupled with the state of increasing hostility toward non-Mormons in the Territory of Utah, led to William and Isabella Nish's decision to move on to San Bernardino, California, where the Mormon church was establishing a large mission and developing the valley. Keir organized a train of 15 or 16 covered wagons at Cedar City to come to California in September 1853 and the William Nish and Henderson families were in the caravan.
En route to California, according to family accounts which cannot be verified, some of the caravan was attacked by Mormons dressed like Indians and were threatened with death after being kidnapped. Some women and children were kept behind but men were permitted to continue their journey on the promise that they would leave their women and children. Apparently, according to this version, William and Isabella Nish were permitted to continue but their baby daughter, Margaret, was kept by the Mormons. (Attempts to verify this failed.) Albert Raymond Nish Sr., said that, according to the account passed down by his father, John Grant Nish (who was only 4 years old when his father William Thomas Nish was killed in a mine accident and remembered little of him), William and Isabella returned to Utah on horseback some months later, in 1854, to get their daughter. During their stay in Cedar City at that time, Isabella gave birth to the couple's second child, William on December 14, 1854. If this actually happened as related, it would appear that William must have returned to work in the iron works there, since the son's birth came more than a year after the young family had settled in San Bernardino. William and Isabella's next child, Elizabeth, was born in San Bernardino in 1857. It is not known how long they remained in Cedar City, but if this account is true, they must have remained there until at least sometime in 1855.
In the 1860 U.S. census, 24 yr. old Isabella H. Nish, b. in Scotland, was living in San Bernardino City, San Bernardino, CA. with her
28 yr. old husband, Wm. Nish, a farmer, b. in Scotland
7 yr. old Margaret Nish, b. in UT.
5 yr. old Wm. Nish, b. in UT.
3 yr. old Elizabeth Nish, b. in CA.
William's real estate was valued at $150 and his personal estate at $50.
The June 18, 1867 Great Register of Contra Costa County, CA. shows that 36 yr. old William Nish, was born in Scotland and naturalized Nov. 5, 1860 in San Bernardino County. He was working as a miner and his local residence was Somersville.
According to the 1868 Great Register of Voters for San Bernardino Co., CA., 37 yr. old William Nish, b. in Scotland, was a naturalized citizen. He was working as a miner and living in San Bernardino.
Between 1866-68, William and Isabella Nish lived at Somersville in Contra Costa county near the Carquinez Strait of San Francisco Bay. Their son, James Easton Nish was born on October 10, 1866 at Somersville, one of five coal-mining towns established by the Black Diamond Mines Company on the eastern slope of Mt. Diablo near Antioch and Pittsburg. Coal was mined from five mines there between 1859 and 1902, however, the East Bay Regional Park District acquired the land and is restoring the sites for public viewing.
Published accounts have stated that William Nish engaged in mining on the Sacramento River and later was employed on the Comstock lode in Nevada. No dates were given and this remains unverified. It is established, however, that he was killed in a Somersville mine accident on October 12, 1872, as reported in the October 19, 1872 issue of the Contra Costa Gazette, a weekly newspaper:
FATAL ACCIDENT - William Nish, a miner about fifty years of age (he was 44 at the time), was crushed and killed by a fall of rock in one of the slopes of the Pittsburg Mine at Somersville last Thursday evening, and leaves a wife and eight children living in San Bernardino county. The deceased was working on the night shift, and went into the mine about 4 o'clock on Saturday afternoon, and had been but a short time at work when the rock above, to the extent of several tons, fell upon, and crushed him. It is said that he was cautioned by a miner in an adjacent working, that his room was insecure without additional timbering, as there was too large a surface left without support, and his failure to heed the caution was attended with the fatal consequences.
In the 1880 U.S. census, 43 yr. old widow, Isabella Nish, b. in Scotland, was conducting a farm and living in San Bernardino, San Bernardino, CA. with her
22 yr. old daughter, Elisabeth U. Nish, b. in CA.
18 yr. old son, Robert G. Nish, working on the farm, b. in CA.
16 yr. old daughter, Isabella Nish, b. in CA.
13 yr. old son, James E. Nish, b. in CA.
11 yr. old son, John H. Nish, b. in CA.
9 yr. old son, Fredrick Nish, b. in CA.
Everyone in the family's parents were born in Scotland.
On Aug. 4, 1890, Isabella Nish died in San Bernardino, San Bernardino Co., CA. She was originally buried at Pioneer cemetery but was later moved to Mt.View cemetery.
Isabella's parents were:
David Henderson, a coal miner, b. Dec. 28, 1811 in Muirkirk, East Ayshire, Scotland and d. 1849 in St. Louis County, MO. &
Margaret Ada (Adam) Henderson, b. Aug. 12, 1816 in Hamilton, Old Monkland, South Lanarkshire, Scotland and d. Aug. 12, 1900 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino county, CA.
Margaret & David Henderson's children were:
1) William McDonald Henderson, b. Nov. 17, 1833/34 in Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, Scotland and d. Sep. 11, 1904 in Long Beach, Los Angeles county, CA. (William marr. Mary M. Winn)
2) Isabel/la Henderson Henderson, b. Mar. 10, 1835 in South lanarkshire, Scotland and d. Aug. 4, 1890 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino county, CA. Isabella marr. William Nish.
3) Margaret Victoria Henderson, b. Jul. 26, 1837 in Glasgow, Scotland and d. Sep. 6, 1921 in San Bernardino County, CA. She marr. Charles J. Mogeau and after his death, Henry C. Yager.
4) David Glen Henderson, b. Mar. 28, 1842 in New Monkland, North Lanarkshire, Scotland and d. Jul. 19, 1926 in Fontana, San Bernardino county, CA. He marr. Matilda Caroline Hawker.
5) Jeannette Adam Henderson, b. Jun. 7, 1844 in Calder, Old Monkland, North Lanarkshire, Scotland and d. Dec. 8, 1936 in Ontario, San Bernardino, CA. She marr. Thomas 'Tom' B. Walkinshaw, and later, William Brown Roberds of Corona, CA.
6) Mary Adam Henderson, b. May 27/31, 1848 in Scotland and d. May 24, 1904 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles county, CA. She marr. William Roberts Levick and then Thomas H. 'Tom' Ashcroft of Corona, CA.
7. Charles Henderson, who died as an infant.
*Note: After Margaret (Adam) Henderson's first husband, David Henderson died in St. Louis, MO. of a heat stroke (or cholera), Margaret became the plural wife of her sister Agnes' husband, John/James Easton. It was the Mormon custom that no woman of age remain unmarried, and this was most likely preferable to having a husband chosen for her by the Mormon Church. From this child, one child was born: John Alexander Easton who later changed his last name to Henderson. John Alexander Henderson was b. May 29, 1856 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino County, CA. and d. Mar. 28, 1938 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino County, CA.
*Note: Many parts of the following narrative were written by Ray Nish, and kindly contributed by Don and David Henderson.
Isabella was christened in the Bothwell Parish of the Church of Scotland in South Lanarkshire, Scotland.
Tied up at the Waterloo dock alongside the new landing stage on Liverpool's waterfront along England's west coast, the new Sailor Prince, a trim Canadian-built wooden sailing vessel - 950 tons, 145 feet long, 30 feet wide with a draft of 22 feet - was ready to take on its assigned passengers for its second Atlantic Ocean voyage to New Orleans on America's gulf coast. She had been engaged for the sailing by the Latter Day Saints Church agent of England to transport 60 Scottish families who had made arrangements with church representatives to emigrate to the New World. Their stated ultimate destination would be the Great Salt Lake Valley being developed by the Mormon Church in the Territory of Utah.
Mormon church missionaries had been proselytizing in Great Britain since 1837 and thousands of converts had been baptized in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Nearly 300 emigrants were provided passage to America in 1840 and the church was growing in England with promises of relief from the unemployment, harsh living and economic conditions prevalent along with "oppression, priestcraft and iniquity" of the land. The promised land of opportunity awaiting them in Utah was a way out. It is not known whether all passengers on the LDS ships were dedicated converts or had found a convenient method of emigration, but the Mormon agents contracted the ships, accepted reservations and payment for the passage from emigrants and made all arrangements for them. One must believe that those who signed up were at least going to take the first step toward seeking a new life in an adventure that promised opportunities; reservations and reconsiderations may come later.
In the fall of 1848, aboard the ship among the 60 Scottish families were Isabella's future husband, William Thomas Nish, 20, and his 13 year old brother, Robert Nish. (Ray Nish states that David Henderson and the Keir family were also passengers.) Their father, Thomas Neish, had died the year before at the age of 54 and they were leaving behind in Scotland their widowed mother, Elizabeth Penman Neish, and six sisters: Mary, Euphemia, Margaret, Ellen, another Mary and Agnes, who was already married. William was a miner, having worked the coal fields and mines of Lanarkshire around Bothwell, Old Monkland, Coatbridge and Glasgow area, and Robert at his young agealready had begun work as a minor. The name of the family, from a long Scottish line descendant from the MacGregor Clan in Glen Dochart, was changed once more as the brothers dropped the "e" from their surname. The family surname had changed through several generations, being at different times MacNeish, McNish, MacNish, McNeish, Neish, Nish, etc., the result of the clan's proscription and later the Highland Clearances.
The passengers landed in New Orleans, Louisiana, then went by a steam-driven paddlewheel-boat up the Mississippi River to Gravois a few miles south of St. Louis, MO. There, the Nish, Henderson and Keir families and other Scottish families and friends worked to accumulate money to finance the long covered-wagon journey West in 1850-1851.
David Henderson returned in the spring of 1849 to bring his family to America. They began their journey in Glasgow, sailing to Liverpool, England. From there, they boarded the ship 'North America' for their eight week voyage to America. Immigration records show that David and Margaret sailed from Liverpool with six of their children; William, age 14; Margaret, 12; David Jr., 7; Jeannette, 5; Mary, 2; Charles, age 3 months.
The eldest daughter, Isabella, stayed in Scotland, joining them when her grandfather sailed the following year.
The family lived in St. Louis, MO. for a year so that money could be saved for provisions, a wagon and a team of oxen for the trip west. It was during this time, most likely between June and September of 1849 that David Henderson died from heat stroke (or possibly cholera) while working in the coal mines near St. Louis. He was buried in St. Louis in an area known at the time as Dogtown. He left Margaret a widow at the age of 34 with 6 children to care for.
In 1851, William Nish, Alexander Keir, Margaret Henderson and other Scottish families in the 'Scotch Train"were ready to start the last leg of their long journey from Missouri to the Great Salt Lake Valley. As soon as a sufficient number of wagons could be made ready and all things prepared, the companies moved off under their respective captains. The agent remained on the frontiers, until all the companies were started, and then he would generally go forward himself, passing the companies one by one, and arrive in the valley first to receive them and conduct them into Great Salt Lake City.
On Jan. 21, 1852, William Thomas Nish and Isabella Henderson were married in Salt Lake City. William was b. in Wigtownshire, Scotland in about 1871/1872.
William and Isabella Nish's children were:
1. Margaret Nish, b. Nov. 2 (or 3), 1852 in Salt Lake City, UT. and d. May 20, 1932 in San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo, CA. Margaret marr. John W. Grant.
2. William Nish, b. Dec. 14, 1854 in Cedar City, UT. and d. in or before 1905. (According to Ray Nish, William died April 4, 1866.)
3. Elizabeth Penman Nish, b. Jan. 5, 1857 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino Co., CA. and d. Feb. 25, 1912 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino Co., CA. Elizabeth marr. Alvin Hancock.
4. David Nish, b. Aug. 14, 1859 in San Bernardino, CA. and d. Feb. 25, 1860.
5. Robert Glen Nish, b. Jan. 1 (or 30), 1862 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino Co., CA. and d. Jul. 7, 1936 at Loma Linda Hospital in San Bernardino, San Bernardino Co., CA. Robert marr. Isbel V. Shelley.
6. Isabella Grace Nish, b. Apr. 19, 1864 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino Co., CA. and d. Apr. 21, 1946 In Los Angeles Co., CA. Isabella marr. James Hilliard Poole.
7. James Easton Nish, b. Oct. 10, 1866 in Somersville - or San Francisco, CA. and d. Sep. 10, 1916 in Rialto, San Bernardino Co., CA. James marr. Ida I. Osborn.
8. John Grant Nish, b. Dec. 13, 1868 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino Co., CA. and d. Jan. 31, 1936 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino Co., CA. John marr. Mary Ellen Bessant.
9. Fredrick William Nish, b. Jan. 14, 1871 in San Bernardino, CA. and d. May 21, 1941 in San Francisco Co., CA. Frederick never married.
In 1853, Keir was sent to Cedar City in Southern Utah's Iron County "to open up the coal mines" (not far from where Zion National park was established a half century later, in 1909). William Nish moved his wife, Isabella and daughter, Margaret to Cedar City in answer to a church appeal for settlers and men to work newly activated mines. (After living in Salt Lake City about a year, Margaret Henderson and her children in 1853 moved to Cedar City where her sons, David G., John and William MacD. Henderson were employed in building a sawmill.)
By December of that year, when William and Isabella were there, the community was comprised of about 70 families, with half of the men working at the iron plant. Great progress was made in the mines that summer, but in September, a flash flood overflowed Coal Creek, burying the site of the iron works under three feet of water and carrying away charcoal, lumber and tools. The flood made mining impossible - for many months, as it turned out - and this setback, coupled with the state of increasing hostility toward non-Mormons in the Territory of Utah, led to William and Isabella Nish's decision to move on to San Bernardino, California, where the Mormon church was establishing a large mission and developing the valley. Keir organized a train of 15 or 16 covered wagons at Cedar City to come to California in September 1853 and the William Nish and Henderson families were in the caravan.
En route to California, according to family accounts which cannot be verified, some of the caravan was attacked by Mormons dressed like Indians and were threatened with death after being kidnapped. Some women and children were kept behind but men were permitted to continue their journey on the promise that they would leave their women and children. Apparently, according to this version, William and Isabella Nish were permitted to continue but their baby daughter, Margaret, was kept by the Mormons. (Attempts to verify this failed.) Albert Raymond Nish Sr., said that, according to the account passed down by his father, John Grant Nish (who was only 4 years old when his father William Thomas Nish was killed in a mine accident and remembered little of him), William and Isabella returned to Utah on horseback some months later, in 1854, to get their daughter. During their stay in Cedar City at that time, Isabella gave birth to the couple's second child, William on December 14, 1854. If this actually happened as related, it would appear that William must have returned to work in the iron works there, since the son's birth came more than a year after the young family had settled in San Bernardino. William and Isabella's next child, Elizabeth, was born in San Bernardino in 1857. It is not known how long they remained in Cedar City, but if this account is true, they must have remained there until at least sometime in 1855.
In the 1860 U.S. census, 24 yr. old Isabella H. Nish, b. in Scotland, was living in San Bernardino City, San Bernardino, CA. with her
28 yr. old husband, Wm. Nish, a farmer, b. in Scotland
7 yr. old Margaret Nish, b. in UT.
5 yr. old Wm. Nish, b. in UT.
3 yr. old Elizabeth Nish, b. in CA.
William's real estate was valued at $150 and his personal estate at $50.
The June 18, 1867 Great Register of Contra Costa County, CA. shows that 36 yr. old William Nish, was born in Scotland and naturalized Nov. 5, 1860 in San Bernardino County. He was working as a miner and his local residence was Somersville.
According to the 1868 Great Register of Voters for San Bernardino Co., CA., 37 yr. old William Nish, b. in Scotland, was a naturalized citizen. He was working as a miner and living in San Bernardino.
Between 1866-68, William and Isabella Nish lived at Somersville in Contra Costa county near the Carquinez Strait of San Francisco Bay. Their son, James Easton Nish was born on October 10, 1866 at Somersville, one of five coal-mining towns established by the Black Diamond Mines Company on the eastern slope of Mt. Diablo near Antioch and Pittsburg. Coal was mined from five mines there between 1859 and 1902, however, the East Bay Regional Park District acquired the land and is restoring the sites for public viewing.
Published accounts have stated that William Nish engaged in mining on the Sacramento River and later was employed on the Comstock lode in Nevada. No dates were given and this remains unverified. It is established, however, that he was killed in a Somersville mine accident on October 12, 1872, as reported in the October 19, 1872 issue of the Contra Costa Gazette, a weekly newspaper:
FATAL ACCIDENT - William Nish, a miner about fifty years of age (he was 44 at the time), was crushed and killed by a fall of rock in one of the slopes of the Pittsburg Mine at Somersville last Thursday evening, and leaves a wife and eight children living in San Bernardino county. The deceased was working on the night shift, and went into the mine about 4 o'clock on Saturday afternoon, and had been but a short time at work when the rock above, to the extent of several tons, fell upon, and crushed him. It is said that he was cautioned by a miner in an adjacent working, that his room was insecure without additional timbering, as there was too large a surface left without support, and his failure to heed the caution was attended with the fatal consequences.
In the 1880 U.S. census, 43 yr. old widow, Isabella Nish, b. in Scotland, was conducting a farm and living in San Bernardino, San Bernardino, CA. with her
22 yr. old daughter, Elisabeth U. Nish, b. in CA.
18 yr. old son, Robert G. Nish, working on the farm, b. in CA.
16 yr. old daughter, Isabella Nish, b. in CA.
13 yr. old son, James E. Nish, b. in CA.
11 yr. old son, John H. Nish, b. in CA.
9 yr. old son, Fredrick Nish, b. in CA.
Everyone in the family's parents were born in Scotland.
On Aug. 4, 1890, Isabella Nish died in San Bernardino, San Bernardino Co., CA. She was originally buried at Pioneer cemetery but was later moved to Mt.View cemetery.
David Henderson, a coal miner, b. Dec. 28, 1811 in Muirkirk, East Ayshire, Scotland and d. 1849 in St. Louis County, MO. &
Margaret Ada (Adam) Henderson, b. Aug. 12, 1816 in Hamilton, Old Monkland, South Lanarkshire, Scotland and d. Aug. 12, 1900 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino county, CA.
Margaret & David Henderson's children were:
1) William McDonald Henderson, b. Nov. 17, 1833/34 in Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, Scotland and d. Sep. 11, 1904 in Long Beach, Los Angeles county, CA. (William marr. Mary M. Winn)
2) Isabel/la Henderson Henderson, b. Mar. 10, 1835 in South lanarkshire, Scotland and d. Aug. 4, 1890 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino county, CA. Isabella marr. William Nish.
3) Margaret Victoria Henderson, b. Jul. 26, 1837 in Glasgow, Scotland and d. Sep. 6, 1921 in San Bernardino County, CA. She marr. Charles J. Mogeau and after his death, Henry C. Yager.
4) David Glen Henderson, b. Mar. 28, 1842 in New Monkland, North Lanarkshire, Scotland and d. Jul. 19, 1926 in Fontana, San Bernardino county, CA. He marr. Matilda Caroline Hawker.
5) Jeannette Adam Henderson, b. Jun. 7, 1844 in Calder, Old Monkland, North Lanarkshire, Scotland and d. Dec. 8, 1936 in Ontario, San Bernardino, CA. She marr. Thomas 'Tom' B. Walkinshaw, and later, William Brown Roberds of Corona, CA.
6) Mary Adam Henderson, b. May 27/31, 1848 in Scotland and d. May 24, 1904 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles county, CA. She marr. William Roberts Levick and then Thomas H. 'Tom' Ashcroft of Corona, CA.
7. Charles Henderson, who died as an infant.
*Note: After Margaret (Adam) Henderson's first husband, David Henderson died in St. Louis, MO. of a heat stroke (or cholera), Margaret became the plural wife of her sister Agnes' husband, John/James Easton. It was the Mormon custom that no woman of age remain unmarried, and this was most likely preferable to having a husband chosen for her by the Mormon Church. From this child, one child was born: John Alexander Easton who later changed his last name to Henderson. John Alexander Henderson was b. May 29, 1856 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino County, CA. and d. Mar. 28, 1938 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino County, CA.
*Note: Many parts of the following narrative were written by Ray Nish, and kindly contributed by Don and David Henderson.
Isabella was christened in the Bothwell Parish of the Church of Scotland in South Lanarkshire, Scotland.
Tied up at the Waterloo dock alongside the new landing stage on Liverpool's waterfront along England's west coast, the new Sailor Prince, a trim Canadian-built wooden sailing vessel - 950 tons, 145 feet long, 30 feet wide with a draft of 22 feet - was ready to take on its assigned passengers for its second Atlantic Ocean voyage to New Orleans on America's gulf coast. She had been engaged for the sailing by the Latter Day Saints Church agent of England to transport 60 Scottish families who had made arrangements with church representatives to emigrate to the New World. Their stated ultimate destination would be the Great Salt Lake Valley being developed by the Mormon Church in the Territory of Utah.
Mormon church missionaries had been proselytizing in Great Britain since 1837 and thousands of converts had been baptized in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Nearly 300 emigrants were provided passage to America in 1840 and the church was growing in England with promises of relief from the unemployment, harsh living and economic conditions prevalent along with "oppression, priestcraft and iniquity" of the land. The promised land of opportunity awaiting them in Utah was a way out. It is not known whether all passengers on the LDS ships were dedicated converts or had found a convenient method of emigration, but the Mormon agents contracted the ships, accepted reservations and payment for the passage from emigrants and made all arrangements for them. One must believe that those who signed up were at least going to take the first step toward seeking a new life in an adventure that promised opportunities; reservations and reconsiderations may come later.
In the fall of 1848, aboard the ship among the 60 Scottish families were Isabella's future husband, William Thomas Nish, 20, and his 13 year old brother, Robert Nish. (Ray Nish states that David Henderson and the Keir family were also passengers.) Their father, Thomas Neish, had died the year before at the age of 54 and they were leaving behind in Scotland their widowed mother, Elizabeth Penman Neish, and six sisters: Mary, Euphemia, Margaret, Ellen, another Mary and Agnes, who was already married. William was a miner, having worked the coal fields and mines of Lanarkshire around Bothwell, Old Monkland, Coatbridge and Glasgow area, and Robert at his young agealready had begun work as a minor. The name of the family, from a long Scottish line descendant from the MacGregor Clan in Glen Dochart, was changed once more as the brothers dropped the "e" from their surname. The family surname had changed through several generations, being at different times MacNeish, McNish, MacNish, McNeish, Neish, Nish, etc., the result of the clan's proscription and later the Highland Clearances.
The passengers landed in New Orleans, Louisiana, then went by a steam-driven paddlewheel-boat up the Mississippi River to Gravois a few miles south of St. Louis, MO. There, the Nish, Henderson and Keir families and other Scottish families and friends worked to accumulate money to finance the long covered-wagon journey West in 1850-1851.
David Henderson returned in the spring of 1849 to bring his family to America. They began their journey in Glasgow, sailing to Liverpool, England. From there, they boarded the ship 'North America' for their eight week voyage to America. Immigration records show that David and Margaret sailed from Liverpool with six of their children; William, age 14; Margaret, 12; David Jr., 7; Jeannette, 5; Mary, 2; Charles, age 3 months.
The eldest daughter, Isabella, stayed in Scotland, joining them when her grandfather sailed the following year.
The family lived in St. Louis, MO. for a year so that money could be saved for provisions, a wagon and a team of oxen for the trip west. It was during this time, most likely between June and September of 1849 that David Henderson died from heat stroke (or possibly cholera) while working in the coal mines near St. Louis. He was buried in St. Louis in an area known at the time as Dogtown. He left Margaret a widow at the age of 34 with 6 children to care for.
In 1851, William Nish, Alexander Keir, Margaret Henderson and other Scottish families in the 'Scotch Train"were ready to start the last leg of their long journey from Missouri to the Great Salt Lake Valley. As soon as a sufficient number of wagons could be made ready and all things prepared, the companies moved off under their respective captains. The agent remained on the frontiers, until all the companies were started, and then he would generally go forward himself, passing the companies one by one, and arrive in the valley first to receive them and conduct them into Great Salt Lake City.
On Jan. 21, 1852, William Thomas Nish and Isabella Henderson were married in Salt Lake City. William was b. in Wigtownshire, Scotland in about 1871/1872.
William and Isabella Nish's children were:
1. Margaret Nish, b. Nov. 2 (or 3), 1852 in Salt Lake City, UT. and d. May 20, 1932 in San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo, CA. Margaret marr. John W. Grant.
2. William Nish, b. Dec. 14, 1854 in Cedar City, UT. and d. in or before 1905. (According to Ray Nish, William died April 4, 1866.)
3. Elizabeth Penman Nish, b. Jan. 5, 1857 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino Co., CA. and d. Feb. 25, 1912 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino Co., CA. Elizabeth marr. Alvin Hancock.
4. David Nish, b. Aug. 14, 1859 in San Bernardino, CA. and d. Feb. 25, 1860.
5. Robert Glen Nish, b. Jan. 1 (or 30), 1862 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino Co., CA. and d. Jul. 7, 1936 at Loma Linda Hospital in San Bernardino, San Bernardino Co., CA. Robert marr. Isbel V. Shelley.
6. Isabella Grace Nish, b. Apr. 19, 1864 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino Co., CA. and d. Apr. 21, 1946 In Los Angeles Co., CA. Isabella marr. James Hilliard Poole.
7. James Easton Nish, b. Oct. 10, 1866 in Somersville - or San Francisco, CA. and d. Sep. 10, 1916 in Rialto, San Bernardino Co., CA. James marr. Ida I. Osborn.
8. John Grant Nish, b. Dec. 13, 1868 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino Co., CA. and d. Jan. 31, 1936 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino Co., CA. John marr. Mary Ellen Bessant.
9. Fredrick William Nish, b. Jan. 14, 1871 in San Bernardino, CA. and d. May 21, 1941 in San Francisco Co., CA. Frederick never married.
In 1853, Keir was sent to Cedar City in Southern Utah's Iron County "to open up the coal mines" (not far from where Zion National park was established a half century later, in 1909). William Nish moved his wife, Isabella and daughter, Margaret to Cedar City in answer to a church appeal for settlers and men to work newly activated mines. (After living in Salt Lake City about a year, Margaret Henderson and her children in 1853 moved to Cedar City where her sons, David G., John and William MacD. Henderson were employed in building a sawmill.)
By December of that year, when William and Isabella were there, the community was comprised of about 70 families, with half of the men working at the iron plant. Great progress was made in the mines that summer, but in September, a flash flood overflowed Coal Creek, burying the site of the iron works under three feet of water and carrying away charcoal, lumber and tools. The flood made mining impossible - for many months, as it turned out - and this setback, coupled with the state of increasing hostility toward non-Mormons in the Territory of Utah, led to William and Isabella Nish's decision to move on to San Bernardino, California, where the Mormon church was establishing a large mission and developing the valley. Keir organized a train of 15 or 16 covered wagons at Cedar City to come to California in September 1853 and the William Nish and Henderson families were in the caravan.
En route to California, according to family accounts which cannot be verified, some of the caravan was attacked by Mormons dressed like Indians and were threatened with death after being kidnapped. Some women and children were kept behind but men were permitted to continue their journey on the promise that they would leave their women and children. Apparently, according to this version, William and Isabella Nish were permitted to continue but their baby daughter, Margaret, was kept by the Mormons. (Attempts to verify this failed.) Albert Raymond Nish Sr., said that, according to the account passed down by his father, John Grant Nish (who was only 4 years old when his father William Thomas Nish was killed in a mine accident and remembered little of him), William and Isabella returned to Utah on horseback some months later, in 1854, to get their daughter. During their stay in Cedar City at that time, Isabella gave birth to the couple's second child, William on December 14, 1854. If this actually happened as related, it would appear that William must have returned to work in the iron works there, since the son's birth came more than a year after the young family had settled in San Bernardino. William and Isabella's next child, Elizabeth, was born in San Bernardino in 1857. It is not known how long they remained in Cedar City, but if this account is true, they must have remained there until at least sometime in 1855.
In the 1860 U.S. census, 24 yr. old Isabella H. Nish, b. in Scotland, was living in San Bernardino City, San Bernardino, CA. with her
28 yr. old husband, Wm. Nish, a farmer, b. in Scotland
7 yr. old Margaret Nish, b. in UT.
5 yr. old Wm. Nish, b. in UT.
3 yr. old Elizabeth Nish, b. in CA.
William's real estate was valued at $150 and his personal estate at $50.
The June 18, 1867 Great Register of Contra Costa County, CA. shows that 36 yr. old William Nish, was born in Scotland and naturalized Nov. 5, 1860 in San Bernardino County. He was working as a miner and his local residence was Somersville.
According to the 1868 Great Register of Voters for San Bernardino Co., CA., 37 yr. old William Nish, b. in Scotland, was a naturalized citizen. He was working as a miner and living in San Bernardino.
Between 1866-68, William and Isabella Nish lived at Somersville in Contra Costa county near the Carquinez Strait of San Francisco Bay. Their son, James Easton Nish was born on October 10, 1866 at Somersville, one of five coal-mining towns established by the Black Diamond Mines Company on the eastern slope of Mt. Diablo near Antioch and Pittsburg. Coal was mined from five mines there between 1859 and 1902, however, the East Bay Regional Park District acquired the land and is restoring the sites for public viewing.
Published accounts have stated that William Nish engaged in mining on the Sacramento River and later was employed on the Comstock lode in Nevada. No dates were given and this remains unverified. It is established, however, that he was killed in a Somersville mine accident on October 12, 1872, as reported in the October 19, 1872 issue of the Contra Costa Gazette, a weekly newspaper:
FATAL ACCIDENT - William Nish, a miner about fifty years of age (he was 44 at the time), was crushed and killed by a fall of rock in one of the slopes of the Pittsburg Mine at Somersville last Thursday evening, and leaves a wife and eight children living in San Bernardino county. The deceased was working on the night shift, and went into the mine about 4 o'clock on Saturday afternoon, and had been but a short time at work when the rock above, to the extent of several tons, fell upon, and crushed him. It is said that he was cautioned by a miner in an adjacent working, that his room was insecure without additional timbering, as there was too large a surface left without support, and his failure to heed the caution was attended with the fatal consequences.
In the 1880 U.S. census, 43 yr. old widow, Isabella Nish, b. in Scotland, was conducting a farm and living in San Bernardino, San Bernardino, CA. with her
22 yr. old daughter, Elisabeth U. Nish, b. in CA.
18 yr. old son, Robert G. Nish, working on the farm, b. in CA.
16 yr. old daughter, Isabella Nish, b. in CA.
13 yr. old son, James E. Nish, b. in CA.
11 yr. old son, John H. Nish, b. in CA.
9 yr. old son, Fredrick Nish, b. in CA.
Everyone in the family's parents were born in Scotland.
On Aug. 4, 1890, Isabella Nish died in San Bernardino, San Bernardino Co., CA. She was originally buried at Pioneer cemetery but was later moved to Mt.View cemetery.
Inscription
Gone before us, O our mother,
To that better land,
Vainly look we for another,
In thy place to stand.
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