Daughter of Walter Ernest Hanks and Mary Ellen Stewart

Married Sidney Childers Rymer, 17 Aug 1910, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah

Children - Ellen Elizabeth Rymer, Janetta Rymer, Norman Sidney Rymer, Phyllis Hanks Rymer, Lillie Rymer, Walter Lloyd Rymer, Fern Marian Rymer, Newell Kay Rymer, George Leander Rymer, Edna Velma Rymer, Zola Rymer

History - Nellie lived with her parents in Salt Lake City until she was a little over a year old. Her father was employed as a streetcar conductor. He operated the first electric streetcar in Salt Lake.

They then moved to Grandfather Ephraim Knowlton Hanks' ranch in Wayne County, Utah. The ranch became known as the "Floral Ranch." Several of Ephraim's married children built homes there. Nellie's father herded company sheep while living are the Floral and one day while he was out with the sheep of the the Church leaders of the Wayne Stake came to the home and inquired after him. He had to wait for Walter to come home for a little while but when he arrived the Stake Officer wanted him to be the Bishop of the Caineville ward. Walter said, "I'd rather go on a mission than be a Bishop." They said, "Well, that will be a mission for you."

On July 20, 1893 the family moved to Caineville so Walter could take care of his ward. When they arrived in Caineville they had no home so Brother George P. Pectol let them live in his grainery and there was a small cellar underneath they used as well. Nellie's mother was painting a beautiful peacock on dark red velvet for a surprise gift for Walter. She would take the two children down the cellar under the grainery to do her painting.

While living in the grainery Nellie and her brother Walter, about 2 years old, had diptheria. Within a few days Nellie's father came down with it. At this time nearly every family had diptheria and there were many deaths. Nellie remembers her mother telling her how she used her sheets and tablecloths to help bury the dead. They lived so far away from the stores that clothing and coffin covering could not be had.

The Caineville Ward grew, the land was fertile and the climate warm and good. Home were built and land cultivated.Ditches and canals were built, orchards and alfalfa planted and wonderful gardens raised. They could raise anything but they had such severe floods that came down the Dirty Devil River and would take their canals out. They eventually moved to a new home in Caineville which was a 3-room house with 3 bedrooms upstairs and a cellar. It had a porch on the north. Nellie's father was Bishop for 20 years.

When Nellie became 8 years of age and her birthday being in January, the river was frozen with ice. She begged her father to cut a hole in the ice and baptize her on her birthday. But her father fearing it would make her sick told her he would take her to the Manti Temple for baptism, which he did.

Nellie's childhood days were spent herding cows and pigs. She helped prepare the sugar cane every fall for molasses making. They had to also make their own entertainment. They would have corn husking parties and rag bee parties. Their dances were wonderful. Their tickets wee paid by taking squash, carrots or something the musicians could use. No rich, no poor. They all shared alike. They didn't have lye in those days and they would use ashes from cottonwood to put in the water for washing and cleaning purposes.

Nellie attended school at Caineville and then her parents sent her to the Emery Stake Academy for two years which was located at Castle Dale, Utah.

During the summer and fall of 1909 the floods continued and were so bad that the banks of the river caved in so much that it was taking their ditches, orchards and farming land and even some homes were in danger and had to be moved. The Ward was counseled to give up their homes and leave. This word came from the General Authorities of the Church. The Church in due time bought land below Teasdale, Utah for the Saints to move to. The Hanks family moved to Grover, Utah. Nellie didn't go with them as she was teaching school in Aldrich but followed in the spring of 1910.

When Nellie was coming home from summer school at the University of Utah her brother, Walter, met her in Loa at Grandmother Stewart's to take her on home. This was the summer of 1909. Nellie met Sidney Rymer, a handsome young man, who was then working for her uncle John Riley Stewart. It was love at first site. That evening Sidney took Grandmother Stewart's team and two seated buggy and Sid and Nellie, brother Walter and two girls, Elvira Taylor and Essa Lazenby, went riding until 4 a.m. Winter passed and Sidney and Nellie corresponded. The summer of 1910 Sidney proposed.

The first Sunday after they were married they moved to Lyman. In December of 1914 their first son was born. Two more children were born and then they moved to Grover where they bought a farm and a ranch. They milked cows for Nellie's father until they got some of their own.

Nellie worked in the Manti Temple for 14 1/2 years, being retired July 16, 1950. She had promised her mother to take over her genealogy work. During her temple years Nellie served as a janitor and was a cook. Nellie helped put up vegetable and fruit for the Temple to use for the coming year. Nellie played the organ many times although it frightened her a great deal. The first time she ever played was when she was 60 years old. Nellie also worked in the linen room and where ever she was needed. In 1948 she became an ordinance worker. When Nellie came to the temple from Wayne County they would use a wagon, buggy, model T Ford, pick-ups, large trucks and all makes of cars. But when the moved their residence to Manti they could walk to the Temple as they lived on the east side of Temple Hill.

Sid and Nellie celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary on August 17, 1960. Nellie's dear children would come on Sundays too with a lovely dinner all prepared and spread a feast for them. They would spend the day visiting. They all took their turn doing it.

Sid passed on September 12, 1976. Due to Nellie's poor health and near blindness the children insisted that she not be left alone in Manti. It was difficult for Nellie to leave her home so soon after losing her husband. Nellie's son, Norman, graciously opened his home to her using some of her own furniture and personal belongings in their basement. She was comfortable there. Nellie was also able to spend some time in the homes of her other children.

Nellie had a firm testimony of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She loved her Heavenly Father. Nellie wanted nothing more from life than for each of her family members to live their lives so that they could be together for the eternities.