Catherine Banks Nelson

Catherine Banks Nelson is the sixth of 11 children born to Edward Banks Nelson and Agnes Ann Morgan, both from Scotland.

As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the family immigrated to America, sailing over the Atlantic on the ship “Kennebec.” Once in America they traveled to Missouri and Illinois to live. It was there that Catherine was born.

Circa 1865 the family joined an “unknown company” to trek west to the Great Salt Lake Valley. (Note: Several entries say 1863, others say 1865, and another 1847.)

It is difficult to discern when and where Catherine died. For example:

The Pioneer Overland Travels recorded that she was an infant while traveling over the plains. Another source said she died in Missouri. Yet, another source indicated that if they traveled over the plains in 1863 and she passed away in 1865, she would be living in Utah. One of her sisters was born in Utah just two or three weeks after it was reported that she died on 21 August 1865.

One of the family histories records: “Sweet Catherine who Agnes had nurtured and cared for all the way across the plains with the handcart company now lay dead, burned to death.”