James Houston and wife Mary Ellen Nichols Houston
and we assume their son – most likely James
photo courtesy Helen Mickelson collection
256
MARY ELLEN OR “NELLIE” NICHOLS HOUSTON
September 19, 1867 – September 1, 1928
name “Nellie Houston.”3 Our family group
sheet indicates that she married a James C.
Houston, and we have been told she and her
husband moved to Montana. There is a record
of a child born to Mary Ellen on November 14,
1882 who was named James Cutter. He was
blessed in the Coalville Ward on January 14,
1883, by Jm Robinson, and her membership
record there carries a notation that her
membership was moved to Almy, Wyoming,
but no date is provided as to when this
occurred, although it must have been after
August of 1883.4
Mary Ellen Nichols as her name
appears on the Family Group Sheet was born
the 19th of September 1867 in Coxhoe,
Durham, England, to William and Ellen White
Nichols.1 Her family, which consisted of two
older sisters, Catherine Jane and Isabella,
along with her parents, set sail for America the
following year in 1868. Mary Ellen is listed
living in Coalville, Utah, with the rest of her
family in the 1870 Census as Mary E., age 12.2
Very little is known of her and her life.
Much of it is a mystery. Her niece, Vera
Nichols Davis, mentioned her in her
autobiography and tells us she went by the
Helen Mickelson had in her possession
Jim Houston Family when they came to Utah in January 1924
photo courtesy Helen Mickelson collection
257
a photograph of Mary Houston and her
husband and another photograph of Mary and
her husband which was taken at the time of
Helen’s mother’s funeral (1924) in Price,
Utah. She said it was the only time she ever
saw them. According to the information on
the Family Group Sheet, Mary died in
September of 1928. Information found in the
1920 Montana Census indicates that James,
age 69, and Mary, age 52, were in Musselshell
County, Montana, with a son, age 14, named
Jesse, born in Montana. It also indicates that
James was born in Scotland, came to the U.S.
in 1880 and gained citizenship in 1895.
County, Montana, in 1920, age 35, born in
Utah. His wife, Malinda, age 28, was born in
Idaho. It also indicates they had a daughter
Hazel Mary, age 11, born in Montana. It gives
their address as Railroad Yard Street, Railroad
Mens Club.5
One more item of confusion for future
researchers to deal with is that there is,
according to the Coalville sextant’s records a
Nellie6 Paul buried next to Mary Ellen’s
mother and father, William and Ellen Nichols.
There is no birth or death dates and it is an
unmarked grave.7 The question to answer is
whether the occupant in that grave is Mary
Ellen, her sister Elizabeth Paul, or someone
else.
Additionally, there is a James C.
Houston, Jr., living in Three Forks, Gallatin
END NOTES
Endnote
1.
Family Group Sheet information in possession of Evelyn McConkie.
2.
Index to the 1880 Census of Utah. Compiled by the BYU Research Center, LDS FHL
Micro Film 0538591, Utah, Summit, Page 4, E-72, L-16.
3.
Davis, Vera Ann Nichols. “A Short Unpublished Autobiography.” (May 1977).
4.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Coalville Ward, Coalville, Utah. Record of
Members Early-1888. FHL US/CAN Film 025864.
5.
United States. Bureau of the Census. 14th census, 1920. Montana Federal Census.
Soundex and Population Schedules. Washington, D.C.. The National Archives. (LDS
FHL Microfilm 1827047. Soundex H235 Index cards)
6.
Davis, Vera Ann Nichols. “A Short Unpublished Autobiography.” (May 1977).
Vera, in her Autobiography, in naming her father’s sisters included one named Lillian
Paul.
She also made reference to one named Nellie Houston.
7.
Cemetery records, Coalville, Summit County, Utah, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Coalville Ward, Coalville, Utah, Genealogical Committee. Salt Lake City : Genealogical Society
of Utah, 1957. FHL US/CAN Film 873714.
258