Robert Nephi Comish (1842-1882)

From "Comish Family History", chapter 10

ROBERT NEPHI COMISH, son of William Comish and Elizabeth Kegg, born 12 December 1841 at Conchan, Isle of Man, Great Britian and christened 24 July 1842 at Kirk Onchan, Isle of Man, as Robert Comish. It is assumed that the name, Robert Nephi, was given to him at the time of his LDS baptism. Robert Nephi died 13 November 1882 at Cove, Cache, Utah, of Quinsy and buried a few days later at Franklin, Franklin, Idaho. He married 21 January 1865, Emma Jane HOWLAND in the Endowment House (EH) at Salt Lake City, Utah, daughter of Henry Howland and Martha Diana Case, born 14 January 1849 at Flagtown,Ogle, Illinois; died 24 December 1917 and buried 27 Dec 1917 at Franklin, Idaho. Emma married. (2) 27 April 1887, John Christian LARSEN Sr, but the marriage was cancelled because it took place after the mandate and John was a polygamist.

Robert's father, William, had joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church or "Morman") in 1841 and so Robert was to be blessed in his church. Elizabeth did not join until 1848 and so was a bit worried about Robert and slipped over to her vicar and had him christened on 24 Jul 1842. He was a little over six months old at this time but the christening is recorded in the Onchan Parish Register. The first six children had been christened within an eight day period after their birth.

In 1849, Robert's father and oldest sister. Jane, left for America and the remainder of the famiiy stayed in the Isle of Man until they could earn enough money to make the voyage to America. It took almost two years for his father to send for the family and in 1851, Robert Nephi started on the greatest adventure of his life. With his family, they left the Isle of Man for Liverpool, England, to meet the ship, the ELLEN MARIE. This ship was to take the family to America where the family would be reunited at St. Louis, Missouri. It was while they were living at St. Louis, that his youngest brother, Joseph, died on 6 July 1851 and was buried there.

It took several years to make preparations to go to Salt Lake City and in 1855 they joined the Capt. John Hindley Company of emigrating Saints for the trip. There were two hundred emigrants traveling in forty-six wagons with ox teams in this company and they reached Salt Lake City on 3 September 1855. The family was then directed to move on to another location and they settled at Kaysville, for the next five years.

The family was then called to help settle Cache Valley and as the family was now split up, Jane, Elizabeth and Margaret were married, they moved on without them. The family met with other Saints on the banks of the Cub River, near Franklin, ID, in Cache Valley and camped there for a few days. They were joined by several more small groups of Saints until there were eleven wagons in all that had joined for protection. (This was necessary because of the Indian threat.) Captain Thomas Smart was at the head of the column as it headed north and the Comish wagon was second, with John Comish as the teamster of their wagon. As the wagons neared, what is now Franklin, Idaho, another wagon whipped around the Comish wagon and later received the honor of being the second wagon into Franklin. However, when the line was drawn between Utah and Idaho, it was found that the Comish wagon was the second wagon to enter the State of Idaho.

In 1864, at the age of twenty-two, Robert Nephi, with his brothers, drove an ox-team back to Winter Quarters and assisted in moving the poor emigrants to Utah. Captain William Preston was in charge of the wagon train, which consisted of four hundred people and fifty wagons. They reached Salt Lake City on 15 September 1864. Robert was also one of the Minuteman for the Franklin Colony and was always ready to leave on a minutes notice to help protect the pioneers from any incidents that might arise. This would include the colony and any wagon trains or travelers that were travelling through the area. He and his brother, John, along with Porter Rockwell and others, watched the Battle Creek Massacre of the Shoshoni Indians by the Federal Troops, north of Preston, Idaho, and always remembered the horrible event till the day he died.

Robert Nephi was active in dramatics and was known as the "Star Actor" in their home dramatic plays and gave readings. He was five feet six inches tall and weighed one-hundred sixty pounds. His hair was dark and wavy and he had a very good disposition.

In the spring of 1875 the Robert Nephi Comish family moved a few miles from Franklin, into what was known as Coveville, Utah, now known as Cove, Utah. Here they farmed one-hundred acres of land at the base of the mountain and along the Mountain Road. They built a nice home, set out an orchard and planted trees, flowers and a garden. East of the grove was a large spring and a pond with clear running water all year long.

Everyone was welcome in the Comish home and like the rest of the Saints in the area, they became friends with the Indians that traveled through the area. Robert and Emma had issue:

Children born at Franklin, Idaho.

Joseph Nephi Comish, b. 17 Jan 1866; md. (1) Matilda Ann Goaslind; md. (2) Bertha
Orvilla Bowcut,
William Henry Comish, b. 20 Feb 1868; unmd,
Myron Eugene Comish, b. 20 Oct 1869; unmd,
Emma Miralda Comish. b. 25 Dec 1871; md. Henry Hoyt Day
George Francis Comish, b. 4 May 1873; md. Margaret Wright Biggs

Children born at Cove, Utah.

Martha Elizabeth Comish, b. 14 Sep 1875; md. Peter Green Whitehead,.
Harriet Esther Comish, b. 4 Dec 1877; md. JohnChristian Larsen Jr,
Robert Carlos Comish, b. 5 Jan 1880; md. Violet May Chatterton,
Jane Helen Comish, b. 8 Feb 1882; md. Ernest Wilburn Robinson,
Newel Howland Comish, b. 30 Jan 1888; md. Louise Larson,