Genealogy - Nielsen's, Siblings, Genealogy - Wight's, Wight Family Tree
Lillie Docina (Nielsen) Wight (2nd generation)
(Soren 1)
(Wife of John 'Frank' Wight, Sr. (11th generation))
(Warner 10, John 9, Luther 8, Thomas 7, Joseph 6, Joseph 5, Joseph 4, Henry 3, Thomas 2, Robert 1)
Lillie Docina Nielsen was born a first-generation American on February 13, 1892 in Richfield, Utah, to Danish immigrant parents in the home shown. She was one in two sets of twins born to the Nielsen family, the eleventh of fourteen children.
With no more than 8 children living at home at any one time, chores were delved out to whoever was in residence. The farm required such tasks as gardening, tending chickens, spinning wool, and milking the cow. Lillie was not fond of milking and to avoid the task, would build up blisters which would burst, bleed and taint the milk, therefore excusing her from the chore.
There was the one occasion in which the Nielsen family was all together in America, for the funeral of her brother, Hans Walter (4-shown in photograph in family picture). The number in parentheses after each name indicates their birth order.
Top row (l-r): Joseph Othello 'Joe' (8), Soren Emanuel 'Mann' (9), Adolph Ludwig 'Dolph' (5), Theodore Janus 'Thee' (3 - Hans Walter's twin), Alfred Peter (2), and Magnus Christian (1)
Middle row (seated l-r): Albert Senius 'Brig' (6), Annie Elnora (10), Soren, Anna 'Christina', and Andrew Christian 'Cap' (7)
Bottom row (l-r): Lillie Docina (11 - Minerva's twin), Minerva Elvina (12 - Lillie's twin), Leona Christina (14) and Enoch Elias 'Bink' (13)
Lillie was, unlike many young girls of the time, able to attend high school (which was considered optional and higher education) where she learned Pittman shorthand and typing. She would put those tools to use as her future husband's, John Frank Wight, Sr., secretary at the Richfield Power and Light Company.
Frank proposed to Lillie and they were married on June 14, 1916 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Unfortunately, her mother-in-law looked down on her as an immigrant country girl and thought her not good enough for her son. So much so that their wedding invitations were ordered by Mrs. Wight as John Frank Wight's and Lillian Drucilla Nelson's (not Lillie Docina Nielsen) nuptials in an effort to conceal her heritage.
Lillie and Frank would have five children - Dorothy (9/29/1917), Marjorie (7/18/1919), Shirley (1/24/1921), Eleanor (9/29/1922) and Frank Jr. (4/17/1924). In 1932, the kids surprised Lillie with a portrait for Christmas.
Lillie and Frank would raise their brood in Richfield, Salt Lake City and finally in Long Beach, California. While money was often short with a family of seven, the Wight kids all have fond memories of their childhoods and admiration for the handiness and hardiness of their mother.
Lillie and Frank Sr. celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1966. It was attended by all five of their children and their families, along with a multitude of friends.
Pictured right - The Kendalls (Dorothy's family) - her son Jeff, daughter Dee, Dorothy and her husband Cal.
Pictured left - The Murdocks (Marjorie's family) - her son Debe, daughter Connie, Marjorie and her husband Dan.
Pictured right - The Shanahans (Shirley's family) - Shirley, her step-daughter Margo, husband Sam and step-son Lon ('Butch').
Pictured left - The Henrys (Eleanor's family) - her son Paul, husband Pete, daughter Virginia ('Rusty'), son Mike, Eleanor and daughter Eleanor ('Prunnie').
Pictured right - The Wights (Frank Jr.'s family) - his daugher Kathy, Frank, wife Corinne, his son Frank Jr. and daughter Carolyn .
'Grannie' Wight would pass on April 15, 1981, at the age of 89, in Camp Verde, Arizona, while living close to her daughters Shirley and Marjorie.
Genealogy - Nielsen family
- Soren Christian Nielsen
- Born: December 21, 1841 in Skajaerum, Hjorring, Denmark
- Married: December 28, 1869 in Flade, Hjorring, Denmark
- Spouse: Anna Kristina (Ane Kristine) Jensen
- Born: December 20, 1849 in Flade, Hjorring, Denmark
- Died: December 12, 1916 in Richfield, Utah
- Child: Magnus Christian (Born: April 30, 1870 in Denmark)
- Child: Alfred Peter (Born: August 16, 1873 in Denmark)
- Child: Theodore Janus (Born: August 9, 1875 - twin - in Denmark)
- Child: Hans Walter (Born: August 9, 1875 - twin - in Denmark)
- Child: Adolph Ludwig (Born: August 25, 1877 in Denmark)
- Child: Albert Senius (Born: August 8, 1879 in Denmark)
- Child: Andrew Christian (Born: August 29, 1881 in Denmark)
- Child: Joseph Othello (Born: September 22, 1882 in Denmark)
- Child: Soren Emanuel (Born: December 2, 1885 in Denmark)
- Child: Annie Elnora (Born: March 14, 1889 in Richfield, Utah)
- Child: Lillie Docina * (Born: February 13, 1892 - twin - in Richfield, Utah)
- Child: Minerva Elvina (Born: February 13, 1892 - twin - in Richfield, Utah)
- Child: Enoch Elias (Born: June 28, 1894 in Richfield, Utah)
- Child: Leona Christina (Born: November 25, 1898 in Richfield, Utah)
- Spouse: Anna Kristina (Ane Kristine) Jensen
- Died: April 24, 1915 in Richfield, Utah
Siblings
- Magnus Christian
- Born: April 30, 1870 in Denmark
- Died: February 12, 1916 in Richfield, Utah
- Alfred Peter
- Born: August 16, 1873 in Denmark
- Died: October 2, 1952 in Salt Lake City, Utah
- Theodore Janus (twin)
- Born: August 9, 1875 in Denmark
- Died: June 12, 1956 in Richfield, Utah
- Hans Walter (twin)
- Born: August 9, 1875 in Denmark
- Died: January 29, 1903 in Richfield, Utah
- Adolph Ludwig
- Born: August 25, 1877 in Denmark
- Died: May 8, 1954 in Richfield, Utah
- Albert Senius
- Born: August 8, 1879 in Denmark
- Died: November 5, 1939 in either Provo or Salt Lake City, Utah
- Andrew Christian
- Born: August 29, 1881 in Denmark
- Died: July 15, 1942 in Richfield, Utah
- Joseph Othello
- Born: September 22, 1882 in Denmark
- Died: May 8, 1912 in Richfield, Utah
- Soren Emanuel
- Born: December 2, 1885 in Denmark
- Died: March 31, 1934 in Richfield, Utah
- Annie Elnora
- Born: March 14, 1889 in Richfield, Utah
- Died: July 26, 1970 in Richfield, Utah
- Minerva Elvina (Lillie's twin)
- Born: February 13, 1892 in Richfield, Utah
- Died: November 29, 1934 in Brentwood, California
- Enoch Elias
- Born: June 28, 1894 in Richfield, Utah
- Died: June 11, 1963 in Salt Lake City, Utah
- Leona Christina
- Born: November 25, 1898 in Richfield, Utah
- Died: November 5, 1961 in Coulee Dam, Washington
Genealogy - Wight family
The Nielsens belong to the Wight genealogy by Lillie's marriage to John Frank Wight, Sr. (10th generation).
The Wight family tree begins with Thomas Wight and continues down to my maternal grandmother, Dorothy Ann Wight. Asterisks mark the generations in my direct family line. I am a 13th-generation member of the Wight family, whose line dates back to the mid-1600's. Some family members names are are underlined. These are links to their biographical information (including siblings), and when available, photos.
- Lillie Docina Nielsen
- Born: February 13, 1892 in Richfield, Utah
- Married: June 14, 1916 in Salt Lake City, Utah
- Spouse: John Frank Wight, Sr. * (10th generation)
- Born: September 1, 1881 in Wichita, Sedgwich County, Kansas
- Died: November 16, 1973 in Camp Verde, Arizona
- Child: Dorothy Ann * (Born: September 29, 1917 in Richfield, Utah)
- Child: Marjorie (Born: July 18, 1919 in Richfield, Utah)
- Child: Shirley Minerva (Born: January 4, 1921 in Salt Lake City, Utah)
- Child: Eleanor Virginia (Born: September 29, 1922 in Salt Lake City, Utah)
- Child: John Frank, Jr. (Born: April 17, 1924 in Salt Lake City, Utah)
- Spouse: John Frank Wight, Sr. * (10th generation)
- Died: April 15, 1981 in Camp Verde, Arizona
