BIOGRAPHY: Charles Clarence Neslen; Salt Lake City, Salt Lake co., Utah Transcribed by W. David Samuelsen for The USGenWeb Archives Project ************************************************************************ The USGenWeb Archives Project notice Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ut/utfiles.htm *********************************************************************** History of Utah The Storied Domain A Documentary History of Utah's Eventual Career by J. Cecil Alter Vol. 2, published 1932 (expired copyright) The American Historical Society, Inc. HON. CHARLES CLARENCE NESLEN, former mayor of Salt Lake City, has lived a career which has been rich in services to the business, civic and religious life of his city and state. He was born at Salt Lake City, April 17, 1879, a son of Utah pioneers. His parents were Robert F. and Eliza (Saville) Neslen, both of whom were natives of England, where the Neslen and Saville families lived for several hundred years, according to the record extant. Robert F. Neslen was born in Lowestoff, England, in 1832. He came to Utah in the fall of 1853, having crossed the ocean on a sailing vessel and the plains with ox team. He arrived six years after the original pioneers and for many years was a merchant in Salt Lake City. He died in 1912, when eighty years of age. The mother of Bishop Neslen was born in Hertfordshire, England, in 1847 and came to Salt Lake in 1870. C. Clarence Neslen graduated from the public schools of his native city, attended the Latter Day Saints College and took extension work in the State University. During a period of fifteen years he was employed in different capacities, from delivery boy to assistant manager of the Deseret News. He was office manager of the Kimball & Richards Real Estate Company and was active in the real estate business from 1910 to 1917. He is a former director of the Deseret Building Society and is now assistant secretary of the Western Loan & Building Company. Since early manhood he has shown a willingness to be of service to his community. In November, 1917, he was elected city commissioner of Salt Lake City and was also chairman of the Salt Lake Planning Commission. From 1918 to 1928, a period of ten years, he served as commissioner of water supply and waterworks. During this time the water supply of Salt Lake City was about trebled. In 1920 he was elected mayor, and reelected in 1923, serving in that capacity until January 1, 1928. A great deal of constructive and permanent improvement was done during his administrations, including the building and enlargement of the reservoirs and water conduits. Bonds to the amount of three million dollars were redeemed. Since 1917 Mr. Neslen has been president of the board of trustees for the State School for the Deaf and Blind. In November, 1930, he was elected a member of the State Legislature. Mr. Neslen was one of the first prominent Utah men to advocate the choice of Woodrow Wilson for the presidency, and he was a delegate from his state to the Baltimore National Democratic Convention of 1912, when Mr. Wilson was nominated. During the World war he served as chairman of the draft board of the Third Salt Lake District, handling that responsible work in addition to his routine duties as city commissioner. In 1926 the governor appointed him major in the Utah National Guard, and since that date he has been chaplain for the One Hundred and Forty fifth Field Artillery. Since early days he has been connected with the Salt Lake Oratorio Society, and for the past thirteen years has been its president. This society presents the Messiah each Christmas at the Salt Lake Tabernacle, and the Creation on the University Campus in the summer. Bishop Neslen is treasurer of the Salt Lake Chapter of the Red Cross, is vice president of the Salt Lake Kiwanis Club, member of the Timpanogos Dinner Club, the Chamber of Commerce, and is a former president of the Bonneville Club, and a member of the Wasatch Hiking Club. In addition to his activities in behalf of the cultural development of the state he has done everything in his power to promote wholesome athletic sports in the community. All his life Mr. Neslen has been a loyal churchman. During 1902-04 he did missionary work for the church in Germany. That was a time when the Mormon missionaries were being severely persecuted in that country. He acted as president of one of the largest districts. He has served in different capacities in the auxiliary organizations of the church, as stake superintendent of Sunday Schools in Pioneer Stake, for several years a member o the High Council of that Stake, and since August, 1913, has been Bishop of the Twentieth Ecclesiastical Ward of the Ensign Stake. Bishop Neslen married at Salt Lake City, October 26, 1905, Grace Cannon, daughter of President George Q. and Martha (Telle) Cannon. Her father was born in Liverpool, England, while her mother was born in Saint Louis, of American ancestry. Her father has been too well known in Utah to require special mention. He came to the territory with the pioneers of 1847, was a member of the First Presidency of the Latter Day Saints Church and represented Utah in Congress for thirteen years. Bishop and Mrs. Neslen have five children, all unmarried, Clarence Cannon Neslen, Robert C. Neslen, Gertrude C. Neslen, George Q. Neslen and Charles R. Neslen.