Son of Samuel Neslen and Eunice Francis

Married Eleanor Stevens, 15 Mar 1859, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah

Married Eliza Saville, 28 Aug 1871, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah

Robert Francis Neslen, a member of the Twentieth Ward, Salt Lake City, is a son of Samuel Neslen and Eunice Francis, and was born at Lowestoft, County of Suffolk, England, Dec. 10, 1832, joined the Wesleyan Methodists when a young man and became a local preacher in that denomination. In November 1852, he was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and two weeks later ordained to the Priesthood and sent out to labor as a missionary in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk. He continued thus until 1853, when he emigrated to Utah, crossing the Atlantic in the ship "Golconda", which sailed from Liverpool, England, Jan. 23, 1853, and arrived at New Orleans March 26th following.

On the arrival of the company on the frontiers he was appointed to assist in purchasing cattle and outfits for the season's emigration, and traveled from Keokuk, Iowa, to Fort Bridger in C. V. Spencer's company. At the latter place Elder Neslen remained about five weeks doing military duty, after which he continued his journey to G. S. L. City, where he arrived Sept. 30th. He located in the City and passed through all the hardships incident to pioneer life. He was a member of the Tabernacle Choir, a member of the Nauvoo Brass Band, a member of the Deseret Dramatic Association, etc. In November 1853, he was ordained into the 19th quorum of Seventy, and in April 1855, he was called to go on a mission to Europe.

He started from G. S. L. City, May 5, 1855, with a company of other missionaries, and arrived in Liverpool, England, Aug. 15, 1855. He labored as a traveling Elder in the Norwich Pastorate, embracing seven counties in the eastern part of England. In 1856 he was appointed president of the Cheltenham conference, and during his labors there a great number of people were baptized, and two new branches organized. In January 1857, he was appointed pastor of the South Pastorate, extending from Land's End to Wiltshire.

In 1858 all the Utah Elders were called home on account of the "Buchanan war," and Elder Neslen sailed from Liverpool, together with about twenty-seven other missionaries in the ship "Underwriter", Jan. 21, 1858. Arriving at New York, he tarried to wait on his sick brother, Samuel F. Neslen, who was returning from a mission, but who died in Williamsburg, May 13, 1858. After burying his brother, he was appointed to labor as a missionary in New Jersey and Connecticut, until he received word from Church headquarters to return to England and resume his missionary labor in that country. He did so, and after his arrival in Liverpool, June 17, 1858, was appointed to labor in the Glasgaw conference, Scotland. Afterwards he presided over the Edinburgh conference.

Being released from his missionary labors to return home he married Eleanor Stevens Trewella March 10, 1859, and together with his young wife he sailed from Liverpool in the ship "Wm. Tapscott", April 11, 1859, having charge of a large company of Saints. On the voyage, which was quite pleasant, he solemnized nineteen marriages. On reaching the frontiers he was appointed to assist Geo. Q. Cannon in the general emigration business, and finally crossed the plains as a captain of a company of Saints, which arrived in Salt Lake City, Sept. 15, 1859.

After his return home he was appointed a Bishop's agent to collect tithing in Utah, Juab and Sanpete counties. When the Salt Lake City Theatre was opened in 1862, he was engaged as costumer and actor, being thus employed until 1870, when he was called on another mission to Europe.

In the meantime, he had lost his wife by death, and in starting to fill this last mission he left five children at home without a mother. Brother Neslen arrived in Liverpool June 5, 1870 and was appointed to labor in the London conference; five weeks later he was placed in charge of that conference. He also visited nearly all the other conferences in the British Mission. Returning home, he sailed from Liverpool in charge of a company of Saints in the steamship "Wyoming", on the 21st of June 1871, and arrived in Salt Lake City July 12th following.

In August next, after his return, he married Eliza Saville. May 9, 1873, he was ordained a High Priest and set apart to act as an alternate member of the Salt Lake Stake High Council, occupying that position until May 1874. For many years he also labored as a home missionary, in which capacity he became popular with the Saints as an earnest preacher. In early Utah days he was a captain in the Nauvoo Legion, and performed considerable military service. During his ministerial labor at home and abroad he baptized and rebaptized between one and two thousand persons.

In 1890 he filled a short mission to Europe. For many years he was engaged in the mercantile business in Salt Lake City and was usually known to the community by the familiar name of Uncle Robert. He died in Salt Lake City June 3, 1912.