 Nessen was born in Logan, Utah in 1867, the son of Danish immigrants and converts to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who crossed the plains from the east as part of a Handcart company.Other settler families included Andersen, Baxter, Cravens, Gunnell, Bailey, Carlsen, Douglas, Fonnesbeck, Rock, Wood, Allen, Barber, and Maughn.The Bar M Ranch was headquartered near what is now the town center.