Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 1034 - 1035

NELS NELSON. Among the prominent and worthy citizens of Sedgwick County, of  alien birth, whose lives are devoted to agriculture and the farming interests of this section, may be named the subject of this biography, whose home lies within the borders of Attica Township, on section 14. He is a native of Holstein, Prussia, born May 9, 1843, and the son of Peter and Katrina (Hansen) Nelson.

            The father of our subject was a shoemaker, and living in the town, Nels received a good common-school education. At the age of fifteen he commenced to learn the blacksmith's trade, and served an apprenticeship of five years, as is common in that country. For about a year he worked as a journeyman after being out of his time, receiving his board and about what would make $1.50 of United States money for his weekly wages. He then rented a shop, and carried on the business for himself for about a year, but concluded that there was no opening in his native land for a poor man, and that it was impossible for him to rise from the station where he was born, so he emigrated to America and landed in New York City. In that metropolis of the Western Continent he remained about five months, working at his trade, and then went to Monmouth, Ill., where he spent about a year. Galesburg, in the same State, was the next scene of his labors, being engaged in the machine-shops at that place for about fourteen months. He next removed to Yates City, Ill., where he was engaged at his trade by contracts, and where he remained some three years and a half. While a resident of the latter place our subject was married, Sept. 19, 1868, to Miss Bitsie Johnson, a native of Sweden. Soon after his marriage both he and his wife were attacked by the typhoid fever, and within ten weeks from the date of her wedding she died. In 1871 the subject of this sketch removed to Knoxville, in the same State, where he worked through the summer, and where he was again married. Sept. 21, 1871, was the date of the ceremony which united the lives of Mr. Nelson and Miss Helen Peterson.

            Mrs. Nelson is a native of Sweden, born Feb. 21, 1845, and is the sixth child in a family of nine born to her parents, Samuel and Helen (Hanson) Peterson. Her father was born in 1802, and her mother in 1815. All of their family are in this country except one, and one deceased. When she was quite small, April 15, 1853, her father died, after which her mother came to America, where she passed away to her rest Jan. 9, 1882. Mr. Nelson came to Kansas in 1871, and locating in Wichita, commenced work for the same party with whom be had been employed in Yates City, with whom he remained about eighteen months. At the expiration of that time he opened a smithy of his own, which he operated for about nine years. On his locating in this county, he pre-empted the farm of about 160 acres where he now lives, and to which he removed in 1881, when he gave up following his trade. Since that time he has devoted himself to agricultural occupations with considerable pecuniary success. His farm, which is among the very best in the township, is well improved and is considered to be worth something over $12,000. A view of it assists in gracing a page of this volume.

            In his politics Mr. Nelson has always been a Republican, but he is at the present time identified with the Labor Union party. While a resident of West Wichita, he served as School Director, and was Constable for five years. Soon after moving to his present home, he commenced to move in the matter of getting a school-house built, and after a good deal of time and labor, notwithstanding the frequent discouragements, he succeeded, and they now have a good school and an excellent teacher. The community gave our subject full credit for his labors in this direction, and respect and honor him accordingly. Both he and his wife were reared in the Lutheran Church, but on account of there being no organization of that denomination in this locality, they have been attending the Presbyterian Church, in which their children have been baptized.

            Peter Nelson, the father of our subject, was born Feb. 21, 1798, and was a shoemaker and tanner by trade. He married Miss Katrina Hanson, and was the father of eleven children, four of whom are now living in this country. The father died in October, 1881, and the mother, who was born in 1817, died in 1865.

            Mr. and Mrs. Nelson are the parents of eight children, as follows: Arnold, born July 4, 1872; Augusta, June 7, 1874; Anna, Jan. 22,1876; Marguerite, Dec. 20, 1877; Frank, Oct. 31, 1879; John, Jan. 9, 1882; Ida, Feb. 20, 1884; Emma, Sept. 6, 1885, and Osie Eleanor, May 13, 1888.

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