In the book's own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
From History of Otter Tail County, Minnesota : its people, industries, and institutions : with biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families (1916)
JONAS NELSON.
In Eagle Lake township. Otter Tail county, Minnesota, few men have taken a more active part in general affairs and for the promotion of the general] welfare than has Jonas Nelson, successful farmer and extensive stock raiser. Interested in these things which work for the material progress of the community and giving of his time and effort in church work for (he advancement of the mora! life of the vicinity, and giving of his training and experience towards the instruction of the youth in the locality, this worthy citizen is one who has an important place in the social and official affairs of Otter Tail county.
Jonas Nelson was born in Sweden on March 25, 1840, the son of Niels Martinson and Anna Hokinsdalter, who were natives of Sweden, in which country Nels Martinson was a farmer until his death, in 1873. In the family of Nels Martinson and Anna Hokinsdalter were nine children, three of whom came to America.
[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]
[870. in 1N71 he took a homestead of eighty acreof land in Eagle Lake township. With the aid of a brother and a yoke of oxen, which were their joint possession, they broke up the soil, built a log house, twelve by fourteen feet, where they lived and engaged in general farming, their efforts meeting with success. Jonas Nelson prospered and he now is the owner of two hundred acreof well-tilled and well-improved land, on which he follows a general agricultural lite, together with dealings in live stock which he raises 1 'ii his farm.
On December 31, r88o, Jonas Nelson was married to Celia Person, and to this marriage have been horn the following children: Garfield (deceased 1. Andrew S.. Paulina, Joseph, Elemor l charlotte, Victor. Hilda M. and Carl Julius.
In church circle- Jonas Nelson is known as a leader and as an active and successful worker in the Swedish Lutheran church, he having occupied nearly all of the officeof this church, and for more than seven years has been a popular and efficient teacher of the Sunday school. Politically and officially, Mr. Nelson also is prominently affiliated. For ten years he served satisfactorily and efficiently as justice of the peace, and for some yearhe has filled the office of township clerk-. He has also served his township as assessor. In 1880 he was census enumerator; in 1890 he also filled the same office. Wherever called upon, or in whatever capacity, Mr. Nelson has been willing to serve, even to the point of sacrifice, as a result of which he has won the esteem and gratitude of the township and county.
As printed in History of Otter Tail County, Minnesota : its people, industries, and institutions : with biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families (1916). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1916. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.