N. P. R. Nelson

As printed in 1916

N. P. R. NELSON.

N. P. R. Nelson is one of the most progressive agriculturists of Parkers Prairie township, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, as well as one of the most active citizens and is fully worthy of the respect which he receives.

He is a son of the late Anders P. Nelson, who was born on January 8, 1835, in Furebu, Smaland, Sweden. Anders P. Nelson came to America in 1854 with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. N. D. Anderson. They were pioneers of Chisago county, Minnesota. Anders P. was a trusted employee of the government when the preliminary survey for the government road was made from St. Paul to Superior City, and continued at this kind of work for three seasons, the winters being spent in the pineries. In 1862 Mr. Nelson led the forces who intrenched the peninsula at Center City against an Indian outbreak which was pending. He was active in politics and a pioneer in many of the important events in the early settlement of upper Minnesota. In 1870 he moved to Parkers Prairie, being one of the first to settle in that fertile country. His home was the scene of many early gatherings, as it was the only one large enough to accommodate a meeting of any size. The first church and school in Parkers Prairie were held in his home and the first political meeting of those times was held there. Mr. Nelson afterward did considerable contract work, getting out a large part of the timber supplies for the Northern Pacific railroad which was being built. Mr. Nelson died in 1914 at Parkers Prairie, where he had moved from the homestead two years before.

N. P. R. Nelson, the subject of this sketch, was the third child of his parents. There were six children in the family. They are all living and are: Mrs. John A. Hawkinson, Mrs. Charles A. Bergquist and X. P. R. Nelson, all of Parkers Prairie; Mrs. C. A. Carlson, of Garrison, North Dakota; J. A. R. Nelson, of Deer Lodge. Montana; and J. G. Vasa Nelson, of Parkers Prairie, Minnesota. N. P. R. Nelson was born on May 24. 1873. on the old homestead at Parkers Prairie. He was educated in the common schools of the locality. From the time he was fourteen years of age he practically managed his. father's farm, the father's business of carpenter and contractor taking him away from home a greater part of the time. As soon as he became of legal age his ability as a leader was recognized and he was elected to and held with credit many local positions of honor and trust in school and township affairs.

On December 21, 1898, N. P. R. Nelson was united in marriage to Augusta Sigfrid and their married life has been a particularly happy one. In 1 90 1 Mr. Nelson went to Bismarck, North Dakota, where for two years, in company with his brother, J. A. R. Nelson, he managed the Grand Pacific hotel, a leading hostelry for politicians at the capital city of that state, and there he came to know much about matters which have been of help to him in later life. In 1903 he returned to Minnesota and for three years was agent for the Woodworth Elevator Company at Carlos and Parkers Prairie. In 1906 he went to Detroit, Minnesota, where he was in the mercantile business for a year, but disposed of his interests there in 1907 to accept a position with the North Dakota Grain Company, of Superior, Wisconsin, as traveling solicitor. In 1910 he resigned with this company to return to Parkers Prairie and take up the active management of his farm, where he has since remained.

Mr. Nelson is not only a progressive farmer, but is actively interested in co-operation among farmers along other lines. He is now secretary and treasurer of the Parkers Prairie Co-operative Creamery Company, which he was instrumental in organizing a number of years ago. He is also secretary of the Parkers Prairie Mutual Fire Insurance Company, an organization with over a million dollars of policies and is interested in and was first president of the Parkers Prairie Farmers Telephone Company, the pioneer of a system of co-operative companies which give his home locality a service which has grown from a small beginning to one second to none. Mr. Nelson's counsel and advice are eagerly sought by his friends and acquaintances as being worth while and he is one of the residents of Parkers Prairie to whom they refer with pride.

Mr. and Mrs. Nelson have three children: Earl E., born on June 17, 1900; Signe A., April 29, 1904, and Carl C, May 19, 1910.

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.