Ole Christian Nelson

As printed in 1916

OLE CHRISTIAN NELSON.

Prominent in the business life of P.cattle Lake, Minnesota, is Ole Christian Nelson, who has been continuously engaged in the mercantile business at Battle Lake since the early eighties and who is now doing business in Battle Lake under the firm name of O. ( '. Nelson & Company.

Born on February 17, [857, in Norway, Ole Christian Nelson is the son of Nels and Helena (Johnson) Nelson, also natives of Norway, who were born in [827 and [825, respectively. Mr. Nelson's father was a farmer by occupation, and died in 1899. On September 15, 1901, Mrs. Helena Nelson came to Battle Lake. Minnesota, and died here on October 16, 1901. They were the parents of five children, of whom two, both named Martenns. are deceased. The living children are, Ole Christian, Josephena and Hans.

Ole Christian Nelson was educated in the public schools of Norway and was confirmed in the Lutheran church at the age of fifteen years. He worked in the lumber-mills and on the railroads of Norway until the spring of t88o, when he came to America and settled at Stillwater, in Washington county, Minnesota, where he was employed by Isaac Staples until [881, when he moved to Fargo, North Dakota. On July o. 1 SN 1, Mr. Nelson moved to Battle Lake, Minnesota, and for a time, stopped with Han- Gilbertson. He got employment here on the railroad and worked until October 8, [88l, when he returned to Washington county, Minnesota, to work for Mr. Staples. In March. iKK_>. Mr. Nelson came hack to Battle I.ako ami has resided here ever since. In June, [882, he bought a one-half interest in the Rustof & Dol meat market, and two years later, purchased the other one-half interest and operated the business for a period of twelve

96 >'li:; TAIL iniNTV. MINNESOTA.

years. In the meantime he had erected several stores. He first embarked in the grocery business and then branches out in the clothing business and finally in the general mercantile business. His store was burned in 1906 and rebuilt in 1907. He has one store, twenty-five by eighty feet, and just north of that has erected another building, forty by ninety feet. In addition to his private business interests, Mr. Nelson owns stock in the flourmill and is one of the directors of the company.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

Mr. Nelson has served as a member of the Battle Lake town council. He and his wife and family are members of the Lutheran church and take an active interest in religious affairs.

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.