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 Past and present of Buena Vista County, Iowa (1909)
OSCAR M. NELSON.
Oscar M. Nelson, one of the practical, progressive and respected farmers of Nokomis township, is living on section 13, where he owns and cultivates a farm of one hundred and twenty acres. He is numbered among the old settlers of the county, for Buena Vista was still large.v an undeveloped region when he took up his above within its borders in 1873. He was then a youth of ten years, his birth having occurred in the city of Rockford, Illinois, October 14. 1862. His father, A. P. Nelson, was a native of Sweden, who in early manhood came to the new world, settling in Rockford. Illinois, where for fourteen years he worked at the miller's trade. He was married at Rockford to Miss Mary S. Styf, also a native of Sweden, and three sons were born unto them ere their removal to Iowa. Mr. Nelson visited this state in 1872, purchased a tract of raw land and the following year removed his family to this place. With characteristic energy he began to till the soil and improve the farm, and made it one of the well developed properties of that locality.v. Both he and his wife have passed away and in their death the community lost two of its industrious and worthy citizens.
[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]
Mr. Nelson made further preparation for having a bine of his own by marrying in June, 1888, Miss Anna C. Bladine, who was born in Sweden but was reared in America. For a year after their marriage the young couple
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William J. Minard was educated in the public schools of Leiaiul and was a little lad of four years when the family removed from the Empire state to LaSalle county, Illinois. After completing his studies he returned to the home farm and there remained until the father engaged in merchandising in Leland, when the son assisted him in the store for three years.
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In his political views Mr. Jlinard is independent, voting for the men whom he deems best qualified for office, regardless of party ties. He has served as township assessor for two years, while for twelve years, or from March, 1896, he has kept a record of the rainfall in the state and the United States, and has also been crop reporter of Maple Valley township for the state and the Fiiited States. Fraternally lie is a:\mason. belonging to the blue lodge
As printed in Past and present of Buena Vista County, Iowa (1909). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1909. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.