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)
XELS W. NELSON.
To the combined efforts of the representative and progressive business men, is the success of a community due. and to this class belongs the subject of this sketch.
Xels \Y. Nelson, clothing merchant, Pelican Rapids, Otter Tail county, was born March 13, 18(14. at Decorah, Iowa, and is a son of Knute and Gunel (Holen) Nelson. His education was obtained at the public schools of Ridgeway, Iowa, where he lived with his grandfather Nelson, assisting him on the farm. In 1X84. he went to South Dakota, engaging his services as a clerk in a country store. In 1887 he went to Dell Rapids, South Dakota, where he clerked for about eleven years, and in the fall of 1902, he came to Pelican Rapids, and on October 17. of that year, he opened a clothing store, in which business he is still engaged.
Knute Nelson, father of Nels was born in Norway, as was also his wife, Gunel Holen. He was educated in the public schools of Norway, and came to America in 1859, locating for one year at Decorah, Iowa. In [860, he moved to Rushford, Minnesota, where he spent the remainder of his life. About 1806, the cholera struck Rushford. and Mr. Nelson's brother, his wife, eldest daughter and youngest son. all died within three weeks. To Knute and Gunel ( 1 Iolen ) Nelson were born the following children: Pars, Martha, deceased: Bertha, Xels \Y., and Andrew, deceased.
Xels W. Nelson was united in marriage, November 15, 1893, to Carrie Blanes, to which union have been born three children, Guy, Ferdinand, and Cathleen.
Mr. Nelson is an intelligent, wide-awake men-bant, ami a pleasant man to meet, to which characteristic is largely due his business success His reputation for square dealing has also had its share in building up his business.
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.