Xils H. Nelson

As printed in 1916

NILS H. NELSON.

As an extensive farmer and stock raiser and a man who has large interests in business circles in Otter Tail county, as well as a citizen who has served in various public offices and has taken an active part in the affairs of the community, Xils 11. Nelson has a prominent place in the record of valued citizens of this community.

Xils H. Nelson was born in Norway, at Gansdahts, Prestegjeld, Gudbrandsdelm, near the town of Lillehammer, May 10. [853, the son of Hans and Randi (Gunderson ) Nelson, both of whom were natives of Norway, the father horn on April 17, 181 7. and the mother on December 8. 1810. Hans and Randi Nelson, following their marriage, bought a farm in Norway, where they engaged as farmers until the year 1869, when they came, with their children, to America, and settled in Otter Tail county, Minnesota, where they bought the improvements of a land squatter, in sections 17, 19 and 20, of Tordenskjold township, and lived there until the opening of United States government land to homesteaders and then they took up one hundred and sixty acres of land in Tordenskjold township, a place on which they built a log cabin for a home, together with other necessary improvements. On this farm Hans and Randi Nelson lived for the remainder of their lives. Hans Nelson dying in the year 1902, at the age of eighty-five years, and his wife, Randi, dying in the year 1880. Hans Nelson and his wife were among the most highly respected of the community and they took an active part in the founding of the Free Lutheran church of Minnesota. In politics, Hans Nelson was a Republican. To Hans and Randi Nelson were born two children. Nils H., of this sketch, and Randine, who died at the age of forty, unmarried.

Nils H. Nelson was educated in the public schools of Norway, where he attended classes until, with his parents, he came to America and then for a time studied in the schools of Otter Tail county, Minnesota. After his schools davs. Nils H. Nelson helped his father on the farm for some years and later became the owner of the home place, land to which he added sixty acres adjoining, on the west and the north.

Nils H. Nelson has taken an important part in the public life of Tordenskjold township and Otter Tail county, Minnesota, where for more than thirty-two years he has held the office of township clerk. Mr. Nelson has served as treasurer of the school district in which he is located and for some time he served his county as deputy county treasurer. In church circles. Nils H. Nelson is affiliated with the Lutheran church, an organization for which he served as treasurer. In business life, Mr. Nelson is no less conspicuous, for he is a stockholder in the Otter Tail Co-operative Store, in the Farmers Elevator Company, in the Creamery Company and in the Telephone Company, of Otter Tail county.

On December 28, 1878, Nils H. Nelson and Maren Ilansina Rasmussen were married; she being a native of Denmark, the daughter of Jorgen and Christine Rasmussen, who came to America about the year 1866, and lived for a time at Cleveland, Ohio, and then, in the year 1871, they moved to Otter Tail county, Minnesota, and settled in section 20, of Tordenskjold township, where they took up a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres of land, and where Jorgen and Christine Rasmussen lived until May 23, 1914, when Jorgen Rasmussen died, at the age of ninety-two years, his wife, Christine Rasmussen, having preceded him in death about four years, she dying on August [3, [910, at the aye of eighty-two years.

To Nils II. and Maren Nelson were born the following children: Ilarald, who for some time attended the state agricultural college at Minneapolis, and who now lives at home: Ragna, a dressmaker of Fargo, North

Dakota; Lucy Cecelia, who lives at home; Clara, who married Edwin Wagstrom, and lives in Maplewood township, on a farm; Agnes, who lives at Fargo, North Dakota; Pauline, who is a teacher in the public schools of Otter Tail county; and Helen, who lives at home.

In politics and in private life, Nils H. Nelson fills an important place in the community and is among those men who have the respect of the entire county and district Well and favorably known, he is one of those citizens of whom the township and county may rightfully be proud.

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.