|
|
August Nelson, of East Grand Forks, for many years a leading farmer of that region and identified with business
activities as a director in the First National bank, has been a resident of Polk county since 1877. He was born
in Sweden, July 12, 1848, and came to this country, a young man of twenty one years; locating in Duluth, where
he secured work in a sawmill and for the next eight years continued to be employed in the mill or in lumber woods.
Thrifty management during this time enabled him to realize his desire to become a farmer and an owner of land,
and removing to Polk county he took a homestead in Sullivan township, five miles northeast of East Grand Forks.
His former employers furnished him the lumber for his first home and he entered upon a career marked with the creditable
achievement of the man who rises through his own efforts to success and affluence. He added steadily to his property
and now owns eight hundred acres which is operated as one fann, is one of the largest estates in the western part
of the county and equipped with good buildings and modern efficient methods for stock and grain farming is also
one of the most profitable farms in the region. Aside from this enterprise, Mr. Nelson is associated with various
important business interests, being one of the original directors and stockholders of the First National bank,
a stockholder and director in the Arneson Mercantile company and was formerly a stockholder in a boat operating
on Red river. Since 1905 he has resided in East Grand Forks, where of late years, ill health has confined him to
his home and necessitated his retirement from business activities. Mr. Nelson is a member of the Zion Lutheran
church and was actively influential in the organization of the Grand Marias Lutheran church. He has been three
times married. The first marriage was contracted in Duluth and six children were born to that union, three of whom
are now living. Edward, who is engaged in the grocery business at Centennial, Wyoming, Annie, the wife of Oscar
Ulve, a farmer of Sullivan township, and Carl who operates a part of his father's estate. To the second union,
with Martha Brandon, of Grand Forks, two children were born, William, with the Arncsou Mercantile company and a
director in the company, and John, employed in the offices of the Great Northern railroad, at East Grand Forks.
On October 17, 1905, Mr. Nelson was married to Annie Peterson Anderson, the widow of Nels Anderson, of Grand Forks.
Mrs. Nelson has two children by her former marriage, Oscar Anderson, who lives at St. Paul and Lillian Anderson.
who makes her home with her mother.
FROM:
Compendium of History and Biography
of Polk County, Minnesota
Maj. R. I. Holcombe, Historical Editor
William H. Bingham, Feneral Editor
W. H. Bingham & Co.
Minneapolis 1916
|
NAVIGATION
Polk
County, MN
Biographies
Houston
County, MN
Histories
Online -
Biographies
Minnesota
Histories
Illinois
Histories
Michigan
Histories
New York
Histories
Also see [ Railway Officials in America 1906
] NEW
Privacy Policy for
OnlineBiographies
|