USA > Wisconsin > Dane County > History of Dane County, Biographical and Genealogical > Part 67
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a member of the Pioneers of Wisconsin. He is the type of man who will overconde almost any obstacle to bring about his betterment and that of the community. He is much respected in the community where he resides.
Charles D. Nelson, chief deputy in the fish and game department of the state, was born in Algoma. Wis., September 23, 1873. He is the youngest of three children of William O. and Lizzie (Mc- Donald) Nelson, both natives of the Badger state The other two children are Mae, the wife of F. E. Verden of Chicago, the owner and manager of one of the largest business colleges in the United States, having an enrollment of seventeen hundred ; and William O., who conducts a marble and granite concern at Rice Lake, Wis. The father was a pier foreman at Algoma. At the breaking out of the Civil War he enlisted in Company I, Fourteenth Wisconsin Infantry, and his service continued throughout the war, although toward the close of it he was made captain of a company in the Forty-seventh Louisiana colored regiment. At the cessation of hostilities he returned to his position as dock foreman and held it until his death in 1878. His wife passed away the same month and year. Upon the death of his parents Charles D. Nelson was adopted by the Hon. De Wayne Stebbins, for some years state senator, and William O. Nelson's former employer. Senator Steb. bins died in 1901 at the age of sixty-six. He was a candidate for the Republican nomination for governor when Hon. R. M. La Fol- lette was named. He was a graduate of the United States naval academy in the same class as Admiral Dewey. His widow is still a resident of Algoma. Mr. Nelson received his preparatory edu- cation in the Algoma common and high schools and then took a course in a Chicago business college, graduating in 1892. Since that time he has been continuously employed by the state or na- tional government. His first work was on the harbor improve- ments remaining in this position for five years. In 1897 he was appointed deputy game warden, since which time he has made Madison his home. That his work in the department has been eminently satisfactory is evidenced by his continuance in office through the successive changes of administration. On June 12, 1894 Mr. Nelson was united in marriage to Miss Elsie Acker, a na- tive of Algoma, and a daughter of John and Sarah Acker, both present residents of Algoma, where the father is a lumberman. Mr. and Mrs. Nelson have one child. De Wayne. They are both communicants of the Protestant Episcopal church. The father is
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a member of the Free and Accepted Masons, and of the Knights of Pythias. He is a man much esteemed.
Cornelius Nelson is a successful farmer of Christiania and son of one of its pioneers. In 1844 his parents, Nels C. and Ann Christina Nelson, came from Conksburg, Norway, to Wisconsin. Nels Nelson was a carpenter in Norway but when he arrived in Christiania he purchased an eighty-acre farm which he proceeded to clear and improve. He lived until 1876 and his wife until 1896. They were loyal members of the First Lutheran church. Twelve children were born to them, of whom nine are living. Andrew is a farmer in Barker county, Minn .; Sophia is Mrs. Allen Allenson of Edgerton ; Mongnous resides at Beloit, Wis .; Christian is a blacksmith at Spring Grove, Minn .; Cornelius is the subject of this sketch ; Caroline is Mrs. Gunder Rareson of Otter Tail county, Minn .; Catharine married Even Onscord; Josephine is Mrs. Sam- uel Peterson, of Edgerton ; O. M. is a farmer in Albion. Cornelius was born at the old home in section 34, Christiania, October 1. 1851, attended the home schools and purchased the old homestead in 1886, where he has ever since carried on a general farming busi- ness. The farm consists of one hundred and twenty acres and upon it Mr. Nelson raises considerable fine stock as well as grain, hay, etc. October 26, 1887, he married Miss Carrie Anderson, a native of Hademarken, Norway, daughter of Andrew and Anna Olson. Four children blessed the marriage; Alfred Nordahl, Clara Amanda, Clarence Otto and Henry Cornelius. All the children attended the home schools, and Clara the Edgerton school. The family at- tend the east Norwegian Lutheran church. Mr. Nelson is a Re- publican in his political sympathies but does not take an active part in political matters.
George Nelson, the well known and prosperous cement con- tractor of Madison, was born near Odense, Denmark, September 29, 1867. He is a son of Peter and Bertha Catherine Nelson. His education was received in the common schools of his native land and in 1886 he came to America. Chicago was his first home and for thirteen years he labored there as a cement workman. In 1899 he came to Madison and entered the employment of Nicholas Quinn, his first work being the laying of the curb and gutter between the capitol grounds and the lake on Wisconsin avenue. After a year he started in business for himself. The cement curbing on West Washington avenue between Carroll street and the West Madison depot was one of his first contracts. Since that time his business has grown so extensively that he does work in sixteen other towns
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and cities in the state, mostly to the west of Madison. He employs between one hundred and one hundred and seventy-five men. His biggest contract, a real test of the efficiency of his work, was the building of the bridge across the Eau Claire river at Eau Claire. It has been pronounced one of the finest pieces of work east of the Rocky Mountains. The bridge, two hundred and forty feet long, each span being eighty feet, is the continuation of the main street of the city and the car line passes over it. Another piece of Mr. Nelson's handiwork is the Williamson street bridge over the Yahara river in Madison. On January 14, 1903 Mr. Nelson was united in marriage to Miss Anna Hansen, also a native of Denmark. They have one child, Russell Arthur. Mr. Nelson is highly regarded by the whole community.
Jacob Nelson is another of the worthy citizens of the town of Oregon, whose successful career is an illustration of what indus- try and determination can do in the way of overcoming obstacles. He was born on the island of Langeland, which is a part of Den- mark, September 22, 1845, and is the only son of Nels Peterson and Carn Christianson, both of whom were also born in Denmark and spent their lives there. The father was a soldier in the Danish army during the war with Germany in 1848 to 1850. Jacob Nelson was reared to manhood in his native country and received his edu- cation in the public schools. At the age of twenty years he turned his face toward the land of opportunities, and coming directly to Dane county worked as a farm hand during the first six years of his residence in America. Upon his arrival he was not able to speak a word of the English language, and this handicap with others made his progress slow for a time. But in 1871 he married and purchased forty acres of land in the town of Dunkirk, where he commenced his independent career as a farmer, and success has attended his every effort since. He resided on the Dunkirk farm about four years and then sold it and moved to Rutland, where he lived on a rented place for three years, and then moved to Green county, Wis. Four years later he returned to Dane county and purchased the sixty acres of land in the town of Oregon, where he has since resided, and where he has met with a flattering degree of success as a farmer. He has made all the improvements thereon, which are now so noticeable to the passer-by, and the old log house in which he first resided has long since been superseded by a com- modious and modern structure. When Mr. Nelson first began farming in Dane county he cut all of his grain with the old-fash- ioned cradle and thrashed it with a one-horse machine ; but this has
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all been changed by the wonderful progress of the last quarter- century, due in no small measure to the enterprise and industry of such men as the subject of this review. Being remarkably well preserved, despite the many years of strenuous toil, it is hoped and reasonably expected that he will live long to enjoy the fruits of his labors. One sister. Christina, is his only living relative, other than the members of his immediate family, and she resides in Denmark. Mr. Nelson was married in February, 1871. to Miss Carolina Saren- son, born February 10, 1853, whose parents, Saren Christian Peter- son and wife. Christina, are both deceased. the mother dying when the daughter was an infant, and the father died in America. To Mr. and Mrs. Nelson there have been born five children, two of whom died in infancy. Of the others, Carl married Carolina Peter- son, a native of Denmark, and resides near his parents; Emery married Sena Peterson, sister of his brother's wife; and Louis, who is not married, remains at the parental home. Mr. Nelson is a Re- publican in his political affiliations, was supervisor of the town of Oregon one term, and has been school director for several years. In his religious faith he adheres to the Danish Lutheran church, and was baptised and confirmed in Denmark before his migration to America.
John Mandt Nelson .- In the affairs of state, as taken aside from the extraordinary conditions of warfare, there are demanded men whose mental ken is as wide and whose generalship is as effective as those which insure successful manoeuvering of armed forces by the skilled commander on the field of battle. The nation's welfare and prosperity may be said to hinge as heavily upon individual discrimination and executive ability in the one case as the other. It requires a master mind to marshal and organize the forces for political purposes and produce the best results by concerted effort. Among the leaders of the Republican cohorts in Wisconsin is num- bered Mr. Nelson, who is one of the able and successful members of the bar of Dane county, engaged in the practice of his profession in Madison. The following review of his career, save for slight paraphrase, appeared in a recent issue of the Milwaukee Free Press, in connection with special reference to his candidacy for nomination for congress in the autumn of 1906: "Mr. Nelson is well known throughout the district and has been an active sup- porter of Governor La Follette's policies and the movement for good government in Wisconsin. He is a man of strong convictions and undouted courage. He was born in the township of Burke. Dane county, this state. October 10, 1820, being a representative of
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one of the sterling pioneer families of the county. He attended the common schools and the Northwestern Business College, en- tering the University of Wisconsin in 1888. He was graduated in the modern classical course with the class of 1892, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Arts. In the fall of the same year he was elected county superintendent of schools for Dane county, and was re-elected in 1893. He entered the college of law of the state uni- versity the following year and finished the course in 1896, being duly admitted to the bar. He soon afterward became part owner of the newspaper known as the Old Dane and later as the State, of Madison, and was for two years its editor. In 1901 Mr. Nelson en- tered the University as a post-graduate and there he specialized for three years, mainly in political science and the government of cities, making a total of ten years of college training. He was chosen a member of the University alumni executive committee in 1903, and was elected corresponding secretary of the committee the following year. His political training began as secretary of the University of Wisconsin Republican Club, in 1888, and as president of the club a year later. He has for fifteen years been Governor La Follette's chief lieutenant in Dane county, and in his man- agement of campaigns in which every inch of ground was contested he has shown great executive ability and capacity for organization. His political activity was not enlisted to further the ambitions of one man nor for his own benefit, but to promote the cause of good government. He has been a delegate to nearly all state and con- gressional conventions for the past twelve years. He was chair- man of Congressman Dahle's campaign committee, was a member of the Republican state central committee with Chairman Bryant and is now a member of the executive committee, with Chairman .Connor. For three years he was bookkeeper in the department of state, and for four years he was correspondent in the treasury de- partment, acquainting himself fully with the business of the state. He was urged by Governor La Follette to accept the office of ex- ecutive clerk, but he declined. He was importuned to become a candidate for state senator, but he would not accept the overtures. Governor Davidson offered him the position of private secretary, but Mr. Nelson declined. Mr. Nelson has been a member of the state bar for ten years and for the past three years has been act- ively engaged in practice. He is a stockholder in the Wisconsin Security Land Company, a large Wisconsin and North Dakota corporation, and is also vice-president of the Stondall Land & In- vestment Company, operating successfully in Wisconsin. North
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Dakota and Canada. In 1891 Mr. Nelson married Miss Johanna Stondall, a sister of Senator A. M. Stondall. Six children have been born of this union. He owns an attractive new home near the Universty."
Lars L. Nelson is another of those noble sons of Norwegian de- scent who have contributed so much to the material advancement and prosperity of Dane county. He was born in the town of Deerfield on June 24, 1846, and his parents were Lars and Karie ( Ellif) Nelson Väle; the former was born in Norway in 1803, and the latter was a nativo of the same country and was born in 1814. These par- ents were married in their native land, and migrated to America in 1844. Arriving at Chicago, they made the trip from that city to the town of Deerfield Dane county, with an ox team, and immediately bought forty acres of government land and began farming in a gen- eral way, in so far as it was practicable in those days. The father added to this farm from time to time until he had a grand total of four hundred and forty acres in the estate. He later sold forty acres of this and divided the remaining four hundred acres between his two sons giving each two hundred acres. He was a highly respected cit- izen, generous in the extreme, and was always ready to assist move- ments of a public nature or contribute to the relief of the poor and needy. His death occurred, February 9, 1874, and his good wife survived until July 8, 1892, when she died at the residence of her son. Joseph L.Nelson, on the old homestead. Lars L. Nelson, to whom this review is specially dedicated, received his education in district school, No. I, of Decrfield, and the date of his father's death was , practically the beginning of his independent career. He made his home with his brother until 1887, when he was married and moved to the place where he now resides. Living now in the midst of all the latter-day improvements he easily recalls to memory the time when he assisted his father with an ox team to till the virgin soil. Of the five children born to his parents Mr. Nelson is now the only survivor, his brother, Joseph L., who is spoken of in this review, died in the fall of 1903. Mr. Nelson was married, in September, 1887, to Miss Matilda Olson, who was born October 8, 1867, the daughter of Mathea Olson, who was born in Norway, and lived in Deerfield, and then moved to the farm of Joseph L. Nelson. To Mr. and Mrs. Nelson there have . been born the following children: Caroline, born September 16, 1888; Lewis, born February 7, 1890; Martin, born July 20, 1891 ; Anton Olene, born October 10, 1892, died November 17, 1894; Della Olene, born December 11, 1895, and Sanford Olene, born May 12, 1898. When the parents of Mr. Nelson first came to Deerfield they had to go a mile for drinking water.
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1
Halvor A. Nestestu (deceased), was born at Venge, Telemarken, Norway, September 27, 1838, and died in the town of Cottage Grove, Dane county, June 1, 1905. He was a son of Osmon Oslakson and Ingeborg Burensdaughter, who came to this country in 1843. They settled first in Milwaukee, but after a short time there, came to the town of Cottage Grove, where they bought a farm from the govern- ment. This farm is now the property of Mrs. Nestestu, the widow of the subject of this sketch. Halvor lived with his parents until he was about thirty years of age, when he married and bought the farm from his father, though his parents continued to live on the old home- stead until their death. Shortly after his marriage he went into the drug business in Marshall, but a year later, at the request of his par- ents, he sold out and returned to the farm where he passed the rest of his life. After his death the widow removed to the village of Deer- field, where she expects to spend the remainder of her days. Mr. Nestestu was a man of great determination and when once undertak- ing any thing was not easily discouraged. Mr. Nestestu, Senior, pos- sessed marked ability and ingenuity. His widow has a number of peices of silverware, made and engraved by him, which will compare favorably with articles of a similar character seen in first class jewelry stores. Of his four brothers and sisters none are now living. One of the brothers was the father of state Senator Albert M. Stondall. To the union of Halvor A. Nestestu and wife four children were born, one dying in infancy. The living are; Mary, married Iver Notsetter, now lives near Cottage Grove; Henry, on the homestead farm; Hanna, in the millinery business in Deerfield.
Charles W. Netherwood, who has been president of the village of Oregon continuously since 1885, excepting three years, and who has also filled the position of postmaster at that place, is a prominent Republican and a highly respected citizen of Dane county, and. was born at Watervliet, N. Y., on January 14: 1843. He is the son of Joseph Netherwood, who was born at Huddersfield, England, in Feb- ruary, 1817, where he grew up to the trade of a woolen manufacturer, becoming proficient in all its branches. He married Emma Barra- clough, who was born in the place of his nativity and who was his traveling companion when he crossed the ocean in 1842, and settled near Albany, N. Y. Employment was found by him in various mills along the Hudson, but chiefly at Troy. His skill was frequently called into action to get new mills into operation, there being but few of them when he first arrived. The great west attracted him, and taking his family he proceeded by way of the lakes to Detroit, thence by rail to Chicago and to Footville, Wis., and to Dane county by teamn.
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Here he bought eighty acres in the north half of the northwest quar- ter of section 34, in the town of Oregon, adding forty acres adjoining, later. By industry he improved it into one of the finest farms in the county and sold it at a good price in 1883, when he removed to the village of Oregon, at which place he died April 16, 1894. His worthy and beloved helpmate died in 1885, aged sixty-nine years. Coming to the United States a very poor man, by hard work he amassed a com- petency. He was made a citizen at Troy, N. Y., and at once allied himself with the Whig party, being loyal to it as long as that party had had an existence, transferring his allegiance to the Republican party at the birth of the latter. In no sense a seeker after public office, he had, none the less, an active interest in the party's suc- cess, doing all in his power to achieve that end. Just as earnest was he in his Christian life and work, being a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Six children came to bless his home, viz .: Edwin, a resident of Denver, Col .; Eliza, wife of J. H. Martin, of Chicago; Emma, a long-time teacher in Dane county ; Ada, wife of J. H. Richards, of Brooklyn; Charles W., who is the subject of this review, and two others who died in infancy. Our sub- · ject attended such parish schools as the country afforded in his youth, until he was ten years old, and then went into a factory, subsequently attending one term in a parish school; and this is all the education he received in the state of New York. After com- ing west he managed to go to school in the intervals of farm work. He was moved by patriotism and enlisted as a private in Company E, Twenty-third Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, the date of his enlistment being August 5, 1862. His regiment went from Camp Randall to Cincinnati, to protect that city from the threatened at- tack of Kirby Smith; saw service in Kentucky ; joined Sherman at Memphis and was attached to Gen. A. J. Smith's division of the Thirteenth Army Corps and made a great march on Christmas day, 1862. His regiment wintered at Young's Point, where dis- ease made great ravages, only two hundred and fifty of the entire regiment being able to carry muskets, the remainder being ill or wounded. Breaking camp in the spring of 1863 the regiment went to Vicksburg, taking part in that memorable campaign and participating in all the battles, including Champion's Hill. In that fight Mr. Netherwood was picked up for dead, after being struck by a piece of iron fired from a cannon. The commander of the battery informed him after the war that he had loaded his guns with bits of a locomotive, broken up for the purpose. He did not, however, go to the hospital, and was present at the battle
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of Black River Bridge, although not able to fight. Misfortunes do not come singly. On May 22 he was twice wounded with gun- shots, one in the lower jaw and the other in the shoulder; was taken to the field hospital, and on June 4 was sent to Memphis, where a portion of the lower jaw was removed, and he was sent home on a furlough in September. A surgeon at Memphis told him he could never do service again ; but after reaching home a surgeon from Camp Randall ordered him to the front. He was not per- mitted to remain long, however, the surgeons in active work soon procuring his discharge, and he was mustered out with the rank of corporal on November 21, 1863. After the war he attended a commercial college at Madison; then was clerk in a store at Edgerton one year ; later tried farming unsuccessfully, not having the necessary physical strength, and he returned to clerking, at Oregon. An attempt at broom-making was a failure, his poor health and disabled arm preventing his success, after which he went south and obtained a position as second clerk on a steamer ; but being unable to perform the duties of that position, on ac- count of physical disability, he was compelled to resign and re- turn home, when he was commissioned postmaster at Oregon, a position he held continuously from 1869 to 1894, with the excep- tion of about nine months in the latter 'part of the first administra- tion of Cleveland. Our subject has been twice married: first to Eva Bedford, in 1866, she being the daughter of William and Edna E. Bedford, and was born December 25, 1846, dying at Or- egon, Wis., October 28, 1867, childless. His second wife was Mrs. Lucy H. Gilbert, daughter of Mordecai and Lucy P. Sayles, the ceremony occurring in 1868. Mrs. Lucy H. Netherwood was born January 29, 1841, and the name of her first husband was Thomas Gilbert. To her and Mr. Netherwood have been born six children, namely: Harry, born October 18, 1870, a bookkeeper in the Madison Democrat office; Eva, Lucy, Pearl, Bertha and Perry. Mrs. Netherwood has by her first marriage one child, Ada, the wife of A. U. Marvin. of Nekoosa, Wis. The political faith of our subject is strongly Republican, and he has been prom- inent in public affairs for forty years; was town treasurer four terms; and was supervisor of the village on the county board for over twenty years. In the Masonic order he belongs to the Blue Lodge, the Royal Arch Chapter, and the Madison Com- mandery, having been master of the first for a long time; and the G. A. R., being present commander of O. E. Rice post, No. 121.
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James Nevin, superintendent of fisheries, who makes his home at 12 North Broom street, is a native of Canada. His birthplace was Newcastle, Ontario, and the date June 4, 1854. His parents. Joseph and Mary Ellen (Wilson) Nevin, were natives of the County of Antrim, Ireland, who emigrated to Canada. The father is still a resident of Essex county, Ontario, eighty-two years of age. The mother died February 17, 1905. Both the parents were members of the Presbyterian church. Of the seven living children of a family of nine, James Nevin is the only one who ever came to the United States. After he had received what education the common schools of Newcastle afforded he was employed by the Canadian government in its department of fisheries. In 1882 he was offered the superintendency of the Wisconsin fisheries. He came to the state, looked the ground over carefully and determined to accept the position provided there were no politics about it. He announced his decision to Gov. Jeremiah Rusk, and that individual, with characteristic bluffness, responded "You 'tend to business, or we'll attend to you." The conditions were accepted and the strict- ness with which Mr. Nevin has "tended to business" is evidenced in his twenty-four years of continuous and efficient service. His department alone has been kept clear of politics through all the changes of administration. «On October 8, 1877, he, married Mary Ellen, daughter of Michael Robinson and Isabelle (Olden) Nevin, of Ontario. To this union have been born two children .- William James, born August 16, 1878, died October 1, 1905; and Thomas Wilmot, a graduate from the Madison high school and business college, now employed in the Oshkosh hatchery. Both Mr. and Mrs. Nevin are members of the Unitarian church. Mr. Nevin is also a Knights Templar Mason and a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
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