Glynn County GaArchives Obituaries.....NELSON, James F. March 14, 1889 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Amy Hedrick http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00013.html#0003209 June 6, 2008, 5:17 pm The Brunswick Daily Times; Friday 15 March 1889 DEATH OF HON. J.F. NELSON—Former Citizen of Brunswick Dies in Florida—A Biographical Sketch of Deceased. The Funeral to Take Place in this City To- Day, With Masonic Honors. Mr. E.A. Nelson, the popular clerk and treasurer of this city, left Tuesday morning for Orlando, Fla., to attend the bedside of his father, Hon. J.F. Nelson, who was reported as quite ill. Last evening a telegram was received from him by Mr. A.T. Putnam, announcing his father’s death, and state that the remains will be brought to the city for interment this afternoon. Hon. J.F. Nelson had a large circle of friends in this city, who will be shocked and saddened by this intelligence. Mr. Nelson was born in Twiggs count, Georgia on the 30th day of August, 1833. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Nelson, who remained in that county until the early part of August 1887, when they disposed of their landed interests and moved to Houston county, two miles from Perry. Here it was that Mr. Nelson was reared, he remaining on the farm until he had attained his 21st year, when he moved to Perry and engaged in the mercantile business for a short while, during which he was wedded to Miss Martha Sumaford [sic]. He then retired from business and started a school, which eh conducted for several years, finally closing it an moving from Perry to Medway, in Dooly county, where he founded the Medway academy, to which for quite a while he devoted his whole time and attention, but finally yielding to the persuasion of his brother-in-law, Mr. N.C. Greer, he closed the academy, and moved with his family to Dawson, and once more engaged in school-teaching, which he quit in order to enter the mercantile business with Mr. M.L. Burney, under the firm name of Burney & Nelson, finally retiring from the firm in 1870, when he moved to Brunswick and opened a store on the corner of Bay and Monk streets. Shortly after his arrival in this city he was elected as an alderman, and held that office during the years 1871, ’74, ’75 and ’76, and in the year 1877 he was elected mayor, holding that honorable position during 1877 and 1878, retiring that year in favor of Mr. John B. Habersham. But his name was once more placed before the people for that office in 1880, when he was elected by a large majority of votes, and succeeded himself at the next election, retiring at that time until the year 1884, when he was elected city clerk and treasurer, holding that position until January 1, 1888, when his health began to fail him, and he was forced to retire for rest. He was succeeded by his son, Mr. E.A. Nelson, who is now filling that position. During that period he commenced the erection of the Ocean hotel, but before completing that structure he disposed of his store and devoted all of his energy in that direction. The hotel, when completed, was leased to Mr. Hewitt, afterward to several parties, until two years ago, when it was sold to Afton B. Cook & Co. Mr. Nelson, as before [section cut off] of clerk and stated [section cut off], 1888 when he retired on account of his health, and moved to Orlando, Fla., where he remained until the time of his death. The news of his death, while not unexpected, was received with deep regret by the entire community. His life will always be remembered by those who knew him, as one spent in helping those in trouble. To these he always extended an open hand, and by these his memory will always be cherished as one who never turned the needy from his door. The remains will be interred this afternoon, at 2:30 o’clock, with Masonic honors, by Ocean lodge 214, F.A.M., of which he was a member. The mayor and council will attend the funeral in a body. The service will be conducted by Rev. E.Z.F. Golden, from the Methodist church. Deceased leaves a wife, a mother, and four children to mourn his loss. The children are: Mrs. H. Dickson, of Orlando, Fla.; Mr. E.A. Nelson, of this city; Mr. J.F. Nelson, conductor on the Brunswick and Western Railroad, and Mr. William Nelson, of New York. [This obituary came from family research, the actual newspaper this obit came from was lost and never microfilmed, the family have the only known copy--ALH] Additional Comments: More Glynn County Genealogy & History can be found at or the sister site at File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/glynn/obits/n/nelson8898gob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/ File size: 5.0 Kb