Meeker County MN Archives Biographies.....Nelson, Andrew 1829 - 
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 January 17, 2015, 11:31 pm

Source: See Below
Author: Alden, Ogle & Co.

HON. ANDREW NELSON, one of the prominent and leading citizens of Meeker county,
resides in the village of Litchfield. His sterling integrity in all his dealings
with his fellow men, the honor and ability displayed in official positions and
the spotless purity of his private life, have won for him the respect of the
entire community. He is a native of Sweden, born December 29, 1829, in the
Forsamling of Troninge Paapsbyb, No. 3, Hallandslane, which is about
three-quarters of a Swedish mile (about five miles English) from Halmstadt.

   The father of our subject, Nels Anderson, was born in 1773, and was a native
of the same country and one of the wealthiest farmers of that locality. He had
erected some very fine farm buildings, but lost them by fire, and this, and
other misfortunes which overtook him, reduced him in circumstances. He had been
assaulted and nearly killed by a man who bore him enmity, and left for dead,
with his brains almost oozing, from his fractured skull, but being of a very
strong constitution he recovered his physical strength, although his mental
balance was considerably affected. He came to the United States in 1862, with
his wife, Johanna (Anderson) Anderson, and came at once to St. Paul. He died
there about 1867, after lying in bed for three years, having been crippled by
being run over, and never recovered. His widow is now making her home with her
son, Andrew Nelson, in Litchfield, and notwithstanding her eighty-eight years,
she having been born in October, 1800, is in the enjoyment of nearly all her
faculties, and in excellent health.

   Andrew Nelson, on account of his father's misfortunes, received but a limited
education, the present excellent school system of Sweden not having then been
adopted; there were no public schools. He, on attaining maturer years, worked
out at farm work until the spring of 1856, when, taking passage on a sailing
vessel from the port of Gottenborg, emigrated to the new world, and, after a
stormy voyage across the Atlantic ocean, arrived in New York harbor on the 3d of
July, and was compelled to stay on shipboard all of the 4th. At night when the
surrounding scenery was lit up by the brilliant lights of the fireworks, he and
his fellow travelers thought the inhabitants of America must be crazy, for they
had no idea of our celebrating that day. On landing, Mr. Nelson started for the
West and located at Galesburg, Ill., where he remained two years, working at
farm labor, and teaming, hauling wood for the railroad, etc. In July, 1858, he
came to Minnesota and settled in Monongalia county, now a part of Kandiyohi
county, where he took up 160 acres of land near Foot Lake. He commenced the
improvement of the property and there made his home until the Indian outbreak in
August, 1862.

   There was living in the house with him, for he was at that time a single man,
his brother-in-law, Swan Swanson, with the latter's wife and three children,
Annie, Theodore and Emma. On the 21st of August they received the news of the
massacre at Acton and the general uprising of the savages, and at once made
preparations for flight. Mr. Nelson assisted Swanson to take off the hayrack
from the running gear of the wagon and substitute the box, into which they
loaded some of their household goods and the little family, and started for a
place of safety, Mr. Nelson remaining to collect some forty head of cattle which
they had. Night overtook him, and, starting in the darkness, he soon heard
whispered voices near him and incautiously shouted, "Who's there?" and in an
instant the rapid footsteps of his savage foes gave him the alarm as they rushed
toward him. Favored by the night, he eluded them and made his way toward Foot's
house. He saw the Indians enter the house, and he crept into the cornfield; but
hearing them in his immediate neighborhood, the rustling of the leaves and the
breaking of the stalks betraying their movements, he slipped out and sought
security elsewhere. Arriving on the banks of Mud Lake, he jumped off of a high
bank for the water below, but fell into a scrub oak, but a minute or two after
dropped into the lake in mud and water to his armpits. After a short time spent
there he scrambled out, and as the water in his boots made such a noise when he
walked he pulled them off, and in doing so lost one and then threw the other
away. He wandered all about the prairie all night in his bare feet, and at one
time, having cast himself down beside a log by the side of the road, saw, dimly
portrayed against the sky, the figures of several of his pursuers pass within a
few feet of him. As the morning dawned he heard the sound of musketry, and
looked about him to find out his bearings, for he was still bewildered with his
wanderings and did not know where he was, and, casting himself into the grass,
made out that he was in the vicinity of Oscar Erickson's house, about two miles
from his own place. This cabin was near the outlet of Eagle Lake, and contained
four families, those of Foot, Carlson, Swanson and Erickson, who were making a
brave defense and drove off the invaders. Young Carlson was killed, and Mr. Foot
and Mr. Erickson severely wounded, but all escaped-with their lives, except the
former. Mr. Nelson, after waiting a short time within about sixty rods of the
house, finally struck across the prairie for Diamond Lake. His lacerated feet,
the flesh cut from them and bleeding at every step, hardly allowed him to make
much speed, but on arriving at the house of Mr. Gates he found a number of the
settlers ready to start, but calmly preparing their breakfast. Mr. Nelson's
tidings of the nearness of the ruthless savages altered all this, and,
abandoning the half-prepared meal, they quickly betook themselves to flight, he
riding with them, for by this time the pain in his feet had become
insupportable. Behind them, a few miles, they could see a train of fleeing
settlers, who were attacked about two miles west of Swede Grove, but who beat
off the savages by drawing up their wagons in a circle around a hole in the
earth, corralling their animals and fighting it out with the Indians, losing two
of their number, Lorenson and Bucklin. The band with whom the subject of this
sketch was arrived at Forest City, and prepared to go on east beyond the Big
Woods for safety. Mr. Nelson went with them as far as Kingston, where, through
the kindness of Mr. Davidson, the miller, and his wife, he had his feet washed
and the wounds dressed with tallow and linen rags by that gentleman, who loaned
him a pair of Indian mocassins to wear. Borrowing a horse of Swan Munson, Mr.
Nelson determined to return and seek his brother-in-law's family, but on the way
thither met Lieut. J. B. Atkinson, of the Meeker county militia, who was ordered
with his squad to take all the horses they could find to mount the command. Mr.
Nelson was ordered to dismount, but he would not, and informed the officer that
he could not have the horse as long as he (Mr. Nelson) was alive, whereupon the
good-natured officer told him to come along with him, and Mr. Nelson joined the
troop, enlisting as a private therein. This was in Captain Whitcomb's company.
From this time out Mr. Nelson participated in every movement of the troop, being
with every detail. The first time he was out with them they got as far as Peter
Lund's farm, and found the Indians preparing a meal in a big iron kettle, which
they had strung gypsy-fashion over a fire, they having killed one of the
settler's hogs. Quite a skirmish occurred, and the Indians retreated to the
woods to draw the squad into an ambush, but, their design being penetrated, our
forces fell back to Forest City. At another time, as is detailed elsewhere, they
were driven back by some three or four hundred savages, re-inforcements to their
foes being perceived all around the horizon, and threatening the total
annihilation of the little band if they were surrounded. The next day they built
the stockade at Forest City, and Mr. Nelson helped defend that place during the
attack made on it on the morning of the 3d of September. A few days afterward
the command moved to Hutchinson to escort their wounded, and as their horses
were stolen the men had to walk. Ole Ingeman loaned Mr. Nelson a horse to ride,
but the officer would not allow that, and our subject was compelled to hobble
along as he best could, for his feet were still in a horrible condition. He also
took part in the expedition to Diamond and Eagle Lakes, where he acted as guide,
and helped bury the dead bodies they found.

   After the company was disbanded, Mr. Nelson went to St Paul, and worked for
the Government at Fort Snelling, building stables, etc., after which he was
employed at various labor in that city, sawing wood and other work, the winter
of 1862 and 1863. In the spring of 1863 he leased forty acres of land in
Washington county, of John Forber, and put in a crop, and the next year
purchased eighty acres of land in the same county. To this he added, little by
little, until he owned some 200 acres, all of which he had under cultivation. In
1867 he sold out his property and purchased between 300 and 400 acres of land in
Darwin township, this county, on section 19, near Nelson Lake, and moved on it
in 1868, commencing to open up a farm. There he made his home until about 1871,
when he sold it to his father-in-law, Ole Johanson; and purchasing a lot in
Litchfield, put up a building, and in company with his brother, B. P. Nelson,
opened a stock of general merchandise. Some years later he sold this business to
Alexander Cairncross, since which time he has been variously employed,
principally in looking after his large landed property, and farming a little.

   Mr. Nelson was one of the original stockholders of the Meeker County Bank,
and was its first president, and has always taken an active interest in the
business life of the village. He was elected to the Sixteenth Legislature of
this State, and served in the lower house during the session of 1874. In 1875
and 1876, he represented this district in the State senate. As chairman of the
board of county commissioners of Meeker county, Mr. Nelson served this people
during the years 1884, 1885 and 1886, with credit to himself and honor to the
judgment of the constituency that sent him there. He was village trustee of
Litchfield in 1873, and is now a member of the city council, having been elected
to serve through 1888 and 1889.

   Mr. Nelson and Miss Ellen Johanson were united in marriage March 23, 1868.
She is a daughter of Ole and Hannah Johanson. natives of Sweden, and was born in
the latter country. She came to America with her parents in 1857, who, after a
short stay in St. Paul, settled that year in what is now Litchfield township.
Mr. and Mrs. Nelson were the parents of but one child, who died when but nine
days old.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from 
Illustrated Album of Biography
Meeker and McLeod Counties, Minnesota
1888


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