Bio of HILLMAN, Nels A. (b.1866), Wright Co., MN ======================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor, OR the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. If you have found this file through a source other than the MNArchives Table Of Contents you can find other Minnesota related Archives at: http://www.usgwarchives.net/mn/mnfiles.htm Please note the county and type of file at the top of this page to find the submitter information or other files for this county. FileFormat by Terri--MNArchives Made available to The USGenWeb Archives by: Diane Hanson Submitted: April 2004 ========================================================================= 422 HISTORY OF WRIGHT COUNTY Nels A. Hillman, the prosperous general merchant of French Lake village, was born in Sweden, February 24, 1866, son of Andrew and Anna (Olson) Hillman. Andrew Hillman was born in Sweden, there married, and there spent his early manhood. In 1881 he brought his wife and four children, Anna, Elizabeth, Mary and Nels A., to America and located on forty acres in section 16, French Lake township. This tract was covered with timber. They made a clearing, erected a house 16 by 24 of hewed logs with a shingled roof and a board floor, and started to develop a farm. Gradually the place was improved, frame buildings were erected and the ground was cleared. Andrew Hillman died at Shell Lake, Wis., September 6, 1906, at the age of seventy years. His wife, who was seventy-eight on January 15, 1914, lives with her son, Nels A. Nels A. Hillman remained at home until he was seventeen years of age. Then he was employed by various farmers until 1889, when he bought a grocery store at 1551 East Franklin avenue, Minneapolis, and later sold it to P. M. Burg, who moved the goods to Shell Lake, Wis. Mr. Hillman then worked in the west some three years. Later he entered the employ of H. C. Peterson, grocer, at 116 Bridge square, Minneapolis. He then bought a grocery at 824 Hennepin avenue, in the same city. His next venture was when he took a homestead at Clam Lake, Wis., where he operated a farm, store and sawmill. Subsequently he sold out there and bought a general store at Winton, in this state. He opened July 3, 1901, and was burned out July 23 of the same year, losing practically everything. He at once rebuilt and again opened 423 HISTORY OF WRIGHT COUNTY his store. Later he sold out there and entered the employ of a planing mill at Winton. At the same time he bought an interest in the Shell Lake Boat Co., Shell Lake, Wis. After a year he sold out. In 1908 he opened his present store in French Lake village. This store has grown in size and popularity. Mr. Hillman is known far and wide for the excellence of his goods, the courtesy of his treatment. He has built a large trade and well deserves his unusual success. In addition to his mercantile interests he is a stockholder in the Farmers' State Bank of French Lake. While in Burnett county, Wis., he was chairman of the town board of La Follett township, and treasurer of the school district and of the township. At Winton, Minn., he was justice of the peace five years. He has passed through the chairs of the I. O. O. F. at Shell Lake, Wis., and of the M. W. A. at Clam Lake, Wis. Mr. Hillman was married September 13,1895, to Selma Carlson, daughter of Erland and Anna (Anderson) Carlson, who still live in Frederick, Polk county, Wis. the father being seventy-three years of age and the mother sixty-six. Mr. and Mrs. Hillman have three children: Violet Elizabeth, born July 13, 1896; Anna Harriet, born September 29, 1898, and Philip Nels, born July 9, 1906. The family faith is that of the Swedish Lutheran church.