My Genealogy Hound

A. Nelson. The Ozark Plateau Land Company is represented by A. Nelson as general manager. This company own about 140,000 acres of land, located in Laclede, Webster, Camden and Dallas Counties, which is sold off in any quantity, on long time and easy payments. Mr. Nelson was born in Oneida County, N. Y., and is the son of John A. and Clarissa (Hamlin) Nelson, and grandson of Elijah Nelson, who was born in England and who immigrated to the State of New York at quite an early date. He located in Westchester County, N. Y., where he purchased a large tract of land, cleared it, and here passed the residue of his days, dying in 1848. He first came there in the latter part of the seventeenth century, and was in his ninety-second year at the time of his death. He purchased a silver watch, manufactured at Peakhill, England, which he brought over with him. It bears the date of 1727, and is now in the possession of A. Nelson. He was also one of the first subscribers to the first bibles that were sold only by subscription, and this volume is also in our subject’s possession. John A. Nelson and wife were born in Westchester County, N. Y., on the Hudson River, and in this State they were reared. The father was a farmer by occupation and a prominent citizen. He served six months in the War of 1812, and died in Wayne County, N. Y., in July, 1865. The mother died in 1835. They were the parents of five children, only two now living: Fannie E., who resides in Buffalo, N. Y., and Absalom, subject of this sketch. He was reared on the farm, and received a meager education in Oneida County, N. Y., being obliged to grub stumps in his boyhood days instead of attending school. After his marriage to Miss Nancy A. Jackson, a native of Oneida County, N. Y., and of English descent, he moved to Buffalo, N. Y., still retaining his farm, however, in Oneida County. He here engaged in the lake and canal transportation business, which was quite an extensive calling, and which he carried on for about twenty-five years. Twenty-three years of this time he was a resident of Buffalo City. He was a citizen of Wayne County, N. Y., for three years, where he had a large farming interest, and also kept up his business in Buffalo. In 1883 he moved to Lebanon, and in connection with his company purchased 177,000 acres of land, which company he still represents, as stated above. This concern is represented by a well-posted gentleman, in behalf of Mr. Nelson, who has a thorough knowledge of this county and its lands, having gone all over them before purchasing. Mr. Nelson is quite extensively engaged in farming, and is a man universally respected. He is chairman of the Republican city committee, and took an active part in the campaign of 1888. Mr. and Mrs. Nelson are the parents of five children: Homer A., Arthur T., Harry A., Alfred J. and Laura A., and both are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Nelson is a member of the Masonic order, and also a member of the K. of H. He has spent a great deal of his time and money in building up the county, in the way of stock, fruit and grain, etc., which he has exhibited at the St. Louis Exposition, to show what Laclede County could do. He has made fine exhibits at Springfield on stock, etc., and has always taken the premium. He is certainly one of the leading and enterprising citizens of this portion of Missouri, and deserves great credit for his enterprise.