William Nettles Nelson (1808 - 1896)

Born 14 Oct 1808 in Penns Valley, Union county, Pennsylvania, United States

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 17 Dec 1896 at age 88 in Cameron, Pennsylvania, United States

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William N. Nelson was the son of David and Maria (Lorshbaugh) Nelson. William was married first to Hannah Lewis. His second marriage was to Elizabeth C. Chapman the daughter of Samuel & Catherine (Shaffer) Chapman.

William and Elizabeth Nelson settled at Huntley on Grove Hill Road, Cameron County, PA.^[1]

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Mr. Wm. Nelson, of Huntley, enjoyed a sociable time on Saturday Oct. 13th, he being 80 years old on that day. All his children but one and many of his neighbors met together to have a good time. The old gentleman enjoyed the meeting very much and looked as though he would see many (unreadable) occasions. Mr. Nelson is a very active (unreadable) gentleman for his age and can relate many incidents of hardships in by-gone days that the younger class would think almost impossible to endure. May his last days be his best. ^[2]

From another newspaper article: Mr. William Nelson of Huntley, near Driftwood, the oldest man in Cameron county, arrived here yesterday on a visit to his son, H.B. Nelson, of Park Avenue. Mr Nelson is over 88 years of age and has had experiences which fall to the lot of but a few. He recollects when this entire region was little but a virgin forest and its denizens chiefly elk, deer and bear, which he has hunted through the then almost unbroken wilderness. The old veteran of four score years and eight has lived in the same place for fifty years and in that time has found himself a resident of three counties, Clearfield, Elk And Cameron, all accomplished by the erection of new or the changing of the lines of existing counties. During a portion of this time he has served as associate judge of Elk county, of which, like the one in which he now resides, he is an honored citizen. Mr. Nelson has been alternately farmer, lumberman, surveyor and hunter. He is active and hearty, for his age, and gets around without difficulty. He used tobacco for 73 years of his life, but abandoned the practice during the last year and says he now has no desire for it. The present is Mr. Nelson's first visit to DuBois, although he has long been acquainted both personally and in a business way with Mr. Geo. R. Vosburg, on whom he first called on arriving here and who directed him to his son's residence. Until yesterday he had never ridden on an electric street car, although familiar with horse cars and possessing a pass over the Philadelphia & Erie railroad, which used his home at Huntley as a waiting room. Mr. Nelson will remain here some days. His wife, who is 78 years of age, did not accompany him, her health not being equal to the trip.^[3]

A letter written by William's daughter Lucina states that her father's middle name was Nettles. The family wonders if this surname was from the ancestors of William and his father David. William's brother's middle name was Iredell and again it is wondered if this was a surname from previous generations. _________________________________________________________________________________

Beryl Meehan added the information below:

William Nelson as given on marriage entry of daughter Lucina J in 1886. ^[4] William Nelson and Elizabeth Chapman were named as parent on the death certificate of daughter Lucina in 1952. ^[5]

Birth 13 Oct 1808 Somerset County, Pennsylvania, USA Death 15 Dec 1896 (aged 88) Cameron County, Pennsylvania, USA Burial Huntley Cemetery, Cameron County, Pennsylvania, USA ^[6]

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AN OCTOGENARIAN DEAD WILLIAM NELSON ONE OF CAMERON COUNTY'S RESPECTED AND PIONEER CITIZENS, PASSED AWAY Buried --- Huntley Cemetery 1808-1896 BRIEF SKETCH OF HIS EVENTFUL LIFE

Sinnemahoning, and, we might say, the county of Cameron, mourns the loss by death of one of its oldest and best citizens in the person of William Nelson, who passed peacefully to his rest Tuesday night, between 12 an 1 o'clock. Mr. Nelson had not been in good health for some time, and about six weeks ago he took to his bed. His death resulted from a gradual failure of his physical powers super-induced by old age, being at the time of his demise, 88 years old.

Funeral of the deceased will occur from Huntley M.E. Church Friday morning at 10:30. Mail train will stop at Huntley to leave off all who desire to attend the funeral.

Services will be conducted by Rev. S.S. Ebersole, of Sterling Run, assisted by Rev. Piper, of Sinnamahoning. Below we append a brief sketch of the life of the deceased;

Deaceased was born in Penns Valley, Union county, Pa., October 13, 1808 and lived there until his father came back from the war of 1812, when they moved to near where Watsontown now stands, and where they resided for ten years. In 1822 they moved up the First Fork, about twenty miles from what is now Sinnamahoning. They moved up in canoes and at night slept on the beach, there being but few houses from Lock Haven up. They located in Eulalia township, Potter county. From Sinnamahoning up it was unbroken forest, no one living between these two points. In 1825 the first path was dug through from their place to Sinnamahoning. When they arrived where they settled the Indians were there trapping for beaver, and the Nelsons drained their beaver dam and made an excellent meadow.

They settled of the First Fork, June 16, 1822. There was no road from there to Coudersport, a distance of twenty miles. At the latter place there was one log house, occupied by John Reed, who had two or three acres cleared, Seneca Freeman, Daniel Bailey and the Nelsons comprised the only families in the valley at this time. William remained at home until he was twenty-one, lumbering and clearing land.

In 1829 Horton township was struck off and they were given a voting place. Mr. Nelson's first vote was for Gen. Andrew Jackson, cast in that year.

Mr. Nelson was married in 1842 and moved to Emporium where his wife died. In 1850 he remarried and moved to Huntley where he and his wife have lived up until about six months ago, when they removed to Sinnamahoning and took up their abode with Mr. Nelson's son-in-law J. W. Lightner, where he died.

Deceased is survived by a devoted wife, now in her 80th year, and who is quite vigorous mentally and physically; two brothers and a sister. Of the brothers, Mr. Seth Nelson resides at Round Island, Clinton county; J.P. Nelson resides in California, and is a wealthy merchant; the sister, Mrs. Nancy Farewell, live at Hyner's Run, Pa.^[7]

• There is uncertainty about William's birthplace: Beryl Meehan found Somerset County in western PA but the obituary states he was born in central PA. William's grandfather Henry Lushbaugh is listed as being born in Somerset, PA as well as his sister Catherine so maybe the family was there for a time.

Sources

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/31876002/william-n.-nelson

1. ↑ First Fork of the Sinnemahoning Creek Researched and Edited by: Glenda (Neenan) Card & Dianne (Connelly) DeShong
2. ↑ From undated newspaper clipping in possession of the family.
3. ↑ From undated newspaper clipping in possession of the family.
4. ↑ https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/61381/TH-1951-20618-36147-87/1353241166?backurl=https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/85826300/person/420083061276/facts
5. ↑ https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/5164/42410_622204_0754-01399/606850742?backurl=https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/85826300/person/420083061276/facts
6. ↑ Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 21 March 2018), memorial page for William N. Nelson (13 Oct 1808–15 Dec 1896), Find A Grave Memorial no. 31876002, citing Huntley Cemetery, Cameron County, Pennsylvania, USA ; Maintained by Robin (contributor 46971646)
7. ↑ First Fork of the Sinnemahoning Creek Researched and Edited by: Glenda (Neenan) Card & Dianne (Connelly) DeShong