The Nelson Family History

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Descendants of Eddie Nelson

Hans A. Nelson emigrated to the United States (Muskego, Racine County Wisconsin) from Feiring Norway in 1854 at the age of 15. He came with his father Nils Kristoffersen Stubberud and mother Dorthea Hansdatter Stubberud and six brothers and sisters. They were on a ship for 11 weeks before reaching New York. Many on the ship were sick and wondered if they had enough food for the long trip. Tragedy struck within the first year of their arrival when Hans lost his mother and a sister to cholera. Hans was born on the Stubberud farm which is about 4 km north of the village of Feiring while his father Nils was born on the Bekkedal farm which is about 4 km south of Feiring (1 hour drive north of Oslo).

Hans left Muskego after about one year. He first went to Waseca County, then to Decorah, Iowa. From there he joined the Iowa regiment went on to fight in the Civil War. He was wounded in the Battle of Vicksburg and received a pension for the rest of his life. After the war he moved to Dakota County where he met Theoline. Hans married Theoline Thorsdatter in 1869 before he settled in Cottonwood County. He homesteaded in Ann Township, Cottonwood County, Minnesota in 1871. The farm was in the Nelson family until it was sold in 2006 (135 years).

Hans and Theoline had seven children, five of whom lived to adulthood. Eddie, the second oldest married Nellie Bakken and remained on the homestead. Norman and his sister Nellie married a brother and sister Alfred and Rose Larson and both raised families in the Stockholm-Strandburg South Dakota area. Ellen married Knut Nappen and moved to Langdon North Dakota where they raised a family. Florence married Rob Katz and remained in the Revere Minnesota area.
Pictures of Eddie Nelson and Nellie (Nelson) Larson families.

From left seated: Theoline, Florence, Ellen, and Hans Nelson
From left standing: Norman, Eddie, and Nellie