Mads Peder Nelson

GEDCOM Note

When Mads Peder "Peter Nelson" Nielsen was born on May 2, 1848, in the village of Vester Mellerup, Jerslev Sogn , Borglum, Hjorring, Denmark, his father, Niels, was 31 and his mother, Maren, was 27. [The Jerslev parish among others was and still is under the Aarlborg Diocese.] Peter immigrated to America in the spring of 1872 and settled initially in Olmsted county, Minnesota. According to a family anecdote, the brothers changed their last name to "Nelson" before they emigrated, the idea being that it would be less common than "Nielsen". [They may not have known of the tendency in the New World to anglicize the spelling of most newcomer's names, thus most "Nielsens" would become "Nelsons".] Another family story for a reason for emigrating from Denmark was to escape conscription into the Danish army. The fact that most Danish males, from ages 15-38 at that time, had to be registered in a military conscription roll and that Denmark had recently ended a second war with Prussia & Austria seems to corroborate this story. All that having been said, with the population growth in Denmark and less opportunities and land for farmers, the promise of free land and a hope of better lives would be reason enough to leave. After arriving in Minnesota, Peter married Marie Carlson and they had two children together. Marie and his youngest daughter passed away in the fall of 1877. He then moved to an area what is now known as White, South Dakota. Peter was married to Dorthea Marie Heilesen and they had 11 children together. He died on December 24, 1918, in Wetaskiwin, Alberta, at the age of 70, and was buried there.

<u>The Peter Nelson Family</u> (as related by Edna or Gladys Nelson, <i>Pioneer Pathways Vol I </i>1981, pp 495-498)

Our father, Peter Nelson, was born in Denmark on May 2, 1848. He married Marie Carlson in 1873. They had immigrated to Minnesota, USA, where they made their home. They had two daughters, Martha, born in 1874 and Caroline, born in 1876. Caroline and her mother passed away in 1877 from Diphtheria. Following the death of his wife, Dad moved to South Dakota where he met and married our mother, Mary Hielson [Heilesen]. She was born in Denmark on March 13, 1863, and immigrated to the United States as a young girl. Mother and Dad farmed near White, in Brookings County, South Dakota for seventeen years. It was here eight of their children were born, namely; Constance, Martena, Laura, Nora, Agnes, Clarence, Arthur and Lily. Six of these began their schooling in the United States. Faced each year with a shortage of water, Father decided it was best to look elsewhere for a more suitable place to live. Dad's brother had been to Canada and bought a quarter of land for $800. This farm was four miles south of Wetaskiwin . At the time there was a log house, a barn, and several outdoor buildings. Fortunately, Dad's brother changed his mind about moving to Canada so Dad bought it. In September 1901, our parents left the United States. Mother and their eight children, the oldest seventeen and the youngest two, boarded the train bound for Canada. [Note: I remember Grandpa Arthur telling me his memory of this train trip when he was almost 5 years old. He remembered when "Mama" had stepped off the train at a station and didn't get back on until the last minute before the train departed again. He recounted how worried he was that she wouldn't get back on in time! - BR] One night was spent in Calgary. I believed that they stayed at an immigration hall. There were no lights in the building. It was very difficult to look after small children in a strange place in the dark. What courage pioneer women had! Dad brought two carloads of goods, namely machinery, household goods, horses, cows, and chickens. He also brought a barrel of molasses a barrel of coal oil. The latter two items had been brought for their own use, but neighbors soon came to buy both from them. The money helped to obtain groceries. Mother and family arrived in Wetaskiwin on September 21, 1901, in a snowstorm. Arrangements had been made to have Mr. Olson, a neighbor, meet them. They were to stay with Mr. and Mrs. Olson until Father came. Mrs. Olson had arranged for the family to have the upstairs in her home. The older girls in the family lost no time in trying to make their new home livable by the time Father arrived. The barn and the house were badly in need of repair. Each day someone made a trip to Wetaskiwin to see if Father had arrived. One week after the family arrived, Father came with the two railway cars. Now it was possible to move in. There were 15 acres of land in crop but hay was plentiful. Somehow, after the snowstorm, they managed to gather feed for the coming winter, which was fortunately a mild one. The two older girls did not attend school but the next three girls and one boy attended Bear's Hill School which was three miles away. This trip was made by horse and buggy or cutter. The school was a log building with homemade desks which four pupils shared. Their first teacher was a Miss Morrison. With the children off to school there were plenty of household chores to be done. Mother churned her own butter and later had her own customers. In those days children shared in the household chores. Early in 1902, Frances joined the family, followed by Edna in 1905. To complete the family, Gladys was born in 1910. By this time many changes had come to pass. Father had taken out his citizenship papers on November 8th, 1905. he had filed on a homestead west of Wetaskiwin and received the title in 1910. This land supplied much of the firewood as well as pasture later for the cattle. A well had been drilled providing plenty of soft water for washing, cooking and water for the stock. An addition had been built to the existing house, so there was plenty of room for all. As living quarters increased, the family at home decreased in size. In those early years when we were growing up, we were never at a loss for entertainment. The winter evenings passed quickly with games within our own family.How we would hurry to get the dishes done, to have games before bedtime. Then there were 5 Hundred card parties. No one who loved cards could miss these. Each year the Annual Christmas program was looked forward to with delight. Family visiting was another joy - no babysitters in those days. The coming of radio was another form of entertainment. The first few years, our parents attended the Presbyterian Church in Wetaskiwin. Later on services were held in the Bear's Hill School. Student ministers were in charge. In 1914 or 1915 Bulyea School District was formed. It meant we would be a mile closer to school. Frances and Edna attended this school when it opened. Eunice Walcott was the first teacher. Gladys and David also attended Bulyea School later. Constance was born in 1884. She married Hans Korstad in 1903. They lived on a farm near Meeting Creek, Alberta. They had ten children. Hans passed away in 1938. Constance passed away in 1967. Martena was born in 1886. She married Tom Solomonson in 1907. They lived in Donalda, Alberta. They had nine children. Martena is a resident of Bethany Nursing Home in Camrose. She recently celebrated her 93rd birthday. Tom passed away in 1947. Laura was born in 1888. She married George Van Deusen in 1908. They farmed in the Usona district until they retires to Wetaskiwin. They had no family. George passed away in 1960. Laura passed away in 1968. Nora was born in 1890. She married Conrad Bjorge in 1913. They lived in Donalda, Alberta. They had three children. Conrad passed away in 1927. She remarried to Conrad Bjorge, a cousin of her first husband. They also had three children. Nora passed away in 1955. Conrad passed away in 1964. Agnes was born 1892. She married DeVillo Schaefer in 1913. They have three children. DeVillo passed away in 1965. Agnes now resides in a Senior Citizen's home in Edmonton. Clarence was born in 1894. he married Ruby Wager in 1931. They have four children. Clarence purchased the home place and farmed there until they retired to Wetaskiwin. Clarence passed away in 1973. Ruby makes her home in Edmonton. Arthur was born in 1896. He married Bess Jackson in 1924. For a few years they farmed in the Twin Creek District. They have two sons. They celebrated their 55th wedding Anniversary in 1979. They now reside in Wetaskiwin, Alberta. Lily was born in 1899. She married Ray Armstrong in 1919. They had a son, David, who made his home with the Nelson family when his mother died in 1920. David lost his life in World War II. Frances was born in 1902. She married Oscar Dahl in 1933. They lived in Wetaskiwin. They have one daughter, Elaine. Oscar passed away in 1973. Frances still resides with her daughter and son-in-law, Elaine and Dennis Plant, and their two boys Randal & Ronald. Edna was born in 1905. She married Oral Nelson in 1928. They have two children. In 1978 they celebrated their Golden Wedding. They have resided in Camrose since 1970. Gladys was born in 1910. she married Mike Lunny in 1935. They resides in Wetaskiwin. Their family consisted of six children. Frances - married Jack Gladstone, had four children and lives in Pincher Creek, AB. Ronald - married lives in Prince Rupert, BC. Ann - married Don Timbres, has three children and lives in Fort Saskatchewan, AB. Lorna - married Laurence Farkas, has two boys and lives in Devon, AB. Phyllis - married Tom Rennie, has one boy and lives in Richmond, BC. Michael - the youngest boy met with an accident and passed away at the age of six in 1953. Gladys still resides in Wetaskiwin. Time brings many changes. Father, after a fairly short illness, passed away on Christmas Eve, 1918 at the age of 70 years. Mother remained on the farm with Frances, Gladys, Clarence and Arthur until, one by one, they married. Clarence had the farm and Mother went to live in Wetaskiwin with Frances. Mother passed away in July 1943, at the age of 80 years.