Pvt. Nelson Wellington Rice, (USA)

According to the HISTORY OF GREEN CO., WI, p. 1057, Nelson served with the wisconsin 25th infantry regiment in C.W. Mustered in on Jan 2, 1864. Described as 5'7 1/2" tall, blue eyes, brown hair, was reported absent and sick at Vicksburg from Mar 1864 to Feb 1865, then sick at Memphis from March 1865. Transferred to 12th WI volunteers on June 4, 1865.

According to the 1973 Marlowe G. Smith narrative: Born in Boonville, N.Y. and came west with the family in 1840. Nelson also served in the Civil War, but we have no precise information about his service. After the War, he lived for a time with his Great-Grandmother Rice, then married a girl by the name of Lottie Jackson. They then moved to Menominee, Wisconsin, where they resided for several years, and where his wife Lottie passed away, leaving three children, Nellie, Letta, and Charlie. Later, Nelson Rice and the children removed to Sauk Center, Minnesota where he and his cousin George Lee operated a hotel and livery service. They also had a stage and dray line out of Sauk Center and continued until the service was discontinued when the Great Northern Railroad came through. They had a lucretive business in the hotel and livery service. Nelson married for a second time, but the marriage ended in divorce. His two daughters assisted in the management of the hotel until their father married again for a third time. There were two sons from the second marriage, Bert and Frank. His third wife owned a millinery and ladies' goods store, and Uncle Wyatt Graves thought that Uncle Nelson may have married the business instead of the lady. After Nelson Rice passed away, this third wife and the daughters sold the hotel and moved to Superior, Wisconsin. Nelson Rice died a fairly wealthy man for those days. (My mother remembers her Uncle "Nels" as he was called when he visited the Graves Family in Cooksville. he was fond of the children, and they all loved him).

Nelson Rice enlisted in the Union Army during the American Civil War in Company F, Wisconsin 25th Infantry Regiment on 02 Jan 1864. Mustered out on 19 Apr 1865. Transferred to Company E, Wisconsin 12th Infantry Regiment on 02 Jan 1864. Mustered out on 27 May 1865.

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/25th_Wisconsin_Volunteer_Infantry_Reg...
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/12th_Wisconsin_Volunteer_Infantry_Reg...