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biography from Portrait & Biographical Album of Mahaska Co., Iowa, 1887
WILLIAM R. NELSON, of the firm of Nel- son & Williams, attorneys at law, Oska- loosa, has been a resident of Mahaska County for seventeen years, and of the city of Oskaloosa for six years. He was born in Greene County, Pa., May 7, 1858, and is a son of Samuel and Margaret (Grim) Nelson, both natives of Penn- sylvania, the father being a farmer by vocation. William R. was reared on his father's farm and re- ceived his rudimentary education in the common schools. When fifteen years of age he began buy- ing stock for his father, and was thus occupied, to- gether with assisting in the labors on the farm, until twenty-one years old. He then, without a dollar, began farming for himself, and subsequently engaged in the stock business, which he followed in the States of Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas, meeting with signal success, but finally lost heavily. His education had been supplemented by a course of study at Oskaloosa College and the Iowa State University. Coming to this State in 1869 he made his home on the Des Moines River in Scott Town- ship, this county, one year, then lived in White Oak Township with his parents, thence went to Leighton, and in 1880 moved to Oskaloosa. It was during that year that he entered upon the study of the law under the instruction of F. M. Davenport, an attorney of that city, and subse- quently in the office of Bolton & McCoy. He was admitted to the bar Aug. 20, 1882, and at once en- tered upon the practice of his profession in that city. Nov. 16, 1885, Mr. Nelson formed a partnership with J. C. Williams, which still exists. The com- pany is a strong one, and is composed of men of energy and ability, both of whom are hard students and undoubtedly have a bright future before them. Our subject was married, Sept. 28, 1885, at Oska- loosa, to Miss Anna R. Hicks. She was born in Germany, and emigrated to the United States with her parents in infancy. In politics Mr. Nelson is a Greenbacker. Socially he is a member of the order of the Knights of the Golden Rule. Mrs. Nelson belongs to the Presbyterian Church.
Portrait & Biographical Album of Mahaska Co., Iowa, 1887
Mahaska County, Iowa Genealogy