Nels Petr Nelson - Hannah Nelson, Catherine Ackerman
The Duluth of 1870 (above) didn't look like much but growth was exploding. Fourteen families lived in Duluth in January, 1869. Duluth had been chosen to be the eastern terminus of Jay Cooke's Northern Pacific Railroad. By the summer of 1869, the population was 3500.
Nels probably arrived in Duluth in 1881. DNA matches suggest he was born in Östra Ljungby parish, Kristianstad, Sweden. He was born illegitimate and his mother, Penilla Jönsdotter, did not name a father when he was baptised. Some trees list a man named Påhl as his father. He married Hanna Nelson on 21 Jun 1884. He was working for the streetcar company in 1888 when he was appointed to the police department. He was very proud to be the first Swede appointed.
Nels and Hannah had two children, Christina and Mildred. Hannah died seven months after Nels joined the police department. She was only 28 years old and died of typhoid during the 1888 epidemic. She is buried in Scandia Cemetery. There is no marker.
In 1890, Nels married his housekeeper, Catherine Ackerman. They had five children, Arthur Alfred, Hilda, Ethel V, Myrtle E, and William Marvin. Nels retired from the police department in 1908 and died in 1931 at the age of 79. Catherine died in 1948. Both are buried in the Nelson plot in Scandia Cemetery.
Nels probably arrived in Duluth in 1881. DNA matches suggest he was born in Östra Ljungby parish, Kristianstad, Sweden. He was born illegitimate and his mother, Penilla Jönsdotter, did not name a father when he was baptised. Some trees list a man named Påhl as his father. He married Hanna Nelson on 21 Jun 1884. He was working for the streetcar company in 1888 when he was appointed to the police department. He was very proud to be the first Swede appointed.
Nels and Hannah had two children, Christina and Mildred. Hannah died seven months after Nels joined the police department. She was only 28 years old and died of typhoid during the 1888 epidemic. She is buried in Scandia Cemetery. There is no marker.
In 1890, Nels married his housekeeper, Catherine Ackerman. They had five children, Arthur Alfred, Hilda, Ethel V, Myrtle E, and William Marvin. Nels retired from the police department in 1908 and died in 1931 at the age of 79. Catherine died in 1948. Both are buried in the Nelson plot in Scandia Cemetery.