My Nelson Genealogy Page

 Paternal Lineage

Oscar Grady Watkins  b. 17 Jul 1897 GA d. 21 Jan 1981 GA (see WATKINS )

 Nelson Crest

by Glen Collier

John C. Nelson, born circa 1798 in NC, is the oldest member of our Nelson family identified to date.  He came to Gilmer County, GA from NC between 1844 and 1849.  He settled his family in the Ridgeway District.  The name of his first wife is not yet known, she having died prior to his appearance in the Gilmer County records.  Known children by his first marriage were:
I. Jesse S. Nelson b. 1838 NC
II. Thomas Franklin Nelson b. 7 Mar 1839 NC
III. Adolphus E. Nelson b. 1843 NC
IV. Riley Nelson b. 1844 NC

John C. Nelson married Nancy Susannah Griggs, 25 Oct 1849 in Gilmer County, GA.  Children by this second marriage were:
V. George Nelson b. 1850 GA
VI. Julia A. Nelson b. 1854 GA
VII. Henry Nelson b. 1857 GA
VIII. David Nelson b. 1859 GA

John C. Nelson was a farmer and stonemason.  He disappeared from the records of Gilmer County after 1860.  Someone scribbled the latest information in ink:
"1870 Roane Co., TN and 1880 Louden Co., TN.  Moved to TN in 1860's and had additional children.  (See 1870 Roane Co. Census & 1880 Louden Co. Census)"

I.  Jesse S. Nelson was born circa 1834 in NC.  Little is known of him.  He enlisted in the Confederate States Army, Co. F, 60th Regiment, Georgia Infantry, 15 May, 1863.  He was a private and was at the Battle of Spotsylvania where he was captured 19 May 1864.  He was sent to the Federal Prison at Point Lookout, Md.  He died in this Union Prison 26 Feb 1865.  Further research is needed on him in that he was not living in the household in 1860, probably married, living elsewhere and may have left a family at his death.

II.  Thomas Franklin Nelson b. 7 Mar 1839 NC, m. 13 Oct 1860, Sarah Elizabeth Lowe b. 4 Jun 1845 NC.  She was the daughter of Conrad 'Coonrod' Lowe and his wife, Martha M. Lowe, her maiden name unknown.  Thomas Franklin Nelson, known as Frank Nelson, was a farmer in the Ridgeway District of Gilmer Co., GA.  On 15 May 1862, he enlisted as a private in Co. A, 65th Regiment, GA Infantry.  The 65th Regiment, GA Infantry was engaged in the battle of Chickamauga at Snodgrass Hill, generally acknowledged as one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War fought in the South.  He was awarded a pension of fifty dollars annually 14 Feb 1890 by the State of Georgia because of war-related health problems.  This pension record bears his personal signature.  His military records show that he was of dark complexion, light colored hair, blue eyes and was five foot, eleven inches in height.  Records in the GA State Archives contain his Bond of Constable document, having been elected to this position in Gilmer County 8 Jan 1877.   Someone scribbled in ink:
"He originally enlisted 4 Mar 1862, probably a home guard unit."

III.  Adolphus E. Nelson was born circa 1843 in NC.  He married Martha N., her maiden name unknown.  He and his family lived in Gilmer Co., GA where he was a farmer.  During the Civil War, he enlisted as a Private, Co. F, Gilmer Volunteers, GA Infantry.  He entered the Confederate States Army 19 Sep 1861.  His military record describes him as 5 foot, 6 inches in height, light complexion, light hair and blue eyes.  He took the oath of allegiance to the US Government at Chattanooga, TN, 16 Apr 1864 and this ended his service.

V.  Riley Nelson was born circa 1844 in NC.  He enlisted in the Confederate States Army during the Civil War.  Roster of Confederate Soldiers of Georgia, Volume 4, pg. 331 shows that Riley Nelson, Private, received a bounty of $50 on 28 Mar 1862 for reenlisting.  He had originally enlisted 4 Mar 1862, GA Volunteer Infantry, Army of TN, CSA, Gilmer Co., GA, Gilmer Tigers #2.  Nothing further developed on Riley Nelson.

V.  George Nelson b. circa 1850 in Gilmer Co., GA.

VI. Julia A. Nelson b. circa 1854 in Gilmer Co., GA.

VII. Henry Nelson b. circa 1857 in Gilmer Co., GA.

VIII. David Nelson b. circa 1859 in Gilmer Co., GA.  To date, nothing further has been developed on these last four children of John C. Nelson and his 2nd wife, Nancy Susannah Griggs.  As mentioned previously, this family disappears from the Gilmer County records after 1860.

This is the extent of information developed on the Nelson family to date.  There will, however, be further research conducted in the future and more complete information surely can be developed on some of the families identified to date.  Someone scribbled in ink:
"...further information has developed on these children in TN.  (See Census, etc.)  1870 Roane Co., TN & 1880 Louden Co. TN."

John C. Nelson came to Gilmer Co., GA from NC between 1844 and 1849.  He settled his family in the Ridgeway District.  The name of his first wife is unknown because she did not appear in the Gilmer Co. records.  It is believed that she died after 1844 and was buried somewhere in NC.  John C. Nelson was a farmer and stonemason.

Thomas Franklin Nelson, known as Frank Nelson, was a farmer in the Ridgeway District.  He enlisted as a private in Co. A, 65th Regiment, Georgia Infantry.  His company was engaged in the battle of Chickamauga at Snodgrass Hill, generally acknowledged as one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War fought in the South.  He was awarded a pension of fifty dollars annually, 14 Feb 1890, by the State of Georgia because of war-related health problems.  This pension record bears his personal signature.  His military records show that he was of dark complexion, light colored hair, blue eyes and was five foot, eleven inches in height.  Records in the Georgia State Archives contain his Bond of Constable document, having been elected to this position in Gilmer County 8 Jan 1877.

SOURCE: Glen Collier

 

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