Pages 646 and 651 of the ???? Gratiot Co, MI History

James A. Nelson, farmer, section 14, Fulton Township, is a son of James 
and Sarah (Eddings) [sic - Iddings] Nelson, natives of Pennsylvania.  
After marriage they settled in Ohio, four years later returning to Pennsylvania.
Their next move was to Mahoning Co,. Ohio, and later they removed to Hancock County,
where they died [sic - James died in Wood Co, OH.]  Their family comprised 
four sons and six daughters.

The subject of this biography, the third son, was born in Mahoning Co., Ohio, 
Sept. 3, 1822.  He received a common-school education, and assisted his father 
on the farm until 22 years old.  He then engaged in farming on his own account.
He came from Hancock Co., Ohio, to Gratiot County in the fall of 1858, and bought
160 acres of wild land in North Star Township, on which he built first a log,
and afterwards a frame house.  After five years, he sold and bought 80 acres 
on section 13, Fulton Township, where he lived one year.  He bought and sold
several farms, and in the fall of 1879 he moved to Arcada Township and bought 
80 acres.  Four years later, he returned to Fulton Township and bought 80 acres 
on section 14, where he now resides.  All his land is now under cultivation.

Feb. 8, 1849, in Beaver Co., Pa., he was married to Miss Lucinda Newton, 
a native of Pennsylvania.  She bore him one child.  He was again married at
Detroit, Mich., Feb.  8, 1859, to Mrs. Mary, daughter of John and Margaret 
(Gibson) Chiffln, and widow of George Fairchild, who died in Ohio July 9, 1856.
Mrs. Nelson's parents were natives of Virginia and Pennsylvania, and she was 
born in Wayne Co., Ohio.  She had by her first marriage four children: Margaret M.,
John A., Lillie A. and Mary (died in in infancy); and by her second three children:
Eugene A., Charles C. and Ella M.  Eugene A. died Oct. 26, 1881, when 20 years 
and 21 days old.  Mrs. N. is an attendant of the Seventh-Day Adventist society.
Mr. N. votes the Republican ticket.

Mr. Nelson enlisted Feb. 18, 1864, in a company of sharpshooters attached to
the 27th Mich. Vol. Inf., and served till the close of the war.  He was in
the battles of Spottsylvania, Wilderness, Mine Run, Cold Harbor and Petersburg.
He was slightly wounded in the hand by a spent ball at Mine Run.
He was honorably discharged at Detroit, Mich.