Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1894-03-22
DIR. NJ. L. NELSON DEAD
A LONG AND USEFUL. LIFE II
ENDED.
The Good Old Phy ysician, Known
ana Esteemed by Every body,
Dies at 8 O'Clock Last Evening,
ana 10 hurled Today.

| sSsA~~ 80 As"atSsA = ouav
Death took from Ashevie last nigh
another OF those good men who hav,
been identified with the city for man,
years and known by every one of tn,
older inhabitants, at least DR.. NJ. l.
Neilson-who died at his home at til,
intersection of Woodfn and Vance
streets.
DR.. Nelson had an attack OF heart dis
case at II O'Clock on Tuesday, March
10, aud for awhile it was thought death
would ensue in few hours. The sick
man rallied, however, although he rec
ognized that he was liable to die almost
at any moment and SO expressed hin
sell to friends who visited him. In speak,
ing of the approaching end he said death
had no terror for him, as he was ready
to 60 whenever the summons should
come.
Yesterday Just before noon it was seen
that Dr. Nelson could not live very
long. Every effort was made to pro-
long his life, although family and friends
gathered about him knowing the end
was near The diving man was conscious
at intervals, the last period of conscious.
ness being at . O'Clock in the afternoon,
when he asked those at his bedside
Have been asleep" These were his
last words on earth. Just before 8
O'Clock, as Geo. w. Tilson sat BY the
bedside ot the patient with his finger on
his pulse. 1t was seen that the messenger
OF death was come and as the clock on
the mantcl chimed the hour the lamp of
life flickered and went out. Or, Nelson
was dead, and death had come without
struggle.
DR.. NJ l.. Nelson was born in Greene
county, Tenn, on the 18th of March.
1872. and was, therefore, 72 years old
last Saturday. He was graduated in
medicine in Philadelphia about the year
1851, and practiccd his profession in
tennessee tor about two years before
removing to Ashevillc. In 1853 he went
to California during a gold fever, but re-
NAMED there only two years Returning
to Ashevllle he lived here Excepting
during his service through the civil war
as surgeon) until 1870 or
II, when he removed to Spartanhurp,
S {, There he lived two years and then
returned to Ashcvile, which has been his
home ever since.
At the age of 23 DR.. Nelson was mar.
rled in Madison county, near Marshall,
to Miss Laura Vance, a sister of United
States Senator L. b. Vance and Gen.
Robert b. Vance. Mrs Nelson and one
sou, Charles, survive him. Another son,
Archie, died here only a few months ago.
Ashevlle numbered among it's inhabi.
tants no man who was better known,
especially amoIg the older resident; s,
than DR.. Nelson, aud no man was hcl
IN higher esteem than he was. lie was
a physician of the old school, an uuas.
Stunning man and one whose heart over
lowed with kindness toward his fellow
man. The sign over his residence door
read "Dr. M. l.. Nelson, Physician" He
lid not practice surgery because of a
,ripplcd hand, caused by the accidental
discharge OF gun years ago. lie was
specially successful in the treatment OF
diphtheria and typhoid fever.
)ne characteristic of the man, and one
hat won for him the blessings of count
ess patients, was that it mattered not |
'ow poor the person who called him
le was as quick to r, spond as if it had
,een 9 person of wealth. Another fact
'iten remarked upon concerning DR..
life was that he was never
'card to say aught against anyone. I'll
ie mad nothing OF praise to say he said
lothiug.
1t is saying little to state that in the
leath of DR.. Nelson Ashevilc loses
ruly good citizen. He was of sturdy in
esrIty and lovab!e character and every
,ody who ever knew him was his friend.
lis death is regretted alike by his large
rclc OF relatives and the vastly larger
irc'e OF those who were proud to he mum
'cred among his friends. His memory will
llways be cherished and his long life OF
'irtue and goodness will be pointed to
IS mocel for generations that are to
ONE after him.
The funeral services over DR.. Nelson's
'ody occurred at 3 O'Clock today at Cen.
raj M. +. church, South, of which con.
,rcgation the deceased was a member.
Rev. II. +. Chreitzberg conducted the ser
ices. and the burial was with Masonic
ties. DR.. Nelson belonged to Mt. Her.
non lodge, No. 11s, A. F. & A. NJ.
The pallbearers were members of the
Profession in which DR.. Nelson was
They were: Drs. II. b.
Weaver, NJ. H. Fletcher, James A. Bur
oughs, John Hev Williams, w. D. Hill
lard. H. l.. Baird, w. p. Wilmington
md 9. w. Purefoy.