Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1908-12-09

auulDlc t1uuS at edcn step Cnat ne
feared the noise might betray him
to the keen ears Of the Indians.
He pulled off his boots, lost one of
them in the darkness, and then
threw the other away. All that
night was spent in wandering about
on the prairie. At one time, hav-
ing cast himself down alongside
fallen log, voices near at hand Civ
ing him warning of the approach
of the foe (near the road to Erick-
sons cabin), he saw several Of the
redskins pass within a few feet of
him. In the early dawn of the
morning he heard the sound of
musketry off in the distance. On
taking his bearings, he concluded
that he was near the Eagle lake
creek and short distance from the
Oscar Erickson cabin, which was at
that moment besieged by band of
the Indians. Mr.. Nelson struck
across the prairie for, Diamond
Lake. He found a number of set
tiers at the Gates place engaged in
preparing their breakfast. When
he arrived there he was completely
exhausted with his long flight
across the prairies, and his feet
were terribly lacerated. A few
words told the settlers what he
knew of their impending danger,
and preparations were made to
start for Forest City without delay.
They reached the place in safety.
Mr.. Nelson continued with the fu-
gitives until they reached Kingston,
where, thru the kind >ess of the
miller, Mr.. Davidson, and wife, he
had his feet washed and the wounds
dressed with tallow and linen rags.
They also gave him a pair of Indi-
anmoccasins to wear. Here he bor-
rowed a horse from Mr.. Munson
and started on a return trip to Foot
lake with the determination to find
out what had become of his brother
in-law, Mr.. Swanson, and family.
But on his way thither he was met
by Lieutenant J. B. Atkinson, Of
the Meeker county militia, who had
been ordered to levy upon all horses
he could seize. The lieutenant or
dered Mr.. Nelson to dismount and
surrender the horse. This Mr.. Mel
son refused to do. After some par
leying. Lieut.. Atkinson told him to
return to camp with him, and he
could keep his horse, which he did
He enlisted as private in Captain
Whitcomb's company of irregular
militia. He accompanied the par
ty that made it's way to Eagle and
Foot lakes to bury the dead and to
search for his brother-inlaw. and
family, and was with the company
in all of it's military movements.
After the company was disband-
ed, Mr.. Nelson went to St. Paul
and enlisted in the Government SER
vice. He was put to work at build
ing stables at Fort Smelling. A.
ter his term of service expired
there he put in the rest of the win
ter of 1928 at various kinds of
labor in the city, such as saving
wood and the like. In the spring
Of 1863 he rented forty acres of
land in Washington county. Later
he purchased eighty acres Of his
own, and by later acquisitions &C.
quired in all 200 acres of land in
that county. This he sold in 1867,
and purchased a farm of over 300
acres in Darw n township of Meek
er county, where he made his home
until in 1871, when he sold the
farm to his father-in-!aw, Ole John
son. He then made Litchfeld his
home, erected a store building on
a lot purchased by him, and in COM
pany with his brother, B. P. Mel
son, opened a general merchandise
store.
Since that time Mr.. Nelson has
been various|y employed. Part of
his time was occupied in looking
after his large land interests; farm
ing at times a little; and engaged