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Nelson, William Henry
The following data is extracted from Reminiscent History Of The Ozark Region, pub. Goodspeed Brothers, Publishers, Chicago 1894.
WILLIAM HENRY NELSON. Popular, efficient and faithful, such would be the verdict passed upon the character and official standing of our subject by any good citizen of Stone County, Arkansas, of whom the question might be asked. He holds the responsible position of county clerk, and is a public-spirited, law-abiding citizen whom to know is to regard with respect. He is a native of the county in which he now lives, his birth having occurred December 17, 1862, his parents being J. G. B. and Caroline J. (Bishop) Nelson, natives of the Palmetto State, where they were reared and married. After residing in Tennessee for some time they came to Arkansas and located in Bickles Cave, Izard County (now Stone County), where the father is still living at the age of sixty-eight years, and where the mother died in 1873. Mr. Nelson has always been a farmer, and has been prominent in the affairs of his section, holding the office of justice of the peace for a number of years. During the Civil War he was in the Confederate service four years, and during this time participated in many battles. He was captured at Chickamauga and taken to Camp Doug-las where he was kept until the close of the war. He has always been a Democrat in politics, and is a worthy member of the Baptist Church. The sub-ject of this sketch who is popularly known as "Dick" Nelson, was educated in Melbourne Academy, and commenced to do for himself at the age of twelve years. He labored at anything he could find to do of an honorable nature, and by attending school whenever an opportunity presented itself, he was enabled to begin teaching when quite young, having paid for his schooling by working on a farm. After teaching four terms he bought the Expositor and changed the name of the paper to the Stone County Blade, which he published successfully for eight years. While thus employed he served as county examiner, then resigned that office to accept the one he now holds, to which he was elected in 1892. Mr. Nelson is in every sense of the word a self-made man, and from earliest childhood was a great lover of books, his taste in this respect being much gratified by the kindness of Joseph Hixson, who loaned him many interesting volumes. This taste has remained with him to the present, and he is a remarkably well-posted man on current literature as well as on all popular questions of the day. May 1, 1887, he was married to Miss Queen E. Winston, a daughter of S. H. Winston, and to their union three children have been born: Winifred, Ruth and Blanche. Mr. Nelson and his wife are members of the Methodist Church, and he is a Democrat politically, and socially is a member of the I.O.O.F.
Source: Reminiscent History Of The Ozark Region, pub. Goodspeed Brothers, Publishers, Chicago 1894
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