P.W. Nelson

This blog was inspired by an e-mail a lady from Iowa that was a descendant Peter Nelson sent to me. Her e-mail came to me at a really good time as I was beginning to get discouraged with doing the blogs because you never really know if anyone is reading or looking at them. Here is a brief summary of her e-mail.
"To whom it may concern:
Do you know of anyone who might be interested in taking a picture of our ancestors at the Greenlawn Cemetery?? I live in Iowa. I will be more than glad to pay for the expenses of taking pictures for me. I need that for my family tree."
Well as life goes, I happened to be on vacation when the e-mail was received, so I was able to go out to the Greenlawn Cemetery to take pictures and I also went to the Butler Library and found some of her descendants obituaries. Since this blog is mainly about the history of Rich Hill the Town that Coal Built I would like to share this former coal miners obituary.
Peter William Nelson ,89 years and one month and 4 days of age and highly respected citizen, passed away at his home two miles east of Rich Hill, Wednesday evening, Sept. 16, 1936. He fell and suffered a broken hip on his 89th birthday, which was the ultimate cause of his death.
Mr. Nelson was born in Sweden and when as a young man came to the United States and settled in the Carbon Center neighborhood, where he was employed in the coal mines. He has resided in and around Rich Hill for over fifty years.
On December 10, 1886, he was united in marriage to Miss Sude Winegar at Butler, Mo. to this union were born five children, two preceding him in death. His wife passed away May,28.1926
He is survived by two daughters Mrs. Wallace Kenney of Rich Hill, and and Miss Esther Nelson, address unknown , and one son, Paul Nelson, of the home, also one brother residing in Sweden.
Funeral services will be held from the home Friday afternoon at 9:30
Burial will be made in the family lot in Greenlawn cemetery.

If anybody reading this blog has information that they would like to share or if you know something that happened in the towns' early history or about any of the early economics please contact me at: bartm@ckt.net