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Below is a family biography included in The History of Jasper County, Missouri published by Mills & Company in 1883.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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JOHN NILSON. The subject of this sketch, who is one of the best known in his section of the country, was born May 3, 1832, in Monongahela, Penn. At three years of age his father removed to Guernsey county, Ohio, remaining there until a young man, and then settling in Jackson county, Ind., where he enlisted in July, 1861, in Company G, Twenty-fifth Indiana Infantry, serving four years and one month, and leaving the service captain of his company. He was married in Jackson county, Ind., in September, 1858, to Charity Hunsuckerr, who was born Sept 3, 1840, who was raised in Jackson county, Ind. The names of the children are Oscar M., Walter B., Willie S., Eva, Oliver C., Anna, Marshall K., and Jasper. The heads of this family are representatives of two church societies, Mr. Nilson having formerly been a member of the Presbyterian, and Mrs. Nilson of the M. E. Church. Mr. Nilson has a good farm of 187 acres, about one mile east of the town of Smithfield, over 100 acres being under cultivation. There were eighty acres in wheat the past season, averaging twenty-four bushels, and fifteen in corn averaging thirty bushels, besides some oats. There is one of the largest orchards on this farm in this part of the county, consisting of twenty acres of apples, pears, peaches, cherries, and plums, besides some small fruits. Although the trees are comparatively young there were 500 bushels of apples, and 500 of peaches, and 200 gallons of blackberries. When Mr. Nilson came to this country it was comparatively new, as in 1869 very little had been done to erase the marks of the ravages of war. Sedalia was the nearest trading point of any considerable importance which supplied provisions and merchandise for many miles around. Jasper county’s settlers at this time were those who squatted along the streams, clearing small ten-acre lots, in such bold contrast with the farms of a whole section on the fertile prairies now. Mr. Nilson is a man who is always interested in public enterprises, and is foremost in the improvement of public institutions, churches, and schools, the salvation of all countries.

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This family biography is one of more than 1,000 biographies included in The History of Jasper County, Missouri published in 1883.  For the complete description, click here: Jasper County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Jasper County, Missouri family biographies here: Jasper County, Missouri Biographies

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