- HALVER NELSON, a pioneer of the town of Newark, of 1842,
was born in the Parish of Nohre,
- Norway, on the 12th day of August, 1781. In his native country
he learned the clock-maker's trade and there married Miss Buri
FRUEGNE. Mr. NELSON was an ingenious workman and possessed a
talent for invention. He manufactured needles and wire in a small
way and spent much time in planning inventions that he never
had the means to carry through successfully. In April, 1842,
accompanied by his family, he emigrated to the United States,
settling in the town of Newark, Rock Co., Wis., where he found
but few neighbors and they far apart. They were mostly his own
countrymen and consisted of the following names persons: Gullik
O. GRAVDALE, Mrs. Gunil ODEGORDEN and her four daughters, Tollev
HELGESON, Gullik SPRINGEN, Gunnul STORDOCK, Lars, Gjermund and
Herbrand SKAVLEM, Knudt CRESPENSEN and two scotch families, McKINSTER
AND BRIGGS. The two last named did not settle permanently in
the county. Mr. NELSON contrived to do a little work at his trade
but not having the proper tools had to manufacture some. He made
his first clock in 1844, and it is still in the possession of
the family to which it was sold, the CRISPENSENs. This is in
all probability the first clock made in Wisconsin.
- Mr. and Mrs. NELSON had but one child, a daughter, Groe,
who became the wife of Lars
- SKAVLEM, and is the mother of ex-sheriff H. L. SKAVLEM of
Janesville. She has been a widow for many years, and, although
well advanced in years, is bright, intelligent and active. Her
home is in Beloit.
- Mr. NELSON bought and improved a tract of Government land
on section 11, Newark Township,
- where his death occurred in August, 1856. His wife survived
him and died on the 14th day of April, 1886. Had she lived until
the following August, she would have been ninety years old. They
were religious people and their log house, which was a favorite
stopping place for the Norwegian ministers, was often used in
the early days as a place in which to hold divine services.
-
- [Transcriber's note: The CRISPENSEN name was also spelled
CRESEPENSEN in this piece.]
-
- Taken from "The Portrait and Biographical Album of
Rock County, Wis." (c)1889, pp. 944-945.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
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