NELSON, Dr. A. E., 1868-1932

NELSON, CLARK

Posted By: Betty Hootman-Volunteer
Date: 12/1/2012 at 14:45:09

Retired Physician is Killed By Own Car

Losing control of his powerful new Studebaker at a point some four miles north of Glenwood on ?o 275, Dr. A. E. Nelson, retired Sidney physician was instantly killed about 9:00 o’clock Monday evening when his car left the road and turned over three times.

Dr. and Mrs. Nelson had gone to Omaha to meet their only daughter, Rea, who was coming home from Santa Paula, California, where she has taught in the public schools for a number of years past. Upon the arrival of her train the party started almos immediately for home.

Just what caused the mishap then the wife and daughter are unable to say. They were traveling at a moderate rate of speed, the ladies state, when at a point just south of the roadway filling station at the crest of Pony creek hill the car left the pavement on the right side, veered back, shot across and off the road on the left side and started rolling over. Mrs. Nelson and the daughter escaped with only minor bruises, but Dr. Nelson, who was thrown out of the car on one of its revolutions, was dead when picked up. He never spoke. There is a reasonable explanation of the strange accident in the possibility that Dr. Nelson, who was a large heavy man, may have been stricken with apoplexy at the wheel.

Among the first to arrive at the scene were Dr. and Mrs. Maloy of Shenandoah, who were on their way home from Omaha. Dr. Maloy, at once went into action in a professional capacity. Finding Dr. Nelson to be beyond help, he turned his attention to the ladies, taking them in his own car to Glenwood where at the office of another physician a more through examination showed them to be but slightly injured and in condition to come home. They came the rest of the way in a car of J. R. Ettleman. Some half dozen cars loaded with Sidney people hurried to Glenwood or on the scene of the wreck to render what aid they might.

The car, a Studebaker which Dr. and Mrs. Nelson drove home from the factory at West Bend, Indian, some six weeks ago, was badly wrecked, but not beyond repair. It was towed by wrecker to a Glenwood garage.

Dr. Nelson, whose name would suggest the Norseman, was in reality of Irish descent, his grandfather having been born in the Emerald isle. The doctor himself was a native Iowan, born at Birmingham June 5, 1868, therefore just past his 64th birthday. He was one of a family of seven children, of whom only one brother and three sisters are now living.

Dr. Nelson was graduated from the high school at Birmingham with the class of 1889, attended Parsons college at Fairfield the years of 1890 and 1891, enrolled in medical college at Keokuk where he studied from 1894 to 1896, inclusive, then went to Jefferson medical college at St. Louis where he graduated in the year 1897.

He at once returned to his hometown and opened an office for practice, remaining there until 1903 when he moved to Ashton, practicing there two years and again moved, this time to Mystic where he also remained two years, coming from there to Sidney in 1907---twenty-five years ago.

At the first sound of battle, Dr. Nelson, then past 50, left off his practice and on May 24, 1918, entered the medical division of the United States army, going first to Fort Riley, Kansas, thence to Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, sailing October 26 and landing at Brest December 4, 1918. He gave the best that was in him to relieve the suffering of wounded and ailing boys of the American army until the close of hostilities, sailing for his native land June 30, 1919, and receiving his discharge on August 1, with the rank of captain.

Returning to Sidney Dr. Nelson took up his practice where he had left off and continued until some three years ago when he sold his equipment and retired. Since that time he and Mrs. Nelson have spent considerable time in travel by automobile. They had planned another trip this summer, the itinerary and details awaited the daughter’s coming.

December 15, 1896, at Birmingham, he was married to Miss Clara Clark. The one daughter and one son were born to them. The son, a brilliant young man, with a promising future, graduate of Nebraska university and who was holding the position of statistician for the Woods Brothers firm at Lincoln, was drowned August 18, 1929, at Pelican Lake, Minnesota, while on his vacation. The young man at the time was 28 years of age. Dr. Nelson never ceased to mourn for the tragic taking of his son, and it is believed that Arthur’s death had much to do with his father’s decision to refrain from further practice of his profession.

Dr. Nelson became a ember of the Methodist church in 1900. He was also a member of the Masonic and Knights of Pythias lodges and regular communicant of both.

A short funeral service is being held at 10 o’clock this morning at the home, after which the body will be taken to Lincoln for burial in the same cemetery where sleeps his cherished son.

Source: Van Buren Co. Genealogical Society Obituary Book B, page 22, Keosauqua Public Library; Keosauqua, IA