Major David Nelson VC

[Woodsd]

Robert

Thanks for your post.

As your connection is through the Black family, I don't suppose that you have any further information on the Nelsons, beyond what I have already researched above?

I was in London last week and went to the Imperial War Museum specifically to see the Victoria Cross won by Major David Nelson.  Before my visit, I had not appreciated that on display in the main foyer is the carriage gun from Nery, when Sergeant Nelson won his VC.  Beside the gun is a video display board which includes photos and quotes from David Nelson.  So seeing that was a real bonus to my visit.

Regards

David

[rrdevine]

David:  Not sure how to reply on RootsChat - just went through a re-entry from their homepage, hope this reaches you.  I have records of all of David Nelson's siblings and an ongoing contact with a daughter of one of his brothers, and with a great-grand-daughter of Annie Nelson (1895-1965), Major Nelson's sister.  This may not be the Annie Nelson whom you seek; her spouse was Robert Hagan.  I
would be glad to enter you as a guest to my Ancestry.com 'tree' so you could take a look at what I have on these Nelsons.  Regards.  Robert   
 

[Woodsd]

Robert

Thanks for your response and extra information.

Rather than the siblings of Major Nelson (some of whom are mentioned above), I was really trying to trace his family back a bit further, eg siblings of his father or more!  But that's proving very difficult, with Irish records.

Meanwhile, I may have identified the earlier marriage of Major Nelson's father (on his marriage certificate to Mary Anne Black, George Nelson was described as a widower).  The earlier marriage may have been to a Jane Brown in December 1865, with 4 children born from that marriage.  But I would need to order a copy of the marriage certificate to prove that I am correct.  I think also that I may have identified the death of the earlier wife in 1875, which is the year before George Nelson married Mary Anne Black.

Thanks for the offer re the family tree on Ancestry.com, but I have never taken out a subscription to Ancestry.com.  Maybe that is something that I should do!

Regards

David

[rrdevine]

Yes, David, I see your point.  My three elderly sources, including Major Nelson's son Victor, have little memories or records of their grandparents, which I've asked them for.  Two of them did mention that Geo. 
Nelson had been married before and they thought there were children, but they had never met them.  So that's where I'm stuck, also.  I do have several documents and photos of this family in my Ancestry.com tree.  If I invite you as my guest, you can take a look (no charge) into my tree after Ancestry contacts you by email. I'd need that to invite you. You may email me at Removed. if you like. Or I can forward some of this information to you by email, but I leave that up to you.  Regards.   Robert 

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Please use the Personal Message (PM) system for exchanging personal data.


 

[rrdevine]

David:  I do agree with you that those 1901 & 1911 Blacks in your earlier posts were part of Mary Ann Black's family.  I plan to incorporate that information into my Ancestry.com tree.  Thanks for that.  Robert
(Mary Ann was a first cousin to my paternal grandmother.)

[Woodsd]

Robert

I will send you a Personal Message over Rootschat with my e-mail address.  I would be interested to see the photos and documents that you have on the Nelsons.  Thanks.

From Familysearch.org, I reckon that this is the first marriage of Major Nelson's father:

14 December 1865, co Monaghan
George Nelsen (single), whose father was Robert Nelsen
Jane Brown (single), whose father was John Brown
one of them was aged 18 years - not clear from Familysearch.org but seems to be Jane Brown.

Then there are 4 children:
21 January 1867 - Rebecca Nelson
father: George Nelson
mother: Jane Brown

25 March 1868 - Robert Nelson
father: George Nelson
mother: Jane Brown

23 November 1869 - Mary Elizabeth Nelson
father: George Nelson
mother: Jane Brown Nelson
and this entry mentions Deraghland

6 November 1872 - John Nelson
father: George Nelson
mother: Jane Brown.

The possible death of George Nelson's wife is:

1875 - Jane Nelson, aged 26 years, co Monaghan
(the age is maybe a year or so out, but the name and year fits).

From a very quick search, I cannot identify any of the children on the 1901 or 1911 census returns for Monaghan.  But I haven't searched through all the possibilities to try and identify them somewhere else.  So they might be there somewhere.

As I say, I would need to order the marriage certificate to prove this is the correct marriage, and also order the death certificate to prove that too.  I will add them to my list!

Anyway, I will send you that Personal Message now.

Thanks

David

[hallmark]

Try the Clones records on FamilySearch... they were there before they moved to Rawdeerpark!!

[aghadowey]

14 December 1865, co Monaghan
George Nelsen (single), whose father was Robert Nelsen
Jane Brown (single), whose father was John Brown
one of them was aged 18 years - not clear from Familysearch.org but seems to be Jane Brown.

Seems fairly clear- Spouse's Name: Jane Brown, Spouse's Age: 18
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FGDN-T6J

[Woodsd]

A fellow Rootschatter has sent me a Personal Message on this topic.  From baptismal records of Cahans Presbyterian Church, she has managed to take the Nelson family back quite a bit further.  I have noted that information below.

Very many thanks to that fellow Rootschatter.

Regards

David

Robert Nelson married Agnes Alester
and had children:
Robert Nelson, born 6 October 1755 (great-grandfather of Major David Nelson) (see below)
Sarah Nelson, born May 1761
John Nelson, born 25 July 1772

Robert Nelson married Katrine Bradshaw
and had children:
Elizabeth Nelson, born 9 January 1790
Mary Nelson, born 29 February 1792
Lettice (Letitia) Nelson, born 23 August 1796
Robert Nelson, born 23 August 1799 (grandfather of Major David Nelson) (see below)
William Nelson, born 13 September 1800
Rachel Nelson, born 24 June 1805 (mentioned as being the sixth daughter)

Robert Nelson married Mary Lister
and had children:
George Nelson, born 24 April 1844 (father of Major David Nelson)
Robert Nelson, born 26 April 1846