Forebears and Bears

In March 1861, William Nelson of Barnstable, MA posts a Notice in the local newspaper announcing he will not be responsible for any debts charged on behalf of his wife Olive and son Charles W. as they have left home without consent. Charles W. Nelson Charles W. Nelson of Cummaquid died 24 June 1926.  He was a veteran of the Civil War, serving in the 20th Maine.  His obituary is interesting in that his service in the war sounds very illustrious, and also mentions that he was not wounded.  The obituary also informs that he enlisted in Portland, Maine and removed to Massachusetts once his enlistment had ended.  I have acquired a copy of his service record and pension files which, despite being very large, do not confirm much other than he did claim a debilitating disability due to his service.  Most of the file contains depositions from fellow regiment soldiers who either do not remember him, or cannot recall if his wounds were battle related.  In all probabil...

 The Nelsons of Indian Trail, Cummaquid, MA The Nelsons approx. 1912   — left to right: front row: Harriet Leah and Elizabeth Amanda; back row Alice Louise, William John Nelson, Mary Teresa (Doyle), and William McKinlay. Twin daughters Estelle and Adele are born later . I love this photograph.   It was the first picture I had ever seen of my grandmother Harriet as a child, and more importantly of her parents William John Nelson and his wife Minnie Doyle. Please note that William Nelson’s name is sometimes written as William John but also as John W. or John William in others - in the census record at age 2, WWI draft registration card, and various land transaction documents.   Normally, I don’t like to share personal family photographs on the internet, I feel too possessive of them, but this photograph happens to be all over A ncestry.com already so I figured it’s out there.   My uncle had this framed photograph in his living room and shared it with relatives an...