Nelson, John W., far, S. 4; P.O. Mt. Zion; owns 500 acres of land, valued at $35 per acre; son of William and Elizabeth Nelson; born Sept. 25, 1832, in Wayne Co., Ohio; parents moved to Richland Co., in 1836; to this county in the fall of 1845; his mother died Oct. 17, 1857, and father Sept. 24, 1860; Mr. Nelson has two brothers and one sister living; five have died. He was married to Eliza Boner, of this county, Jan. 12, 1860; she was born Nov. 27, 1838, in Sangamon Co., Ill.; have six children living--Minnie, Marietta, Ethel N., Nellie M., Edna M. and John E. Republican.

Source: Find A Grave online.
Following is a sketch of the life of John W. Nelson of Washington township, this county, whose death of lung fever, April 1, 1889, at the age of 57, was previously announced in the Republican.
The deceased was born in Wayne county, Ohio, in 1832. In 1834 his father and family moved to Richland county near Savannah where they remained till 1845, during this year they moved to Iowa,making the trip in covered wagons. In 1854 the deceased went to California going by way of New York and Panama. In California by earnest industry he saved a competency sufficient to give him a start in real estate and so returned to Iowa in 1857. He gradually accumulated property till, at the time of his death, he possessed over 800 acres of land and a large amount of personal property. In January 1860 he was united in marriage to Miss Eliza D. Boner at the residence of her parents Mr. and Mrs. James Boner, near Utica, Van Buren county Iowa, who with six children, five daughters and one son, are left to mourn their loss. Three children died in infancy. He never made a public profession of his faith but was dedicated to the Lord in his youth through the ordinance of baptism and was a regular attendant at the place of worship, giving liberally to the support of the Gospel. He often engaged in prayer with his family. He was a kind and affectionate husband, a tender father and a loving brother. After his death the body is placed in a metallic coffin where it kept in good condition, looking quite natural after waiting ten days for the arrival of a daughter from Montana. The funeral services were conducted by Rev. Pool, pastor of the M.E. church at Bentonsport, assisted by Rev. Jones of Winchester. The large attendance of acquaintances who followed his remains to their last resting place, was evidence of his worth in the community and showed their respect for him as a friend and neighbor.