Springfield-Greene
County LibraryEarly and Recent History and Genealogical Records
of Many of the Representative Citizens
MARION A. NELSON. We do not find many Greene county people who originally came from Arkansas. The reason is perhaps that they have as good a country as ours and find it to their advantage to stay at home. Arkansas is a great state every respect, greater than most citizens in other states ever dream. This is due partly to the fact that there has never been a "boom" there, the railroads have not put forth much effort to advertise it, as they have had such over rated states as Oklahoma, Florida and California, consequently the general public does not really know of the vast resources and opportunities, to be found in the state just to the south of us. Marion A. Nelson, engaged in the life insurance business in Springfield, is one of the enterprising young men from that state who has cast his lot with the people of Greene county.
Mr. Nelson was born at Wilmar, Drew county, Arkansas, November 20, 1875. He is a son of Thomas D. and Maggie N. (Alexander) Nelson. The father was born in Tennessee, in which state he grew to manhood and, there enlisted in a regiment in the Confederate army during the Civil War, serving with credit until the close of the conflict. After the war he came to Arkansas and engaged in the lumber business until 1882, when he went to Louisiana, where he has since made his home, and there he is still engaged in business. His family consisted of nine children. The maternal grandfather of our subject was a native of the state of Mississippi, and during the Civil war he was a soldier in the Confederate army and was killed in battle. His family consisted of three children, all now deceased. His daughter, Maggie N. Alexander, mother of our subject, died April 25, 1914, in Dubach, Louisiana.
Marion A. Nelson spent his childhood in Drew county, Arkansas, being seven years of age when he removed with his parents to northern Louisiana, where he grew to manhood and received his education in the public schools there. After graduating from the high school in his community he began his career by entering the lumber and mercantile business, continuing these lines with ever-increasing success in northern Louisiana and southern Arkansas until 1909, when he took a position with the Equitable Life Assurance Society, in which his advancement has been rapid, and he now occupies the responsible position of agency manager for this district, with headquarters at Springfield, and he is discharging his duties in an able and faithful manner that is highly satisfactory to the company.
Mr. Nelson was married on February 17, 1902, to Pearl Hale, at Junction City, Arkansas, and they resided at that place until 1913, when they removed to Springfield, Missouri, where they have since made their home. They are the parents of four children, namely: Marion Hale, James Denny, Maurice Sanders and Rose Elizabeth.
Politically, Mr. Nelson is a Democrat. Fraternally, he belongs to the Masonic order, including the Royal Arch degree. He has long been quite active and influential in this order, and while in Arkansas was deputy grandmaster. He has also been a member of the Knights of Pythias for many years, and has been equally active and prominent in this order, having passed all the chairs while living in Arkansas. He is a member of St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal church, South, in Springfield. He and his wife have made many warm friends since locating in this city.
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