Obit: Metcalf, Nelson (1812? - 1882)

Contact: Crystal Wendt
Email: crystal@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Metcalf

----Sources: Neillsville Times (Neillsville, Clark County, Wis.) 25 April 1882

Metcalf, Nelson (1812? - 23 April 1882)

Metcalf - In Neillsville, Saturday evening, April 23, 1882, Mr. Nelson Metcalf, aged 70 years.

Mr. Metcalf was born in Massachusetts, and lived for several years in Ohio. He moved to Clark County about fifteen years ago and to Neillsville about a year ago. He was a quiet and peaceable citizen, and had raised a large family of children, several of which now live in Clark County. His first wife died in Hewettville several years ago. His funeral was attended from the Presbyterian Church on Monday afternoon.

Additional information provided by Martin Stewart - mstewart4@woh.rr.com

Nelson Metcalf was born in Massachusetts in 1812, the son of Eliab & Sally (Mallory) Metcalf.   He married Eliza Kies, a Connecticut native, in Massachusetts and they were living in Berkshire County, Massachusetts in 1840.

By 1842, the family had relocated to Ohio where the 1850 Brighton Township, Loraine County census shows 38 year old Nelson, 38 year old Eliza, and 7 children. Eli, then 8, was the first Metcalf child born in Ohio. All of this older siblings had been born in Massachusetts.

1860 finds the family in Montgomery Township, Wood County, Ohio where 44 year old Nelson works in a saw mill. Eliza, then 40, and children Ephraim, Eli, Alden, Mary, Daniel, Nelson, and Sarah all remain at home. In the 1860 census, the last name is misspelled "Medriff."

After the Civil War, Nelson, Eliza and the younger children relocated to Allen County, Indiana for a short time and then to Clark County, Wisconsin. The 1870 Pine Valley census finds 59 year old Nelson and 55 year old Eliza engaged in farming. 15 year old Nelson is the only child remaining at home.

On September 1,1874, Nelson secured a land grant from the Government for 120 acres of land in Clark County. Eliza died in Wisconsin on February 5, 1876 at the age of 58. Eliza was buried in the Neillsville City Cemetery in Clark County.

Nelson married again on August 1, 1877 to Angeline Severs, a 24 year old widow who had been married twice before and had at least one small child from her 2nd marriage.

Nelson purchased a blacksmith shop in September 1880 and set up shop in Neillsville, Wis.

Nelson died on April 23, 1882 in Neillsville and was buried alongside Eliza in the Neillsville City Cemetery.


Martin Stewart 71st OVI researcher
Troy Ohio

Author "Redemption The History of the 71st Ohio Volunteer Infantry in the Civil War"

1880 Federal Census, Hewett, Clark, Wisconsin, United States, pg. 35

Nelson Metcalf, white, married, male
occupation : Farming
ethnicity : American
relationship to head : Self
birthplace : Ohio, United States
birthdate : 1853
spouse's name : Mary Metcalf
spouse's birthplace : Wisconsin, United States
father's birthplace : Massachusetts, United States
mother's birthplace : Connecticut, United States

Household Members
self Nelson Metcalf M 27 Ohio, United States
wife Mary Metcalf F 19 Wisconsin, United States
son Ralph J. Metcalf M 0 Wisconsin, United States