Socrates Nelson (1814-1867), my great-great-grandfather, was a fur trader, business man and community leader in early Minnesota. He arrived in Stillwater in the spring of 1844. His wife, Betsey D. Bartlett Nelson, was one of the first white women in Stillwater and Minnesota.

This image was cut from a group photo of the 1859 Minnesota Legislature from the Collection of the Minnesota Historical Society.

Obituary

Early life in Massachusetts

Fur Trader

Entrepreneur

Community Leader

Wife and Family