Postmaster, municipal official.
Born at Birmingham, England on 30 December 1871, only son of Thomas Nelson (brother of Sir Montague Nelson, London) and Hannah Smith (sister of Sir George H. Smith, Halifax Yorkshire), he was educated at Birmingham and King Edward’s High School.
He came to Canada in 1894 and homesteaded at Binscarth, serving as Secretary-Treasurer for the Rural Municipality of Ellice for some years. In 1912, he moved to Russell where he was a grain buyer for the Imperial Grain Company. He was appointed postmaster of Russell in 1913, serving until his death.
Having served as in the Canadian militia as a Lieutenant with the 32nd Manitoba Horse, he enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force and went overseas with the 226th Battalion in October 1916. He did six weeks of garrison duty at Halifax, England with the 43rd Cameron Highlanders, then instructional duty for two years at St. Martin’s Plains, Dibgate. He returned to Canada and resumed his position at the post office.
He was married twice, first on 26 October 1901 to Edith Mary Williams (1875-1934) with whom he had three daughters: Hannah Gwenllyn Nelson (1902-?, wife of Everett Albert Leifer), Enid Bertha Nelson (1905-?, wife of E. W. Healy), and Cecile Marguerite Nelson (1914-?, wife of John DeWolf). On 1 October 1935, he married Jean Violet Gray (1889-1966).
He served on the Russell municipal council for four years and was Mayor of Russell (1923-1933) during which time he reorganised and put on a paying basis the municipal electric light plant. Previously, he had served on the Binscarth School Board. He was a member of the Masons (Worshipful Master of Russell Lodge No. 62), Odd Fellows, Army and Navy Veterans, and Anglican church (Warden of Binscarth and Russell churches).
He died at the Winnipeg General Hospital on 2 October 1942 and was buried in the Russell Memorial Garden.
Marriage registration [Percy Hudson Nelson, Edith Mary Williams], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
Birth registrations [Hannah Gwenllyn Nelson, Enid Bertha Nelson, Cecile Marguerite Nelson], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
1921 Canada census, Ancestry.
Marriage registration [Hannah Ewenllzer Nelson, Everett Albert Leifer], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
Pioneers and Prominent People of Manitoba, Winnipeg: Canadian Publicity Company, 1925.
Death registrations [Edith Mary Nelson, Percival Nelson], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
Obituary [Edith Mary Nelson], Winnipeg Free Press, 16 March 1934, page 6.
Marriage registration [Percy Hudson Nelson, Jean Violet Gray], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
Marriage registration [Cecile Marguerite Nelson, John De Wolf], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
“Masons perform last rites for postmaster P. H. Nelson Monday,” Russell Banner, 8 October 1942, page 1.
Obituary [Jean Violet Nelson], Russell Banner, 24 February 1966, page 6.
Obituaries and burial transcriptions, Manitoba Genealogical Society.
We thank Darryl Toews for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 4 March 2024
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