Obituary Record

Maren (Miller) (Toft) Nielsen
Died on 10/10/1925
Buried in Lincoln Cemetery

1) Printed in the October 14, 1925 Pilot, Blair, Nebraska

Maren Nielsen

Another Pioneer Passed Away

Mrs. Otto Nielsen, after a period of protracted illness due to advanced age, passed away Oct. 10, 1925 at the age of 82 years, and 26 days at the home of her son James T. Nelson, who lives north of Blair. Burial services were conducted by Reverend N. P. Lang of Blair assisted by Reverend P. J. Reinertsen of Orum at St Pauls Lutheran Church, Orum and the remains were laid to rest in the Church Cemetery by the side of her husband.

Very beautiful and appropriate songs for the occasion were sung by the mixed quartet of the Blair Lutheran Church. Pallbearers at the church were old friends and neighbors of the deceased. Floral offerings were many, showing the high esteem in which she was held in the neighborhood in which she lived her long and useful life.

Maren Miller was born Sept. 14, 1843 in Slesvig, Denmark. She came to Nebraska in the year 1867 at the age of 24 and was married to Jens Toft in December of the same year. They lived in Omaha until the year 1869. From there they moved to Washington County, Nebr., and took up a homestead near Orum.

To this union, four children were born, one girl Annie and three boys, Hans, John, and Peter. Three of them have passed away. John died in 1916, Hans in 1922, and Mrs. Annie Block, the only girl, in 1924.

She was married to Otto Nielsen in 1878. To them were born 2 sons, James T., and Chris. Mr and Mrs. Nielsen lived on the same farm until 1910 when they moved to Blair, where Mr. Nielsen died Oct. 15, 1919. Mrs. Nielsen lived with her son James T. Nelson and family for the last three years at whose home she passed away.

She leaves to mourn her death 3 sons, Peter Toft of Fremont, James T. Nelson of Blair, and Chris Nelson of Orum. Also a brother B. P. Miller and one sister Mrs. M. P. Larson of Kennard, besides 18 grandchildren and I great grandchildren.

In infancy, the deceased was baptized in the Lutheran Church and later confirmed in the same faith. During her whole life she was closely identified with the Church and was a faithful worker for its welfare. During the early pioneer days church services were held in the different school houses – later the ideas of a permanent place of worship was advanced.

Mrs. Nielsen was one of the foremost in organizing and building St. Paul’s Lutheran Church at Orum, some 40 years ago. She was also one of the organizers of the Ladies Aid of the same church which was also started at about the same time. This society has persisted through all these years and has a large membership.

2) Printed in the October 15, 1925 Tribune, Blair, Nebraska (Note: the last name is spelled Nelson—the sons took that spelling; this is the same lady who married Jens Toft and later Otto Neilsen)

PIONEER WOMAN DIES AT HOME OF SON

Mrs. Otto Nelson, after a period of protracted illness due to advanced age, passed away October 10, 1925, at the age of 82 years and 26 days, at the home of her son, James T. Nelson north of Blair. Burial services were conducted by Rev. Lang of Blair assisted by Rev. Reinertsen of Orum at the St. Paul Lutheran church at Orum and the remains were laid to rest in the cemetery by the side of the church. Very beautiful and appropriate songs for the occasion were sung by the mixed quartette of the Blair Lutheran church. Pallbearers at the church were old friends and neighbors of the deceased. Floral offerings were many, showing the high esteem in which she was held in the neighborhood in which she lived her long and useful life.

Maren Miller was born September 14th, 1843, in Slesvig, Denmark. She came to Nebraska in 1967 at the age of twenty-four and was married to Jens Toft in the same year. They lived in Omaha till 1869, when they moved to Washington county and took up a homestead near Orum. To this union four children were born. One girl, Annie, and three boys, Hans, John and Peter. Three of them have passed away. John died in 1916, Hans in 1922, and Mrs. Annie Block, the only girl, in 1924. Her first husband, Jens Toft, died in 1877.

She was married to Otto Nelson in 1878. To them were born two boys, James T. and Chris. Mr. and Mrs. Nelson lived on the same farm until 1910 when they moved to Blair where Mr. Nelson died October 16, 1919. Mrs. Nelson has lived with her son, James T. Nelson, and family for the last three years at whose home she passed away. She leaves to mourn her death, three sons, Peter Toft of Fremont, James T. Nelson of Blair and Chris Nelson of Orum, also one brother, B.P. Miller and one sister, Mrs. N.P. Larson of Kennard, besides eighteen grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

In infancy the deceased was baptized in the Lutheran church and later confirmed in the same faith. During her whole life she was closely identified with this church and was a faithful worker for its welfare. During the early pioneer days, church services were held in different schoolhouses. Later the idea of a permanent place of worship was advanced. Mrs. Nelson was one of the foremost in organizing and building the St. Paul Lutheran church at Orum some forty years ago. She was also one of the organizers of the Ladies Aid of the same church which was also started at about the same time.

3) Nelson, Maren (Miller) (Mrs. Otto) 10/19/1925

#3 October 14, 1925 - The Pilot

ANOTHER PIONEER PASSED OVER

Mrs. Otto Nelson, after a period of protracted illness due to advanced age, passed away October 19, 1925, at the age of 82 years and 26 days at the home of her son, James T. Nelson, who lives north of Blair, Burial services were conducted by Rev. N. P. Lang, of Blair, assisted by Rev. P. J. Reinertsen, of Orum, at St. Paul Lutheran church, Orum, and the remains were laid to rest in the church cemetery by the side of her husband.

Very beautiful and appropriate songs for the occasion were sung by the mixed quartette of the Blair Lutheran church. Pallbearers at the church were old friends and neighbors of the deceased. Floral offerings were many, showing the high esteem to which she was held in the neighborhood in which she lived her long and useful life.

Maren Miller was born September 14th, 1842, in Slesvig, Denmark. She came to Nebraska in the year 1867 at the age of twenty-four, and was married to Jens Toft in December of the same year. They lived in Omaha until the year 1869. From there they moved to Washington county Nebraska and took up a homestead near Orum.

To this union four children were born. One girl, Annie, and three boys, Hans, John and Peter. Three of them have passed away. John died in 1914, Hans in 1922 and Mrs. Annie Block, the only girl, in 1877.

She was married to Otto Nelson in 1876. To them were born two sons, James T. and Chris. Mr. and Mrs. Nelson lived on the same farm until 1910, when they moved to Blair where Mr. Nelson died October 15, 1919. Mrs. Nelson lived with her son, James T. Nelson and family, for the last three years, at whose home she passed away.

She leaves to mourn her death three sons, Peter Toft, of Fremont, Jas. T. Nelson, of Blair, and Chris Nelson, of Orum. also a brother, B. P. Miller and one sister, Mrs. M. P. Larson, of Kennard, besides eighteen grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.

In infancy the deceased was baptized in the Lutheran church and later confirmed in the same faith. During her whole life she was closely identified with this church and was a faithful worker for its welfare. During the early pioneer days church services were held in the different schoolhouses. Later the idea of a permanent place of worship was advanced.

Mrs. Nelson was one of the foremost in organizing and building St. Paul’s Lutheran church at Orum some 40 years ago. She was also one of the organizers of the Ladies Aid of the same church, which was also started at about the same time. This society has persisted through all these years and now has a large membership.

~~~ Obituaries courtesy of Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Public Library, Blair, Nebraska. ~~~

FindaGrave # 150827330

Printed in the Blair Pilot on 10/14/1926


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