Carlotta J. Nelson, American Born

Carlotta J. Nelson was born on October 10, 1874 in Mississippi to William R. Nelson, and his wife Christiana Fredericka Nelson, both Danish-born. William was born on June 24, 1823, in Frederikshovn, Denmark, and Christiana was born ten years later, on October 30, 1833, at Levenholm Castle, Ronden, Denmark.  Although I have been unable to determine the exact date of the Nelson family's arrival in America, the U. S. Census of 1870 shows that William and Christiana were already living in the Richland Beat of Holmes County, Mississippi.  The Nelson household at that time included William, a 57 year old merchant, Christiane, a 47 year old housewife, and three children, Dorothea, age 12, Florina, 11, and William, age 9.  In 1880, the U. S. Census shows the Nelson family had moved to the Town of Goodman, where William sold "general merchandise." The family likely lived in the business district, since the census record indicated their nearby neighbors included a preacher, a physician, two saloon keepers, and another merchant. The Nelson household in 1880 included five children, six year old Carlotta, Dorothea, 22, Florina, 21, William, 18, and W. L., age 4.  Since Dorothea, Florina, and William were all born in Denmark, it appears that Carlotta was the first member of her family to have been born in America.  


Source:
Ancestry.com. 1880 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 2009.  Images reproduced by FamilySearch.


Ancestry.com. 1870 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.