| Nelson Olsen Nelson |   | Born: 1844 | Died: 1918 |
| Father: Unspecified | Mother: Unspecified | ||
| Children: Nelson , Nelson | |||
| Siblings: | |||
| Spouse: Almeria "Allie" (Posegate) Nils | |||
During his lifetime, Mr. Nelson was the founder of a large manufacturing company in St. Louis, instituted a model labor village, established a system of profit-sharing, and promoted a chain of co-operative stores. Born in Norway, he emigrated in his early childhood with his parents to Missouri, where they settled on a farm. When the Civil War broke out, he joined the Union forces. After the war, he tried business ventures in St. Louis, St. Joseph and Hiawatha, Kansas.
Returning to St. Louis in 1872, he established the N.O. Nelson Manufacturing Company, makers of building and plumbing supplies. He moved his factories to southern Illinois and formed the village of Leclaire in 1890. Enthusiastic about the profit-sharing system, he introduced it into his plant. In 1902 he founded a co-operative store in Leclaire. In 1911 he established in New Orleans a farmer’s co-operative creamery and credit association and the next year formed a co-operative grocery store. In a few years he had established a chin of 63 co-operative stores, 3 butcher shops, a bakery, creamery, condiment factory and a co-operative farm. The co-operative chain in New Orleans collapsed and in 1918 he filed a petition for bankruptcy on the project. Mr. Nelson was responsible for the organization in St. Louis of many free recreational and cultural activities for the underprivileged.