Capt. John W. Nelson

CAPT. NELSON DEAD.
Died at His Home on Piermont Avenue Last Friday. Capt John W. Nelson, an aged and much respected resident of Nyack, died at his home on Piermont avenue last Friday. Hie age was 79 years and 4 months. His father was Thomas Nelson, who served through the war of 1812, and his grandfather was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. John W. Nelson was born in Poughkeepsie, and at an early age he went as cook on a sloop which sailed between that city and New York. He worked himself up to be cook on a steamer, went to New Orleans and several years in the South. He was in the Florida war, was wounded in the hand there, and was one of the scouts who went in pursuit of Black Hawk, the Indian chief who was subsequently killed. He afterward went mate on a vessel to Europe, and traveled considerably before his return to this country. When he came back he located in New York City, where he served on the police force for 22 years. He resided at Islip, L. L, for a time, having been retired from the police on a pension, and two and a half years ago he came tp Nyack. purchased the lioitsb built by Tunis D. Seaman, on Piermont avenue, and lived there until his death. In his earlier days Capt. Nelson ran a boat up the Hudson and brought to Piermont the first timbers for the long pier of the Erie Company at that place. This fact afforded him much gratification during the rest of his life. Capt. Nelson was a brother-in-law of Mr. Thomas Matthews, of this place. He leaves a widow, two married sons, and one daughter. One of the sons, George W., lives at Far Rockaway, the other, William F., at Islip, and the daughter, Emeline, in Nyack.