Bruce Opea Nelson Papers

"Services Held for Bruce Nelson, N.D. Author, in Bismarck Funeral services for Bruce Nelson were held at 2 p.m. Wednesday in Bismarck. Dr. Joseph Bachman, pastor of the First Presbyterian church, officiated at the services held in the Perry Funeral home. Nelson passed away Saturday night at the home of his mother, Mrs. Lillie B. Nelson, in Bismarck. He had suffered a prolonged illness. He had lived in Bismarck since 1938. Nelson, who was 38, had been a reporter, newspaper editor, and free-lance writer. His 'Land of the Dacotahs' was published in 1946. For more than three years, he had compiled this history of the upper Missouri valley from the time of the early French explorers to the post-war era of Missouri river development. The book has been a best seller since the time of its publication. Several chapters of the book were republished in the Leader last year. In Bismarck for the funeral are his sister, Mrs. A.E. McGregor, Sheridan, Manitoba, and three brothers: Rollis S. (Speed), Dr. Bertie, both of Washington, D.C.; Herbert, Phoenix, Ariz. A fourth brother, Maj. Quintus Nelson, was killed in the Pacific with the Marines. Nelson was born April 27, 1913, in Flaxton, N.D. His early experience included the setting of type on the Flaxton Times, working in the harvest fields. As a clarinetist, he traveled with other professional musicians in the Midwest for five years. He attended the University of North Dakota. In the newspaper field, he started as a reporters, was editor of the Dickinson Press for a brief time. For many years, he wrote editorials for the Leader, and was employed by the Leader at the time of his death. In 1943, he was granted the award of a fellowship from the University of Minnesota for the purpose of writing his book which the University published. Suffering from tuberculosis, he was confirmed for a year at the state sanitarium at San Haven. Up to the time of his death, he had been writing a history of co-ops in North Dakota. Pallbearers were: James Austin, Jack Andrews, Gerald Saxerud, C.L. Boton, Lynn Nicola and Walter Link. He was buried in Fairview cemetery." Source: The Leader. 15 November 1951

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