"History of Cottonwood and Watonwan Counties of Minnesota, 1916"



No foreign born citizens who come to America are more heartily welcomed than the Swedes, for they are industrious, loyal to American institutions and make excellent citizens. One of this vast number in Cottonwood county is Nels Anderson, a highly skilled merchant tailor of Windom.

Nels Anderson was born in Sweden, October 16, 1858, and is a son of Andrew and Inger (Larson) Nelson, both natives of Sweden, where they were married and spent their lives, dying there some years ago. Nels grew up in his native land and was educated in the public schools there. He came to the United States in 1880, locating at Darlington, Lafayette county, Wisconsin, where he worked at the tailor's trade several years, engaging in business for himself part of the time. He then went to Pierre, South Dakota, where he resided from 1889 to August, 1895, when he came to Windom, where he has since been engaged in merchant tailoring, enjoying a large patronage, drawing many of his customers from remote parts of the surrounding country. He has a neat, well-equipped and modern shop and turns out high-grade work promptly. He built a fine, up-to-date residence in this city in 1914. Although starting out a poor boy he has accumulated a comfortable competency through his industry and good management.

Nels Anderson was married in 1891 to Ellen S. Warneck, who was born in the state of New York in 1858, and is a daughter of Carl and Salig (Nicholes) Warneck, who came to South Dakota in 1883, and where they both died. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Anderson has been without issue, but they have two adopted children, Earl and Pearl, twins, born in 1903; they are both now attending school in Windom.

Politically, Mr. Anderson is a Republican. He has been a member of the city council of Windom. He belongs to the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons.