Isaac De Groff Nelson (July 2, 1810 – March 24, 1891) was an early pioneer in Indiana, where he owned a newspaper, held several political offices, and became the father of newspaperman

William Rockhill Nelson William Rockhill Nelson (March 7, 1841 – April 13, 1915) was an American real estate developer and co-founder of ''The Kansas City Star'' in Kansas City, Missouri, Kansas City, Missouri. He donated his estate (and home) for the establishment of ...

. I. D. G. Nelson was born in New York state on July 2, 1810. In 1836, he moved to Fort Wayne, arriving via steamer along the newly opened Wabash and Erie Canal. Nelson bought the

Fort Wayne Sentinel ''The News-Sentinel'' was a daily newspaper based in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The afternoon ''News-Sentinel'' was politically independent. The papers suspended publication in November 2020, after the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic. Early history '' ...

from

George W. Wood George W. Wood (1808–1871) was an American politician and newspaperman. He was elected as the first mayor of Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1840. He served only 16 months before resigning on July 5, 1841. He continued in later life as a newspaperman ...

in 1840 and turned it from a Whig paper to an organ of the

Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...

. In 1851 he was elected as a representative from Allen County, Indiana to the Indiana General Assembly, where he helped pass the Nelson railroad bill. In 1852, he also helped organize the Wabash Railroad Company. Nelson served in various state government roles, including an 1854 appointment as clerk of the Allen circuit court, a member of the first

board of trustees of Purdue University Board or Boards may refer to: Flat surface * Lumber, or other rigid material, milled or sawn flat ** Plank (wood) ** Cutting board ** Sounding board, of a musical instrument * Cardboard (paper product) * Paperboard * Fiberboard ** Hardboard, a ty ...

, and in 1877, he helped oversee the construction of the

Indianapolis state house The Indiana Statehouse is the state capitol building of the U.S. state of Indiana. It houses the Indiana General Assembly, the office of the Governor of Indiana, the Indiana Supreme Court, and other state officials. The Statehouse is located in ...

under Governor

James D. Williams James Douglas Williams (January 16, 1808November 20, 1880), nicknamed ''Blue Jeans Bill'', was an American farmer and Democratic politician who held public office in Indiana for four decades, and was the only farmer elected as the governor of ...

. Nelson also renowned as a nursery owner. His own estate, "Elm Park" was considered "the showplace of Allen County." Nelson lived in Elm Park, and had great fondness for

horticulture Horticulture is the branch of agriculture that deals with the art, science, technology, and business of plant cultivation. It includes the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs, sprouts, mushrooms, algae, flowers, seaweeds and no ...

. Nelson helped to incorporate Lindenwood Cemetery in Fort Wayne, where a monument was built to him. He was also a member of the National Pomological Society. Nelson died March 24, 1891.

References

1810 births 1891 deaths Democratic Party members of the Indiana House of Representatives Politicians from Fort Wayne, Indiana 19th-century American politicians Pomologists {{Indiana-politician-stub