Isak Olaf Nilssson was born November 11, 1848 in Umban (Luleo), Sweden which is in Northern Sweden along the east coast. Lulea is the headquarters of the most northerly diocese in Sweden. Lulea is the chief town of the district of Norrbotten, formed from the old province of the same name and the northern part of Lapland.

Isak’s father was N. P. Nelson (Nils Peter Nilsson). His mother died, possibly, in Sweden. I don’t know his mother’s name. Nils then married Anna Elisa Otquist. In some places that’s spelled Olquist. I got the impression from conversations with various old timers that Nils Nilsson came to this country, but he may not have stayed. Very sketchy. N. P. Nelson petitioned to become a citizen in Sturgeon Bay, WI on the same day as Issac, Oct 1, 1877.

Isaac’s brother, Peter, may have been the Peter Nelson who applied for citizenship in Sturgeon Bay on Sept 8, 1873.

Isaac had a full sister who stayed in Sweden and the following brothers and sister in this country; Daniel Nelson, a tailor (half brother) who married Lydia Bergman from Door County, Peter Nelson (full brother) who lived in Door County for a time then Clark County, WI and then moved out west to Washington, and (half brothers) Gust and Eric Nelson who lived in Clark County, Wisconsin, and Gabriel (half brother) who lived in Chicago and (half sister) Margaretha (Magretha or Maggie) Nelson who married and lived in Door County. Maggie Nelson was born November 22, 1862 in Sweden and died July 28, 1916 at the age of 53 after being ill for some time. When she came to America she first lived in Chicago where she worked at the time of the first World’s Fair (1893). She married Andrew (Andreas) Knutson son of Torkel & Olia Knutson in Sister Bay on November 22, 1894.

Isak’s brother Eric had a daughter, Violet or Viva. The Sister Bay Moravian Church says that Viva Alvina Nelson was born to Eric and Hannah Nelson on June 3, 1900 in Shortville, WI.

Peter, Eric and Isaac Nelson built the house in Sister Bay that my grandparents, Joe and Alma Nelson, and then my folks lived in.

Isak O. Nilsson left Neder Lulea, Sweden on the ship "Orlando" out of Gothenburg, Sweden on July 7, 1872 bound for Hull, England. His destination was Hancock, Michigan. He was a single man of 29 years of age at that time. He was a resident of Lulea, Sweden and had been born at Umban, Sweden. With him were the following men all from Lulea bound for the following places: Nils Enbann 25 years old and N. Y. Nyberg 22 years old both also bound for Hancock. Frans Landberg, Lars Bergstrom, Anders Landstrom and Blomgren (first name unknown) all in their 20s and all bound for New York. Also with them was a Mr. Wallgren who was 53 years old bound for New York. Isak came into New York City on August 10, 1872 aboard the ship the S. S. Egypt of the National Line and arrived in Hancock in October 1872. But he ended up in Marinette.

He petitioned to become a U.S. citizen October 1, 1877 in Sturgeon Bay and it was finalized May 11, 1911 or September 5, 1911. He affixed his own signature to the Oath of Allegiance document.

Isak died peacefully in his sleep in Sister Bay on June 7, 1928. The funeral was June 10. For the funeral they cut and lined the path leading to the house with cedar trees and all the men wore black arm bands. According to the Sister Bay Moravian Church record of the funeral it read like this: "Isak O. Nilsson was born in Sweden and came to America in 1872. He settled in Marinette for two years and then moved to Sister Bay and lived on the homestead for 54 years. On the 18th of January 1879 he was married to Hanna Sophie Knutson in the Ephraim Moravian Church. They had 10 children. He joined this church April 16, 1897 and was elected to the elders. He was a Christian man of true worth. The funeral service was held on Sunday afternoon June 10th from the old homestead and from the Sister Bay Moravian Church by Rev. Edward F. Helmich of Sturgeon Bay speaking on ‘Precious in the Sight of the Lord’. A large crowd attended. Singing was by a mixed quartet from Ephraim Moravian Church. He left a wife and 19 grandchildren."