Nels was born November 9, 1861 in Varmland, Sweden. He came to America in 1881 at the age of 20 and married Julia Molstertigen in 1888 at the age of 27. This photo was most likely taken at his wedding. The couple moved to French Lake, Minnesota from Minneapolis in 1892. He was 92 when he died in 1954. He had sixteen children; six of his children died before him and ten survived him. His wife Julia preceded him in death in 1931. Six of grandsons where pall bearers at his funeral including Jim Kelly and Lawrence Lindquist.

Clara Regina Dahlman, his seventh child, was born in 1901 when he was 40.