Eric Nelsen

LOS ANGELES – AUG 28: Nelsen arrives for the Daytime Programming Peer Group Reception on August 28, 2019 in North Hollywood, CA, photo by DFree/Bigstock.com

Birth Name: Eric Michael Nelsen

Place of Birth: West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S.

Date of Birth: June 26, 1991

Ethnicity: Swedish, German, Danish, French-Canadian, Slovenian, Croatian, Swiss-French, Swiss-German, some Finland-Swedish, English, and Chippewa [Ojibwe] Native American

Eric Nelsen is an American actor and producer. He is known for his work on the series 1883.

He is married to Sainty Reid, now Sainty Nelsen, with whom he has a daughter.

Eric’s paternal grandfather was Clair Odean Nelsen (the son of Melvin Ellsworth Nelsen and Hazel Hanson). Clair was born in Minnesota. Melvin was born in Minnesota, to parents from Denmark, Anders Maarten “Andrew Martin” Nelsen and Anna Sophia Maria “Sophie” Olsen/Olson. Hazel was born in Minnesota, and likely was the daughter of Paul Leroy Hanson/Hansen, whose parents were Danish, and of Minnie Florence Nelson, whose parents were Swedish.

Eric’s paternal grandmother was Gayle Arlene Dahlgren (the daughter of Elmer William Dahlgren and Cordelia Elizabeth Jewett). Gayle was born in Minnesota. Elmer was born in Minnesota, the son of John W. Dahlgren, who was Swedish, and of Mary C. Anderson, whose own parents, Gustaf Anderson and Selma Caroline Thomen, were from Sweden and Finland. Cordelia was born in South Dakota, the daughter of Edmond Jewett/Juaire, whose parents were French-Canadian; and of Arminta M. Gravelle, who was mostly of French-Canadian, Swiss-French, Swiss-German, and English descent.

Eric’s maternal grandfather was Joseph Aloysius Kolar (the son of Aloysius Benedict “Loy” Kolar and Mary/Marie Ann Deanovic). Eric’s grandfather Joseph was born in Minnesota. Eric’s great-grandfather Aloysius was born in Austria, the son of Johannes Kolar and Anna Smika, and was listed as a Slovenian speaker on the 1930 U.S. Census. Eric’s great-grandmother Mary was born in Minnesota, to parents from Yugoslavia, Eli Deanovic/Dianovic and Mary A. Parez/Paris, who were listed as Croatian speakers on the 1930 U.S. Census.

Eric’s maternal grandmother is Avalon Elizabeth “Avy” Bechtel (the daughter of Otto Anton Bechtel and Frances Elizabeth Naumann/Nauman). Avalon was born in Minnesota. Otto was born in Minnesota, the son of Martin Bechtel, whose parents were German, and of Anna Sophia Seifert, whose parents were also German. Frances was born in Minnesota, the daughter of Carl Wilhelm Hugo Nauman, who was Swedish, and of Elizabeth “Lizzie” Gordon/Gaudin.

Eric’s great-great-grandmother Elizabeth was born in Wisconsin, and is listed as “Indian” on the 1900 U.S. Census, and as “White” in most other Censuses. Her parents, Antoine “Tony” Gordon/Gaudin and Sarah Kwekabikwe Meshnawe Dingley, were listed as “Native American” on the 1905 Wisconsin State Census.

Eric’s great-great-great-grandfather Antoine was the son of Jean Baptiste Gaudin, or John Battis Gordon, who was French-Canadian, from Québec; and of Charlotte Young Beaver Owanishe, who was a Chippewa (Ojibwe) Native American woman. She is said to have been a sister of proeminent chief of the Mississippi band Hole in the Day. Eric’s great-great-great-grandmother Sarah was the daughter of Daniel Dingley, a white man from Massachusetts, and of Isabella/Isabelle Mush ko Dence Duchesne LaPrairie, whose father was French-Canadian, and whose mother was Chippewa (Ojibwe).

Sources: Obituary of Eric’s paternal grandfather, Clair Odean Nelsen – http://doughteryfuneralduluth.com

Obituary of Eric’s maternal uncle – http://duluthnewstribune.com

Eric’s maternal grandfather, Joseph Aloysius Kolar, on the 1930 U.S. Census – http://familysearch.org

Eric’s maternal grandmother, Avalon Elizabeth “Avy” Bechtel, on the 1940 U.S. Census – http://familysearch.org

Eric’s maternal great-great-grandmother, Elizabeth “Lizzie” Gordon/Gaudin, on the 1900 U.S. Census – http://familysearch.org

Eric’s maternal great-great-great-grandparents, Antoine “Tony” Gordon/Gaudin and Sarah Kwekabikwe Meshnawe Dingley, on the 1905 Wisconsin State Census – http://familysearch.org