Hancock County marriage license #657 was issued on November 25, 1842, at Carthage, to Enos Nelson and Miss Mary A. Oakes, with the handwritten notation "her father's consent having been had".  Enos and Mary Ann were married on December 1, 1842, by Wm. Hindall, Minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church.  Marriage License

Documenting the Nelson children was a sad process.  All of the sons, apparently healthy and normal at birth, were afflicted with some kind of illness that eventually affected their minds.  This is surmised from the unfortunate terms entered in census records.  Mary Ann's brothers were similarly attacked.
One can only imagine the heartbreak the family suffered.

The older Nelson children may have been born in Hancock County, Illinois.  The family moved to McDonough County sometime between 1850 and 1860.  From 1860 on they were counted Hire Township, McDonough County.  The children were:

i.	Alvis Laban Nelson, born about 1847, died May 14, 1916, in Hire Township, burial location undetermined.
ii.	Harriet Lucy Nelson, born in 1848, died February 6, 1931, at Blandinsville, McDonough County. Burial at Friendship Cemetery.
iii.	Josephine Nelson, born between 1850 and 1854.
iv.	Martha E. Nelson, born Feb 14, 1853.  She died September 14, 1915, burial at Glade City Cemetery, Blandinsville.
v.	Bethena or Berthena Nelson, born about 1855.
vi.	Frances Elizabeth Nelson, born about 1858.
vii.	Emma Nelson, born about 1860, never married.  She became the caretaker for her brothers. We believe she died June 16, 1933, in Hire Township.
viii.	Seth Tinsley Nelson, born about 1862, died January 22, 1929, in Hire Township, burial location undetermined.
ix.	Cora V. "Carrie" Nelson, born about 1863, died after April 27, 1940.
x.	Austin L. Nelson, born August 19, 1868, died April 27, 1940, in Macomb, McDonough County.  Burial at Friendship Cemetery.
xi.	Charles Wesley Nelson, born about 1872, died December 27, 1943, at Macomb, burial at Friendship Cemetery.

Enos Nelson, 26, male, farmer, value of real estate 300, born KY
Mary A, 24, female, born TN
Alvis L, 5, born IL
Harriett, 2, female, born IL

Enos Nelson, 38, male, farmer, value of real estate 1875, value of personal estate 1100, born KY, could not read or write
Mary A, 34, female, born Tn
Alvis L, 14, male, born IL, attended school within the year
Harriet, 12, male, born IL, attended school within the year
Josephine, 6, female, born IL, attended school within the year
Martha, 5, female, born IL, attended school within the year
Nathine, 4, male, born IL
Emma, 1, female, born IL
Elizabeth, 2, female, born IL

Enos K Nelson, 5_ [second digit illegible], male, white, farmer, value of real estate 8000, value of personal estate 3000, born KY, male citizen of the U.S. aged 21 or more
Mary A, 48, female, white, keep house, born TN
Alvis L, 24, male, white, born IL, male citizen of the U.S. aged 21 or more
Josephine, 20, female, white, born IL
Martha, 18, female, white, born IL
Berthena, 16, female, white, born IL, attended school within the year
Frances, 12, female, white, born IL, attended school within the year
Emma, 10, female, white, born IL, attended school within the year
Seth T, 8, male, white, born IL, attended school within the year
Cora V, 6, female, white, born IL, attended school within the year
Austin L, 1, male, white, born IL

Nelson, Enos, white, male, 55, married, farmer, could not read or write, born KY, both parents born NC
Mary A, white, female, 53, wife, married, keeps house, born TN, both parents born TN
Bethena, white, female, 25, daughter, single, at home, born IL, father born KY, mother born TN
Emma, white, female, 21, daughter, single, at home, born IL, father born KY, mother born TN
Carrie, white, female, 16, daughter, single, at home, born IL, father born KY, mother born TN
Alvis, white, male, 35, son, single, at home, idiotic, born IL, father born KY, mother born TN
Tinsley, white, male, 19, son, single, at home, idiotic, born IL, father born KY, mother born TN
Austin, white, male, 10, son, single, at school, born IL, father born KY, mother born TN
Weslay, white, male, 8, son, single, at school, born IL, father born KY, mother born TN
Oaks, Laban, white, male, 79, father-in-law, married, at home, born TN, both parents born VA
Bethena, white, female, 84, mother-in-law, married, at home, born NC, both parents born NC

Both of the following entries are crossed out with the notations, respectively:
Duplication of #163-3/Ill P 11, L 38
Duplication of #163-3/Ill P 11, L 39

Nolan, white, male, 48, brother-in-law, single, at poor house, born IL, father born TN, mother
born NC
Vintcent [sic], white, male, 62, brother-in-law, single, at poor house, born IL, father born TN, mother born NC

For further information on Nolan and Vincent, see Laban and Bethina Oakes.

Nelson, Mary [middle initial obscured], head, white, female, born Mar 1826, 74, widow; mother of 11 children, all living; born TN, father born TN, mother born NC, farmer, months not employed - 0, could read, write and speak English, owned her farm home free of mortgage, farm schedule 129

Alvis, son, white, male, born July 1847, 52, single, born IL, father born KY, mother born TN, farm laborer, months not employed - 0, could not read or write, spoke English

Seth Tinsly, son, white, male, born Nov 1862, 37, single, born IL, father born KY, mother born TN, farm laborer, months not employed - 0, could not read or write, spoke English

Emma, daughter, white, female, born Apr 1860, 40, single, father born KY, mother born TN, washerwoman , months not employed - 6, could read, write and speak English

Ausden [sic], white, male, born July 1864, 45, single, born IL, father born KY, mother born TN, farm laborer, months not employed - 0, could not read or write, spoke English

Wesley, white, male, born Oct 1872, 27, single, born IL, father born KY, mother born TN, farm laborer, months not employed - 0, could not read or write, spoke English

Nelson, Mary Ann, head, female, white, 83, widow; mother of 11 children, all living; born KY, father born TN, mother born NC, spoke English, own income, could read and write, owned her farm home free of mortgage, farm schedule 112

Emma, daughter, female, white, 50, single, born IL, both parents born KY, spoke English, housekeeper, private home, could read and write

Alvis, son, male, white, 63, single, born IL, both parents born KY, feeble minded [no additional entries]

Tinsley, son, male, white, 41, single, born IL, both parents born KY, feeble minded [no additional entries]

Austin, son, male, white, 44, single, born IL, both parents born KY, feeble minded [no additional entries]

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Wesley, son, male, white, 38, single, born IL, both parents born KY, feeble minded [no additional entries]

Nelson, Emma, head, owned her home free of mortgage, female, white, 59, single, could read and write, born IL, father born KY, mother born NC, spoke English, no occupation

Tinsley, brother, male, white, 58, single, could not read or write, born IL, father born KY, mother born NC, spoke English

Austin L, brother, male, white, 48, single, could not read or write, born IL, father born KY, mother born NC, spoke English

Charles W, brother, male, white, 45, single, could not read or write, born IL, father born KY, mother born NC, spoke English

Nelson, Emma, head, owned her home, farm, female, white, 69, single, could read and write, born IL, father born KY, mother born TN, spoke English, farmer, farm schedule 45

Austin L, brother, male, white, 50, single, could not read or write, born IL, father born KY, mother born TN, spoke English

Wesley C, brother, male, white, 48, single, could not read or write, born IL, father born KY, mother born TN, spoke English