The nineteen twenties and thirties were years of unrest and organization for American farmers, and George A. Nelson was an activist in the movement for greater cooperation among farmers. Born in Polk County, Wisconsin, in 1873, Nelson grew up on his father's farm, attended college briefly, and then worked his way around the country and to Alaska. He returned to settle on the family land near Milltown where he continued to farm until his retirement.
He was active in a variety of local farming and civic affairs and by 1920 was well-known enough to be elected to the Wisconsin Assembly as a Progressive Republican. He served for three terms, 1921-1922 and 1925-1928. In 1934, Nelson ran as Socialist candidate for governor; and in 1936, he was running mate to Norman Thomas in the national executive contest.
But Nelson's greatest interests lay in farmers' organizations. From 1922 to 1931, he served as president of the Wisconsin State Union of the American Society of Equity. During these same years he headed the Wisconsin Co-operative Creameries Association. In the 1930s, he was a national leader in both the Farmers' Holiday Association and the Farmers' Educational and Co-operative Union of America. Other activities included the sub-committee concerned with agriculture for the Wisconsin-Chicago Centennial of Progress Committee, 1931-1933.
Nelson was married in 1901 to Christina Larson of Polk County and they had seven children. He died in 1962 at the age of 88.
