WASHINGTON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY (Washington County, Utah)
MILES ERNEST & MELBA SWAPP NELSON
(xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx)
BIOGRAPHY
Miles served in the U.S. Army with the 7th Armored Division, 106th Infantry in the Battle of the Bulge and waswounded by shrapnel on Christmas Day 1944. He was a Purple Heart recipient.
Ray served on active duty with the United States Navy during the Vietnam War.
He was disabled with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Melba's parents owned a ranch about 8 miles south of Hatch Utah, straddling the border between Garfield and
Kane Counties. It was close enough to St. George that they chose to spend their winters there. They leased an
upstairs apartment at the Arrowhead Hotel on Tabernacle street.
Melvin Gary Nelson didn't particularly like the name Melvin. So he went by the name, Gary Nelson.
FAMILY
|
Miles' Parents and Siblings:
Henry Earnest Nelson Euphenia Miles Nelson Alice Nelson Rex M. Nelson Ray B. Nelson Miles Ernest Nelson Evelyn Nelson |
(12/15/1880-2/21/1931) (married xx/xx/xxxx) (4/28/1890-7/29/1973) (xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx) (married Frank Milne) (9/8/1912-8/18/1968) (married Cleo Higgins) (9/8/1912-3/6/1935) (8/22/1917-8/30/2001) (married Melba Swapp) (xx/xx/xxxx-12/10/2012) (married Norman J. Hunt) |
|
Melba's Parents and Siblings: Melvin Curtis Swapp Mary Jane Little Swapp Max Little Swapp Melba Swapp Mont C. Swapp |
(5/29/1881-9/17/1959) (married 1/15/1913; brother of William Jolley Swapp) (4/24/1891-8/10/1985) (4/30/1914-7/17/1987) (married Sylva Snow) (4/15/1917-3/8/1983) (married Miles Ernest Nelson) (4/29/1923-7/25/2003) (married Shirley Ann Dodds) |
|
Miles & Melba's Family: Miles Ernest Nelson Melba Swapp Nelson Melvin Gary Nelson Miles Kent-Nelson Raymond Swapp Nelson |
(8/22/1917-8/30/2001) (married 3/22/1936) (4/15/1917-3/8/1983) (2/6/1937-12/31/2016) (married Lorraine Ann DePalma) (11/19/1938-11/23/2017) (married Diane Clark and Nancy Anne Rasimas) (4/6/1947-6/18/2019) |
PHOTOS
WCHS photos:WCHS-03218 Photo of Miles Nelson in his military uniform
WCHS-03291 Photo of Ray Swapp Nelson about 1963
WCHS-03302 Photo of a young Melvin Gary Nelson
REFERENCES
Letter dated November 22, 1944 from Miles Nelson to Rex & Cleo NelsonSent from a U.S. Army camp in England.
V Mail dated December 16, 1944 from Miles Nelson to Rex & Cleo Nelson
This was apparently sent from the Ardennes (Belgium) just 9 days before Miles
was wounded at the Battle of the Bulge.
Miles Nelson Audio Recording With Family Members, 3/31/1957
FamilySearch entry for Miles Ernest Nelson
Find-A-Grave entry for Miles Ernest Nelson
FamilySearch entry for Melba Swapp
Find-A-Grave entry for Melba Swapp Nelson
FamilySearch entry for Melvin Gary Nelson
Obituary of Melvin Gary Nelson
Find-A-Grave entry for Melvin Gary Nelson
FamilySearch entry for Miles Kent Nelson
Obituary of Miles Kent Nelson
FamilySearch entry for Ray Swapp Nelson
Obituary of Raymond Swapp Nelson