Evening Herald October 30, 1931 John Nelson, aged resident of Chiloquin, passed away Thursday afternoon at 2:10 o'clock, his demise terminating an illness of two weeks duration. He was 82 years of age when called. To mourn his passing he leaves two sons, Victor and Herbert Nelson, and the following grandchildren, Gilbert, Dick Hector, Victoria, Evans and Rita. The funeral will be held Saturday afternoon at 2 o'clock from the Williamson River Church with Rev. Bradshaw officiating. Interment will be made in the Wilson Cemetery. --------------------------------------------------- Evening Herald November 2, 1931 OLDEST KLAMATH INDIAN IS BURIED IN WILSON CEMETERY John Nelson, "Johnny the Joker," as he was commonly known among the Klamath Indians, was buried Saturday afternoon in the Wilson Cemetery at Chiloquin. Nelson, 107, was oldest of the Klamath Indians. With his old white horse and his string of mongrel Indian dogs, Nelson was almost a daily figure on the streets of Chiloquin, the reservation city. Because of his advanced years stories of his life had become almost legendary with the Klamath Indians. He is reported to have seen the first white man in this country as early as 1840, when fur traders came down into Central Oregon in quest of rich hides. One story says that Nelson killed the first two white men he saw, although in later years, during the Modoc War, he wa very friendly with the white settlers. His funeral services, held in the Williamson River Church an conducted by Rev. Bradshaw, were attended by practically all of the 1287 members of the tribe. Elaborate burial services, after the custom of the Klamath Indians, were followed. His pallbearers were fellow members of his tribe, including Marshall Conney, Alfred Butler, Lindson Cowan, James Johnson, Cecil Jackson, and Grover Clarkson. --------------------------------------------- Evening Herald October 30, 1931 WELL KNOWN INDIAN DIES AT CHILOQUIN John Nelson, known among the Klamath Indians as "Johnny the Joker," died at Chiloquin at 2 o'clock Thursday afternoon after an illness of two weeks. Nelson was 82 years of age, and one of the best known Indians on the Klamath Reservation. He was a member of the tribal council when the treaties between the redskins and the white men were signed. (Quite a discrepancy in age at death in above articles. sandy) _________________________________________________________________ Get rid of annoying pop-up ads with the new MSN Toolbar – FREE! http://toolbar.msn.com/go/onm00200414ave/direct/01/