Within three weeks, Alice Harrington was cured, and on Dec. 11, 1947, Nelson took her for his bride and lifelong companion.

FAMOUS PATIENTS

Nelson made house calls to patients two days a week, going south on Tuesdays and north on Thursdays.

"I needed a car and was forced to buy an older one, because between 1941 and 1945, there were no cars made in the United States due to the war," laughed Nelson. "And so I bought a 1936 Oldsmobile.

"I didn't like that car much, but it was all I had." He bought a brand-new Ford in 1947.

"I was working at Schroon Manor one day, and I got a call from the Word of Life (Bible Institute), asking me to come over to take care of the Rev. Billy Graham," beamed Nelson. "He had been playing golf and had thrown out his sacroiliac."

The chiropractor also confessed to treating Witherbee native Johnny Podres, who pitched the Brooklyn Dodgers to their World Series victory over the New York Yankees in 1955.

"I treated doctors and nurses during those early years, too."

PROLIFIC GARDENERS

Nelson, known also for his green thumb, downsized his gardens in 2007 due to two knee replacements.

"I had gardens for over 50 years, and everyone knew us and relied on us for corn and other vegetables," he reminisced.

"When we first moved to Crown Point, the neighbors told us we had very good soil in which to raise vegetables, and I was later encouraged by one neighbor to grow extra corn, and he would take it to all the stores and sell it, to which I agreed," said Nelson.

"I grew an abundance of corn, and when it was ready to be harvested, the guy died while working in his garden, and I had a huge amount of corn to deal with."

While driving to patients' homes two days a week, Nelson filled anywhere from three to five grain bags with 100 ears of corn each to sell to the stores along his route of travel.

"I really liked doing it and delivered the corn for enjoyment," laughed Nelson.