Katy Family Full of Rich History Suggested as Name for New Junior High

KATY MAGAZINE NEWS

December 5, 2023

By Natalie Cook Clark

The name Nelson Junior High School has been recommended for the new Katy ISD Junior High #18. The name is after a family with rich history to the area, including the land that the new school is being built on. A forum to the name is scheduled for tomorrow evening.

The Nelson Family. Photo credit: KISD

Nelson Junior High School

Katy ISD is opening two new schools this upcoming school year. The name Freeman High School has been approved for High School #10 and now we know the name recommendation for Junior High #18 is Nelson Junior High.

The name was recommended during the Katy Independent School District December Work Study Board meeting by the district’s Naming Advisory Committee for Junior High #18. For five generations, the Nelson family has played a major role in making Katy the community that we all know and love today.

Junior High #18 will be located at 25747 Longenbaugh Road, Katy, Texas 77493. This junior high will provide enrollment relief to neighboring campuses in the northwest quadrant of the district that are experiencing fast growth.

Public Forum Information

A Public Forum to provide input regarding the proposed name will be held tomorrow, Wednesday, December 6, 2023 at the Katy ISD Education Support Complex. Public comment for Junior High #18 will begin at 5:00 p.m. Individuals who wish to speak during the Public Forum may sign up in person at 4:30 p.m. No signups will be allowed once the forum begins.

Wednesday, December 6

Katy ISD Education Support Complex

Board Room 6301 S. Stadium Lane, Katy, TX 77494

5 – 6 p.m.

Katy ISD is known for naming their school after individuals responsible for great impact worthy of such a legacy. The Naming Advisory Committee for Junior High #18 members took great responsibility in continuing such a tradition of naming schools after those who have positively impacted the area in the past but that will continue to do so. The Nelson family’s legacy is deeply entwined with the history of Katy, as evidenced by the two patriarchs, Clyde and George Nelson, and their descendants.

A Strong Farming Family

In 1938, Clyde Nelson and his wife Leatha moved to Katy with their three children, Wesley, Wanda, and David. In 1942, they purchased the land that Junior High #18 sits on today from Mrs. Mary Wilkenson, a former Katy ISD schoolteacher. The Nelson family engaged in rice and cattle farming and actively participated in community and school activities. Wesley and David were involved in Katy FFA, while Wanda contributed to the school's band. All three children, Katy High School graduates, made significant contributions to their community. Wesley served in the Air Force before joining the family's rice farming operation, and David joined the business later. The Nelson children, who graduated from and married fellow Katy High School alumni, strengthened their ties to the community by making their homes near the family farms.

In the early 1930s, George and Alice Nelson settled in Katy, establishing a prosperous farming and ranching enterprise. George's commitment to education was demonstrated through his Katy ISD school board service in 1939 and reflected in the family's dedication to the local school system. Actively involved in the Katy FFA, George volunteered his time and efforts. The couple’s three children; Sonny, Delores, and Johnny, not only contributed significantly to the Katy community but also carried on the family's farming legacy. As their families expanded, their ties to Katy ISD deepened through generations attending and graduating from the district. The Nelson family's enduring impact on the community and its schools continues to resonate today.

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