Nina was the daughter of William Rufus Nelson and Salvadora Mary Lowdermilk. She was of Irish and German extraction. She married William Kelley Houck on November 15, 1877. They had thirteen children.

Nina's life was full with all of her children, and with cooking and doing for her husband's church followers. She was very much loved by all her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. They remember her flowers on the porch, and how she used to keep a pet mockingbird who would talk to her. They remember her pump organ and her clogging or dancing a jig on the porch. They remember her devotion to her husband and her kindness to all.

She was married at age 15, and had her first child at age 16. She had her last child at age 45. Her children walked this Earth for one hundred twenty-two years, and left many descendants. Many of them shared her interest in birds, flowers, and cooking. At least one carried on her tradition of Irish dancing.

Her husband Kelley wrote this to his brother at the time of her death: "She was as Pure Gold as a wife and Mother. We had a long journey together 67 years. Reared a large family of fine Girls and boys four of them have crossed to the other Side of the River. Eight are still here three boys and five girls. . .my life is sad & lony (sic) now I miss Mother more and more evry day. I had been here in the house with her for the last 15 or 18 years & it is so hard to live on without her being with me Well it may not be so long till I meet her again & ah how sweet it will be in that Beautiful Land So free from all sorrow and Pain with songs on our lips and & harps in our hand to meet each other again."

She died on Easter Sunday.

(sources: interviews with daughter Mabel Deal, letters and papers of W.K. Houk, family Bible, death certificate)