Nellie "Nell" Harrington was born in Minnesota 10 Mar 1880, the daughter of Jason Miles Harrington (16 Aug 1843 - 18 Nov 1906) and Lavinia Cavanah Sykes Harrington (9 Jan 1850-26 Feb 1934. Her father, Jason, was a millman, owning and operating a fine lumber mill in Lewiston, Nez Perce County, Idaho. Her grandfather Jeramiah had also been a lumber mill man. Her great-grandfather, Capt. John T. Harrington, was a prominent lawyer and lumberman and a captain in The War of 1812. He was a law partner with President Martin Van Buren and married the President's cousin, Katie Van Buren. He died in 1884 at the age of 101 years. He lumbered in the Black River region of New York.

After his death, the family moved west to Minnesota and continued their lumber business. By 1891, they were in Idaho. In 1897 their entire business was destroyed by a fire. But they rebuilt and worked hard to regain their business.

Nell had the following known siblings: Ellsworth M. 6 Dec 1870-14 Nov 1964 (Annie Emily Delsol 25 Jun 1874-14 May 1974), Lafayette 20 Nov 1872-8 Nov 1943 (Lucy Elizabeth Worden Aug 1872-20 Feb 1908), Jennie May 10 Mar 1874-12 May 1943 (Clarence Wilbur Robnett 11 Aug 1872-29 Oct 1943), Minnie B. 22 Aug 1875-13 Sep 1961 (Alfred E. Faust 17 Sep 1870 -21 Apr 1910 and Pleasant Norton Williams 10 Feb 1869 – 24 Aug 1948), Jeremiah 29 Jan 1877 – 1 May 1921, Nettie Leona 20 Nov 1878 – 5 Jan 1908 (Edward Lyman Knight 3 Jul 1874 – 27 Jun 1915), George W. 4 May 1881 – Oct 1965 (Leora F. Goan 1899-Nov 1981), Jason Robert 4 Jul 1883 – 22 Jul 1934 (Margaret Victor Bishop 16 Jan 1894 – 30 Jul 1994), Louis W. 4 Aug 1885 – 21 Feb 1949 (Marie and Mattie E. born ca 1901), and Gladys 29 Jun 1887 – 12 Nov 1913. Nell's family lived in Lewiston the remainder of their lives and most are buried in the Normal Hill Cemetery, Lewiston, ID.

Nell married William Fredrickson 10 Mar 1921 at Lewiston, Idaho. Nell and William farmed the home farm in Lee Township with his brother Henry.

Nell and William were the parents of one child who was born and died 22 Jul 1922. Nell passed away 20 Feb 1945 at the age of 65. Her grave marker indicates that she was born in 1885, but family information on the Harrington family tree indicates that would have been impossible as her brother Lewis was born in August of that same year. It is likely that her birthday was in 1880.

After her death William continued farming with his brother. He was the first chairman in Norman County for the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service. He was a member of Northwest Improvement Association for which he had been awarded honors by the University of Minnesota. He also served on the Lee Township Board of Supervisors. He and his wife had been members of the Bethania Lutheran Church.

He was making his annual trip to his winter home in Brownsville, TX when he was involved in a fatal accident near Sioux Falls, SD. He passed away at the age of 84 on Oct. 29, 1968 at Sioux Falls, SD. His brother, Henry, also died as a result of this accident. Funeral services for William and Henry were held at the Bethania Lutheran Church, rural Perley 4 Nov 1968.