Nellie was the first born child of William and Tillie Harrington. She was born on March 13, 1876 in Cheboygan, Michigan.

On December 1, 1894, Nellie married William Sweet in Boyne City, Charlevoix County. They had four children - Ethel, Harold, Margaret, and Dorothy.

Nellie and William were divorced between 1910 and 1917 when William remarried. Nellie remarried to a detective by the name of George Turpstra on September 27, 1923 in Ludington, Michigan. The 1930 census lists her as divorced, living with her parents.

In 1930 Nellie also travelled overseas to visit her son Harold's grave marker She left for France on June 4th, arriving back in New York on July 5th, 6 days after leaving Cherbourg, France.

In 1940, Nellie was listed as widowed and living with her daughter Ethel and family in Midland, Michigan as both her parents had died. Nellie died in Midland in 1959 and was buried in Midland City Cemetery.