Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 4).djvu/530

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490
NELSON
NELSON

in literary, library, and editorial work. For six years he was the Boston correspondent of the “American Bookseller,” and since 1876 he has been on the editorial staff of “Zion's Herald.” He has written “Waltham, Past and Present, and its Industries” (1879), and “Weston” in Samuel A. Drake's “History of Middlesex County, Mass.” (1880). Mr. Nelson has given special study to library economy, and since 1881 has had charge of the “Catalogue of the Astor Library (Continuation), Vol. I.-III. (1886-'7),” and is now (1888) at work on the fourth and last volume. He was one of the founders and is now (1888) secretary of the New York library club.


NELSON, Daniel Thurber, physician, b. in Milford, Mass., 16 Sept., 1839. He was graduated at Amherst in 1861, and at Harvard medical school in 1865. Meanwhile, in 1861-'2, he was a medical cadet at the Massachusetts general hospital, and in 1863-'5 acting assistant surgeon in the armies of the James and of the Potomac. Dr. Nelson then established himself in Chicago and engaged in general practice, giving special attention to gyne- cology. In 1866 he was elected professor of phys- iology and histology at Chicago medical college, which chair he then held until 1880, and in 1881 he was made adjunct professor of gynecology at Rush medical college. He is also attending physi- cian at Mercy hospital. Dr. Nelson has invented an improved trivalve speculum and other surgical instruments. His publications have been restricted to contributions to the medical journals.


NELSON, Henry Addison, clergyman, b. in Amherst, Mass., 31 Oct., 1820. He was graduated at Hamilton college in 1840, and was pastor of the 1st Presbyterian church at Auburn from 1846 till 1856, pastor in St. Louis, Mo., in 1856-68, and professor of theology in Lane seminary in 1868-'74. Since the last date he has been pastor of the First church, Geneva, N. Y. He was moderator of the general assembly of the Presbyterian church at Rochester in 1867. He has published '• Seeing Jesus " (Philadelphia, 1869) and " Sin and Salva- tion " (New York, 1881).


NELSON, Hugh, Canadian statesman, b. in Larne, Ireland, 25 May, 1830 ; d. 3 March, 1893. He was educated in his native place, and came to British Columbia in June, 1858. He engaged in mercantile business until 1866, when he became a partner in a lumbering firm at Burraid inlet. He represented New Westminster in the British Colum- bia legislature from November, 1870, till its dissolu- tion in 1871, when that province entered the con- federation. He was elected to the Dominion par- liament for his former constituency in November, 1871, and re-elected by acclamation in 1872. Mr. Nelson was a member of the Canadian senate from 12 Dec, 1879, until 8 Feb., 1887, when he was ap- pointed lieutenant-gOA'ernor of British Columbia. He was a member of the Yale convention, and among the first to advocate the union of British Columbia with Canada. He received a diploma of honor for services that he rendered in connection with the International fisheries exhibition in Lon- don, England, in 1883.


NELSON, John, patriot, b. in Massachusetts about 1660 ; d. there, 4 Dec, 1721. He was a near relative of Sir Thomas Temple and headed the party that took Gov. Andros prisoner in 1689. Hutchin- son says that he was not allowed any share in the subsequent government, on account of his being an Episcopalian. When on a trading-voyage to Nova Scotia he was taken by the French, and impris- oned in Quebec. While there he wrote a letter dated 26 Aug., 1692, to the court of Massachusetts, which gave particular information of the designs of the French, in consequence of which he was sent to France, where he remained in prison two years. When he had found means to inform Sir Purbeck Temple of his condition, a demand was soon made for his release or exchange. The immediate effect of this was his transfer to the Bastile ; but he was finally discharged, and returned to his family after an absence of ten or eleven years.


NELSON, Roger, soldier, b. in Fredericktown, Md., in 1735 ; d. there, 7 June, 1815. He was a brigadier-general of the Revolutionary army, and was severely wounded at Camden, where he was left for dead on the field. After the peace he studied law, was admitted to the bar in Frederick- town, Md., and attained to eminence. He was elected to congress in 1804, served till 1810, and from the latter date till his death was associate judge of the 5th judicial district of Maryland. — His son, John, lawyer, b. in Fredericktown, Md., 1 June, 1791 ; d. in Baltimore, Md., 8 Jan., 1860, was graduated at William and Mary in 1811, ad- mitted to the bar in 1813, and began practice in his native town. He was elected to congress as a Democrat in 1820, served in 1821-3, was U. S. minister to Naples in 1831-'2, and in 1843-'5 was attorney-general of the United States.


NELSON. Samuel, jurist, b. in Hebron, Wash- ington CO., N. Y., 10 Nov., 1792 ; d. in Coopers- town, N. Y., 13 Dec, 1873. He was of Scotch-Irish lineage : his ancestor emigrated to this country in 1760, settling in Sa- lem, N. Y. Samuel was graduated at Middleburyinl813, studied law in Sa- lem under Chief- Justice Savage, and in 1817 was admit- ted to the bar of Madison. N. Y. In trying his first suit in the court of com- mon pleas he de- tected an error in practice on the part of his opponent, procured a stay of

proceedings, and

ultimately gained his cause. This success gave him reputation and clients. His first appearance in politics was in 1820, when he was a presidential elector. He was a delegate to the State constitutional convention in 1822, in which he advocated the excision of the property qualification of voters, was circuit judge in 1823-'31, at the latter date became associate justice of the supreme court of New York, and in 1837 was elevated to the chief justiceship, presiding for eight years. He was a member of the State constitutional convention in 1844 which made the office of judge elective, and in 1845 was appointed by President Tyler to succeed Judge Smith Thompson on the supreme bench of the United States. In this court his decisions commanded the respect of bar and bench. In the famous Dred Scott case he concurred with the decision of Chief-Justice Taney, urging that if congress possessed power under the constitution to abolish slavery, it must necessarily possess the like power to establish it. During the civil war his conservatism as well as his life-long political affinities led him to regret what he considered the encroachments of the military on the civil power, but his relations with the administration were harmonious, and his loyalty was unquestioned. In 1871