Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 08.djvu/63

 NELSON

NELSON

Nelson, and grandson of John Nelson of Rock- bridge county, Va. He was graduated at East Tennessee college in 1828; was admitted to the bar in 1832, and settled in practice in Washing- ton county. He was married, July 30, 1839, to Ann E., daughter of Montgomery Stuart of Wasliington county, Tenn. He was attorney and solicitor-general for the first district of Tennes- see, 1833; attorney-general, first district, 1841-47; a presidential elector on the Clay and Freling- huyseu ticket in 1844, and on the Taylor and Fillmore ticket in 1848. He declined the U.S. con- sulship to China in 1851, was defeated by James C. Jones by one vote in the Whig caucus for the U.S. senatorship, 1851, and by John Bell in 1853; was a Whig representative from the first Ten- nessee district in the 36th congress, 1859-61, and was re-elected to the 37th congress. In endeav- oring to make his way to Washington to take his seat lie was captured by Confederate scouts in soutliwestern Virginia, taken to Richmond, and obtained his parole upon condition that he would return home and not engage in hostilities against the Confederate States while they had pos- session of Tennessee. He was president of East Tennessee Union conventions at Knoxville and Greenville in 1861; removed to Knoxville in 1863; was a trustee of East Tennessee university, 1865; counsel for President Johnson in the impeach- ment trial, 1868; a delegate to the Democratic national convention at New York in 1868; judge of the state supreme court. 1870-71, and resigned in 1871. He is the author of the poems: East Ten- nessee; King Caucus, and Secession. He died in Knoxville, Tenn., Aug. 24, 1873.

NELSON, William, president of Virginia, was born in 1711; son of Thomas Nelson (1677-1745), a native of Penriff, Scotland, who emigrated to America about 1690; settled in Virginia, where he was known as " Scotch Tom; " founded and laid out the town of York in 1705; built the first custom house in the colonies; founded Nelson House, which was rebuilt by his son William in 1740, and was still in possession of the Nelson family in 1902, and married a Miss Reid and af- terward a Mrs. Tucker. William inherited his father's fortune and added to it by his own mer- cantile ventures and through the purchase of large landed estate. He was president of the Virginia council for a long term of years, and acting gov- ernor of Virginia from Oct. 1 15, 1770, to August, 1771, be- Itweenthe death of Lord Bote- tourt and the coming of the Earl of Dunmore. He also presided over the general or supreme court of law and equity for the province. He dispensed a liberal hospitality and his charities Till. — 4

were extensive and judicious. He married Miss Burwell of Virginia, granddaughter of Robin Car- ter. He died in Yorktown, Va., Nov. 19, 1772.

NELSON, William, soldier, was born near Maysville, Ky., in 1825. He entered the U.S. navy as a midshipman, Jan. 28, 1840; was pro- moted passed midshipman, July 11, 1846; com- manded a battery at the siege of Vera Cruz, Mexico, March 9-29, 1847, and afterward served in the Mediterranean squadron. He was pro- moted master, Sept. 19, 1854; lieutenant, April 18, 1855, and was attached to the Niagara in 1858, in which vessel the negroes taken from the slave-ship Echo were returned to Africa. He was serving on ordnance duty at Washington, D.C., early in 1861; was promoted lieutenant- commander, July 16, 1861, and had charge of the gunboats on the Ohio river. He notified Presi- dent Lincoln that to hold Kentucky to the Union it would be necessary to send to the state 10,000 stands of arms, as the secessionists had taken pos- session of the state arms, and at the same time he offered his services to recruit and equip a Union home guard. His services were promptly accepted and the arms furnished, and on the day after the August election, 1861, the recruits began to gather at Camp Dick Robinson, and by Sei)tember 1, there were four Kentucky regi- ments. Lieutenant Nelson was commissioned brigadier-general of volunteers and resigned from the navy. He had also gathered from eastern Tennessee 2000 volunteers under Captain Carter, and some difficulty arising as to the dis- tribution of troops. Gen. George H. Thomas succeeded to the command of Camp Dick Robin- son and General Nelson was sent on raids in east- ern Kentucky. On Nov. 8, 1861, he engaged with two Ohio regiments re-enforced by detachments from several Kentucky regiments, in checking the advance of Col. John S. Williams on Preston- burg and forced the Confederate leader to re- treat into Virginia. Nelson was then ordered to join the column in front of Louisville, where he was assigned to the command of the 4th division under Gen. D. C. Buell, who had as- sumed command of the Army of the Ohio, Nov. 15, 1861. In the battle of Pittsburg Landing, April 6-7, 1862, he took a conspicuous part as commander of the 4th division, and was pro- moted major-general of volunteers, occupying Murfreesboro, Tenn., July 13, 1862, after which he joined in repelling the raids of Morgan in Kentucky. He was defeated at Richmond, Ky., Aug. 30, 1862, and defended Louisville against Bragg's threatened attack. In a dispute with Gen. Jefferson C. Davis at the Gait House in Louisville, while in command of that city, General Davis, either intentionally or otlierwise, flipped a small wad of paper in General Nelson's