John Nelson (lawyer)

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For other people with the same name, see John Nelson (disambiguation).
"Attorney General Nelson" redirects here. For the Attorney General of Arizona, see Gary K. Nelson.
John Nelson
United States Chargé d'Affaires to the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
In office
October 25, 1831 – October 15, 1832
PresidentAndrew Jackson
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byEnos T. Throop
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Maryland's 4th district
In office
March 4, 1821 – March 3, 1823
Preceded bySamuel Ringgold
Succeeded byJohn Lee
Personal details
Born(1791-06-01)June 1, 1791
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Political partyWhig
Spouses
Frances Harriott Burrows
​
​
(died 1836)​
Matilda Tennant
​
​
(m. 1838)​
Relations
College of William and Mary
ProfessionPolitician, Lawyer

John Nelson (June 1, 1791 – January 18, 1860) was an American lawyer and statesman who served as the

U.S. representative for Maryland's 4th district from 1821 to 1823.[2]

Early life

Nelson was born in

Society of Cincinnati
) and, later, a U.S. Representative.

He graduated from the

College of William and Mary in 1811, and was admitted to the bar in 1813, starting practice in Frederick.[4]

Career

He held several local offices before being elected to the United States House of Representatives representing Maryland's 4th district. He served only one term, March 4, 1821, to March 3, 1823, and was not a candidate for reelection. Nelson received an A.M. degree from Princeton University in 1825.[1]

In 1831, he was appointed

Two Sicilies, a position he served in from 1831 to 1832.[5]

Attorney General of the United States on July 1, 1843. He served in this position until the end of the Tyler administration. He also served as United States Secretary of State ad interim for about a month in 1844 after the sudden death of the previous Secretary of State Abel P. Upshur.[1]

After the end of the Tyler administration, Nelson retired from public life and returned to Baltimore.[1]

Personal life

Nelson was married to Frances Harriott Burrows (1798–1836), a daughter of William Ward Burrows I, the second Commandant of the Marine Corps, and the sister of William Ward Burrows II, a decorated officer in the United States Navy. Together, they were the parents of:[6]

  • Mary Sim Nelson (1819–1880), who married Alexander Neill (1808–1865).
  • Rosa Londonia Nelson (1825–1894), who married
    John Nevett Steele,[7] and Mary Nevett Steele (the wife of John Campbell Henry, eldest son and heir of Maryland Governor John Henry).[8]

After his first wife's death in 1836, he married Matilda Tennant (d. 1862), the daughter of Thomas Tennant,[9] on March 13, 1838.[10] Matilda and John were the parents of two children:

  • Joseph Story Nelson
  • Tennant Nelson

Nelson died in Baltimore, Maryland, on January 8, 1860.[11]

Descendants

Through his daughter, he was the grandfather of Charles Steele, who was born in Baltimore and later spent 39 years as a partner in J.P. Morgan & Co. in New York City.[12]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "NELSON, John - Biographical Information". bioguide.congress.gov. Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
  2. ^ "Congress Profiles | US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives". history.house.gov. Retrieved 2023-02-12.
  3. ^ Lineage Book. The Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. 1896. p. 271. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
  4. ISBN 9781625847508
    . Retrieved 8 March 2019.
  5. ISBN 9780806311838
    . Retrieved 8 March 2019.
  6. ISBN 9781584777137
    . Retrieved 8 March 2019.
  7. ^ "STEELE, John Nevett - Biographical Information". bioguide.congress.gov. Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  8. ^ Jones, Elias (1902). History of Dorchester County, Maryland. Williams & Wilkins. p. 304. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  9. ^ Engelbrecht, Jacob (1976). The Diary of Jacob Engelbrecht, 1818-1878: 1832-1858, the building of the clustered spires: 1832-1858. Historical Society of Frederick County. p. 21. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
  10. ISBN 9780806345659
    . Retrieved 8 March 2019.
  11. U.S. Department of Justice
    . 23 October 2014. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
  12. ^ "CHAS. STEELE DIES; MORGAN PARTNER; Member of Firm 39 Years Had Served House as Lawyer in 1890s--Succumbs at 82 EPISCOPAL CHURCH LEADER Endowed the St. Thomas Choir School--Was Treasurer of Opera Real Estate Co. Joined Banking Firm in 1900 Endowed Church Choir School" (PDF). The New York Times. 6 August 1939. Retrieved 8 March 2019.

External links

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Maryland's 4th congressional district
March 4, 1821 – March 3, 1823 		Succeeded by
John Lee
Legal offices
Preceded by U.S. Attorney General
Served under: John Tyler
July 1, 1843 – March 4, 1845 		Succeeded by
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by
(none)
United States Ambassador to Italy

October 24, 1831 – October 15, 1832 		Succeeded by
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