US Congressman. He was born one of twelve children (he also had five brothers and six sisters), in Williamsburg, Williamsburg City, Virginia, (some sources say Oak Hill, Mecklenburg County, Virginia), to Major John Nelson and his wife Nancy Ann Carter Nelson on September 27, 1782. He was educated locally and attended the common public schools. Following his education, he entered the military. He was commissioned as a with the of Captain to the 10th Infantry Regiment and was later promoted to the rank of Major in the 13th and 18th Infantry Regiments during the War of 1812. Following the war, he was reduced back to the rank of Captain and eventually resigned from his commission on May 15, 1815. Following his military service, he entered politics. He then decided to run for a seat in the United States Congress and was elected as a Member of the Republican Party to represent the Fourteenth Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of United States Representative Thomas Gholson Jr. on July 14, 1816. A Member of the Democratic-Republican Party, he was reelected and then served Virginia's 18th District (Fifteenth Congress) in the United States House of Representatives from December 4, 1816, to March 3, 1819. He was not a Candidate for renomination in 1818 and retired from public life shortly thereafter. After his term in the United States Congress expired he was succeeded in office by United States Representative Mark Alexander on March 4, 1819. He later retired from public service and spent his remaining years in retirement. He passed away near Columbus, Georgia, on November 10, 1853, at the age of 71, and was buried in Linwood Cemetery in that city. He was married to Sarah Walker Page in Frederick County, Virginia, on October 6, 1816, and the couple had seven children together, four girls of which one died as an infant, and three boys. His wife Sarah passed away on May 18, 1834, at the age of 43. He then married for a second time to Anna Matilda Carter in Richmond, Virginia, on December 20, 1838. His wife Sarah's resting place is unknown but his second wife Anna who passed away in 1872, at the age of 67, is interred with him in Linwood Cemetery in Columbus, Georgia.

US Congressman. He was born one of twelve children (he also had five brothers and six sisters), in Williamsburg, Williamsburg City, Virginia, (some sources say Oak Hill, Mecklenburg County, Virginia), to Major John Nelson and his wife Nancy Ann Carter Nelson on September 27, 1782. He was educated locally and attended the common public schools. Following his education, he entered the military. He was commissioned as a with the of Captain to the 10th Infantry Regiment and was later promoted to the rank of Major in the 13th and 18th Infantry Regiments during the War of 1812. Following the war, he was reduced back to the rank of Captain and eventually resigned from his commission on May 15, 1815. Following his military service, he entered politics. He then decided to run for a seat in the United States Congress and was elected as a Member of the Republican Party to represent the Fourteenth Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of United States Representative Thomas Gholson Jr. on July 14, 1816. A Member of the Democratic-Republican Party, he was reelected and then served Virginia's 18th District (Fifteenth Congress) in the United States House of Representatives from December 4, 1816, to March 3, 1819. He was not a Candidate for renomination in 1818 and retired from public life shortly thereafter. After his term in the United States Congress expired he was succeeded in office by United States Representative Mark Alexander on March 4, 1819. He later retired from public service and spent his remaining years in retirement. He passed away near Columbus, Georgia, on November 10, 1853, at the age of 71, and was buried in Linwood Cemetery in that city. He was married to Sarah Walker Page in Frederick County, Virginia, on October 6, 1816, and the couple had seven children together, four girls of which one died as an infant, and three boys. His wife Sarah passed away on May 18, 1834, at the age of 43. He then married for a second time to Anna Matilda Carter in Richmond, Virginia, on December 20, 1838. His wife Sarah's resting place is unknown but his second wife Anna who passed away in 1872, at the age of 67, is interred with him in Linwood Cemetery in Columbus, Georgia.

Bio by: Kris 'Peterborough K' Peterson