Hugh Nelson (Virginia politician)

Hugh Nelson (September 30, 1768 – March 18, 1836) was an American politician and U.S. representative from Virginia. He was the son of Thomas Nelson Jr.

Hugh Nelson
United States Minister to Spain
In office
December 4, 1823 – July 23, 1824
Appointed byJames Monroe
Preceded byJohn Forsyth
Succeeded byAlexander Hill Everett
Chair of the House Judiciary Committee
In office
March 4, 1815 – March 3, 1819
Preceded byCharles J. Ingersoll
Succeeded byJohn Sergeant
In office
1822 – March 3, 1822
Preceded byJohn Sergeant
Succeeded byDaniel Webster
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Virginia
In office
March 4, 1811 – January 14, 1823
Preceded byDavid S. Garland
Succeeded byAlexander Smyth
Constituency21st district (1811-1813)
22nd district (1813-1823)
13th Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates
In office
1807–1809
Preceded byPeter Johnston Jr.
Succeeded byJames Barbour
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates
from the Albemarle district
In office
1805 – 1809
Alongside Joel Yancey, Walter Leake, Peter Carr, Rice Garland
Preceded byWilliam Waller Hening
Succeeded byTucker Coles
William D Meriwether
In office
1828 – 1829
Alongside John P Drummond, William F. Gordon
Preceded byAlbert Allmand
Charles Cocke
Succeeded byThomas Walker Gilmer
Rice W Wood
Member of the Virginia Senate
from the Elizabeth City, Warwick and York district
In office
1786–1791
Preceded byWilliam Lee
Succeeded byRichard Cary Jr
Personal details
Born
Hugh Nelson

(1768-09-30)September 30, 1768
Yorktown, Virginia Colony, British America
DiedMarch 18, 1836(1836-03-18) (aged 67)
Albemarle County, Virginia, U.S.
Resting placeCismont, Virginia
Political partyDemocratic-Republican
Parent(s)Thomas Nelson Jr. (father)
Lucy Grymes (mother)
EducationCollege of William & Mary

Biography

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Born in Yorktown in the Colony of Virginia, Nelson graduated from the College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia, in 1780. He served in the Senate of Virginia 1786–1791, and in the Virginia House of Delegates 1805-1809 and 1828–1829. He was Speaker of the latter house 1807–1809. Nelson also served as judge of the general court.

Nelson was a presidential elector in 1808.[1]

Nelson was elected as a Democratic-Republican to the Twelfth and to the five succeeding Congresses and served from March 4, 1811, until his resignation on January 14, 1823, having received an appointment in the diplomatic service. He served as chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary (Fourteenth, Fifteenth, and Seventeenth Congresses). Nelson was appointed by President James Monroe as United States Minister to Spain on January 15, 1823, and served until November 23, 1824.

Nelson died at his home, "Belvoir," Albemarle County, Virginia, March 18, 1836. He was interred in Belvoir Cemetery, Cismont, Virginia.

References

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  1. ^ The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography. Vol. I. New York, N.Y.: James T. White & Company. 1898. p. 505 – via Google Books.

Sources

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  This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Virginia's 21st congressional district

March 4, 1811 - March 3, 1813
Succeeded by
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by United States Minister to Spain
1823–1824
Succeeded by