Patrick Henry Nelson III

For other people of that name, see Patrick Nelson.

Patrick Henry Nelson III (March 11, 1910 – June 28, 1964) was an American politician, U.S. Marine veteran of World War II, and attorney from Columbia, South Carolina.

Patrick Henry Nelson III
Major Patrick Henry Nelson III, USMC
South Carolina House of Representatives
Personal details
Born	(1910-03-11)March 11, 1910 Columbia, South Carolina, United States
Died	June 28, 1964(1964-06-28) (aged 54) Durham, North Carolina
Resting place	Elmwood Memorial Gardens, Columbia, South Carolina
Spouse	Elizabeth Juliet Nicholson (daughter of Senator Benjamin E. Nicholson)
Relations	Patrick Henry Nelson II (grandfather) Robert Adams, VI (grandson) Julian Adams II (grandson) James Emerson Smith Jr. (grandson) Patrick Henry Nelson (great grandfather) William McWillie (great-great grandfather) Richard Richardson (general) (great-great-great-great grandfather)
Children	William Shannon Nelson II Elizabeth Nelson Adams Nina Nelson Smith
Education	The University of South Carolina (AB, LL.D)
Alma mater	The University of South Carolina
Occupation	Lawyer, U.S. Marine, Member of The South Carolina House of Representatives
Committees	President of the Richland County Bar Association
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Marine Corps
Rank	Major
Unit	United States Marine Corps Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 224 The Fighting Bengals
Battles/wars	the Pacific War, World War II

Early life and education

Nelson was born in Columbia, South Carolina, to attorney William Shannon Nelson (1881–1939) and Frances Geddes Nelson. After graduating from The University of South Carolina and The University of South Carolina School of Law, Nelson practiced law with Nelson Law Firm, (the firm started by his grandfather, Patrick Henry Nelson II).

Military and political service

In 1941 Nelson joined the United States Marine Corps after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and the United States entered the Second World War. He served in The Fighting Bengals (Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 224) throughout the war and fought across the Pacific (including the Guadalcanal Campaign, the Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign, Funafuti, Ellice Islands, and other battles and engagements).

In 1944, while serving in Roi Namur, Marshall Islands, Captain Nelson worked with Charles Lindbergh, who served as an aviation advisor to the Fighting Bengals.

Following the war, he returned home to South Carolina to practice law, and was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives.

Nelson was also elected as president of the Richland County Bar Association.

Legal career

Nelson worked with his father, William Shannon Nelson (1881–1939), to expand The Nelson Law Firm, to national standing. Nelson would come to run the law firm and continue its expansion. The firm is now the largest law firm in South Carolina. The Nelson Law Firm is now known as Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP (commonly referred to as Nelson Mullins) which is a large U.S. law firm and lobby group based in Columbia, South Carolina.

Personal life

He married Elizabeth Juliet Nicholson, of Edgefield, South Carolina, and had three children (including Elizabeth Nelson Adams, artist and poet).

Nelson is the great-grandson of Patrick Henry Nelson, Confederate States Army officer and militia general from South Carolina during the American Civil War.

Death

Nelson was diagnosed with cancer and died at Duke University Hospital, now Duke Cancer Institute, in Durham, North Carolina, at the age of 54.

External links

• [1]Patrick Henry Nelson III, The Fighting Bengals Personnel
• [2] Photo of Capt Patrick Henry Nelson III, USMC, Roi Namur, Marshall Islands, 1944
• [3] The Fighting Bengals, Funafuti, Ellice Islands, 1943
• [4] Personnel Listing, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 224, The Fighting Bengals, Roi Namur 1944
• [5] The Wartime Journals of Charles A. Lindbergh, Roi Namur, 1944