The
Vol. XIX.
No. 6
Green
BOSTON
SAMUEL
Bag
June, 1907
NELSON
By Edwin Countryman JUDGE NELSON was bom in Hebron, in the same year married the daughter of Washington County, New York, on the Doctor Russell, a prominent resident of that nth day of November, 1792. He was village. There were several children of this marriage, one of whom, Hon. Rensselaer a lineal descendant, in the second genera tion, of Scotch-Irish immigrants, who had R. Nelson, of St. Paul, served as U. S. settled in that vicinity in 1767. Remain District Judge for the State of Minnesota ing at home during his early boyhood, he nearly forty years, and until his resignation received the rudiments of his education in of the office. While residing at Cortland, Mr. Nelson the common school. His natural bright ness and eager inclination to make the most was chosen in 1820 by the Legislature one of his limited educational opportunities were of the Presidential Electors, and as such cast his vote for the re-election of President regarded by his parents as unerring indica tions of his summons to the service of the Monroe and Vice-President Tompkins. He church; and they therefore determined to also received in the same year the appoint furnish all the facilities within their reach ment of postmaster at Cortland. In 182 1 to qualify him for this calling. He was sent, he was elected a member of the Constitu tional Convention to revise the fundamental accordingly, at the age of fifteen to the Wash law of the state, and twenty-five years later ington Academy at Salem, where he re mained two years; and after devoting still was again chosen to the Constitutional Con another year to special preparation at the vention of 1846. Granville Academy he entered college as The judiciary system of the state was a sophomore, at the same time that Silas largely re-organized by the Constitution of Wright enrolled as a freshman, at Middle- 182 1. The Supreme Court Justices were relieved from holding the trial terms; and bury, Vermont. Graduating in 181 3, he disappointed the the state was divided into eight circuits, expectations of his parents by preferring to each of which was assigned a judge to the law to the church, and immediately preside at all the circuit courts for civil entered the office of Savage & Woods, at business and the terms of Oyer and Terminer Salem, and pursued his studies as a clerk for the trial of criminal cases. Governor for two years, and then removed, with the Yates, who had served with acceptance on junior partner, to the county of Madison, the Supreme bench under the old regime, and continued with him two years longer, displayed excellent judgment in the selec when he was admitted to the bar. He had tion of the new judges, naming, among previously married Mr. Woods' daughter, others who subsequently became famous, who died childless three years afterward. Samuel Nelson, as judge of the Sixth Circuit. In 181 7, at the age of twenty-five, he loca His nomination was confirmed, and he ted for the practice of his profession in the entered in 1823 upon that remarkable village of Cortland, and remained there until judicial career, which continued without 1825, when he removed to Cooperstown, and interruption until he was obliged by the
