John Nelson (June 1, 1791 – January 18, 1860) was an American lawyer and statesman who served as the Attorney General of the United States from 1843 to 1845 under President John Tyler. He served as the first United States Chargé d'Affaires to the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies from 1831 to 1832 and as the U.S. representative for Maryland's 4th district from 1821 to 1823.
Contents
Early life
Nelson was born in Frederick, Maryland, on June 1, 1791. He was the fourth child of Roger Nelson and Mary Brooke (née Sim) Nelson (d. 1794). Among his siblings was Madison Nelson, Frederick Stembel Nelson, and Sarah (née Nelson) Maulsby. His father served as Brigadier general during the Revolutionary War (and one of the original members of the 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.
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.