Jump to content

George B. Nelson

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
George B. Nelson
Nelson circa 1940
Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court
In office
September 30, 1930 – December 11, 1942
Appointed byWalter J. Kohler Sr.
Preceded byE. Ray Stevens
Succeeded byElmer E. Barlow
District Attorney of Portage County, Wisconsin
In office
January 1, 1907 – January 1, 1913
Preceded byG. M. Dahl
Succeeded byD. S. Sickelsteel
Personal details
Born(1876-05-21)May 21, 1876
Amherst, Wisconsin, U.S.
DiedJanuary 10, 1943(1943-01-10) (aged 66)
Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.
Resting placeForest Cemetery, Stevens Point, Wisconsin
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
Ruth Weller
(m. 1912⁠–⁠1943)
Children
  • Elizabeth Juniata Nelson
  • (b. 1915; died 1918)
  • George Bliss Nelson Jr.
  • (b. 1921; died 1985)
RelativesReginald Heber Weller (father-in-law)
Education
ProfessionLawyer

George Bliss Nelson (May 21, 1876 – January 10, 1943)[1] was an American lawyer from Portage County, Wisconsin. He was a justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court from 1930 through 1942. He earlier served as district attorney of Portage County.

Biography

[edit]

Nelson was born George Bliss Nelson on May 21, 1876, in Amherst, Wisconsin.[2] He attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison and George Washington University Law School and became a member of the Order of the Coif. After law school, he returned to Stevens Point, Wisconsin, where he was a partner for several years in the law firm Cate, Dahl, and Nelson.

Public service

[edit]

Nelson was District Attorney of Portage County, Wisconsin, from 1906 to 1913. Previously, he was City Attorney of Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Additionally, he was a delegate to the 1908 Republican National Convention. Nelson was appointed to the Supreme Court by Governor Walter J. Kohler, Sr., in 1930. He was elected to a full term on the court in 1935, and served until 1942, when his health began to fail. He sent his formal resignation to the Governor in December 1942, and died a month later, on January 10, 1943.[3]

Personal life and family

[edit]

Nelson was deeply religious and active in the Episcopal Church. He married Ruth Weller in 1912. Ruth was a daughter of the Episcopal bishop Reginald Heber Weller. George and Ruth Nelson had four children.[4]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Denslow, William R. (1957). 10,000 Famous Freemasons. Columbia, Missouri, USA: Missouri Lodge of Research. (digital document by phoenixmasonry: vol. 1, 2, 3, 4)
  2. ^ "George Bliss Nelson". Political Graveyard. Retrieved 2011-11-01.
  3. ^ "Here's Nelson's Letter Resigning as Justice". The Capital Times. December 12, 1942. p. 1. Retrieved December 23, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "George B. Nelson". Wisconsin Court System. Retrieved 2011-11-01.
Legal offices
Preceded by
G. M. Dahl
District Attorney of Portage County, Wisconsin
January 1, 1907 – January 1, 1913
Succeeded by
D. S. Sickelsteel
Preceded by Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court
September 30, 1930 – December 11, 1942
Succeeded by