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Samuel Nelson

1845–1872·Appointed by John Tyler·Whig·Moderate

Details

Birth: November 10, 1792 · Hebron, New York
Death: December 13, 1873
Law school: middlebury; read law (Savage and Wood Law Offices)
Prior experience: State highest court justice

Biography

Samuel Nelson (1792–1873) was an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court who served from 1845 to 1872. Born in Hebron, New York, to Scottish immigrant parents, Nelson graduated from Middlebury College in Vermont in 1813 and studied law before being admitted to the New York bar in 1817. He quickly established a successful legal practice in Cortland, New York, and entered politics as a Democrat. Nelson served in various local positions before being elected to the New York Supreme Court in 1831, where he gained recognition for his legal scholarship and administrative abilities. He was elevated to Chief Justice of the New York Court of Appeals in 1837, becoming known for his expertise in commercial and admiralty law. President John Tyler nominated Nelson to the Supreme Court in 1845 as a compromise candidate acceptable to both Whigs and Democrats. During his 27-year tenure, Nelson developed a judicial philosophy emphasizing strict constitutional construction and federalism principles. He generally deferred to state authority in matters not explicitly delegated to the federal government and was cautious about expanding federal power. Nelson's most significant opinion came in the Prize Cases (1863), where he dissented from the majority's approval of Lincoln's naval blockade, arguing that only Congress could authorize acts of war. He also wrote important decisions in patent and admiralty cases, reflecting his commercial law expertise. Though overshadowed by more prominent contemporaries, Nelson's steady, methodical approach and technical legal knowledge contributed to the Court's institutional stability during the tumultuous Civil War era. He retired in 1872 and died the following year in Cooperstown, New York.