Charles Pembroke Nelson (July 2, 1907 – June 8, 1962) was an American politician and a member of the US House of Representatives from Maine.

Biography

Born in

Waterville, Maine Waterville is a city in Kennebec County, Maine, Kennebec County, Maine, United States, on the west bank of the Kennebec River. The city is home to Colby College and Thomas College. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census the populatio ...

, on July 2, 1907, Nelson was the son of Nelson, John Edward and Margaret Heath Nelson. He graduated from Cony High School in

Augusta, Maine Augusta is the capital of the U.S. state of Maine and the county seat of Kennebec County. The city's population was 18,899 at the 2020 census, making it the tenth-most populous city in Maine, and third-least populous state capital in the Un ...

, and from Colby College in Waterville. Later, he attended

Harvard Law School Harvard Law School (Harvard Law or HLS) is the law school of Harvard University, a private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest continuously operating law school in the United States. Each class ...

, earning his

Juris Doctor The Juris Doctor (J.D. or JD), also known as Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D., JD, D.Jur., or DJur), is a graduate-entry professional degree in law and one of several Doctor of Law degrees. The J.D. is the standard degree obtained to practice law ...

Career

Nelson was secretary to his father, Representative John E. Nelson. The younger Nelson engaged in the general practice of law in

, from 1932 to 1933, then worked as city solicitor of Augusta from 1934 to 1942. He was the chief of the State Arson Division in 1941 and 1942. Nelson entered the military service in 1942 as a second lieutenant in the United States Army Air Corps during World War II. He served in the armed forces until discharge in 1946 as a lieutenant colonel with two years of service in the European Theater of Operations. He remained a member of the National Guard and Reserves after leaving the military. He was a member of the State board of bar examiners from 1946 to 1948. He was also mayor of Augusta in 1947 and 1948. Elected as a Republican to the Eighty-first and to the three succeeding Congresses, Nelson served from January 3, 1949, to January 3, 1957. He retired in 1957 and became a teacher at the University of Florida for two years. He was also chief trial attorney of the State highway commission in 1959, and moderator of the town of West Bath 1960.

Death

Nelson died in Augusta, Maine, on June 8, 1962 (age 54 years, 341 days). His remains were cremated, and the ashes interred on family property at Georgetown, Maine.

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Nelson, Charles P Mayors of Augusta, Maine University of Florida faculty Colby College alumni Harvard Law School alumni Politicians from Waterville, Maine 1907 births 1962 deaths Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Maine 20th-century American legislators