Thomas Leverett Nelson (March 4, 1827 – November 21, 1897) was a

United States district judge The United States district courts are the trial courts of the United States federal judiciary, U.S. federal judiciary. There is one district court for each United States federal judicial district, federal judicial district, which each cover o ...

of the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. Nelson was nominated by President Rutherford B. Hayes on January 7, 1879, to a seat vacated by John Lowell. He was confirmed by the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

on January 10, 1879, and received commission the same day. Nelson's service was terminated on November 21, 1897, due to death.

Education and career

Born on March 4, 1827, in Haverhill,

New Hampshire New Hampshire is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...

, Nelson, one of twelve children of John and Lois Leverett Nelson, attended

Kimball Union Academy Kimball Union Academy is a private boarding school located in New Hampshire. Founded in 1813, it is the 22nd oldest boarding school in the United States. The academy's mission is to "create a deep sense of belonging for every member of our commu ...

in Meriden,

. He attended

Dartmouth College Dartmouth College (; ) is a private research university in Hanover, New Hampshire. Established in 1769 by Eleazar Wheelock, it is one of the nine colonial colleges chartered before the American Revolution. Although founded to educate Native A ...

for two years, then graduated from the

University of Vermont The University of Vermont (UVM), officially the University of Vermont and State Agricultural College, is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Burlington, Vermont. It was founded in 1791 and is amon ...

in 1846. Following graduation, he became an engineer and engaged in railroad construction. A serious accident which permanently injured his knee ended his engineering career and while in physical recovery, he began to study law with Judge Francis H. Dewey. He

read law Reading law was the method used in common law countries, particularly the United States, for people to prepare for and enter the legal profession before the advent of law schools. It consisted of an extended internship or apprenticeship under the ...

and was admitted to the bar in 1855. He entered private practice in

Worcester Worcester may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Worcester, England, a city and the county town of Worcestershire in England ** Worcester (UK Parliament constituency), an area represented by a Member of Parliament * Worcester Park, London, Englan ...

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

from 1855 to 1879. He was a member of the

Massachusetts House of Representatives The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from 14 counties each divided into single-member ...

in 1869. He was city solicitor for Worcester from 1870 to 1873. He served as Railroad Commissioner for the Providence and Worcester Railroad.

Federal judicial service

Nelson was nominated by President Rutherford B. Hayes on January 7, 1879, to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts vacated by Judge John Lowell. He was confirmed by the

on January 10, 1879, and received his commission the same day. His service terminated on November 21, 1897, due to his death in Worcester.

Religious memberships

Nelson was active in Congregational churches early in his life and then became a member of First Unitarian Church in Worcester and then Central Church.

Civic membership

Nelson was a member of the

American Antiquarian Society The American Antiquarian Society (AAS), located in Worcester, Massachusetts, is both a learned society and a national research library of pre-twentieth-century American history and culture. Founded in 1812, it is the oldest historical society in ...

Notable decisions

Ghen v. Rich ''Ghen v. Rich'', 8 F. 159 (1881), is an American property law case from the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts involving ownership of a dead whale. The case is frequently used to illustrate the difficulties of esta ...

, 8 F. 159 (1881)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Nelson, Thomas Leverett Dartmouth College alumni University of Vermont alumni Judges of the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts United States federal judges appointed by Rutherford B. Hayes 19th-century American judges Members of the Massachusetts House of Representatives 1827 births 1897 deaths 19th-century American politicians United States federal judges admitted to the practice of law by reading law