Biography

10/14/1826 - 04/05/1914

William Mailer Nelson (D26) Susquehanna and Wayne Counties 1879-1886

Early Life:

William Mailer Nelson, born, October 14, 1826, Newburgh, Orange County, New York; son of Henry and Azubah (Mailler) Nelson; attended common schools;  engaged, mercantile business; licensed, Methodist-Episcopal minister, New York State Conference, 1850; married Amelia Calder, 1854; postmaster, United States Postal Service, Equinunk, Pennsylvania 1855-1861; elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 1862, 1863, 1864, 1865 and 1868; not a candidate for reelection 1866, 1867, 1869; reelected, Democrat, House, 1876 and 1877; not a candidate for reelection House, 1878; elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1879-1886; served, chaplain, Pennsylvania State Senate; unsuccessful campaign for reelection, Senate 1886, 1890; unsuccessful campaign, United States Congress 1894, 1902; died, April 5, 1914, (age 87) Equinunk, Wayne County, Pennsylvania; interred, Equinunk Cemetery, Equinunk, Wayne County, Pennsylvania. (i)

Early Career:

Postmaster United States Postal Service, Equinunk, Pennsylvania 1855-1861, under Presidents Franklin Pierce and James Buchanan. Preacher, Methodist Episcopal Church.

Pennsylvania Politics:

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 1862, 1863, 1864, 1865 and 1868; not a candidate for reelection 1866, 1867, 1869; reelected, Democrat, House, 1876 and 1877; not a candidate for reelection House, 1878; democratic candidate, Speaker, 1865.

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 26^th district, Susquehanna and Wayne Counties, 1879-1886; served, chaplain, Pennsylvania State Senate; unsuccessful campaign for reelection, Senate 1886, 1890, member, Agriculture, Appropriations, Constitutional Reform and Vice and Immorality Committees.   

Unsuccessful campaign, United States Congress 1894, 1902.

Pennsylvania House of Representatives Biography:

https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/BiosHistory/MemBio.cfm?ID=7075&body=H

Cited: 

Smull’s Legislative Hand Book, (1885) Cochran, T. B., Biographical Sketches of Senators, page 812, 844 and 849-851.

          (i) https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/126720944/william-mailer-nelson