John Nelson of Massachusetts

[Hal Bradley]

Several weeks ago it was mentioned that Edward Alfred Alexander Baldwin, 4th
Earl Baldwin of Bewdley descended from Edward III via John Nelson of
Massachusetts. Of course, Franklin Delano Roosevelt also shares this
descent.



John Nelson was the son of Robert & Mary (Temple) Nelson. The Edward III
link comes through Mary (Temple) Nelson's mother, Dorothy Lee. The secondary
literature notes that Robert & Mary (Temple) Nelson had three children:
Temple, Margaret (m. Rev. Thomas Teackle), and John. John Nelson was born
ca. 1654, but little info is provided for the other siblings.



Temple Nelson was chr. 5 May 1643 at St. Clement Danes in Westminster. His
will was proved 15 Nov. 1671 (P.C.C. 136 Drake).



There were at least two other children who probably died young as they are
not mentioned in the different accounts of this family. Edmund Nelson was
chr. 28 Oct. 1649 at St. Martin in the Fields in Westminster and Robert
Nelson was chr. 21 Dec. 1651 at St. Martin in the Fields. Edmund was
undoubtedly named for Dorothy (Lee) Temple's father, Edmund Lee.



There was a Mary Nelson who was chr. in 1642 at St. James, Clerkenwell,
daughter of Robert & Mary Nelson who may also be of this family.



These dates should help round out this family a little and fill in the gap
between the birth of John Nelson ca. 1654 and his older brother Temple in
1643.





Hal Bradley