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Robert Nelson (August 8, 1794 – March 1, 1873) was a physician and a notable figure in the Lower Canada Rebellion in 19th century Quebec (Lower Canada).
Profile
Nelson was born in Montreal, the son of William Nelson, a teacher, and Jane Dies, daughter of an important land owner in the New York area. He studied medicine in Montreal and later at Harvard University, in the state of Massachusetts. He began practicing medicine in April 1814. During the second American invasion, he was surgeon for the Deschambault Corp and the Indian Braves Corp.
In 1827, he entered politics at the invitation of his brother, Wolfred Nelson, also a doctor and member of the Parti Patriote. He became an important voice of the rebel movement later.
On November 24, 1837, Nelson was arrested with other politicians. He was freed soon after, not being involved with the rebels, unlike his brother, Wolfred, who participated in the Battle of St-Denis. His arrest, however, led him to join with the rebels who fled to the United States.
The leaders of the Patriotes voted for the quick establishment a provisional government and the launch an attack from the United States. Some important Patriotes voted against this idea, including Louis-Joseph Papineau, still considered the only leader at the time. Robert Nelson was made General of the army and elected future President of the Republic of Lower Canada.
On February 28, 1838, Nelson encamped at Alburg in the State of Vermont with some 300 men. He proclaimed the independence of Lower Canada and distributed copies of a declaration of independence. Soon after, they were arrested by the American army for violation of the law of neutrality of the United States. A jury, sympathetic to the Patriotes cause, liberated him and others.
After this failed attempt, Robert Nelson and other insurrectionists decided to take the time to organize a new strike. A clandestine military association, known as the Frères chasseurs, was set up to overthrow the British colonial governments of Lower and Upper Canada and establish sovereign and democratic republics in their place. A second invasion started on November 3, 1838. Things didn't go as planned and the invasion forces were forced to retreat.
Nelson and others were eventually granted amnesty by the British colonial government and allowed to return home. Robert Nelson died in 1873 at the age of 78, and was interred in the Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery in Montreal.
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"Robert Nelson"