NELSON, DAVID, 1793-1844; b. Tenn.; graduated at Washington college, Va.; studied medicine in Danville, Ky., and in the Philadelphia medical school; returned to Kentucky at the age of 19, intending to practice his profession, but the war of 1812 having commenced, he joined a Kentucky regiment as a surgeon, and went to Canada. Returning he came near losing his life from hunger and fatigue, but was found and saved by his relative. col. Allen. He resumed his medical practice at Jonesborough, his native town. Religiously educated, he had early made a profession of religion, but while in the army he became an infidel. He soon, however, became convinced•of the truth of the Bible, and determined to enter the ministry. He was licensed to preach in April, 1825. He preached three years in Tennessee, and published also at Rogersville the Calvinistic _Magazine. In 1828 he succeeded his brother Samuel as pastor of the Presbyterian church in Danville, Ky. In 1830 he removed to Missouri and established
Marion college, near Palmyra, of which he was the first president. Earnestly advocat ing the cause of emancipation he found it expedient to leave Missouri, and in 1836 he removed to Illinois, where he established at Oakland, near Quincy, a school for the edu cation of young men for the ministry. He exhausted his pecunihry means and the institution failed. In 1S36 he published a work of great interest—Cause and Cure of infidelity—which had an extensive circulation and passed through several editions in America and England. He wrote a work entitled Wealth and Donor, but the manuscript was lost- in passing from his hands. He wrote articles on missions, baptism, etc., for the New York 0.5sercer and other public journals.