John Neilson was an American member of the Continental Congress and soldier, who served as officer in the Revolution.
Background
John Neilson was born on March 11, 1745 in Raritan Landing, New Jersey, United States. He was the only son of Dr. John Neilson, who came to America from Belfast, Ireland, and Joanna Coejeman, of the Albany family of that name. Losing his father when he was but eight days old, he was adopted by his uncle, James Neilson, a shipping merchant in New Brunswick.
Education
In 1758 Neilson graduated from University of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia.
Career
On the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, "bitterly resenting the attempt of a venal Parliament, bought by an oppressive ministry, to tax his country, " he raised a company of militia, was appointed its captain, and was called into service at the east end of Long Island under General Heard, to disarm the Loyalists.
On August 31, 1775, he was appointed by the Provincial Congress colonel of a battalion of Minute Men of Middlesex County. Early the next year he was urged to take a seat in the Continental Congress but declined, believing he could be more useful in the military service of the state. In August 1776 he was appointed colonel of the 2nd Regiment, Middlesex militia, and served with it in Essex and Bergen counties, where the Loyalists were prominent. In December he retired with the army under Washington to the west bank of the Delaware, but in a few days (December 31), Washington directed him to return to New Jersey to call out more of the state militia.
On February 18, 1777, with a detachment of his regiment, he surprised and captured an outpost of Loyalist refugees on the Island Farm, near New Brunswick.
In acknowledgment of this service he was appointed, on February 21, brigadier-general of militia, but he acted so little in that capacity that the name "Colonel Neilson" always followed him. While the British were at New Brunswick that winter Lord Howe made Neilson's house his headquarters.
Neilson served the rest of 1777 with the militia of Middlesex and Somerset counties, and in 1778 in Monmouth County, part of the time under General Dickerson, but otherwise holding a separate command. During this year he was again chosen to be a delegate to the Continental Congress but again declined. In 1779 he commanded the militia at Elizabethtown and Newark, aiding in the attempts to ward off the British raids from New York. The same year he intercepted the Simcoe raid, which was doing so much damage in Somerset County.
On September 20, 1780, he was appointed deputy quartermaster-general for New Jersey, in which position he continued until January 1783. In the meantime, on June 18, 1782, he was appointed a commissioner to settle, in terms of a depreciated currency, the pay of the New Jersey Line. He enjoyed the confidence of Washington, as published letters from the latter show, and their friendship continued after the war. Lafayette, on his visit to America in 1824, presented Neilson with his sword.
The war over, Neilson returned to his business and carried on an extensive trade with Lisbon, Madeira, London, Dublin, and the West Indies. He also held various public offices.
He was a member of the state convention which adopted the Constitution of the United States; from 1795 to 1798 he was judge of the court of common pleas; in 1800 and 1801 he was a member of the state Assembly, and from April 1796 to February 1821 he was successively register and recorder of New Brunswick, New Jersey.
He was an elder and trustee in the First Presbyterian Church of New Brunswick, and a trustee of Rutgers College from 1782 until his death.
Achievements
Connections
On December 31, 1768, he married Catherine, daughter of John and Catherine (Schuyler) Voorhees. His wife died on August 2, 1816. They had eleven children, the best known being James, who served with the rank of captain in the War of 1812 and was later a colonel of militia, and who succeeded his father as trustee of Rutgers College.