Born in his father's residence, Shore Cottage in Magheramorne, Larne, County Antrim, Ireland, the son of Robert Nelson, Esq.

& Victoria Express Company, which had the dominant share of the freight and travel market between Victoria and New Westminster and Yale, with partner George Dietz, and also the lumbering firm Moody, Dietz and Nelson, the third partner of which was Sewell Moody, which was the operating name of Moodyville Sawmill Co. in what is now North Vancouver.

Express Company then became the leading firm for shipments and travel to and from the Cariboo region Although active in politics, he did not stand for office to the Legislative Council until 1870 (for the colonial riding of New Westminster), by which time he had become one of the principal promoters of British Columbia's merger with the Confederation of Canada.

He was a member of the Yale Convention, which ushered in BC's union with Canada, and was on the committee of that body charged with seeing the agreement come into effect.

The couple lived at 354 Cooper Street, Ottawa and Government House, Victoria during Hugh Nelson`s terms of office.