James Nelson was born in 1830, in Belfast, Ireland.
In 1840, he was brought to Montreal, Quebec by his parents. After receiving his education in Montreal, he formed a partnership with John W. Hopkins in 1853 and two years later they invited Frederick Lawford, a talented young designer from London, England, to join them. Their firm Hopkins, Lawford & Nelson (1855-1859) can be credited with some of the outstanding examples of Gothic Revival and Renaissance Revival work erected in Canada. After the death of Lawford in 1866, Nelson continued to work alone or with Charles Ballard. In 1884, Nelson formed a partnership with Christopher Clift. One of their employees was H. Charles Nelson, son of James, who worked in their office as a draftsman. The firm was dissolved in December 1890 and Nelson worked under his own name until 1894 when his son joined him in a new partnership. That same year Nelson was elected President of the Province of Quebec Association of Architects and remained active in the profession until 1909.
In 1909, he moved to Arundel, Quebec, where he died on February 18, 1919.
Horatio Admiral Nelson was born on October 22, 1816, in Richmond, New Hampshire.
He was a merchant, manufacturer, and political figure in Quebec. He was educated in the United States. He was a travelling salesman until 1841 when he settled in Montreal. He became co-owner of Nelson and Butters, manufacturers of brooms and other articles made from wood; the company becoming Nelson Wood & Co. in 1861 and H.A. Nelson & Sons in 1874. Nelson served as director of the Molson Bank, president of the Loan and Investment Association, and vice-president of the Provincial Loan Association. He served on Montreal City Council from 1867 to 1881 and was president of the finance committee.
In 1841, he married Maria Duleena Davison (1825–1882). He died on December 24, 1882, in Montreal, Quebec.
Helen Neilson was born in 1914 in Quebec City. Ms. Neilson earned her B.H.Sc. from Macdonald College of McGill University in 1939 and her M.Sc. in 1948. From 1940 to 1942 she worked as Assistant Dietician in the Montreal Children’s Hospital. During the World War II, between 1942 and 1946, she served as a research nutritionist with the Royal Canadian Air Force Institute of Aviation Medicine in Toronto and was awarded Member of British Empire. After a year spent researching the nutritional needs and problems with the airforce personnel operating in the Arctic from 1948 to 1949, Neilson joined the Staff of Macdonald College in 1949. She served as Director of the School of Household Science, subsequently called the School of Food Science, until 1975. Between 1956 and 1957 she spent one year in Thailand under the auspices of the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization as a Home Economist. Neilson was a member of the University Senate from 1967 to 1970. From 1977 to 1978 she was employed as Principal Lecturer and Chairman of Life Management at Riverina College of Advanced Education in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales in Australia. In 1980 Helen Neilson was appointed to the rank of Emeritus Professor of Food Science. She has been the recipient of several honours and awards, and has been an active member of the Canadian Dietetic Association. As well as publishing scholarly papers, Ms. Neilson completed A book, Macdonald College of McGill University - 1907-1988.
