Henry Clay Nelson

This article is about the Navy surgeon. For the American lawyer and politician from New York, see Henry C. Nelson.

Henry Clay Nelson
Born	(1835-05-30)May 30, 1835 Warfieldsburg, Maryland, US
Died	March 10, 1893(1893-03-10) (aged 57) Concord, New Hampshire, US
Allegiance	United States
Service / branch	United States Navy
Years of service	1861–1884
Battles / wars	American Civil War

Henry Clay Nelson (May 30, 1835 – March 10, 1893) was a surgeon in the United States Navy during and after the American Civil War.

Nelson was born on May 30, 1835, in Frederick County, now Carroll County, Maryland, likely in the vicinity of Warfieldsburg, to Miranda Nelson (née Pearre) and Burgess Nelson. He entered the Navy as an Assistant Surgeon in 1861, in 1864 he was promoted to the rank of Surgeon, and in 1879 to Medical Inspector. In 1877 he served as a Fleet Surgeon of the Pacific Squadron and for several years had been Assistant Surgeon General. On March 22, 1877, he married Adelaide Margaretta Nelson (née Thompson), with whom he had a son Francis.

Nelson retired on April 24, 1884, due to ill health and died at the age of 57 on March 10, 1893, in Concord, New Hampshire.