Nelson, James, 1830-1919

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.