Nelson, Oliver (c.1715–1775), printer, was apprenticed to George Grierson (d. 1753), in Essex St., Dublin, for 1736/7. Prior to this he probably worked for William Bowyer in London intermittently during 1732–6, but nothing is known of his early life. He was sworn free of the guild by service in 1737 and then paid quarterage through to 1774. After setting up permanently in Miller's Head, Skinner's Row, he embarked on a successful career and published extensively; he was accused of piracy by George Faulkner (qv) over an edition of Lord Orrery's Remarks on the life of Swift (1751) and by Robert Main over Eliza Heywood's History of Miss Betsey Thoughtless (1751). From September 1745 to February 1752 he took over the running of the Dublin Courant and turned it into the booksellers' leading paper, replacing the Dublin Weekly Journal.
When the apothecary Charles Lucas (qv) ran into trouble over his series of pamphlets (1743–8) criticising parliament, the judiciary system, and the corporation, the Dublin Courant backed him and published a number of articles in his support which may have been written by the young Edmund Burke (qv). After four printers were ordered before the house of commons in connection with the pamphlets, the Courant published (26 August 1749) the guild of St Luke's defence of Lucas and of free speech. It is likely that Nelson, who was prominent in the guild, instigated this defence. The chief justice later admonished the guild with a warning. This did nothing to diminish Nelson's standing; he was sworn warden of the guild (October 1749) and treasurer (1755, 1762–5), and was elected to the council on 18 February 1756. In April 1758 he was made free of the prestigious Trinity guild of merchants and was only the second stationer to get this honour. The following year, on 6 November 1759, he was elected city printer and stationer on the death of Mary Pepyat (qv), and in this capacity petitioned the city in January 1762 for new regulations for printers in discharging bills, and in October 1772 against an increase of duty on imported paper.
He died in Dublin on 5 July 1775 and was predeceased by his eldest son, Richard (d. 1771), also a stationer, and by his wife, Elizabeth Nelson (d. 1772), whom he married in Dublin on 24 December 1738. He had two more sons, Oliver, a clerk and Samuel, a gentleman. Oliver Nelson was a successful businessman who employed over his career thirteen apprentices, including (1767) John Chambers (qv), printer and United Irishman.