Samuel Neilson | |
|---|---|
_(after_Charles_Byrne).jpg) | |
| Born | 17 September 1761 Ballyroney, County Down, Ireland |
| Died | 29 August 1803 (aged 41) |
| Resting place | Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Occupation | Newspaperman |
| Notable work | Northern Star |
| Movement | Society of United Irishmen |
| Criminal charge | High treason |
| Criminal penalty | Exile |
Samuel Neilson (17 September 1761 – 29 August 1803) was an Irish businessman, journalist and politician. He was a founding member of the Society of United Irishmen and the founder of its newspaper, the Northern Star. Along with many other Protestants of Belfast, he was radicalised by the French Revolution. In 1797 he was arrested and the Northern Star suppressed by the Irish authorities. In prison during 1798, he took no part in the failed rebellion of that year. Later he went into exile in the United States, where he died of yellow fever.