Nelson Doubleday (June 16, 1889 in Brooklyn - January 11, 1949 at Oyster Bay, Long Island) was a U.S. book publisher. He was the nephew of author Russell Doubleday, the son of Frank Nelson Doubleday and Neltje Blanchan,[1] and the father of Nelson Doubleday Jr.
Rudyard Kipling, a friend of Doubleday's father, wrote his Just So Stories after young Doubleday asked him to publish a book of animal stories.[2]
Doubleday established his own business in 1910 and used the profits to publish books under his own imprint. After serving in World War I, he joined his father's firm, Doubleday, Page and Company, as a junior partner. After the firm merged with Doran Company, and upon his father's death in 1934, he became chairman of the board of Doubleday, Doran Company, Incorporated. He remained chairman of the firm (later Doubleday and Company) until his death in 1949.[3]
His widow, Ellen Doubleday (1899-1978), left her collection of Doubleday business and personal documents to Princeton University. The Ellen McCarter Doubleday Papers, circa 1930s-1978 contain business and social correspondence, documents by and from Doubleday authors, personal and family letters, and issues related to Doubleday estates.[4]