Thomas NELSON

1738 - 1789  (50 years)

• Name	Thomas NELSON
  Born	26 Dec 1738	Yorktown, York, Virginia
  Gender	Male
  Also Known As	Scotch Tom
  Education	Cambridge
  Noteworthy	Signed the Declaration of Independence
  Occupation	Governor of VA
  Military Event	American Revolution - VA, Brig Gen of American army  [1]
  Served American Revolution?	Y
  Military Flag	Y
  Cause of Death	Asthma attack
  Buried	1789	Grace Church Cemetery, Yorktown, Virginia
  Died	4 Jan 1789	Mt Airy, Richmond, Virginia
  Person ID	I5152	Main
  Last Modified	21 Aug 2017

  
  

  Family	Lucy GRYMES,   b. 24 Aug 1743, Brandon, Prince George, Virginia ,   d. 18 Sep 1834, Springfield, Fairfax, Virginia  (Age 91 years)
  Married	29 Jul 1762	York County, Virginia
  Children	1. William NELSON,   b. 9 Aug 1763, Yorktown, York, Virginia   2. Thomas NELSON,   b. 27 Dec 1764, Yorktown, York, Virginia   3. Philip NELSON,   b. 4 Mar 1766, Yorktown, York, Virginia   4. Francis NELSON,   b. 25 Jun 1767, Yorktown, York, Virginia   5. Hugh NELSON,   b. 30 Sep 1768, Yorktown, York, Virginia   6. Elizabeth NELSON,   b. 26 Dec 1770, Yorktown, York, Virginia   7. Mary Lucy NELSON,   b. 19 Dec 1774, Yorktown, York, Virginia + 8. Lucy Grymes NELSON,   b. 2 Jan 1777, Yorktown, York, Virginia ,   d. 18 Dec 1861, York County, Virginia  (Age 84 years)   9. Robert NELSON,   b. 14 Oct 1778, Yorktown, York, Virginia   10. Susan NELSON,   b. 3 Oct 1780, Yorktown, York, Virginia   11. Judith NELSON,   b. 8 May 1782, Yorktown, York, Virginia
  Last Modified	28 Oct 2023
  Family ID	F1869	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map		Married - 29 Jul 1762 - York County, Virginia  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Photos

  t_nelson

  
  

• Notes

  Signed the Declaration of Independence After his health and fortune were wrecked by the war, he moved his large family to a small estate in Hanover Co. There he died of asthma on January 4, 1789, a week after he became sixty. ----- According to family tradition, the Nelson House served as the second headquarters of Gen. Charles Cornwallis during the siege of Yorktown (September-October 1781), and with Nelson's permission American artillery shelled and hit the house. The historical record indicates that both British and French military personnel likely used it, but their identities cannot be definitely ascertained. And the southeast face of the residence does show evidence of damage from cannon fire. The Marquis de Lafayette, who revisited the United States in 1824-25, was quartered there when in the former year he attended the celebration of the anniversary of the Battle of Yorktown, in which he had played a key role. The home stands today as part of the Colonial National Historical Park. ----- THOMAS NELSON, JR. was the grands/o Thomas Nelson, known as "Scotch Tom", a merchant-planter who was the American founder of one of the wealthiest of Virginia families. His father was William Nelson, long a member of the Council and at one time acting Governor of the Province, who was generally known as "President Nelson". At the age of fourteen, young Nelson was sent to Eaton in England for his schooling. He subsequently graduated from Cambridge and returned to America in 1761 at the age of twenty-two. While still at sea on his way home from England, he was elected by York Co to the House of Burgesses. The following year, he married Lucy Grymes, daughter of Philip Grymes, Esq. of Middlesex Co. At the time of his marriage, his father gave him a large landed estate and a large sum of cash that enabled him to maintain an elegant lifestyle. The couple eventually had eleven children. ----- In May 1777, while attending congress, he was suddenly attacked with a disease of the head, probably of a paralytic nature, which, for a time, greatly impaired his memory. Nelson returned to Virginia and soon after he resigned his seat in congress. His health gradually improved and his services were again demanded by the public, and by the governor and council he was appointed brigadier general and commander in chief of the forces of the commonwealth. In this office he rendered his most important services to his country in general, and to the colony of Virginia in particular. His ample fortune enabled him, in cases of emergency, to advance money to carry the military.

  
  

• Sources

  [S24] Daughters of the American Revolution.