University of Virginia Library

THOMAS NELSON.

Thomas Nelson, the eldest son of President William Nelson, of the
Virginia Council, and his wife Elizabeth Burwell (granddaughter of
Robert "King" Carter), was born at Yorktown, December 26th, 1738.
After having been under the tuition of Rev. William Yates, of Gloucester,
afterward President of William and Mary College, he was sent,
at the age of fourteen, to England, to finish his education, remaining
seven years. He enjoyed there the superintending care of the celebrated
Dr. Beilby Porteus, afterward Bishop of London, who subsequently sent to
his former ward in Virginia a volume of his sermons in token of remembrance.
Thomas was first at the school of Dr. Newcombe, at Hackney;
then at Eton. Graduated with distinction from Trinity College, Cambridge,
he returned to Virginia in his twenty-second year. Whilst on
his voyage, from respect to his father, he was elected a member of the
House of Burgesses. He married, in 1762, Lucy Grymes, of Middlesex
County, the eldest daughter of Philip and Mary (Randolph) Grymes,
the elder, of "Brandon." He was associated as a merchant with his
father, from whom, at the death of the latter, he received a portion of
£40,000 sterling (the equivalent of $200,000 in our present currency,
and when, too, the relative value in purchasing capacity was several
times greater than now).

Thomas Nelson was a member of the Virginia Conventions of 1774
and 1775, and displayed extraordinary boldness in resisting British
tyranny. He was elected by the Convention, in July, 1775, Colonel of
the Second Virginia regiment, which post he resigned on being elected
to the Continental Congress the same year. He was a conspicuous
member of the Virginia Convention of 1776, which framed the Constitution
of Virginia. He was a member of the Committee on Articles of
Confederation, and July 5th, 1776, signed the Declaration of Independence.
Restless for active service in the field, he resigned his seat in
Congress in May, 1777, and in August following was appointed Commander-in-chief
of the State forces of Virginia. He soon after raised
a troop of cavalry, with which he repaired to Philadelphia. Resuming
his duties in the Virginia Legislature, he strongly opposed the proposition
to sequestrate British property, on the ground that it would be an
unjust retaliation of public wrongs on private individuals. He was
again elected to Congress, in February, 1779, but was obliged, by
indisposition, to resign his seat. In May he was called upon to organize
the State militia, and repel an invading expedition of the enemy.
A loan of $2,000,000 being called for by Virginia in June, 1780,
which, in that period of despondency and distrust, being difficult to
obtain, General Nelson, by strenuous endeavors, and on his own personal
security, raised a large portion of the amount. He also advanced
money to pay two Virginia regiments ordered to the South, which
refused to march until arrearages due them were paid. In the then
critical aspect of affairs, upon the resignation of Governor Jefferson, a

military executive being deemed a necessity, General Nelson was, June
12th, 1781, elected to succeed him, opposing in person, with what militia
he could command, with sleepless vigilance and untiring energy, the
enemy who were ravaging the State, anticipating the wants of the
service with remarkable comprehensive forecast, and a provision wonderful
in view of the difficulties which beset him. His gallantry and
nobility of soul, as evinced at the siege of Yorktown, have already
been noted in the sketch of his father, President William Nelson.

General Nelson died at his seat, "Offley," in Hanover County, January
4th, 1789, leaving as a legacy to his family naught but an imperishable
record—sublime in its lofty aims and disinterested patriotism; for
his advances to Virginia had impoverished him, and the claims of his
remaining creditors literally beggared them. An effort was made in
1822, by the late Hon. St. George Tucker, before the Virginia Assembly,
for indemnity to the heirs of General Nelson for advances made by
the latter during the Revolution, which, after various contemptuous
delays, was at last referred to a select committee, who rendered "an
eloquent report, setting forth in glowing language" the merits, etc., of
General Nelson, and concluding with the words, "That a just regard
for the character of the State requires that some compensation should
be made to his representatives for the losses sustained." The report
was adopted by the House of Delegates, and, on motion, the committee
was discharged from the duty of bringing in a bill in conformity
thereto. The matter remained dormant until 1831, when, being again
brought up, it was referred to the First and Second Auditors of the
State, who reported against the claim.

The heirs finally petitioned Congress on the 10th of December, 1833,
when, after vexatious delays, it was finally reported on, and unfavorably.
Never before in the history of nations have patriotic services so eminent
and so essentially vital, and sacrifices personally so absolute, been more
ungratefully requited. The disease which carried off General Nelson
was asthma, occasioned by exposure incident to his military services.
His remains were conveyed to Yorktown, and buried at the foot of the
grave of his father. No stone marks the spot. His grandson, Philip
Nelson, presented, December 7th, 1839, a petition to the General Assembly
of Virginia for the payment of the claims of General Nelson,
which, after various delays, in sheer hopelessness of success, was withdrawn
in September, 1840. A fort built at Louisville, Kentucky, in
1782, was named Fort Nelson in honor of General Nelson, as was also
Nelson County, Virginia, formed in 1807 from Amherst County. His
statue in bronze is one of the six which adorn the Washington monument
in the public square at Richmond, Virginia. A representation of this
grand and much admired work of art, in connection with the Capitol
building, is given in this work. The only portrait of General Nelson,
for which he ever sat, is preserved in the State Library of Virginia.

It was painted by Chamberlain, in London, in 1754, whilst the subject
was a student at Eton. It represents him as a handsome, ruddy-cheeked,
brown-haired youth, with oval contour of face and a most
engaging expression of countenance.