NELSON, THOMAS, 1738-89; b. Va.; son of William Nelson, president of the Vir ginia colonial council. lie was educated at Trinity college, Cambridge, England. Returning to this country in 1701, he took up his residence at Yorktown on the family estates. In the disputes with Great Britain he warmly advocated the colonial cause. hoth privately and in the house of burgesses. He served in the first provincial conven tion of 1774, and in the second of 1775. In the latter year Ile became col. of the 2d Va. regiment, but resigned in 1776 upon his election to the constitutional convention. In this body he introduced a resolution instructing the Va. congressional delegation to bring before congress proposals for a declaration of independence. He was elected to congress in time to sign the declaration, but i igned in May, 1777, on account of illhealth, In August of the same year, when a British squadron under admiral Howe was off the Virginia coast, he became commander-in-chief of the state troops, and soon after, at the call of congress, led a cavalry battalion to Philadelphia. After the alarm occasioned by the approach of Howe had subsided, he returned to the legislature, where he resisted the proposed confiscation of British property, maintaining that it was unjust to make private persons suffer for public wrongs. Early in 1779 he was again a member
of congress, and was again forced by ill-health to resign. In May the same year, he organized the state militia, for protection against a British foraging and plundering expe dition then invading Virginia. In 1780, when congress had asked for contributions to pay for the expenses of the French contingent, Virginia attempted to raise a loan of $2.000,000. In the depreciated condition of the public credit, there was little hope of negotiating that sum, but a large amount was advanced by Nelson, who made himself personally responsible. He also paid two Virginia regiments, which had refused to go south till they had received the arrearages of their pay. In 1781 lie succeeded Jefferson as governor. The British were ravaging the state, and Nelson opposed them with what militia he could muster. Ile was forced to exercise extra legal powers, but his acts were afterward sanctioned by the legislature. In command of the state militia at the siege of Yorktown, he ordered the bombardment of his own house, the most valuable in the town. He was already financially embarrassed by his loans to the government, and in his last days his property was sold to pay his debts. He resigned in Nov., 1781.