Thomas Nelson, Jr.
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Thomas Nelson, Jr. (December 26, 1738–January 4, 1789), was an American planter, soldier, and statesman from Yorktown, Virginia. He represented Virginia in the Continental Congress and was its Governor in 1781. He is ragarded as one of the U.S. Founding Fathers since he signed the Declaration of Independence for Virginia.
Thomas, Jr. was actually the grandson of Thomas Nelson, the immigrant from Scotland who was an early pioneer at Yorktown. His father, William Nelson was also a leader of the colony, and briefly served as governor. Thomas was born at Yorktown, and like many Virginians of his time, was educated in England. He attended Eton before entering Trinity College at Cambridge University. He graduated in 1760 and returned home the following year.
Thomas was first elected to the House of Burgesses (Virginia's Assembley) in [1761]]. The following year he married Lucy Grimes. Their son Hugh (1768-1836) would later server in the U.S. Congress.
When the Revolution neared in 1774, Lord Dunmore, the royal governor, dismissed the Burgesses. Nelson was one of those who met in the rebel convention that met in response. He suported motions to support resistence to the Boston Port Act. The following year he was an active voice in reorganizing the militia, outide of royal control amnd loyalist influences. He was named Colonel of the 3rd Virginia, but resigned the post when elected to the Continental Congress later in 1775.
Nelson's first term in the Congress continued until 1777, when a bout of illness forced his resignation. While a member of Congress, Nelson still found time to return home and play a key role in Virginia's Constitutional Convention in the spring of 1776. He returned to Congress in time to sign the Declaration of Independence.
He was commanding General of the Lower Virginia Militia, and succeeded Thomas Jefferson as governor of Virginia.
He died in at his son's home in Hanover County, Virginia and is buried in the Grace Churhyard at Yorktown.
Further reading
- Emory Evans; "Thomas Nelson of Yorktown: Revolutionary Virginian"; 1975, Univerwsity of Virginia; ISBN 0879350245.
- Emory Evans;"Thomas Nelson and the Revolution in Virginia"; 1976, Virginias Bicentennial Commission.
- Nell Moore Lee; "Patriot Above Profit: A Portrait of Thomas Nelson, Jr. Who Supported the American Revolution with His Purse and Sword"; 1988, Rutledge Press, ISBN 0934395683.
External link
- Biographic sketch at U.S. Cobgress website (http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=N000044)