county, with a common school education, and prepared himself in the art of telegraphy. At the outbreak of the war he was a private in the Petersburg Riflemen, and he entered the Confederate service with this organization, which became Company E of the Twelfth Virginia regiment, Mahone's brigade. He was stationed at Norfolk during the first year of the war, and with his company was among the last to leave that place when it was evacuated in May, 1862. Subsequently he was at Petersburg and Drewry's bluff, reaching Richmond in time to participate in the battle of Seven Pines. In this famous battle he was severely wounded and compelled to return to his home, where he spent five months in bed, and after that found it necessary to use crutches for a year. Disabled as he was, he rejoined the army after the battle of Chancellorsville and sought to be enrolled for duty, but this was not permitted, and he was again sent to his home. After the army had returned to Virginia from the desperate struggle upon the hills of Pennsylvania, he was permitted to re-enter the ranks at Orange Court House, and he was again in battle at Bristoe Station. After this he was detailed by the secretary of war for the telegraph service, and in the latter part of 1864 was transferred by the same authority to the service of the Southern express company. In this duty he had an office at Petersburg, which he surrendered at the time of Federal occupation. For some time after this he continued in the express service, with the Adams company at City Point, as agent of the Harnden company at the same place, and with the National company at Wilmington and Greensboro, N. C. Subsequently, he farmed three years near Petersburg, and then was engaged in mercantile pursuits in that city until 1872. After this he held responsible positions with the Old Dominion steamship company at Richmond, the Piedmont Air Line at West Point, and the Chesapeake & Ohio railroad at Richmond, until 1884, when he made his home at Newport News, and continued there in the latter employment for eight years. From 1892 till 1896 he was the agent at Newport News of the Adams express company. Since then he has held an important position with the United States shipping company. He is a valued citizen, is a member of the Masonic order and St. Paul Episcopal church, and is particularly prominent among Confederate veterans, as the chief organizer and first commander of Magruder camp, over which he presided for three years. His wife, Maria Louise Mayer, of Norfolk, Va., to whom he was married, September 13, 1864, is also deserving of note as a devoted friend of the Confederate soldiers during the war and a warm supporter of their organizations at the present time. As a refugee at Petersburg, after the evacuation of Norfolk, she did noble work in ministering to the sick and wounded. In May, 1895, she organized Bethel chapter, Daughters of the Confederacy, at Newport News, that being the second chapter formed in the State, and since then has served as its president, also as assistant inspector of the State division of the order. Mr. and Mrs. Nelms have one child, a daughter, Ann Louise, wife of Thomas M. Benson, of Richmond.
J. C. Nelms, Sr., of Suffolk, Va., a veteran of Company A, Sixteenth Virginia regiment of infantry, is a native of Nansemond county, born March 11, 1837. His father, James Nelms, a farmer
