NELSON
NELSON
he was appointed by President Grant a member
of the joint liigli commission that met in V.'asii-
ington, D.C., to arbitrate the Alabama claims,
and while in attendance on that commission con-
tracted a cold that forced him to resign his seat
on tiie supreme bench. His name was before
several Democratic national conventions as an
available nominee for president. He received
the degree of LL.D. from Geneva in 1837. from
Middlebury in 1841, from Columbia in 1841 and
from Hamilton in 1870. He died in Coopers-
town. X.Y., Dec. 18. 1873.
NELSON, Samuel Kelsey, clergyman, was born near Jonesborough. Tenn., Oct. 9, 1787; son of H^?nry ami Anna (Kelsey) Nelson. He was graduated at Washington college, Tenn., in 1803, taugiit school in 'Kentucky for a sliort time and also studied law. He studied theology under Dr. Samuel Doak, president of Washington college, and was licensed to preach by the presbytery of Holston in 1807. He preached in South Caro- lina and Tennessee, 1807-'9, and was pastor of the cliurcli in Danville. Ky., 1809-27. He was one of tiie principal founders of Centre college at Danville. Ky., chartered in 1819, and of the Kentucky Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb. He went to Florida to found a like institution in 18'37. He was a charter trustee of Centre college, 1819-27, and received the degree D.D., probably from Washington college. He died in Tallahas- see. Fla.. May 7, 1827.
NELSON, Thomas, Jr., signer, was born in Yc.rktown. Va., Dec. 26, 1738; son of Judge William Nelson (1711-1772) (q.v.). He received his preliminary education at Nelson House, under the Rev. Mr. Yates; was placed in a preparatory school at Hackney, England, in 1752, and was graduated at Trinity college, Cam- bridge, returning to Virginia in 17G1, where, in 17G2, he was married to Lucy, daughter of Col. Philip and Mary (Randolph) Grimes of Middlesex county. He was a member of the Virginia house of burgesses in 1761, and in 1774, when that body was dissolved by Lord Dunmore. he was among the protestants against the action of tiie governor; urged the ap- pointment of deputies to a general congress, and was returned to the next house. He was a member of the convention that met at Williams- burg, Aug. 1. 1774,;in(l fli.it of March, 1775,
'^.J^r.^^
where he proposed to meet British aggression
with armed opposition, and was appointed colonel
of the 2d Virginia regiment by the convention
in July, 1775. On his election as a delegate to
the Continental congress from Virginia in 1775,
he resigned his commission as colonel and .served
in congress, 1775-77, signing the Declaration
of Independence of July 4, 1776. He was a
member of the Virginia con.stitutional convention
of May, 1776. He resigned his seat in congress
in May, 1777, on account of temporary illness,
and in August, 1777, was appointed commander
of the Virginia state forces, and in response to
an appeal from congress raised and equipped a
troop of cavalrymen, accompanying them to
Philadelphia. He expended a large sum of
money in this patriotic purpose, but as the
troop was not called into service he was never
repaid for his outlay except by the act of Aug. 8,
1778, in which it was " resolved that the thanks
of congress be given to the Honorable General
Nelson and to the officers and gentlemen for their
brave, generous and patriotic efforts in the cause of
their country." He was returned to congress from
Virginia in 1779, and .served for a few months, but
another sudden illness forced him to resign.
When the invasion of Virginia was threatened in
May, 1779, he organized the militia and subse-
quently at his own expense sent two regiments to
the south, guaranteeing the payment of their
arrears to secure their service. In June, 1780,
when Virginia resolved to borrow $2,000,000 for
the Continental treasury to provide for the main-
tenance of the French fleet, he secured a large
part of the amount by personal endorsement,
which he was obliged to pay. He was elected
governor of Virginia, June 12, 1781; commanded
the Virginia militia in the siege of Yorktown;
ordered the artillery to open upon his own house,
which he supposed was the heailquarters of the
British general; was present at the surrender
of Cornwallis, and received the thanks of Wash-
ington in general orders. He retired from the
office of governor, Nov. 30, 1781, whereupon he
was accused of mal-administration for assum-
ing dictatorial powers during the perilous term
of his administration. He was, however, exon-
erated by the state legislature. He spent the re-
mainder of his life in retirement and povert}', his
fortune having been expended for his country,
and no recompense was ever made by the govern-
ment to his family. His grave at Yorktown, Va.,
was not marked, but his statue was placed in the
group on the W^ashington monument at Rich-
mond, Va. He died at " Offley ", Hanover county,
Va., Jan. 4. 1789.
NELSON, Thomas Amos Rogers, representa- tive, was born in lloaiu* county. Tenn.. March 19, 1812; son of David and Phoebe (White)
