Thomas Jr was born on December 26,1738 in Yorktown, Virginia. He was the son of William and Elizabeth Carter Burwell

Thomas was born to one of the wealthiest merchant families in Yorktown, Virginia.

His father, William Nelson, had been Virginia’s Governor twice.

In 1852; at the age 14, Thomas was sent to England to attend school, (a common practice among colonists & many Virginians of the Planter Class).

Thomas first attended the Newcome School; then in 1758; Thomas attended Christ’s College at Cambridge University.

In 1760, Thomas graduated from Cambridge

In 1761, Thomas returned to Virginia (age 22). While aboard ship on the return journey, he was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses. After returning back to Yorktown, Thomas assisted his father in the operation of his several plantations.

Thomas was a Freemason, what lodge he was raised is not known

In 1762, Thomas married Lucy Grymes Burwell, a talented harpsichord player, of Brandon, Virginia. With an ample fortune given to him by his father, Thomas was able to live a style of common elegance and hospitality; together, they would have 13 children.

In 1772, his father William died, leaving Thomas 20,000 acres of land and more than 400 slaves.

In 1774, after hearing about the Boston Tea Party, Thomas performed an act against the British Tea Tax by boarding a merchant ship, in Virginia, which was anchored near his home in Yorktown; and dumped several chests of tea into the York River. (a very risky act he performed), but Thomas was never charged or punished for the act

Also, in 1774, Thomas elected as a delegate to the house of burgesses over which Peyton Randolph, presided.

In 1775, Thomas was elected to the Continental (1775-1777), when illness caused his resignation.

He was one of the first congressmen to favor independence and urged his fellow delegates to support the cause of independence.

On August 2, 1776; brother Thomas Nelson signed the Declaration of Independence

In 1777, Thomas suffered his first of many strokes

In 1778, it was noted that brother Thomas attended the Virginia Grand Lodge.

In 1779, Thomas returned to the Continental Congress, but health again sent him home.

Returning home, he seemed to recover, but would have additional strokes as well as periodic bouts of asthma.

In June 1781, despite having health issues, Thomas kept active in politics, Thomas was elected as Virginia’s Governor, succeeding Thomas Jefferson.

Thomas was always supportive of the Continental Army and their cause, between Congress and supporting General George Washington. Thomas raised money to outfit regiments and gave freely of his personal fortune.

In return, Thomas was given a Brigadier Generals Commission, of Virginia Militiamen

In the fall of 1781, General Nelson led 3,000 Virginia Militiamen as part of George Washington’s Army besieging Yorktown.

In October 1781 during the Siege of Yorktown, Thomas commanded the Virginia militia, when the British took refuge in his home, American artillerymen refused to fire on the house, in respect to General Nelson, which was supposed to be headquarters for British General Cornwallis.

Thomas then aimed and fired a cannon at his own home, and ordered the men to fire at his house, destroying it. When the British surrendered at Yorktown, this marked the end of the major fighting in the American Revolution.

It was known that Thomas did visited Lodge No. 9, while in Yorktown, Va. with brothers George Washington and the Marquis de LaFayette after the siege of Yorktown.

Charles H. Callahan of Virginia states that, Thomas was, Master of Lodge No. 9 at Yorktown, and that it may have been an Army lodge.

It is believed that Thomas was a member of Williamsburg Lodge No. 6, and Associate member of Harmony Lodge No. 2, North Carolina

During the American Revolution, Thomas Nelson had sacrificed his health, his home and his fortune to help win independence.

In 1782, Thomas was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates, representing York County (1782-1783, 1786-1788)

On January 4, 1789, brother Thomas Nelson Jr at the age of 50 years, died while living at his son’s home in Hanover County, Virginia. Brother Thomas was laid to rest at Grace Episcopal Churchyard in Yorktown, Virginia,Episcople

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IN HIS HONOR

Nelson County, Virginia & Nelson County, Kentucky were named after him.

In 1967, The Virginia State Council for Higher Education named the Thomas Nelson Community College after him

In 2012, in Nelson County, Kentucky; the Thomas Nelson High School was opened.

The home of Thomas Nelson Jr, the “Nelson House”, circa 1730; built by “Scotch Tom” Nelson in Yorktown, Virginia, was occupied by Thomas Nelson Jr. during the Revolutionary War; was designated as a National Historical Landmark, maintained as part of the Colonial National Historical Park by the National Park Service