Thomas "Scotch Tom" Nelson (1677-1747) was an immigrant from Scotland who became a merchant at Yorktown in the Colony of Virginia . He was from Penrith (in present-day Cumbria). Arriving at the beginning of the 18th century, he was the first Virginian of the Nelsons, one of the First Families of Virginia.

The Nelson lineage includes his son, William Nelson (1711–1772). William inherited the family business and went on to accumulate extensive land holdings throughout the colony. William also became a powerful politician, seving as both president of the Governor's Council and as acting governor.

William Nelson's son, Thomas Nelson, Jr. (1739–1789) (grandson of "Scotch Tom"), was a signer of the Declaration of Independence, a Brigadier General during the American Revolutionary War and a governor after statehood. Nelson County, Virginia and Thomas Nelson Community College in the Virginia Peninsula subregion of Hampton Roads are named in honor of Thomas Nelson, Jr.

Scotch Tom's great grandson, Hugh Nelson (1768-1836), would later serve in the U.S. Congress. , Among his other notable descendants were U.S. diplomat and noted authorThomas Nelson Page (1853-1922) and industrialist William Nelson Page (1854-1932), who co-founded the Virginian Railway with financier Henry Huttleston Rogers.

The circa 1730 "Nelson House" built by "Scotch Tom" Nelson in Yorktown, Virginia is a National Historical Landmark maintained by the Colonial National Historical Park of the U.S. National Park Service. The site of the Nelson House had originally been settled after the 1620s by immigrant Nicolas Martiau, another ancestor of many members of Governor Thomas Nelson, Jr.

"Scotch" Tom Nelson

Hic jacet Spe certa resurgendi in Christo Thomas Nelson,Generosus Filis Hugonis et Sariae Nelson de Perith in Comitatu Cumbriae Natus 20th.die Februarii Anno Domini 1677 Vitae bene geste finem implevit 7th.die Octobris 1745-AEtatis suae 68

Here lieth in the certain hope of being raised up in Christ Thomas Nelson, Gentleman Son of Hugh and Sarah Nelson of the County of Cumberland. Born on 20th day of February in the year of our Lord 1677 He completed a well spent life on the 7th of October 1745 Aged 68. http://www.carolshouse.com/cemeteryrecords/grace/

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mother was Sarah _ Wm. & Mary Quarterly

"In _Blounts of Pitt County, North Carolina_ by C. Sylvester Green, 1978, it states:

'The first Thomas Nelson (b. 1677, nicknamed "Old Scotch Tom") came to America, settled in Tidewater Virginia, and married Margaret Reid. They had two children, William born 1711; and Thomas, Junior, born 1716, who married Lucy Armistead and was Secretary of the Council of State for thirty years. Margaret Reid died prior to 1720 and Thomas (Sr.) married Fanny Houston. They had two daughters, Sally and Mary.'" - Bill Leggett (Blegg2248@aol.com) http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=mckenzie68568&id=P%2D356229712

-------------------- Thomas "Scotch Tom" Nelson (1677–1747) was an immigrant from England who became a merchant at Yorktown in the Colony of Virginia. He was from Penrith (in present-day Cumbria). Arriving at the beginning of the 18th century, he was the first Virginian of the Nelsons, one of the First Families of Virginia.

The Nelson lineage includes his son, William Nelson (1711–1772). William inherited the family business and went on to accumulate extensive land holdings throughout the colony. William also became a powerful politician, serving as both president of the Governor's Council and as acting governor.

William Nelson's son, Thomas Nelson, Jr. (1739–1789) (grandson of "Scotch Tom"), was a signer of the Declaration of Independence, a Brigadier General during the American Revolutionary War and a governor after statehood. Nelson County, Virginia and Thomas Nelson Community College in the Virginia Peninsula subregion of Hampton Roads are named in honor of Thomas Nelson, Jr.

Scotch Tom's great grandson, Hugh Nelson (1768–1836), would later serve in the U.S. Congress. Among his other notable descendants were U.S. diplomat and noted author Thomas Nelson Page (1853–1922) and industrialist William Nelson Page (1854–1932), who co-founded the Virginian Railway with financier Henry Huttleston Rogers.

The circa 1730 "Nelson House" built by "Scotch Tom" Nelson in Yorktown, Virginia is a National Historical Landmark maintained by the Colonial National Historical Park of the U.S. National Park Service. The site of the Nelson House had originally been settled after the 1620s by immigrant Nicolas Martiau, another ancestor of Governor Thomas Nelson, Jr.

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The epitaph on his tombstone reads:

"Hic jacet, specerta resurgendi in Christo, Thomas Nelson, Generosus; Filius Hugonis et Sariæ Nelson, de Penrith, in comitate Cumbriæ. Natus 20 mo die Februarii, Anno Domini 1677. Vitæ bene gestæ finem implevit 7mo die Octobris, 1745, ætatis suae 68." Which is thus rendered into English: "Here lies, in the certain hope of being raised up in Christ, Thomas Nelson, Gentleman; the son of Hugh and Sarah Nelson, of Penrith, in the county of Cumberland. Born the 20th of February, 1677. He completed a well-spent life on the 7th of October, 1745, in his sixty-eighth year."