Born: 1711
Married: Elizabeth Burwell
Died: 1772
Burial:
Will:
Parents: Thomas "Scotch Tom" Nelson and Margaret Read
Children:
Thomas Nelson Jr.
William Nelson was appointed to replace his father on the Governor's Council in 1745. When Governor Botetourt died on October 15, 1770, he was the second-most senior member on the council. John Blair, the Commissary of the Bishop of London, decided he was too old to assume the responsibility of serving as the acting governor until George III appointed a replacement for Lord Botetourt.
William Nelson accepted the role, and served until Lord Dunmore arrived in February, 1772. William Nelson was called "President" Nelson because of that time as acting governor..1