George Nelson

Male 1709 - 1766  (~ 57 years)


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  • Name George Nelson 
    Born ca 1709  London, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Died 23 Nov 1766  Bath, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Buried 04 Dec 1766  Chancel, St. Nicholas Cole Abbey, London England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • St. Nicholas Cole Abbey is a church in the City of London located on what is now Queen Victoria Street. Recorded from the twelfth century, the church was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666 and rebuilt by the office of Sir Christopher Wren. The church suffered substantial bomb damage from German bombs during the London Blitz in the Second World War and was reconstructed by Arthur Bailey in 1961-2.
    Notes 
    • Source: http://nelsonfamilies.com/index.php/george-nelson-lord-mayor-of-london

      George Nelson, Lord Mayor of London was born in about 1709. He was a member and later both one of the three wardens and then Master (in 1767) of the Grocer's Company, one of the celebrated London Livery companies and Alderman of Aldersgate ward from 12 Aug 1755 before being made Sheriff on 24 Jun 1757 and then elected Lord Mayor of London on 28 Sep 1765 at the Guildhall. He was married twice, the second time to Mary Bell, daughter of Humphrey Bell Esq., an eminent Virginia merchant. (London Magazine and Gentleman's Quarterly). Humphrey left him some 1395 acres of land in his will in 1757, which George Nelson sold to Thomas Coleman of Spotsylvania Co. Virginia on 1 Oct 1759.

      His only son was also called George, and became common cryer of the City. The office of Common Cryer and Sergeant-at-Arms may be the oldest of the three ceremonial offices. The Common Cryer and Sergeant-at-Arms carries the Great Mace of Government before the Lord Mayor. The office was established well before 1338 when it was held by one of the King's Serjeant-at-Arms. In 1419 the title held by the mace bearer was Common Sergeant-at-Arms of the City, otherwise called the Common Cryer. He had a salary of sixty shillings a year, robes, fees from the Alderman and Sheriffs and a "sufficient horse" for the honour of the City. By 1559 the current title was in use.

      George jnr. died on 9 Mar 1797 but was married and his son, also called George became the curate of St. Andrew's Church in Chedworth, Gloucestershire where he died on 16 Nov 1811. He is commemorated by a monument in the church. (European Magazine and London Review).

      George Nelson snr. died in Bath on 23 Nov 1766.

      He was buried in the chancel of St. Nicholas Cole Abbey on 4 Dec 1766.

      There is a tablet to him and "also the body of Mary his second wife."

      HISTORICAL RECORDS

      Source: Spotsylvania Co. Va. Deed Book E, 1751-61

      Dated & recorded: 1 October 1759: George Nelson, Esq., Alderman of London, in Gt. Britain & Mary, his wife; Latham Arnold & John Maynard of London, Merchants; to Thomas Coleman of Spotsylvania Co., Va.

      Whereas, Humphrey Bell, late of Clapham, in Surry Co., and of Old Swan Lane, in the City of London, Merchant, by his last will & testament dated 12 February 1757, recorded in Prerogative Court of Archbishop of Canterbury, & thereby did leave his property in Virginia to sd. Nelson, Arnold & Maynard, in trust for purposes stated in the will; & whereas by deeds dated 19 April 1757 recorded in King William Co. the said Bell did convey to sd. Arnold & Maynard his lands & plantations in King Wm, King & Queen, Caroline & Spots Cos in trust to sell & convey land said Bell died seized of (a tract of 1,395 ac. in Spots) which Humphrey Hill, Gent. (As agent) did sell to the sd. Thomas Coleman for £299 curr.; said Nelson, Arnold & Maynard by this deed convey the estate to Coleman. [no witnesses]. [similar transactions following: to Daniel Trigg, 500 acres, £80; to Robert Coleman, 2,680 acres, "Iron pan" for £500; to Thomas McNeil, 141 acres, £42.

      Source: The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 56, No. 3 (Jul., 1948)contains: Virginia Gleanings in England, pp. 323-327

      Virginia Gleanings In England expands on this transaction in Prerogative Court of Archbishop of Canterbury. George Nelson, and Alderman of London City, is Humphrey Bell's son-in-law. Humphrey was indebted to George Nelson, Latham Arnold and John Maynard. So he left them all of his plantations and land in Virginia along with "all Houses, Edifices, and Buildings, Mills, Stills, Coppers, Slaves, Negros, and Stock." All of his English properties were to be sold to pay debts and whatever was left over was to go to his daughter, Mary Nelson. He gave each of his nieces Mrs. Rebecca Arnold, Elizabeth and Hannah Nicholson, Mary Brown and Ann Roe £100 each; to his nephew Humphrey Hill of Virginia, £100.

      The will's executors were George Nelson, Latham Arnold and John Maynard.

      London merchants had extensive holdings in Virginia and frequent acquired property and mortgages on land and slaves securing debts owed to them by colonists. Humphrey Bell had extensive holdings in King William, Caroline Spotsylvania, and King and Queen counties. He sent his nephew Humphrey Hill to act as his agent in Virginia.

    Person ID I29508  Master File
    Last Modified 30 Apr 2015 

    Family Mary Bell,   bur. Chancel, St. Nicholas Cole Abbey, London England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
    +1. George Nelson, Jr.,   d. 09 Mar 1797, London, England Find all individuals with events at this location
    Last Modified 29 Apr 2015 
    Family ID F12540  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart