John Nelson, born abt 1830, is first seen on the 1850 Census in Alexandria, Alexandria Virginia as a member of Patsy Nelson’s household. Other family members are his siblings and their spouses. This Census tells us that all in the household were Free People of Color (FPOC). Current research efforts include investigating links to Captain Thomas Nelson, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and Governor of Virginia, and Jane Jenny Spurlock, rumored to be a Native American slave.
Key Facts
- Born about 1830, Virginia (no exact day recorded)
- Occupation: Farmer
- Residences: Arlington, Virginia; Alexandria, Virginia (1850); Saline County, Arkansas (1860); King and Queen County, Virginia (1870); Pulaski County, Arkansas (1880 and 1900)
- Married Dolly May McNeill Nelson in 1850
- Military service: U.S. Colored Troops, 1864-1865
- Died December 26, 1921, Pulaski County, Arkansas
- Probate: Drew, Arkansas
- 11 children, including John Lemon Nelson II (1870-1938)