William Nelson, American politician, Colonial Governor of Virginia (born 1711)

William Nelson (governor)

American planter and politician

William Nelson was an American merchant, planter and politician from Yorktown, Virginia. Having served more than two decades on the Virginia Council of State, he became the colony's acting governor between the death of royal governor Norborne Berkeley in mid-October 1770 and the…

List of colonial governors of Virginia

Some of those who held the lead role as governor of Virginia never visited the New World and governed through deputies resident in the colony. Others, such as Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr, held the lead role for many years but were in Virginia for only a short portion of…