OLD YORKTOWN AND ITS HISTORY



foundation of one of the arms is still to be seen on the left. The
bell and communion service were presented to the church by
Queen Anne, and both are still used. The bell bears the date
1725. It withstood everything except the Civil War, when a
magazine exploded in the west end of the town while McClellan
was there, and damaged the belfry so badly the bell fell and was
cracked. It was taken away by one' of the soldiers to Phila-
delphia, where it fell into the hands of some smelting company.
In 1881, the time of the Centennial at Yorktown, it was recast
and sent back as a present to the church.
  In the yard of the church are many old tombs, six generations
of the Nelson family being represented among them. That of
Scotch Tom Nelson, the founder of the Nelson family in York, is
first and is an antique monument. On the four sides are cherubs.
On the head of one a crown is being placed, and another with a
trumpet is proclaiming, "All Glory to God." The inscription
has all disappeared. At the foot of this grave is another tomb
made of brick and not so elaborate. It marks the body of Presi-
dent William Nelson, son of Scotch Tom Nelson and president
of the King's Council. Then comes the grave of Governor
Nelson, son of William Nelson. This grave lay for years un-
marked, no one knowing exactly where this great man was
buried. Mr. Lee, of Gloucester, rector of the church, found an
old historv in which it was stated that Governor Thomas Nelson
was buried at the foot of the grave of his father, President William
Nelson. Since then the descendants of the Nelsons have marked
his grave with a large granite slab bearing the following inscrip-
tion:
             "GENERAL THOMAS NELSON, JR.,
         PATRIOT, SOLDIER, CHRISTIAN GENTLEMAN,
     BORON DECEMBER 12, 1738; DIED JANUARY 2, 1789.
MOVER OF THE RESOLUTION OF MAY 16, 1776, IN THE VIRGINIA
CONVENTION INSTRUCTING HER DELEGATES IN CONGRESS TO
  M\IOvE THAT BODY TO DECLARE THE COLONIES FREE AND
  INDEPENDENT STATES; SIGNER OF THE DECLARATION
    OF INDEPENDENCE; WAR GOVERNOR OF VIRGINIA;
           COMMANDER OF THE VIRGINIA FORCES.
              'HE GAVE ALL FOR LIBFRTY!'"

  The other three generations are buried to the right of these
tombs, and their graves are inclosed by an iron fence.



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