12. Thomas Nelson Jr.
Thomas Nelson Jr., a signer of the Declaration of Independence and governor of Virginia, amassed significant wealth through extensive landholdings and enslaved labor. Upon his marriage in 1762, his father, William Nelson, gifted him 20,000 acres and 400 enslaved individuals, establishing him among the colony’s wealthiest planters. During the Revolutionary War, Nelson further expanded his holdings by purchasing 5,400 acres and 400 enslaved people from Lewis Burwell. Facing post-war debts, he sold 120 enslaved individuals in 1788. Nelson’s substantial wealth and resources were integral to his revolutionary activities, underscoring the complex interplay between personal prosperity and the institution of slavery (christs.cam.ac.uk).
