▁if ▁it ▁can ▁believe , ▁will ▁almost ▁ad ore . ▁If , ▁after ▁cont empl ating ▁the ▁splendid ▁and ▁hero ic ▁parts ▁of ▁his ▁character , ▁we ▁shall ▁in quire ▁for ▁the ▁mil der ▁virt ues ▁of ▁human ity , ▁and ▁seek ▁for ▁the ▁man , ▁we ▁shall ▁find ▁the ▁ref ined , ▁benef ic ent , ▁and ▁social ▁qual ities ▁of ▁private ▁life , ▁through ▁all ▁its ▁forms ▁and ▁combinations , ▁so ▁happ ily ▁modified ▁and ▁un ited ▁in ▁him , ▁that ▁in ▁the ▁words ▁of ▁the ▁dar ling ▁poet ▁of ▁nature , ▁it ▁may ▁be ▁said : ▁His ▁life ▁was ▁gentle : ▁and ▁the ▁elements ▁so ▁mixed ▁in ▁him , ▁that ▁nature ▁might ▁stand ▁up ▁And ▁say ▁to ▁all ▁the ▁world — this ▁was ▁a ▁man . ▁ ▁Heritage ▁ ▁Nelson ▁County , ▁Virginia ▁and ▁Nelson ▁County , ▁Kentucky ▁were ▁named ▁in ▁his ▁honor . ▁The ▁Virginia ▁State ▁Council ▁for ▁High er ▁Education ▁named ▁Thomas ▁Nelson ▁Community ▁College ▁in ▁Thomas ▁Nelson ' s ▁honor ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 7 . ▁The ▁Nelson ▁County ▁School ▁District , ▁which ▁oper ates ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁public ▁schools ▁in ▁the ▁Kentucky ▁county , ▁opened ▁the ▁new ▁Thomas ▁Nelson ▁High ▁School ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 2 . ▁ ▁An ▁uncle ▁Thomas ▁Nelson ▁( 1 7 1 6 – 1 7 8 2 ) ▁a ka ▁" Secret ary ▁Nelson " ▁was ▁the ▁father ▁of ▁Captain ▁Thomas ▁Nelson ▁who ▁married ▁S ally ▁C ary ▁( 1 7 6 2 – 1 7 7 9 )