▁was ▁born ▁at ▁York town , ▁and ▁like ▁many ▁Vir g ini ans ▁of ▁his ▁time , ▁was ▁educated ▁in ▁England . ▁He ▁attended ▁New come ' s ▁School ▁before ▁entering ▁Christ ' s ▁College ▁at ▁Cambridge ▁University ▁in ▁ 1 7 5 8 . ▁He ▁graduated ▁in ▁ 1 7 6 0 ▁and ▁returned ▁home ▁the ▁following ▁year . ▁He ▁helped ▁his ▁father ▁with ▁his ▁farm ▁at ▁this ▁time . ▁ ▁Thomas ▁was ▁first ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁Virginia ▁House ▁of ▁Burg esses ▁in ▁ 1 7 6 1 . ▁The ▁following ▁year ▁he ▁married ▁Lucy ▁G ry mes ▁( her ▁mat ernal ▁uncle ▁was ▁P ey ton ▁Rand olph , ▁a ▁brother - in - law ▁of ▁Congress man ▁Benjamin ▁Harrison ▁V ; ▁her ▁pat ernal ▁a unt ▁was ▁the ▁mother ▁of ▁" Light ▁Hor se ▁Harry " ▁Lee ▁III ). ▁The ▁couple ▁would ▁have ▁eleven ▁children ▁altogether . ▁ ▁Their ▁son ▁Hugh ▁Nelson ▁( 1 7 6 8 – 1 8 3 6 ) ▁would ▁later ▁serve ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Congress . ▁ ▁Nelson ' s ▁first ▁term ▁in ▁the ▁Congress ▁continued ▁until ▁ 1 7 7 6 , ▁when ▁a ▁bout ▁of ▁ill ness ▁forced ▁his ▁res ignation . ▁While ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁Congress , ▁Nelson ▁still ▁found ▁time ▁to ▁return ▁home ▁and ▁play ▁a ▁key ▁role ▁in ▁Virginia ' s ▁Constitution al ▁Convention ▁in ▁the ▁spring ▁of ▁ 1 7 7 6 . ▁He ▁returned ▁to ▁Congress ▁in ▁time ▁to ▁sign ▁the ▁Dec laration ▁of ▁Independ