Robert Nelson was a merchant who resided at various times near Cross Creek in Cumberland County and at Halifax. With the outbreak of the American Revolution, Nelson resolved to outfit his brigantine the Polly on the Cashie River and sail to Lisbon to settle debts. While outfitting his ship, he frequently interacted with William Brimage, a local office holder who later became a prominent co-conspirator in the Gourd Patch Affair. In 1776, Nelson's ship was captured by the British off the coast of Rhode Island while trying to avoid the American fleet. Nelson later came to England, where he petitioned the American Loyalist Claims Commission for compensation for the loss of the Polly. Nelson and Brimage testified for each other before the commission, verifying that they had sustained losses during the war and were loyal to the British government.