January 15: Philip Livingston: Landed Gentry, Revolutionary

He was a member of the landed gentry of New York, a wealthy businessman, a philanthropist, and a political conservative who was among the signers of the Declaration of Independence and a man who risked his fortune and security to support the American Revolution.

Philip Livingston, Jr. was born into a family of wealth a prestige on January 15, 1716, at his father’s townhouse in Albany, New York colony. 

His grandfather, Robert Livingston, had immigrated to the newly conquered colony of New York in 1673 from his native Scotland and settled in Albany.  He spoke both English and Dutch fluently, and so successfully integrated with the original Dutch settlers as well as their English conquerors that he became very a very successful merchant in the fur trade, married well into the former Dutch aristocracy, held a number of political appointments, and – in 1687 – was granted  ownership of the “Lordship and Manor of Livingston” (160,000 acres on the east side of the Hudson River) by the English Royal Governor, Thomas Dongan.  With this, he became a “Lord”.

Robert had three sons – Robert, Gilbert, and Philip – and it was Philip (the 2^nd Lord of the Manor) and his wife, Catharine Van Brugh, who became the parents of Philip Livingston Jr. in 1716.  Catharine was the daughter of the mayor of Albany. 

This was an era before public education, and it was the responsibility of the fathers to educate their children.  The wealthier fathers, such as the 2^nd Lord of the Manor, Lord Livingston, would do some of the education process himself, but usually hired tutors to instruct their children – especially the male children – in a variety of topics, including such studies as the rudiments of math, geography Latin, reading, and writing.

Because of – and thanks to – his social position, Philip “the Signer” Livingston was provided with a liberal education.  There were no colleges in New York colony (until 1754), so those gentlemen who wished to attend college were either sent to New England, or abroad.  Education was important to the Livingston’s, and as a result Philip attended Yale College, graduating in 1737 at the age of 21.

New York beckoned, and Livingston settled there after leaving college in 1737, engaging in a mercantile life by establishing an import business.  He became a prosperous and well respected merchant.

He married Christina Ten Broeck on April 14, 1740.  The union provided the Livingston’s with nine children – five boys and four girls.  After his marriage, Livingston moved into a townhouse on Duke Street in Manhattan, and worked on raising a family – and a fortune from his business dealings.  Especially valuable was his experiences as a trader-privateer during the French and Indian War, which lasted from 1754 to 1763.  It was after this period of his life, in 1764, that he acquired a 40-acre estate on Brooklyn Heights, overlooking the East River and New York Harbor.

Livingston prospered as a merchant, and was one of those who ‘gave back’ to the community.  He either helped to start, financially aided, or helped to administer several public institutions, including King’s College (which later became Columbia University); the New York Society Library (1754); St. Andrew’s Society; the New York Chamber of Commerce (1770); and the New York Hospital (elected as one of the governors in 1761).  He also established a Professorship of Divinity at Yale (1746); built the first meeting house for a Methodist society in America;

He also served as a New York City alderman from 1754 to 1763, and served for a decade in the colonial legislature, from 1759 to 1769.  As tensions between the British and the colonists began to increase after the French and Indian War, Livingston was like many other early patriots:  he did not initially desire to make a complete break from England, but he would increasingly align himself with the rising opposition to the various arbitrary British measures and legislation that were being imposed by the British Crown on the colonists. In the colonial legislature, he increasingly backed the Whigs in their quarrels with the Royal Governor of New York, and was a delegate to the 1765 Stamp Act Congress.

Livingston's Brooklyn Manor

He also assisted in preparing an address as a response to a speech by Lieutenant-Governor Colden in which Livingston illustrated his concerns – concerns which eventually led to his standing in open rebellion to the Crown, and affixing his signature on the Declaration of Independence:

"But nothing can add to the pleasure we receive from the information your honor gives us, that his majesty, our most gracious sovereign, distinguishes and approves our conduct. When his service requires it, we shall ever be ready to exert ourselves with loyalty, fidelity, and zeal; and as we have always complied, in the most dutiful manner, with every requisition made by his directions, we, with all humility, hope that his majesty, who, and whose ancestors, have long been the guardians of British liberty, will so protect us in our rights, as to prevent our falling into the abject state of being forever hereafter incapable of doing what can merit either his distinction or approbation. Such must be the deplorable state of that wretched people, who (being taxed by a power subordinate to none, and in a great degree unacquainted with their circumstances) can call nothing their own. This we speak with the greatest deference to the wisdom and justice of the British parliament, in which we confide. Depressed with this prospect of inevitable ruin, by the alarming information we have from home, neither we nor, our constituents can attend to improvements, conducive either to the interests of our mother country, or of this colony. We shall, however, renew the act for granting a bounty on hemp, still hoping that a stop may be put to those measures, which, if carried into execution, will oblige us to think that nothing but extreme poverty can preserve us from the most insupportable bondage. We hope your honor will join with us in an endeavor to secure that great badge of English liberty, of being taxed only with our own consent; which we conceive all his majesty's subjects at home and abroad equally entitled to."

 In 1774 Livingston was a member of the Committee of fifty-one.  This committee chose the New York delegates to the First Continental Congress – and Livingston was one of the five that were selected.  He was able to both serve in the Continental Congress, and to retain his seat in the New York State Provincial Assembly.  He was elected President of the Assembly in 1775. 

Livingston was not a rabble-rouser, and resented the more physical demonstrations favored by such groups as the Sons of Liberty.  He tried to stick with the more dignified methods, depending on the law and precedent to preserve the peace… or to follow the steps to separation. It was in July, 1775, that he signed what was to be a final attempt to achieve an understanding with the British Crown concerning the grievances of the colonies – the Olive Branch Petition.  However, the King ignored the Petition, declaring the colonies to be in a state of rebellion.

Livingston was one of three Livingston’s who were members of the Continental Congress… but he was the only one to sign the Declaration of Independence.  His brother, William, was called on to command the New Jersey Militia, and could not be at the debates or the signing of the Declaration.  Nor could his cousin, Robert, who had helped draw up the Declaration, but who also was a member of several important New York State committees, and probably was not present in Philadelphia when the Declaration was signed.

Philip Livingston suffered because of his signature on the Declaration.  The British used his Duke Street home as a barracks, and his Brooklyn Heights residence as a Royal Navy hospital.  Many of his business interests were confiscated by the British, and he sold some of his remaining property to support the Revolution.  He had to flee his home because of the British advance into New York.

His health failing, he continued to serve his country in the Continental Congress.  He passed away at the age of 62 on June 12, 1778 – the third signer of the Declaration to die.  He was first buried in the churchyard of the German Reformed Church on West Market Street, York, Pennsylvania. When the land was needed to build a Sunday School addition, all graves were moved to Prospect Hill Cemetery, York, Pennsylvania.

Even after death, it seems, he contributed to the needs of the community.
 

RESOURCES:

Colonial Hall

Find a Grave

National Park Service

Society of Descendants of Signers of the Declaration ofIndependence

Wikipedia

PHOTO RESOURCES:

Young Philip, New York State Museum

Color portrait, Find A Grave

Christina Livingston, New York State Museum

The Brooklyn Manor, National Park Service

Livingston Signature, Wikipedia

Philip Livingston Marker, Find A Grave

April 26: Esek Hopkins, First Commander of the Fleet

He came from a strong Puritan line, raised on the concept of duty and the benefits of hard work. He would become the first commander of the American Navy, and another of his family - his brother - was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.

Esek Hopkins was born on April 26, 1718, in the territory claimed by Providence, Rhode Island – which is today the town of Scituate. His parents were William and Ruth Hopkins, and he was the sixth of nine children.

He grew up on the Hopkins farm, which was named Chopomisk. The countryside in the early 18th century was wild and sparsely settled, and working on the farm and hunting provided the rawboned strength that would characterize Hopkins.

When his father died in 1738, Hopkins, a tall and handsome twenty-year-old, went to Providence where he signed on to work on a vessel that was preparing to sail to Surinam. With this event, Hopkins began a lifetime on the sea. Four of the brothers would become capable captains who made their livings on the sea.

Hopkins proved to be a quick study and an able seaman, soon rising to the command of a vessel in his own right. By the time he was twenty-three he felt secure enough in his trade to marry – and on November 28, 1741 he married Desire Burroughs, the daughter of a Newport, Rhode Island merchant and shipmaster. The marriage would yield six children. He would make Newport his homeport until 1748 when he relocated back to Providence.

The years of the French and Indian Wars provided colonial sailors with the opportunity to become privateers – private vessels sailing with permission of a government and being granted the right to seize enemy ships, and to share in the profit of the sail of that ship and its cargo. Hopkins apparently did very well as a privateer, seizing French (and occasionally Spanish) merchant ships.

Moses Brown, a Providence merchant, wrote on February 23, 1757:

"Capt. Esek Hopkins has Taken and sent in here a snow of about 150 tons, Laden with wine, oil, Dry goods &c to ye amount of about L6000 ye greater part of which will be Exposed to publick Vendue ye Tuesday next.”

During this time he bought a farm that he would add more property to over time until it eventually consisted of over two hundred acres. It was located just north of Providence. Between voyages he would supervise the tending of the farm and engage in local politics. His efforts largely contributed to the election of his brother Stephen Hopkins as the governor of Rhode Island in 1763. Hopkins himself was elected as a Deputy to the Rhode Island General Assembly.

At the outbreak of the American War for Independence, Hopkins was appointed a brigadier general and given command of the Rhode Island military forces. Later, on December 22, 1775, he was given the designation of Commander-In-Chief of the Continental Navy by the Continental Congress. One major factor in his achieving this position was the fact that during the French and Indian war he had commanded a veritable fleet of ten privateers in the war against the French, and hence had experience in commanding a number of ships.

In January 1776 he took command of the eight converted merchant ships that constituted the bulk of the Continental Navy. The flag he hoisted on the flagship of his small fleet, the Alfred (30-guns), was the Gadsden Flag - which had been designed by Christopher Gadsden of South Carolina. The Alfred would later be captained by young officer named Lieutenant John Paul Jones. The other ships in this first American fleet were the Columbus (28 guns); the brig Andrea Doria (14 guns); the brig Cabot (14 guns); the sloop Providence (12 guns); the sloop Hornet (10 guns); the schooner Wasp (8 guns); and the schooner Fly (6 guns).

Hopkins sailed from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on February 18, 1776, with orders to scout and if possible to attack British maritime forces in Chesapeake Bay, Charleston harbor (South Carolina), and those near Rhode Island. He believed he was given the option of forming plans of his own if he felt that the orders sent by the Maritime Committee of the Continental Congress proved to be unfeasible.

He quickly realized that the enemy naval strength was superior to his in the Chesapeake Bay area, so he exercised his command prerogative and led his squadron southward, to New Providence Island in the Bahamas. He landed there on March 3, 1776, and seized a large stock of supplies and equipment that were badly needed for the fledgling American army.

A month later, on route back to the colonies, the American fleet encountered and captured two small British warships – and two days later had an inconclusive engagement with the 20-gun HMS Glasgow. The Glasgow, heavily outnumbered, skillfully evaded the Americans and was able to escape. Also during this time he captured two British merchant vessels.

The American squadron would arrive back at New London, Connecticut, on April 8, 1776, and were at first welcomed as heroes. The President of the Continental Congress, John Hancock, wrote Hopkins:

"Your letter of the 9th of March, with the enclosure, was duly received and laid before Congress; in whose Name I beg leave to congratulate you on the Success of your Expedition. Your Account of the Spirit and Bravery shown by the men affords them [Congress] the greatest satisfaction; and encourages them to expect similar Exertions and Courage on every future Occasion. Though it is to be regretted, that the ‘Glascow’ Man of War made her Escape, yet as it was not thro any Misconduct, the Praise due to you and the other officers is undoubtedly the same."

However, soon Hopkins’ decision to change his orders was surrounded by controversy. Many of the officers who sailed with him had disagreed with his policies and decisions. On top of that, the small American fleet stayed at New London, not being used aggressively against the English. The reasons for this were twofold. One was a lack of men and supplies – with many of the qualified sailors and most of the supplies being used by American privateers, who paid better than the Navy did. The other was a loose British blockade of the American port.

The Continental Congress would censure him and two of his captains for breach of orders and, in 1777 – because of continuing complaints from his officers - he would lose his command. A year later – on January 2, 1778, he would be dismissed from his position as commander-in-chief of the Navy.

Hopkins maintained his popularity in Rhode Island. He was elected to the state legislature during the 1780s, and was involved in state politics until his death in 1802.

WEB RESOURCES:

1911 Encyclopedia
Cruise of Commodore Esak Hopkins
Esak Hopkins, Google books
Gadsden Flag
Military
Naval Historical Center
Novel Guide
Quarterman Family
Virtualology
Wikipedia

PHOTO SOURCES:

Ezek Hopkins, Commander in Chief of the Fleet: Wikipedia
A French Engraving of Hopkins: Navy History
The flagship of Esek Hopkins, the Alfred: Aeragon
The Gadsden Flag: Wikipedia
A 19th Century engraving of Commodore Hopkins: Navy History

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January 14: Benedict Arnold, Hero Becomes Traitor

He was a descendent from a distinguished family, a hero of the battle that is known as the ‘Turning Point of the American Revolution’; a man who lost a leg in battle in service to his country; yet a man who let jealously, pride, and greed turn him against the nation he served and into a notoriety that continues today.

Benedict Arnold was born on January 14, 1741, in Norwich, Connecticut. He was the second of six children born to Benedict Arnold III and Hannah Waterman King, and was named after his great-grandfather who was an early, three-time governor of Rhode Island, as well as his brother, who died in infancy. Only two of the Arnold children would survive to adulthood – Benedict and his sister Hannah.

Arnold had several character traits that would follow him throughout his life, hindering his opportunities for advancement and the recognition he desired. Arnold was enrolled in a private school when he was ten with the expectation that he would attend Yale. However, he wasn’t studious and persistent in his studies. A yellow fever epidemic struck a devastating blow to the Connecticut family in 1753 – taking the lives of three of Arnold’s siblings. Soon after that the family fortune began to decline, and by the time Arnold was fourteen there was no more money for a private education – or for Yale.

The outbreak of the French and Indian War when Arnold was fifteen proved to be a lure to the young man, but he was refused enlistment in the provincial militia when his mother would not give her permission. Undaunted, Arnold would enlist when he turned sixteen. His enlistment came when the militia was ready to march toward Albany, New York and Lake George to oppose a French invasion. After hearing about the French massacre of the British and colonial forces at Fort William Henry, the Connecticut militia turned around and marched home. Arnold’s enlistment lasted thirteen days. It became popular after the Revolution to write that Arnold would run away from home to join the militia and had deserted from his militia company.

Because of the financial situation of his family, Arnold was apprenticed to Daniel and Joshua Lathrop, cousins of his mother. They ran an apothecary and general merchandise store in Norwich, Connecticut, where Arnold spent seven years learning the principals of pharmacy and business.

In 1762, the Lanthrop brothers provided financial backing for the 21-year-old Arnold to start his own pharmacy business in New Haven, Connecticut. A year later he had repaid the money borrowed from the Lanthrops. By 1764 he had expanded his business interests through a partnership with Adam Babcock, and purchasing three trading ships in order to engage in the lucrative West Indies trade. Arnold would bring his sister Hannah to New Haven to help manage his apothecary shop while he was sailing on one of his ships. Often he would captain the ship, engaging in trade from the West Indies to Canada.

The British Sugar Act (1764) and Stamp Act (1765) limited the mercantile trade in the American colonies – and many voiced their opposition. Arnold would join the Sons of Liberty as well as engage in smuggling to avoid the customs agents and the taxes that he felt was stifling colonial enterprise and prosperity. His thoughts are perhaps best shown in a comment made after Arnold heard of the Boston Massacre: “good God; are the Americans all asleep and tamely giving up their liberties, or are they all turned philosophers, that they don’t take immediate vengeance on such miscreants.”

He also was concerned because he had a family to support. He married Margaret Mansfield, daughter of the sheriff of New Haven, in 1767. They would have three children prior to her early death in 1775 – while Arnold was at Fort Ticonderoga during the opening year of the Revolution.

Arnold would move swiftly up the military ladder – but not swiftly enough for him. He was elected as a captain in Connecticut’s militia in March 1775. He proposed an audacious attack on Fort Ticonderoga – which he knew to be lightly defended – and was promoted to Colonel. He arrived in time to participate in an attack on the Fort by Ethan Allen and his ‘Green Mountain Boys’. The fort fell, but Arnold – who had followed the procedures and the chain of command of the fledgling American military structure - felt that the full glory of the idea and the victory should have gone to him.

He was, however, given command of the American forces in the Lake Champlain area, and would use that region as a launching point for an American overland march on Quebec. Arnold had proposed the overland march, which took place during the winter of 1775. He was given the rank of Colonel in the Continental Army by the Second Continental Congress, and in the end would be wounded, and be forced to lay siege of Quebec until relieved. The Continental Congress promoted him to Brigadier General for his efforts.

The American army was forced to retreat in 1776 when British reinforcements arrived in Canada. Arnold presided over the American rear-guard actions during the Continental Army’s retreat. He then directed the construction of an impromptu fleet to defend Lake Champlain, New York. The Americans were defeated after a grueling 7-hour battle, but had succeeded in slowing the British advance into New York. As a result of the October 1776 battle, Arnold was called the ‘Father of the American Navy’.

Arnold made a number of enemies in Congress and in the hierarchy of the Continental Army during these first years of the war. He began to feel slighted, not receiving the promotions or the leadership opportunities that he felt he deserved, and for not being given credit for his military ideas. While his accomplishments were notable, others often took credit away from him. He was even charged with stealing military supplies, and was on the verge of being arrested when General Horatio Gates stopped the arrest because he needed Arnold in the field. British General Burgoyne was marching south through New York in the spring of 1777.

Arnold would distinguish himself at Saratoga – and would also see his hopes of command in the American army dashed. On his own initiative he brought his reserve troops into the battle at just the right moment to save the Americans from defeat, and to give them a victory over the British, a victory that became the turning point of the war. He also lost the use of a leg to wounds incurred during the battle. Gates claimed the victory, Arnold was passed over for promotion and the glory he felt he deserved; and – ultimately – would be investigated by Congress for corruption.

While recovering he met and fell in love with Peggy Shippen, daughter of a prominent Loyalist. They married on April 8, 1779. One of her former suitors was British Major Andre – who would become involved with Arnold’s plan to turn West Point over to the British.

Arnold toyed with the idea of supporting the British in this war the colonists had started against the Crown. After some negotiations, he would be given command of West Point, a crucial defense point on the Hudson River. Ultimately, the plans to turn the fort over to the British were discovered – with the final proof being found with the capture of Arnold’s contact, Major Andre.

Arnold fled, would be given the position of Brigadier General by the British, and would lead several raids on colonial cities – briefly capturing Richmond, Virginia and attacking New London, Connecticut. He had a far-reaching goal – to destroy the economic basis of the rebels, driving them to submission or starvation.

As the war ended, Arnold and his family would move to England, then after the war to New Brunswick, Canada. There he reentered the business world and established a thriving trade route with the West Indies. However, his remaining years were bitter ones. Maligned by the Americans, distrusted by the British, he found that many military, political, and economic doors were not open to him.

Arnold died on June 14, 1801, after returning to England.

The name Benedict Arnold has become synonymous with the word traitor to Americans. He was immediately demonized by American writers as soon as his actions became know. All of the contributions to the revolution that he had made – and the injuries he had sistained in that revolution, both physical, economic, and mental, were quickly forgotten. Benjamin Franklin wrote that "Judas sold only one man, Arnold three millions", and that became a common theme through the rest of American history writings up to today.

WEB RESOURCES:

1911 Encyclopedia
Archiving Early America
Clements Library
Colonial Williamsburg
National Park Service
NNDB
Virtuology
Wikipedia

PHOTO SOURCES:

A pen and ink portrait of Arnold, NNDB
Portrait of Arnold in military uniform, National Archives
1780 French map of West Point, Boston Public Library
Peggy Shippen, National Archives
Capture of Major Andre, Library of Congress
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Dec. 1: Oliver Wolcott: Soldier Statesman

His fore bearers had been leaders in their colony, and his children would continue that heritage. He was a man who provided political and military leadership during a time of international warfare and civil war. He risked his property and livelihood in politically backing American Independence while he risked his life in leading men in battle for that independence.

Oliver Wolcott was born on December 1, 1726, as the youngest son (and of fifteen children) of Roger and Sarah Wolcott. Wolcott’s father was a leading political figure in the colony of Connecticut, holding the post of governor from 1751 - 1754. The Wolcott family had been involved in the politics of New England since their arrival in 1630.

Young Wolcott attended Yale College, graduating at the top of his class at the age of twenty-one in 1747. He was appointed a captain in the Connecticut militia during King George’s War, and recruited a company to serve in the British expedition against the French in New France – an expedition that, as it turned out, was unsuccessful. His company then guarded against incursions into the northern parts of the British colonies.

After King George’s War ended in 1748, Wolcott returned home – to first study medicine with Dr. Alexander Wolcott - his brother. However, he never had the opportunity to practice medicine. He turned to the study of law when he was appointed the sheriff of newly created Litchfield county in 1751. Wolcott held the position of county sheriff for twenty years while simultaneously being a member of the lower house of the Connecticut colonial legislature in 1764, 1767-68, and 1770. He was a member of the upper house of the colonial and, later, state legislature from 1771 – 1786. He also held the job of both probate judge (1772 - 1781) and county judge (1774 - 1778).

In January 1759 Wolcott married Laura Collins, whose ancestors were among the first settlers of New England and Connecticut. The National Cyclopedia of American Biography stated that...

"She was a woman of almost masculine strength of mind, energetic and thrifty; and while Governor Wolcott was away from home, attended to the management of their farm, educated their younger children, and made it possible for her husband to devote his energies to his country."

Their marriage would last until her death in 1794, which was followed by his three years later. They had five children – three boys and two girls – though one of the boys died in infancy.

Wolcott found that having Laura as his wife freed him for his public interests. Yet he was compassionate enough to express concern for her. He would write to her from Philadelphia in 1776:

"MY DEAR--I feel much concerned for the Burden which necessarily devolves upon you. I hope you will make it as light as possible.... You may easily believe that the situation of publick Affairs is such that the critical Moment is near which will perhaps decide the Fate of the Country; and that the business of Congress is very interesting. Yet if any excuse can reasonably be allowed for my returning, I shall think myself justified in doing so. The circumstances of my affairs demand it."

Wolcott remained involved in the state militia, rising to the rank of colonel by 1774. It was, in part, because of this that the Connecticut legislature named him as a commissary for Connecticut troops and in 1775 the Continental Congress designated him as a commissioner of Indian affairs for the northern department. He worked with the Iroquois in New York to try and gain their neutrality in the escalating conflict with England. He also dealt with arbitrating land disputes between Pennsylvania, Connecticut, New York and Vermont.

In 1775 Wolcott was sent as a representative of Connecticut to the Continental Congress. Wolcott, a strong supporter for independence, would be absent at both the voting for independence and the formal signing of the Declaration in August. However, he added his signature sometime after his return to Congress in October 1776.

Wolcott devoted part of each year to militia duty, being promoted to Brigadier General in the New York campaigns of 1776-1777, which culminated with the surrender of British general John Burgoyne at Saratoga to Continental general Horatio Gates. In 1779 Major General Wolcott defended the Connecticut seacoast against raids led by the Royal Governor of New York, William Tryon.

After the war was over, Wolcott remained active on the national and state level. He helped to negotiate the Second Treaty of Fort Stanwix, New York, in 1784. In that treaty the Iroquois ceded to the new United States some of the New York and Pennsylvania lands. He also negotiated a treaty where the Wyandottes gave up their lands in Ohio. On the state level Wolcott was elected annually as Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut from 1787 to 1796. In 1796 he was elected to the office of Governor. He would die prior to completing his term as governor.

He died on December 1, 1797 - his 71st birthday - and was buried in East Cemetery, Litchfield.

WEB RESOURCES:

Colonial Hall
Connecticut Magazine
Connecticut Society SAR
Find A Grave
National Park Service
Virtualology
Wikipedia

PHOTO SOURCES:

Portrait: Wikipedia
Portrait of Laura Collins Wolcott, by Ralph Earl

Portrait as Governor, Connecticut Sons of the Revolutionary War

Gravesite, Find A Grave, by Eric Landers
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June 26: “…I never like to do things by halves…”

Do you know who this is?
-He signed the Declaration of Independence.
-He was imprisoned by the British for treason.
-He was appointed Governor of his state – but declined the offer.

Born to wealth on a family estate located on the Ashley River near Charleston, South Carolina, and educated in England, one would think that he would be a supporter of the Crown. However, he became an avid revolutionary, and he risked all that he had to support the American Revolution – his property, his wealth, his health, and – ultimately – his life.
Arthur Middleton was born on June 26, 1742 at Middleton Place, the family estate. His parents were , and his father owned a score of plantations that embraced over 50,000 acres of land and used over 800 slaves – making him one of the wealthiest and most politically active men in the colony.

While his earliest education was from private tutors and private schools in Charleston, Middleton was sent to England for an education as a young boy twelve years of age, attending Hackney School and Westminster School, then graduating from St. John’s College, Cambridge University, and studying law at the Temple in London. He opted not to practice law, instead choosing to tour Europe for two years before returning to South Carolina when he was twenty-two. While in college Middleton acquired a passion for classical literature, and during his tour of southern Europe he developed a taste for music and painting that would stay with him for the rest of his life. He also became knowledgeable in the concepts of sculpture and architecture.

Within a year of his return from Europe, Middleton would meet and marry Mary Izard on August 19, 1764. Mary was the daughter of Walter Izard, and cousin to an influential South Carolina congressman, Ralph Izard. She was seventeen at the time of the marriage, and Middleton was twenty-two. Her father – deceased at the time of the wedding – had been a wealthy plantation owner and involved in politics. He owned Cedar Grove plantation, which was across the river from Middleton Place. The Middleton family would raise nine children. With his love of travel firmly implanted from his formative years spent aboard, Middleton and his wife would leave South Carolina in 1770 on a three-year extended tour of Europe.

While living in South Carolina during the mid-late 1760s, Middleton oversaw the planting process on the plantations as well as becoming involved in local politics. He was appointed Justice of the Peace of Berkeley County in 1765, and was a member of the provincial House of Commons for three years, from 1765 -1768.

After his return from his European tour in 1772, Middleton discovered political tensions rising between the colonies and their colonial government as well as the monarchy of England. He was again elected to the South Carolina provincial House of Commons from 1772 – 1775, and helped form the new state constitution in 1776. He was a more radical thinker than his father had been, and became a leader in the “American Party” in South Carolina as well as a member of the Council of Safety in 1775 and 1776.

During the 1775-1776 period of time, Middleton helped to organize a night raid on government weapons supplies in Charleston, raised money to buy the supplies necessary to support armed resistance against the Royal Governor, and recommended a variety of defense measures for Charleston Harbor.

Middleton was elected to succeed to his father’s seat in the Continental Congress in 1776. Both Middleton’s – father and son – knew that the upcoming revolution against England could and would have an effect on their wealth and position in the community. Yet, in the face of potentially losing everything they had – their wealth, prestige, and very lives – both Middleton’s agreed that they had to take the risk in order to protect the rights and liberties they had as citizens in America. Arthur Middleton would sign the Declaration of Independence, pledging everything he had to the success of the Revolution. That same year Middleton and William Henry Drayton would collaborate to design the Great Seal of South Carolina.

In his passion for the Revolution, Middleton would become a ruthless anti-Loyalist. The Loyalists – those who wanted to remain under the authority of the Crown and often supported the Crown by money and personal service – would be persecuted by Middleton. He would advocate the tarring and feathering of Loyalists as well as support the confiscation of the estates of those Loyalists who had fled the country.

He was nominated – at the age of thirty-six - as governor of South Carolina in 1778, but declined because of a new constitution the state legislature had enacted – and which he opposed. He was re-elected to the Continental Congress in 1789 – though he failed to attend because of British threats to South Carolina. He did remain in the state legislature from 1778 until his capture by the British in 1780.

The latter years of the American Revolution found much of the action moving southward. States that had not seen a lot of fighting – such as South Carolina – became the focus of the British plan to win the war. By 1779 the British and their Loyalist allies were seeking to end the rebellion in the South and to force those supporting it to flee, be captured, be killed, or turn and support the British. Middleton Place was one of the many plantations that were ravaged during this time. While the buildings remained intact, the British and Loyalists stole anything of value they could carry, and destroyed anything they could not carry. The Middletons escaped capture by fleeing to Charleston ahead of the British raid on their home.

Middleton actively served as a member of the state militia in the defense of Charleston, South Carolina, during the Revolutionary War. He was captured when the city fell to the British in May 1780 and was sent as a prisoner of war to St. Augustine – along with fellow Declaration of Independence signers Thomas Heyward and Edward Rutledge. In July 1781 he was freed through part of a prisoner exchange and returned to South Carolina. Upon his release he would become a state senator, serving from 1781 – 1782.

His health was broken by the imprisonment he had suffered at the hands of the British, and after a brief fever he passed away in January 1, 1787, at the age of forty-four.

He was buried at the family graveyard at Middleton Place, an honored patriot and Revolutionary War hero. He risked all in the support of Independence – and paid the price of separation from his family, the stress involved in the making of a new nation and of fighting a war, the destruction of his possessions and home, as well as his health.

Yet, how many Americans today have heard of this hero?

LOCAL LIBRARY RESOURCES:

There are no biographies of Arthur Middleton available from our local library.

WEB RESOURCES:

1911 Encyclopedia
Biographical Dictionary of the US Congress
Colonial Hall
Middleton Place
National Park Service
Wikipedia

PHOTO SOURCES:

01. Color drawing: Wikipedia
02. Middleton Place: Virtualogy

03. John Trumbull: Declaration of Independence
04. Signature

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June 11: “…but where's the man who does not think it glorious and delightful to die for his country?"

Do you know who this is?
-He attended Harvard at the age of fourteen.
-He was one of the first martyrs of the Revolutionary War.
-He sent Paul Revere and William Dawes on their midnight ride.

He was a popular leader in Boston during the formation of resistance to the British prior to the American Revolution. He wrote against the injustices of the Crown in political journals and spoke in public and private meetings. He would be in the prime of his life – thirty-four years old – when he was killed during the Battle of Bunker Hill. His name was Dr. Joseph Warren, Jr.

He was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts, on June 11, 1741. His parents, Joseph and Mary Stevens Warren, could trace their colonial roots back a hundred years, to the mid-17th century. Joseph Jr.’s father was a part-time municipal official and a full time farmer, introducing the Warren Russet apple. When Joseph Jr. was fourteen, his father would die from a fall off of a ladder that he was using in his apple orchard. Mary Warren was left to raise four sons: One would be a surgeon in the Continental Army; one would manage the Warren estate; one became a judge and a member of the convention that ratified the Constitution; and one a patriot who died at the start of the Revolution.

Joseph attended public school in Boston, then at the age of fourteen entered Harvard College where he would distinguish himself as a student, graduating four years later. After his graduation, he was appointed headmaster of the grammar school in Roxbury where he worked for a year. He was inducted into the St. Andrew’s Lodge of Masons, soon becoming a leader of that organization. He associated with such outspoken notables as John Hancock, Samuel Adams, and John Adams. He would become life-long friends with the John Adams family after he inoculated Adams during a smallpox epidemic.

He would return to Harvard, graduating as a physician in 1762. America at this time was seeing the conclusion of the French and Indian War, and would soon see the British government attempt to recoup its expenditures in that war for her colonies. He would marry Elizabeth Hooton of Boston on September 6, 1764, and have four children before her death in 1772.

It was Joseph who would perform an autopsy on Christopher Seider in February 1770, whose death at the hands of a British customs inspector would lead to the Boston Massacre a short time later. Joseph became a member of the committee that submitted a report against the British at the Boston Massacre, and would be charged with treason by the British for his newspaper articles against them – though no jury would convict him.

Boston became the hotbed of resentment against the British – both in word and action. Joseph was a man of action, not just of words, and became involved on the side of the colonies as Boston – and Massachusetts – stood up to the British monarchy, and British troops.

In a letter to Edmund Dana in 1766, Joseph commented on the colonial reaction to the Stamp Act by stating: “Never has there been a time, since the first settlement of America, in which the people had so much reason to be alarmed as the present.”

He became openly more radical with the passage of the Townshend Acts, writing articles in the Boston Gazette under the alias of “A True Patriot”. He was a pace-setter on the road to independence, believing strongly that the British had no right to tax the colonials. He soon became the chairman of the Committee of Safety, and would deliver stirring orations on the anniversary of the Boston Massacre. He would eventually become President of the Provincial Government of Massachusetts.

When the British marched on Lexington on April 18, 1775, Joseph would be the man who would send Paul Revere and William Dawes on their famous ride to alert the countryside – and to warn John Adams and Samuel Adams, both of whom had a price on their head. After Lexington and Concord, he left his medical practice in the hands of his assistant and began the work of raising and providing for the growing number of militia that swarmed the countryside of Massachusetts.

As the colonials occupied positions on the heights overlooking the British forces in Boston in June 1775, Joseph rushed to join them. Just before the battle of Bunker Hill began, he went to the redoubt on Breed’s Hill armed with his musket, where he was offered command by Colonel Prescott and General Putnam - but he declined. He stated “I am here only as a volunteer. I know nothing of your dispositions; nor will I interfere with them. Tell me where I can be most useful.”

As the British threatened to overrun the position and the colonial’s ammunition ran low, the colonials retreated. Joseph was one of the last to leave, and as he moved away towards the rear, on officer of the British army who knew him called his name, asking him to surrender. As Joseph turned toward the voice, a bullet penetrated his brain and he fell to the ground, dead.

The British would place his body in a common mass grave, where his remains would later be identified by Paul Revere – who recognized the set of false teeth he had made for Joseph. His remains were later interred at Forest Hills Cemetery, Suffolk County, Massachusetts.

Joseph Warren became an instant hero. He had once stated "…but where's the man who does not think it glorious and delightful to die for his country?", and his death would make him an instant hero to the colonial cause. His death was immortalized in John Trumbull’s painting; “The Death of General Warren”. In death he was a hero, his life cut tragically short, and his potential unknown. In death he left his four small children orphaned and financially destitute until 1778 when General Benedict Arnold gave $500 for their education as well as petitioned Congress for monies for their welfare until they became adults.

LOCAL LIBRARY RESOURCES:

There are no biographies available about Joseph Warren at our local library.

WEB RESOURCES:

-America’s Homepage
-Life and Times of Joseph Warren
-National Park Service
-Son of the South
-Wikipedia

PHOTO SOURCES:

Warren 01. Portrait, National Park Service
Warren 02. Talking to General Putnam, New York Public Library digital collection ID: 808554
Warren 03. “The Death of General Warren” by John Trumbull, Anthenaeum

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May 20: "…the pelting of this pitiless storm…"

Do you know who this is?
-He was thought to be the best gunsmith in America.
-He served in three wars.
-He calmly walked through an artillery barrage at the age of 69.

His name is one that many have not heard of, but it is the name of a man who displayed many of the traits that came to be associated with our Founding Fathers: ingenuity, inventiveness, bravery, and no stranger to the sounds of battle.

Seth Pomeroy was born on May 20, 1706, and would lead a long life of involvement with his home colony of Massachusetts – passing away at the age of 71. His parents were Ebeneezer and Sarah King Pomeroy, of Northampton Massachusetts. His father was a prominent citizen in the community and served in the local militia, rising to the rank of major.

Not much is known about Seth’s early years or education. However, he did learn the trade of mechanic and gunsmith, becoming one of the best gunsmiths in the colony. He married Mary Hunt on December 14, 1732, and would have nine children.

He joined the militia in Hampshire County (Massachusetts) as a young man, and by the time he was 38 he held the rank of Captain. By 1745 he was a major, and he volunteered for service during the King George’s War (1744 – 1748). He would be a part of an expedition led by William Pepperrell that captured the French fortress Louisbourg in Nova Scotia in 1745. During the expedition he used his skills and training to lead twenty gunsmiths in the time-consuming and delicate task of reconditioning captured cannons that the French had ‘spiked’ to make them unusable. These repaired and reconditioned cannons were then used by the British and Americans to assist in the artillery bombardment of the fortress, which eventually forced Louisbourg to surrender after forty-six days of heavy bombardment.

By 1755 Seth had been promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel and was the second-in-command in Colonel Ephraim Williams’ regiment. During the French and Indian War (1754 – 1763) Williams’ regiment became part of a 1500 man British/Colonial force which was under the overall command of Sir William Johnson. This force marched to New York to assist in the capture of Crown Point, one of the key defensive points of French controlled Lake Champlain. During the march they were ambushed by a force of French and Canadian troops and their Iroquois allies. The 800 French and Canadian troops, with the support of 600 Iroquois warriors, were led by Baron Dieskaw. During the ambush – which became known as the “Bloody Morning Scout” - the British/colonial column was routed, and Colonel Williams was killed. Seth assumed command, and stayed with a rear-guard detachment of about one hundred men who delayed the enemy until the British and colonials could reorganize at a British camp a few miles away. Seth later wrote:

“And a very handsome retreat they made, and so continued till they came within about three-quarters of a mile of our camp. This was the last fire our men gave our enemies, which killed great numbers of them; they were seen to drop as pigeons."

The pursuing Indians and Canadians would not attack the British defenses, and when Baron Dieskau was wounded leading a French attack and captured, the entire force withdrew. The Battle of Lake George was over.

The British actions to recoup some of the finances spent during the French and Indian war ultimately drove many colonials – including Seth – into the rebel camp or, at the very least, to sympathy with the developing animosity with the British. The taxes, armed British soldiers, and increasing hostile British actions seemed often to center around Massachusetts. Seth served as a delegate in 1774 – 1775 in the Massachusetts Provincial Congress, which made him a brigadier-general in February 1775. When the shooting war started in 1775, sixty-nine year old Seth was found among the volunteers that went to support the rebellion.

When, on June 17th, a British naval bombardment marked the start of the Battle of Bunker Hill, Seth borrowed a horse from General Artemas Ward and rode for Charlestown. Finding the “Neck” under heavy fire by the British ship “Glasgow”, he became concerned more for the safety of a borrowed horse than for himself. Too honest to expose the borrowed steed to the "pelting of this pitiless storm," and too bold to shrink from it, he delivered the horse to a sentry, shouldered his gun, and marched on foot through the barrage, across the Neck, and up the hill to take a position at the rail fence, fighting with the 1st New Hampshire Regiment. He was soon recognized by the soldiers along side of him, and they began shouting his name down the Colonial defensive line. A poem was written over a hundred years later, in 1911, to commemorate his ride.

The next week, the Continental Congress named him a brigadier general in the Continental Army, but he declined the commission, preferring to serve in the Massachusetts militia. He retired from active duty to his farm, but when New Jersey was overrun by the British in 1776, Seth marched with his militia unit to answer General Washington’s call for assistance.

Seth did not complete the trip. He fell ill along the way and died in Peekskill, New York. He was buried there in St. Peter’s Churchyard.

LOCAL LIBRARY RESOURCES:

There are no biographies available in our Local Library about Seth Pomeroy.

WEB RESOURCES:

American Heritage
Famous Americans
Historic Northamption
Old Fort Johnson
Wikipedia

PICTURE RESOURCES:

01. Revolutionary War Musket
02. History Re-enactor firing musket
03. Gravestone

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April 14: The First President

Do you know who this is?
-He was the first chief executive under the ratified Articles of Confederation.
-Controversy and myths surround him today.
-An eighteen-year-old son was killed at Fort Washington in 1776

He was a merchant, a planter, a supporter of the Revolution, a one-term President under the Articles of Confederation, and is surrounded with controversy in our time with questions such as ‘was he the first President of the United States’ and ‘was he our first Black president’? Myths, many originating in the late 19th century, surround this founding father of the United States.

John Hanson was born on April 14, 1721, to Samuel and Elizabeth Story Hanson, in Port Tobacco Parish, Charles County, Maryland. His grandfather, John Hanson, had come to the colony as an indentured servant. His father was a planter who owned more than 1000 acres and who held a variety of political posts including two terms in the Maryland General Assembly. Two of the many controversies surrounding his life are that he was a descendent of Swedish royalty; the other is that he was of Moorish descent, both of which have been shown to be unfounded.

John did not have any formal education while growing up, though he read widely in both English and Latin classics through a self-guided program. As he reached adulthood he followed in his father’s footsteps, becoming a planter himself. He would marry Jane Contee in 1744 and together they would have nine children – four daughters and five sons. One of his sons, serving in the Continental Army, died at Fort Washington in 1776. She would survive John, passing away in 1812.

His public service career began in 1750, when he was thirty-five. He was appointed sheriff of Charles County, Maryland. He would be elected to the lower house of the Maryland General Assembly, serving there from 1757 to 1773.

In 1769 he sold his Charles County property and moved to Frederick County in western Maryland in a move designed to improve his business interests. He would eventually become one of the leading patriots of the county and of Maryland as conditions began to grow more difficult between the colonies and England. He had taken a stand against a succession of taxes levied by the Crown, declaring them to be illegal and passed without due representation of colonial interests. Before moving to Frederick County he had stood against the Stamp Act, then the Townsend Acts. In 1774 he served as a delegate to the Annapolis Convention, which served as an extra-legal state government for Maryland – and in 1775 signed the Declaration of the Association of the Freemen of Maryland which approved the:

“opposition by Arms to the British troops, employed to enforce obedience to the late acts and statutes of the British parliament, for raising a revenue in America, and altering and changing the charter and constitution of the Massachusetts Bay, and for destroying the essential securities for the lives, liberties and properties of the subjects in the united colonies. And we do unite and associate, as one band, and firmly and solemnly engage and pledge ourselves to each other, and to America, that we will to the utmost of our power, promote and support the present opposition, carrying on, as well by Arms, as by the continental association, restraining our commerce.”

Armed rebellion had been legitimized. John would be active in recruiting, arming, and providing for Maryland troops, as well as a number of significant local and state committees.

He would be elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 1777 for five consecutive annual terms, and in 1779 was named as a delegate from Maryland to the Second Continental Congress, serving until 1782. While he was a member of this Congress the Articles of Confederation were ratified, and in November 1781 he was elected to a one-year term as the first president under the ratified Articles. This led to his being claimed by later generations as the real first president of the United States.

However, the position of chief executive under the Articles was largely one of ceremonial duties, though he would have to deal with official correspondence and was responsible for signing official documents. The chief executive, however, did not have near the authority and power that would be given to that office under the new Constitution written in 1787.

John, at the age 67, retired from public office after his one-year term as President of Congress. In poor health, he died a year later - at the age of 68 - at his nephew's plantation Oxon Hill Manor in Prince George's County, Maryland, on November 22, 1783. There is some controversy as to where he was buried, and the grave site is lost.
John Hanson made many important and valuable contributions to our political history during the 1770s through the early 1780s. His service to his state is undeniable. However, controversy does still follow his life and accomplishments some two and a quarter centuries after his death – controversy he didn’t start, and very likely wouldn’t approve of. Few of the founding fathers have as much mythology surrounding their life as does John Hanson.

LOCAL LIBRARY RESOURCES:

No biographies of John Hanson are available at our local library

WEB RESOURCES:

Architect of the Capital
Articles of Confederation
Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress
Famous Americans Biography
Snopes
The Real First President
Wikipedia
YouTube

PHOTO SOURCES:

Hanson.01. Portrait: Famous Americans
Hanson.02. Portrait: Wikipedia
Hanson.03. Jane Contee Portrait: Ancestral Records and Portraits

Hanson.04. Statue by Richard E. Brooks located in U.S. Capital building

April 2: "gentlemanly, a religious enthusiast and a man of plain sense"

Do you know who this is?
-His father abandoned him as a child.
-He attended the Constitutional Convention – but there is no record of his ever making a speech there.
-He was one of the “Midnight Judges” appointed by President John Adams.

He had a career encompassing being a planter, a soldier, a legislator, a judge, a Governor, and one of the thirty-nine men who signed the United States Constitution.

Richard Bassett was born on April 2, 1845 at Bohemia Ferry in Cecil County, located in the northeast corner of Maryland. His father and mother – Michael and Judith Thompson Bassett - owned a tavern and farmed, and his father later deserted his mother. His mother was the great granddaughter and heiress of Augustine Herrman, the original owner of Bohemia Manor – a huge estate in Cecil County. Augustine Herrman was a 17th century Czech explorer, merchant, and cartographer who established Bohemia Manor plantation.

Richard was raised by maternal relatives, including Peter Lawson, from whom he later inherited Lawson’s Bohemia Manor estate. His mother’s family – along with his own initiative and intelligence - provided him with wealth and a plantation. His relatives helped to educate and mold the bright young man into a successful lawyer, planter, and politician.

He read for the law at Philadelphia and received a license to practice law in 1770 at Dover, Delaware. Richard would prosper as a lawyer – and as a planter, eventually owning not only Bohemia Manor, but homes in Dover and Wilmington as well. His success in life illustrated the economic and social opportunities that existed in colonial America. He quickly became a man of property, and began to move with ease in the social world of the local gentry, among whom he developed a reputation for hospitality and philanthropy.

His activities led him into politics. He was elected to serve as a member of Kent County (Delaware) Boston Relief Committee, which collected contributions for those suffering hardship as a result of the Coercive or Intolerable Acts. His work with the committee led to contacts with important figures from Delaware – and ultimately more political responsibilities during the Revolution.

He furthered the military effort by Delaware during the Revolution by being given the responsibility of selection officers based on the criteria of the day – patriotism, popularity to bring in recruits, and military competence - and helped recruit for the only regular Continental military unit from Delaware. He also helped raise troops for the state militia.

In 1777, Richard learned first-hand the responsibilities and duties of the citizen-soldier. When the British entered the upper Chesapeake Bay as part of a move to capture the US capital at Philadelphia, Richard joined the militia as a volunteer – even though he was exempt because of his legislative position. Eventually he assumed command of the Dover Light Horse, Kent County’s militia cavalry unit.

He learned a great deal during his work in the Revolution. He learned how to raise troops and supply them, and to appreciate the concept that cooperation between states was vital. He also learned that sacrifices were required from citizens at all economic and social level. He also adopted a simpler lifestyle for the rest of his live – and became a quiet, serious, efficient public servant who would deal with Delaware’s postwar problems.

In 1778 Richard was converted to Methodism, and became a devout and energetic convert who devoted much of his attention and wealth of the promotion of Methodism.

Richard later served in the state legislature, and helped to draft Delaware’s constitution. He was asked by his state to attend the Annapolis Convention of 1786 as Delaware’s representative. Finally, in 1787 he was asked to be one of Delaware’s representatives to the Constitutional Convention. At the Convention he was described as "gentlemanly, a religious enthusiast and a man of plain sense" with "modesty enough to hold his tongue."

He would diligently attend the meetings of the Convention at Philadelphia. However, he made no speeches, served on no committees, and cast no critical votes. He allowed others to argue for and make the major decisions. But, he did sign the Constitution, and argued so persuasively for the new Constitution at the Delaware ratifying convention that Delaware became the first state to adopt the new document.

He was appointed to the U.S. Senate from 1789 – 1793, and voted there in favor of the power of the President to remove governmental officers, and against Hamilton’s plan for the federal assumption of state debts.

Richard served held the position of chief justiceship of the court of common pleas in Delaware from 1793 – 1799. He was elected Governor of Delaware from 1799 – 1801, when he became one of President John Adams’ “midnight” appointments that became known as the “Midnight Judges” He was to be a judge of the US Court of Appeals, Third Circuit Court. Jefferson abolished his justiceship in 1802, and he spent the remainder of his life in retirement.

He would marry twice: first to Ann Ennals, by whom he had four children; then, after her death, to Betsy Garnett.

He died on August 15, 1815, at the age of 70 and is interred at the Wilmington and Brandywine Cemetery, Wilmington, Delaware.

Richard Bassett’s story was one of overcoming obstacles. From abandonment by his father as a child through the difficulties of the Revolution to the establishing of the Constitution, Richard grew in his skills, wisdom, and wealth. He was successful in business, war, and politics. In addition, at a key moment in his country's history, Richard assumed an important role in advancing the cause of a strong central government by promoting the ratification of the Constitution in Delaware.

LOCAL LIBRARY RESOURCES:

Our local library has no biographies of Richard Bassett.

WEB RESOURCES:

Delaware Biographies
Find a Grave
National Archives: Founding Fathers
Signers of the Constitution
The American Revolution
U.S. Army Center of Military History
Wikipedia

PHOTO SOURCES:

01.Portrait: Engraving, by Charles B. J. Fevret de Saint-Memin (1802); National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C

02. Bohemia Manor

03. Constitutional Convention: Library of Congress Digital ID: thc 5a50954

04. 03.Crypt, Find A Grave, Ryan Gleason photo