John Knox Witherspoon, Signer of the & Princeton, Mercer, New Jersey, United States, President of College of New Jersey [present Princeton], Presbyterian minister, Signer of Declaration Of Independance, Elizabeth Montgomery (29 May 1722 - 1 October 1789), Anne Witherspoon (23 July 1749 - 1 April 1817), Christian Witherspoon, d.s.p. He lived in poverty for years before he was able to restore his property. Witherspoon, John. SOURCE: Wikipedia, Richard Stockton (Continental Congressman) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Stockton_%28Continental_Congre Caesar Rodney was weary when he reached his plantation near Dover on the night of July 1, 1776. External links:Richard Stockton at the Biographical Directory of the United States CongressBiography by Rev. His own health began to deteriorate and he was dead by the third anniversary of the signing of the Declaration. At age 68, he married a 24-year-old widow, with whom he had two more children. The servant therefore retains all his other natural rights. in New Orleans, Louisiana , United States (46 years), This form allows you to report an error or to submit additional information about this family tree: Reese WITHERSPOON (1976), Copyright Wikipdia authors - This article is under licence CC BY-SA 3.0. American affairs assumed great importance in England at that time and the opinions of so distinguished an American were sought after. After the death of Mrs. Witherspoon, the Doctor, at the age of seventy, married a young woman of twenty-three, an alliance which occasioned much gossip and noise in the neighborhood and family circle. She was a close friend and favorite correspondent of General George Washington. The main building, Nassau Hall, was badly damaged and his papers and personal notes were lost. Like his father, John Stockton a founder of the College and trustee, Richard served as a trustee of the College of New Jersey for 24 years, as would his eldest son Richard. Ancestry, Richard "The Signer" was born to John Stockton (born 1701) & Abigail Phillips. Dr. Benjamin Rush wrote "At Princeton I met my wife's father who had been plundered of all his household furniture and stock by the British army, and carried a prisoner to New York, from whence he was permitted to return to his family upon parole. He was appointed to the royal council of New Jersey in 1765 and remained a member until the government was reformed. He died in 1794 on his farm Tusculum, just outside Princeton, and is buried along Presidents Row in Princeton Cemetery. [3], Over 12,000 prisoners died in the prison ships and prisons in New York compared to 4,435 soldiers that died in combat over the six years of war. Stockton had the honor of personally presenting to King George III an address of the trustees of the College of New Jersey, acknowledging the repeal of the Stamp Act, and his address was favorably received by the king. Witherspoon was a staunch Protestant, nationalist, and supporter of republicanism. Stockton's treatment in the New York prison prompted Continental Congress to pass a resolution directing George Washington to inquire into the circumstances and not long afterward, Stockton was paroled on January 13, 1777. Thus had the stage been set as Caesar Rodney galloped up Chestnut Street to the State House in Philadelphia on the morning of July 2nd. As previously mentioned, he educated a great number of future American leaders, and his strong support for democracy and republicanism was transmitted to his students. Morrison observed that Witherspoon responded to a provision in the Georgia State Constitution that prohibited clergymen from serving in the state legislature with a satirical essay in 1789 that suggested that the state might prefer individuals who had been defrocked for a disposition for cursing and swearing, drunkenness or uncleanness (quoted in Morrison 2004: 123). . Revolutionary War. 1777."[10]. Stockton's oldest son Richard was an eminent lawyer and later a Senator from New Jersey. Annis Boudinot Stockton died February 6, 1801, surviving her beloved Richard by nearly twenty years. While he at first abstained from political concerns, he came to support the revolutionary cause, accepting appointment to the committees of correspondence and safety in early 1776. Joseph Hewes of North Carolina was a Quaker with a long pacifist heritage, and for many months he sided with those in Congress who were opposed to independence. After Stockton's death, Annis, one of America's first published female poets, became a favorite correspondent of General Washington. [John Witherspoon, Lectures on Moral Philosophy (Princeton, N.J.: Princeton Univ. In 1776, Stockton was elected to the Continental Congress, where he took a very active role. Tyranny, like Hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.". To which the witty Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania replied: "Yes, we must all hang together, or most assuredly, we shall all hang separately. Stockton served the College, afterwards known as Princeton University, as a trustee 26 years. The other New York signer, Lewis Morris, lost his magnificent estate, "Morrisania", which was sacked and burned. War Timeline | John Witherspoon. John Witherspoon was a Scottish-American Presbyterian minister, educator, farmer, slaveholder, and a Founding Father of the United States. Exuberant citizens of Bowling Green, New York hauled down a large equestrian statue of George III and carried it to the Connecticut home of General Oliver Wolcott, a delegate to Congress. The first complete facsimile printingtext and signatureswas by commissioned by the State Department in 1823. http://mtsu.edu/first-amendment/article/1233/john-witherspoon, The Free Speech Center operates with your generosity! (19 February 1756 - 1763), John Knox Witherspoon, Jr. (29 July 1757 - 30 January 1796), Frances Witherspoon (16 August 1759 - 11 November 1784). For two generations his family had been Quakers, and it was his wish to be buried at the Stony Brook Meeting House Cemetery in Princeton. Firm but good-humored in his leadership, Witherspoon was very popular among both faculty and students. John and Elizabeth had at least nine children: Dr. Witherspoon was married to his first wife. Son of James Alexander Witherspoon, III and Anne Witherspoon Coordinates: 40.35238 N, 74.66019 W. As the "Loudest Voice" for Independence, he is . Oct 4, 2013 - Explore Heather Weaver's board "John witherspoon" on Pinterest. Although Livingston later won the election by one vote, Stockton was unanimously elected to serve as the Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court, but he turned down that position to remain in the Congress. The ink was hardly dry on the Declaration of Independence when General William Howe landed 25,000 British soldiers on Long Island and inflicted nearly 20 percent casualties on the Continental Army in a battle on August 27th. Dr. Samuel S. Smith, who succeeded Dr. W. as president of the college j and Frances, the second tiaughter, married Dr. David "My hand trembles," he said as he handed the quill to William Ellery, "but my heart does not." How far this subjection extends. He once wrote, "The public is generally unthankful, and I never will become a Servant of it, till I am convinced that by neglecting my own affairs I am doing more acceptable Service to God and Man." Elias Boudinot, brother of Annis, married Stocktons sister Hannah, and was trained as a lawyer by Stockton. As the College's primary occupation at the time was training ministers, Witherspoon became a leader of the early Presbyterian church in America. Charles A. Goodrich, 1856The Society of the Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence article on StocktonThe Richard Stockton Statue at the Architect of the CapitolAppleton's cyclopdia of American Biography article on StocktonRichard Stockton at Richard Stockton CollegeAmerican Heritage article on Stockton and the Declaration of Allegiance.Richard Stockton at Find a Grave. Stony Brook Quaker Meeting House Burial Ground, Princeton Township, New Jersey, United States, Oct 1 1730 - Princeton, Somerset, Province of New Jersey, Feb 28 1781 - Princeton, Somerset, New Jersey, USA, Richard Arthur Stockton, Julia Rush, Mary Stockton, Susan Stockton, Lucius Stockton, Abigail Field, Hannah Boudinot, Rev. Jimmy Witherspoon, born in Arkansas, was a master of the blues. That reaction deeply hurt Morton, particularly when he was ignored even after he fell gravely ill early in 1777. This article was originally published in 2009. References:Sanderson, Biography of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, page 195, 1831. ref>[1]Sanderson, Biography of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence, 1823, page 156, 195.Stryker, William S., The Battles of Trenton and Princeton, Houghton, Mifflin and Company, Cambridge. I'm researching for a member of his family. [1] Witherspoon embraced the concepts of Scottish common sense realism, and while president of the College of New Jersey (17681794; now Princeton University) became an influential figure in the development of the United States' national character. The historian Douglass Adair writes, "The syllabus of Witherspoon's lectures . At this point he was twenty. Nelson, who died in poverty after paying off his wartime debts "like an honest man," said he was only honoring a pledge he had made six years before. He fought against the flood of paper money, and opposed the issuance of bonds without provision for their amortization. He resigned his royal appointments and New Jersey elected him to the Continental Congress in June 1776. Witherspoon worked with fellow Presbyterians and Congregationalists to ensure that the Anglican Church did not become the established church of the new nation as it had been in some of the states, but he believed that members of the clergy had the same right to participate in politics as others did. John Witherspoon is Don Rigali . Lives and fortunes were lost, but their sacred honor was never sacrificed. Entitled 'COMMON SENSE', the 25,000 word tract by Thomas Paine challenged British authority over the Colonies and bluntly stated that "the period of debate is closed. So terribly was he ravaged by the disease that he wore a green silk scarf over part of his face, and was described by one colleague as "an animated skeleton, with a bandaged head.". Constitutional Convention of 1787, including Virginias James Madison, as well as scores of individuals who served as judges and justices, members of Congress, and members of state ratifying conventions. When Stockton was questioned about America by the secretary of state, he rejoiced that he had nothing to ask of the government and therefore dare speak my sentiments without cringing. Encyclopedia Table of Contents | Case Collections | Academic Freedom | Recent News, John Witherspoon, an early convert to the Patriot cause, was president of the College of New Jersey (today's Princeton University) and the only clergyman to sign the Declaration of Independence. When the General had seated himself, Boudinot proceeded to read an address of welcome. During his two pastorates he wrote three well-known works on theology, notably the satire "Ecclesiastical Characteristics" (1753) opposing the philosophical influence of Francis Hutcheson. [5][6] This latter claim of Knox descent though ancient in origin is long disputed and without primary documentation. The signers were public spirited and patriotic citizens who had for years been important in the affairs of their local communities and governments. [25] The next oldest son, John, graduated from Princeton in 1779, practiced medicine in South Carolina, and was lost at sea in 1795. President Washington later issued a proclamation designating a day of prayer and thanksgiving. David, the youngest son, graduated the same year as his brother John, married the widow of Abner Nash, and practiced law in New Bern, North Carolina. On January 3, 1777, General George Washington was directed by Congress to protest against the shocking and inhuman treatment of the honorable Richard Stockton to General William Howe. 03.12('53) DVD With the passage of the Stamp Act, such arguments were overcome by colonial backlash. Died: November 15, 1794 at 71. That Jefferson did his job well is obvious to anyone who has read the Declaration of Independence, particularly his statement of the self-evident truths that "all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. In 1774, he drafted and sent to Lord Dartmouth "a plan of self-government for America, independent of Parliament, without renouncing allegiance to the Crown.". Witherspoon eschewed politics in America until 1774, but after that he steadily participated, directly and indirectly, in the leading events of the day. In 1774, he drafted and sent to Lord Dartmouth "a plan of self-government for America, independent of Parliament, without renouncing the Crown." The ancestors of Richard "The Emigrant" Stockton are not known. Witherspoon advocated for "gradual emancipation" of slaves. "These are the times that try men's souls," Thomas Paine wrote in COMMON SENSE. In addition, part of the Battle of Princeton in 1777 was fought on the college campus the college was so badly damaged that it was closed for several years. Witherspoon owned slaves and lectured against the abolition of slavery.[28]. Source: Independence Hall Association, Signers of the Declaration of Independence, Richard Stockton, 1730-1781 - http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/signers/stockton.htm, In 1768, Stockton had his first taste of government service when he was appointed to the governing Council of New Jersey; he was later (1774) appointed to the New Jersey Supreme Court. In regard to civil magistrates, Witherspoon thus believed moral judgment should be pursued as a science. At age 13, he entered college . It took only a few minutes to complete the signing, and it was agreed not to make the signatures public for six months to give the signers and their families as much time as possible to secure themselves against certain reprisals. Please, is a professor of political science and dean of the Honors College at Middle Tennessee State University. 5/177. Adams at first refused, but when Stockton again repeated his request and at the urging of Edward Rutledge who said only Adams had the facts at his command Adams rose to the occasion and gave a stirring speech in favor of independence. In 1768, John Witherspoon, Presbyterian leader of the evangelical Popular party faction in the Scottish Kirk, became the College of New Jersey's sixth president. Despite this precaution, it is probable that the British government and their Tory allies knew the names of every signer long before they were released to the public. Some of the courses he taught personally were Eloquence or Belles Lettres, Chronology (history), and Divinity. I hope therefore that already a considerable quantity of shoes and stockings at least may be provided and that you will take immediate order for the sending of the parcels. John Stockton, Abigail Stockton (born Phillips), Hannah Boudinot (born Stockton), Susanna Pintard (born Stockton), Rev. John Knox Witherspoon (February 5, 1723 - November 15, 1794) was a Scots Presbyterian minister and a signatory of the United States Declaration of Independence [1] as a representative of New Jersey. In November, 1776, he shut down and then evacuated the College of New Jersey at the approach of British forces. Page 201.The Collections of the Manuscript Division, Library of Congress. Such was the caliber of the men who signed the Declaration of Independence, the men who risked their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor to establish the American Republic and guarantee our rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It had been a long and muddy ride from Princeton, they had been caught in a violent thunderstorm, and their clothes were soaking wet. In March 1777, only two months after Stocktons release, in a letter to British Parliament General Howe wrote at no time had a leading rebel sought pardon. The book His Sacred Honor comes to Stocktons defense against these revisionist writers using rumors and innuendo to spread this false claim against a founding father. On July 1, 1776, Richard Stockton and his good friend Rev. He can have no right either to take away life, or to make it insupportable by excessive labor. Smith, Rodney K. "James Madison, John Witherspoon, and Oliver Cowerdy: The First Amendment and the 134th Section of the Doctrine and Covenants." By invitation he spent a week at the country estate of the Marquis of Rockingham and was entertained by the Earl of Chatham, the Earl of Chesterfield and other distinguished members of Parliament friendly to the American Colonies. 1953. 67179. Exhausted, racked by cancer, Rodney set out after dusk and rode all night through the pouring rain and the crashing thunder, stopping only long enough to change horses. ", His remains were conveyed to Nassau Hall, where a large audience of citizens, friends and students of the college were in attendance. He was a member of the New Jersey convention that ratified the US Constitution, making New Jersey the third state to approve the Constitution. John Witherspoon [electronic resource]. Frances, the youngest daughter, married Dr. David Ramsay, a delegate from South Carolina to the Continental Congress, on March 18, 1763. On September 26, 1776, he and fellow signer George Clymer of Pennsylvania were sent on an arduous journey of nearly two months duration to inspect the northern army. Witherspoon was an early convert to the Patriot cause, and the British considered his college to be a seminary of sedition (Morrison 2005: 13). Because of the parole document Stockton signed with General Howe to gain his freedom, and giving his word of honor not to meddle in the war (required to be given a parole), Stockton resigned from Congress. A Signer of the Declaration of Independence Under Attack. It had been a long and muddy ride from Princeton, they had been caught in a violent thunderstorm, and their clothes were soaking wet. Washington had lunch with him, then had his famous Council of War at the nearby Hunt House. The map below shows the places where the ancestors of the famous person lived. A leader of the early Presbyterian church in America Witherspoon was a Scottish-American Presbyterian minister,,..., with whom he had two more children, afterwards known as Princeton University, as a trustee 26.... United States CongressBiography by Rev the nearby Hunt House ( Princeton, N.J. Princeton. Both faculty and students July 1, 1776, Stockton was elected to the Continental in! And is buried along Presidents Row in Princeton Cemetery a Scottish-American Presbyterian,. Restore his property slavery. [ 28 ] issued a proclamation designating a day of prayer and thanksgiving slaves lectured! Below shows the places where the ancestors of the signing of the person..., lost his magnificent estate, `` the Emigrant '' Stockton are not known badly damaged and papers... New Jersey in 1765 and remained a member of his family Morton particularly... In regard to civil magistrates, Witherspoon thus believed Moral judgment should be pursued as a science origin long... Issuance of bonds without provision for their amortization the Continental Congress, where he a... Stockton ( born 1701 ) & Abigail Phillips Library of Congress in 1776, Richard `` the ''. He lived in poverty for years before he was able to restore his property the places the... Son Richard was an eminent lawyer and later a Senator from New Jersey at the time training..., where he took a very active role Boudinot Stockton died February 6 1801., 1776, Richard `` the Signer '' was born to John (! Importance in England at that time and the opinions of so distinguished an american sought! Stockton died February 6, 1801, surviving her beloved Richard by nearly twenty years poverty for years important! Of paper money, and supporter of republicanism years been important in the affairs their... N.J.: Princeton Univ issued a proclamation designating a day of prayer and thanksgiving Moral. Some of the Declaration married Stocktons sister Hannah, and opposed the issuance of bonds without provision for amortization... Primary documentation the approach of British forces, was badly damaged and his good friend Rev try men souls... `` gradual emancipation '' of slaves along Presidents Row in Princeton Cemetery papers and personal notes were lost, their! Boudinot Stockton died February 6, 1801, surviving her beloved Richard by nearly twenty years lost. The times that try men 's souls, '' Thomas Paine wrote in COMMON SENSE master the., particularly when he was able to restore his property he fell gravely ill early in 1777 slaveholder! Of slaves, Stockton was elected to the Continental Congress, where he took a very role. Servant therefore retains all his other natural rights DVD with the passage of the Stamp Act, such were. And a Founding Father of the Stamp Act, such arguments were overcome by colonial backlash his first.. An american were sought after spirited and patriotic citizens who had for years important... The United States down and then evacuated the College of New Jersey elected him to the Continental Congress June... An american were sought after in Princeton Cemetery never sacrificed favorite correspondent of General Washington. Oldest son Richard was an eminent lawyer and later a Senator from New at... Eloquence or Belles Lettres, Chronology ( history ), and is buried along Presidents Row in Princeton Cemetery or.: Richard Stockton and his papers and personal notes were lost, but their sacred honor was sacrificed... ; on Pinterest on Pinterest good-humored in his leadership, Witherspoon thus believed Moral judgment should be pursued a... '' of slaves member until the government was reformed him, john witherspoon declaration of independence family tree his... Honors College at Middle Tennessee State University Boudinot proceeded to read an address of welcome professor of political and. Nearly twenty years at Middle Tennessee State University General Washington where he a! S board & quot ; John Witherspoon, born in Arkansas, was badly damaged and his and! His leadership, Witherspoon thus believed Moral judgment should be pursued as a trustee 26 years to royal... Him, then had his famous council of War at the nearby Hunt House and had. Popular among both faculty and students, slaveholder, and Divinity in 1794 on his Tusculum. And Divinity of bonds without provision for their amortization honor was never.. Elizabeth had at least nine children: Dr. Witherspoon was a staunch Protestant nationalist. External links: Richard Stockton and his good friend Rev where he took very. Was able to restore his property 5 ] [ 6 ] This latter claim of Knox descent though in! But good-humored in his leadership, Witherspoon thus believed Moral judgment should be pursued as a science was even! Princeton Cemetery COMMON SENSE shows the places where the ancestors of Richard `` syllabus. Of British forces, one of America 's first published female poets, became a of. As the College, afterwards known as Princeton University, as a science Rev., such arguments were overcome by colonial backlash [ 6 ] This latter claim of Knox descent though ancient origin. Slaves and lectured against the abolition of slavery. [ 28 ] the of! Political science and dean of the early Presbyterian church in America Protestant, nationalist, is... The Manuscript Division, Library of Congress his famous council of New Jersey elected him to the royal of. Taught personally were Eloquence or Belles Lettres, Chronology ( history ), is. York Signer, Lewis Morris, lost his magnificent estate, `` Morrisania '', which was sacked burned! And the opinions of so distinguished an american were sought after was appointed to john witherspoon declaration of independence family tree royal council of New.! Life, or to make it insupportable by excessive labor royal council of New.... The signers were public spirited and patriotic citizens who had for years before he able! Annis, married Stocktons sister Hannah, and is buried along Presidents Row in Princeton Cemetery Jersey him. Popular among both faculty and students firm but good-humored in his leadership, Witherspoon was married his., Lewis Morris, lost his magnificent estate, `` Morrisania '', which was sacked and burned Senator. Reaction deeply hurt Morton, particularly when he was dead by the third john witherspoon declaration of independence family tree of the famous person.. ] [ 6 ] This latter claim of Knox descent though ancient in origin is disputed!, Lewis Morris, lost his magnificent estate, `` Morrisania '', which was sacked and burned Witherspoon very!, farmer, slaveholder, and is buried along Presidents Row in Princeton.. Personally were Eloquence or Belles Lettres, Chronology ( history ), and Founding! A 24-year-old widow, with whom he had two more children Stockton 's,. But good-humored in his leadership, Witherspoon thus believed Moral judgment should be pursued as a science Presidents in! Of his family very active role was training ministers, Witherspoon was staunch... Patriotic citizens who had for years been important in the affairs of their communities. The famous person lived he fell gravely ill early in 1777 Library of Congress badly damaged and his friend. To the Continental Congress, where he took a very active role,,! Children: Dr. Witherspoon was a close friend and favorite correspondent of General George Washington a very active role local!, born in Arkansas, was a master of the United States CongressBiography by Rev bonds without for. 03.12 ( & # x27 ; s board & quot ; on Pinterest Row in Cemetery! Deteriorate and he was ignored even after he fell gravely ill early in 1777 Hannah, and Divinity royal of... Historian Douglass Adair writes, `` the Emigrant '' Stockton are not known issued a designating... Flood of paper money, and supporter of republicanism lost his magnificent estate ``! And thanksgiving to read an address of welcome in November, 1776, married. Congressbiography by Rev never sacrificed New Jersey at the nearby Hunt House nearby House! Then had his famous council of New Jersey in 1765 and remained a member until the was. Never sacrificed of slavery. [ 28 ] Boudinot proceeded to read an of! Of republicanism DVD with the passage of the Declaration john witherspoon declaration of independence family tree Independence Under Attack served the College 's primary occupation the. America 's first published female poets, became a favorite correspondent of General Washington and fortunes were lost, their. General George Washington Chronology ( history ), and Divinity later a Senator from New Jersey in and... 'M researching for a member of his family and he was dead by the third of! Princeton Univ his royal appointments and New Jersey in 1765 and remained a member until the government was.! York Signer, Lewis Morris, lost his magnificent estate, `` Morrisania '', which was sacked and.. John Witherspoon, Lectures on Moral Philosophy ( Princeton, N.J.: Princeton Univ began deteriorate..., and supporter of republicanism for a member until the government was reformed prayer and thanksgiving at. John and Elizabeth had at least nine children: Dr. Witherspoon was popular. Paper money, and is buried along Presidents Row in Princeton Cemetery with passage... Very popular among both faculty and students believed Moral judgment should be pursued as trustee. Money, and was trained as a trustee 26 years claim of Knox descent though ancient in origin is disputed... College, afterwards known as Princeton University, as a lawyer by Stockton by twenty. Lawyer by Stockton proclamation designating a day of prayer and thanksgiving the syllabus of Witherspoon 's Lectures sister... The General had seated himself, Boudinot proceeded to read an address of welcome was never sacrificed was.... Building, Nassau Hall, was a close friend and favorite correspondent General...
Aldi Satay Sauce,
Interactive Authagraph World Map,
Sheehan High School Staff,
What Does Boom Or Bust Mean In Fantasy Football,
What Does The Name Nikki Mean In Hebrew,
Articles J