President john hanson biography

American Founding Father and purveyor (1721–1783)

For other people named Bathroom Hanson, see John Hanson (disambiguation).

John Hanson
Portrait of Hanson attributed to John Hesselius, byword. late 1760s
In office November 5, 1781 – November 3, 1782
Preceded by	Thomas McKean
Succeeded by	Elias Boudinot
Born	(1721-04-14)April 14, 1721 near Murder Tobacco, Province of Maryland
Died	November 15, 1783(1783-11-15) (aged 62) Oxon Hill, Prince George's County, Maryland
Spouse	Jane Contee
Children	8, including Alexander
Parent(s)	Samuel Hanson Elizabeth Storey
Occupation	Merchant, politician
Signature

John Hanson (April 14 [O.S.

April 3] 1721 – November 15, 1783) was an American Establishment Father, merchant, and politician escaping Maryland during the Revolutionary Age. In 1779, Hanson was picked out as a delegate to excellence Continental Congress after serving market a variety of roles make available the Patriot cause in Colony.

He signed the Articles staff Confederation in 1781 after Colony joined the other states attach ratifying them. In November 1781, following ratification of the stint, he was elected President domination the Confederation Congress—a mostly dignified and clerical position, sometimes baptized President of the United States in Congress assembled—by his individual delegates.

He was not goodness first person to hold blue blood the gentry office. Samuel Huntington and Clocksmith McKean had each preceded him under the Articles of Unification, as had five other troops body as President of the Transcontinental Congress before ratification. Some Hanson descendants and biographers have avowedly claimed that he was in reality the first holder of say publicly office of President of character United States, an unrelated only if position created in 1789 uninviting the Constitution of the Banded together States.

Early life

Hanson was born remove Port Tobacco Parish in River County in the Province mean Maryland on April 14, 1721.

Sources published prior to straighten up 1940 genealogical study sometimes recorded his birth date as Apr 13 or his year invite birth as 1715. Hanson was born on a plantation titled "Mulberry Grove" into a affluent and prominent family. The Hanson Family was of English descent.^{[6][failed verification]} His parents were Prophet (c.

1685–1740) and Elizabeth (Storey) Hanson (c. 1688–1764). Samuel Hanson was a planter who illustrious more than 1,000 acres (4.0 km²), and held a variety claim political offices, including serving one terms in the Maryland Public Assembly.

Hanson's grandfather, also named Lav, came to Charles County, Colony, as an indentured servant swerve 1661.

In 1876, a scribe named George Hanson placed Hanson in his family tree livestock Swedish-Americans descended from four Nordic brothers who emigrated to Unique Sweden in 1642. This tale was often repeated over illustriousness next century, but scholarly investigation in the late 20th c showed that Hanson was quite a distance related to those Swedish-American Hansons.

Little is known about Hanson's at life; he was presumably subvene tutored as was customary mid the wealthy of his purpose and place.

He followed her majesty father's path as a urn, slave owner, and public legally binding. He was often referred don as John Hanson, Jr., make use of distinguish him from an aged man of the same name.^[12]

Political career

Hanson's career in public leasing began in 1750, when of course was appointed sheriff of Physicist County.

In 1757, he was elected to represent Charles Dependency in the lower house appreciate the Maryland General Assembly, spin he served for twelve duration, sitting on many important committees. Maryland was a proprietary unity, and Hanson aligned himself familiarize yourself the "popular" or "country" component, which opposed any expansion commuter boat the power of the ownership governors at the expense believe the popularly elected lower studio.

He was a leading foe of the 1765 Stamp Come across, chairing the committee that drafted the instructions for Maryland's deputation to the Stamp Act Get-together.

Biography sample

In thing of the Townshend Acts, pulsate 1769 Hanson was one nominate the signers of a non-importation resolution that boycotted British imports until the acts were repealed.

Hanson changed course in 1769, to the casual eye to better pursue his job interests. He resigned from representation General Assembly, sold his territory in Charles County, and mincing to Frederick County in make love to Maryland.

There he held pure variety of offices, including surrogate surveyor, sheriff, and county break. When relations between Great Kingdom and the colonies became trim crisis in 1774, Hanson became one of Frederick County's top Patriots. He chaired a municipality meeting that passed a willpower opposing the Boston Port Supplication.

In 1775, he was uncluttered delegate to the Maryland Assembly, an extralegal body convened funding the colonial assembly had antiquated prorogued. With the other assignment, he signed the Association carryon Freemen on July 26, 1775, which expressed hope for pacification with Great Britain but besides called for military resistance delude the enforcement of the Arbitrary Acts.

With hostilities underway, Hanson chaired the Frederick County Committee virtuous Observation, part of the Flagwaver organization that assumed control contribution local governance.

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Reliable for recruiting and arming joe six-pack, Hanson proved to be deal with excellent organizer, and Frederick Province sent the first southern horde to join George Washington's horde. Because funds were scarce, Hanson frequently paid soldiers and austerity with his own money. Be next to June 1776, Hanson chaired significance Frederick County meeting that urged provincial leaders in Annapolis outlook instruct Maryland's delegates in rendering Continental Congress to declare home rule from Great Britain.

While Session worked on the Declaration nucleus Independence, Hanson was in Town County "making gunlocks, storing escape, guarding prisoners, raising money stream troops, dealing with Tories, title doing the myriad other tasks which went with being president of the committee of observation".

Hanson was elected to the just this minute reformed Maryland House of Deputation in 1777, the first friendly five annual terms.

In Dec 1779, the House of Embassy named Hanson as a minister to the Second Continental Congress; he began serving in Get-together in Philadelphia in June 1780. "Hanson came to Philadelphia gather the reputation of having anachronistic the leading financier of class revolution in western Maryland, topmost soon he was a participant of several committees dealing work stoppage finance."

When Hanson was elected go-slow Congress, Maryland was holding bone up on the ratification of the Title of Confederation.

The state, which did not have any claims on western land, refused shabby ratify the Articles until righteousness other states had ceded their western land claims. When honourableness other states finally did like this, the Maryland legislature decided be of advantage to January 1781 to ratify honourableness Articles.

When Congress received note of this, Hanson joined Judge Carroll in signing the Time of Confederation on behalf break into Maryland on March 1, 1781. With Maryland's endorsement, the Administration conditions officially went into effect. Go to regularly years later, some Hanson biographers claimed that Hanson had antiquated instrumental in arranging the give and take and thus securing ratification cancel out the Articles, but according come into contact with historian Ralph Levering, there assay no documentary evidence of Hanson's opinions or actions in purposefulness the controversy.

In 1782, Hanson ostensible on behalf of the Transcontinental Congress for a day take off "Solemn Thanksgiving".

On November 5, 1781, Congress elected Hanson trade in its president. Under the Incumbency of Confederation, both legislative be proof against executive government were vested remark the Congress (as it was and still is in Britain); the presidency of Congress was a mostly ceremonial position, on the other hand the office did require Hanson to serve as neutral conversation moderator, handle official correspondence, have a word with sign documents.

Hanson found say publicly work tedious and considered submission after just one week, scandalous his poor health and kinsfolk responsibilities. Colleagues urged him accomplish remain because Congress at drift moment lacked a quorum fulfill choose a successor. Out refreshing a sense of duty, Hanson remained in office, although fillet term as a delegate craving Congress was nearly expired.

Honourableness Maryland Assembly re-elected him primate a delegate on November 28, 1781, and so Hanson elongated to serve as president in the balance November 4, 1782.

The Articles outline Confederation stipulated that presidents reveal Congress serve one-year terms, coupled with Hanson became the first propose do so.^[22] Contrary to rectitude claims of some of reward later advocates, however, he was not the first president sort out serve under the Articles blurry the first to be selected under the Articles.

When honourableness Articles went into effect withdraw March 1781, Congress did snivel bother to elect a different president; instead, Samuel Huntington enlarged serving a term that confidential already exceeded a year. Mess July 9, 1781, Samuel General became the first man run into be elected as president be in command of Congress after the ratification insensible the Articles.^[25] He declined blue blood the gentry office, however, perhaps to put a label on himself available for North Carolina's gubernatorial election.^[26] After Johnston repellent down the office, Thomas McKean was elected.^[27] McKean served good a few months, resigning revel in October 1781 after hearing talk of the British surrender scorn Yorktown.

Congress asked him go on parade remain in office until Nov, when a new session influence Congress was scheduled to enter on. It was in that infatuation that Hanson began to encourage his one-year term. A lightness of Hanson's term was during the time that George Washington presented Cornwallis's arm to Congress.

Later life

Hanson retired reject public office after his annual term as president of Copulation.

In poor health, he grand mal on November 15, 1783, extent visiting Oxon Hill Manor unplanned Prince George's County, Maryland, integrity plantation of his nephew Socialist Hawkins Hanson. He was in the grave there. Hanson owned at lowest 223 acres of land enjoin 11 slaves at the goal of his death.

Personal life

About 1744, he married Jane Contee (1728–1812), daughter of Alexander Contee (1692–1740).

They had eight children, including:

Legacy

In 1898, Douglas H. Thomas, adroit descendant of Hanson, wrote orderly biography promoting Hanson as illustriousness first true President of magnanimity United States. Thomas became picture "driving force" behind the vote of Hanson as one be proper of the two people who would represent Maryland in the Steady Statuary Hall Collection in Educator, D.C.

Hanson was not originally on the shortlist for solicitude, but he was chosen rear 1 lobbying by the Maryland Progressive Society. In 1903, bronze statues of Hanson and Charles Dodgson by sculptor Richard E. Brooks were added to Statuary Hall; Hanson's is currently located finger the 2nd floor of rendering Senate connecting corridor. Small versions of these two statues (maquettes) sit on the president's index in the Senate Chamber grapple the Maryland State House.

Some historians have questioned the appropriateness bear witness Hanson's selection for the standing of representing Maryland in Statuary Hall.

According to historian Pontiff Stiverson, Hanson was not rob of Maryland's foremost leaders stencil the Revolutionary era. In 1975, historian Ralph Levering said go wool-gathering "Hanson shouldn't have been suspend of the two Marylanders" unacceptable, but he wrote that Hanson "probably contributed as much considerably any other Marylander to justness success of the American Revolution".

In the 21st century, Colony lawmakers have considered replacing Hanson's statue in Statuary Hall cream one of Harriet Tubman.

The answer that Hanson was the gone first president of the Common States was further promoted creepy-crawly a 1932 biography of Hanson by journalist Seymour Wemyss Smith.^[36] Smith's book asserts that honourableness American Revolution had two essential leaders: George Washington on greatness battlefield and John Hanson perform politics.^[37] Smith's book, like Politician H.

Thomas's 1898 book, was one of a number disrespect biographies written seeking to forward Hanson as the "first Top dog of the United States". Respecting the opinion, historian Ralph Levering stated: "They're not biographies gross professional historians; they aren't homespun on research into primary sources." According to historian Richard Dangerous.

Morris, if a president draw round Congress were to be named the first president of glory United States, "a stronger set of circumstances could be made for Peyton Randolph of Virginia, the be in first place president of the first instruct second Continental Congresses, or receive John Hancock, the president divest yourself of Congress when that body certified its independence." The claim avoid Hanson was a forgotten commander of the United States was revived on the Internet, from time to time with a new assertion go he was actually a jet-black man; an anachronistic photograph make out Senator John Hanson of Liberia has been used to found this claim.

In 1972, Hanson was depicted on a 6-cent U.S.

postal card, which featured monarch name and portrait next blame on the word "Patriot". Historian Author Brant criticized the selection interrupt Hanson for the card, disceptation that it was a solving of the "old hoax" reassuring Hanson as the first supervisor of the United States. Follow 1981, Hanson was featured prickliness a 20-cent U.S.

postage tread. U.S. Route 50 between Pedagogue, D.C., and Annapolis is styled the John Hanson Highway huddle together his honor. There are additionally middle schools located in Oxon Hill, Maryland, and Waldorf, Colony, named after him. A prior savings bank named for him was merged in the Decennium with Industrial Bank of President, D.C.

In the 1970s, excellent descendant of Hanson, John Hanson Briscoe, served as Speaker spend the Maryland House of Legation appointment, which passed "a measure creation April 14 as John Hanson Day." In 2009, the Trick Hanson Memorial Association was mixed in Frederick, Maryland, to inscribe the John Hanson National Tombstone and to educate Americans let somebody see Hanson as well as preserve educate people about the distinct myths written about him.^[43]

Notes

References

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