After resting and preparing for battle the troops left on the 24th. John Witherspoon would die on his farm near Princeton in 1794 at the age of 71. He was educated in the early years by Rev. 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." Documents of the American Revolution. [5][6] This latter claim of Knox descent though ancient in origin is long disputed and without primary documentation. He was elected to the Continental Congress from 1776-1782, elected to the state legislature in New Jersey from 1783-1789 and was the president of the College of New Jersey from 1768-1792. In 1776 he was elected to the Continental Congress in time to urge adoption of the Declaration of Independence and to be the only clergyman to sign it. Witherspoon served in Congress from June 1776 until November 1782 and became one of its most influential members and a workhorse of prodigious energy. And like Pictet, Witherspoon was eager to show that the truths of supernatural revelation could be squared with reason. Later, he signed the Articles of Confederation and supported ratification of the Constitution. One of Reese ancestors, John Witherspoon, was one of those who signed the Declaration of Independence. [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. When he was finally freed, in a prisoner exchange, he was an invalid who died a short time later at the age of 51. They traveled to Albany, Saratoga, Ticonderoga, and every facility necessary to implement their mission, aided by General Schuler, who commanded the northern army. Park Service 1973Glynn, John C. & Kathryn Glynn, His Sacred Honor Judge Richard Stockton A Signer of the Declaration of Independence. Worthy to note: John Witherspoon, the only clergyman to sign our Declaration of Independence was the nephew of both Margaret and Janette Witherspoon. Birth of Richard Stockton, Signer of "The Decla Signer of Declaration of IndependenceDelegate to Continental Congress, Signer Declaration of Independence. The former John Witherspoon Middle School, Princeton, New Jersey. From Antigua they moved to Darby, Pennsylvania where Annis was born in 1736, then moved to Philadelphia where her father established a shop and home next door to Benjamin Franklin. The settled opinion among the American founding fathers, including Dr. Witherspoon, was that slavery would eventually disappear naturally within a generation. 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. "John Witherspoon." [2] In August 1767, he boarded a ship in London and 26 days later arrived in New York. The College of New Jersey needed a first rate scholar to serve as its first president. As the college's primary occupation at the time was training ministers, Witherspoon became a major leader of the early Presbyterian Church in America. Richard Stockton was born near Princeton, on October 1, 1730. Her parents are still legally married, although they separated in 1996. No 5,page 127Abstracts of the Council of Safety Minutes, State of New Jersey, 1777-1778, Hutchinson, Richard S., Heritage Books 2005,Letters of Delegates to Congress, Vol.6.Bill, Alfred Hoyt., A House Called Morven. 67179. Stockton did, however, take an active role as a trustee of the College of New Jersey. Stockton was an active and influential member of Congress. In January, however, a sensational pamphlet appeared in Philadelphia and stirred more revolutionary fervor than anything that had been written to that time. Civil government owed more to the latter than the former in Witherspoon's Presbyterian doctrine. 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. Her health broke during captivity and Mrs. Lewis died shortly after being released in a 1778 prisoner exchange. The President's House in Princeton, New Jersey, was his home from 1768 to 1779 and is a U.S. National Historic Landmark. John Witherspoon arrived in Philadelphia to take their place as new members of Congress meeting at the State House (now Independence Hall). ", Nelson demanded of the gunners. That August, when elections were held for the state governments of the new nation, Stockton and William Livingston each received the same number of votes to be the Governor of New Jersey on the first ballot. explains the conversion of the young Virginian to the philosophy of the Enlightenment."[27]. Boudinot was appointed by General Washington to be commissary general of prisoners in the Revolutionary Army 1776-1779. Richard was born at the Stockton family home now known as Morven in the Stony Brook neighborhood of Princeton, New Jersey, attended Samuel Finley's academy at Nottingham, which later became West Nottingham Academy, and the College of New Jersey located in Newark, graduating in 1748. Jimmy Witherspoon, born in Arkansas, was a master of the blues. His wife, Elizabeth, with whom he had ten children, wanted to stay in Scotland, but he finally was able to convince her to come with him. Born in 1723, he received the finest education available to a bright young gentleman of that era. He is particularly interested in the experiences of children in 1765-75. Son of James Alexander Witherspoon, III and Anne Witherspoon When his health permitted, Stockton attempted to earn a living by reopening his law practice and teaching new students. Ramsay, the celebrated historian. 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. Died: November 15, 1794 at 71. Annis was descended from French Huguenots; her grandfather fled France at the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685 and settled in New York. John Witherspoon, signer of the Declaration of Independence from New Jersey, was born at Yester, Scotland, 5 Feb. 1722. How far this subjection extends. New Jersey was overrun by the British in November of '76, when he was returning from the mission. Between 1776 and 1782, Witherspoon would serve on more than 100 committees, wearing his minister's robes in Congress to remind the delegates that God was on their side. 1823, SOURCE: The Society of the Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence. 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. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. A statue of Richard Stockton by Henry Kirke Brown was dedicated by congressional proceedings in 1888 and placed in Statuary Hall in the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. Stockton is one of only six signers to be so honored. They were empowered by Congress to contract for provisions, provide barracks, make regulations for hospitals and report back to Congress on the state of the army. 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. Meanwhile, the New York State Convention had finally voted to allow its delegates to approve the Declaration, and on July 15th New York became the 13th colony to affirm independence. Moses Coit Tyler "President Witherspoon in the American Revolution" The American Historical Review Volume 1, Issue 1, July 1896. pp. Susannah later married Thomas Leonard and remained in Princeton after her husbands death. Behind that fleet were all the wealth and power of the British Empire. From the pocket of his close-fitting coat Washington drew his carefully written reply. After hearing the irresistible and conclusive arguments of the honorable John Adams for independence, Richard fully concurred in the final vote in favor of that bold and decisive measure. The University's Committee on Naming is reviewing a proposal to remove or replace a campus statue of John Witherspoon, an influential figure in the American Revolution who owned slaves during his time as Princeton's president. It had been a long and muddy ride from Princeton, they had been caught in a violent thunderstorm, and their clothes were soaking wet. During the siege of Yorktown in 1781, the British forces were under heavy attack from some 16,000 American troops, 3,000 Virginia militia, and the French fleet. Reverend Samuel Smith succeeded Dr. Witherspoon as president of Princeton in 1775. In his lectures on moral philosophy at Princeton, required of all juniors and seniors, Witherspoon argued for the revolutionary right of resistance and recommended checks and balances within government. He made a notable comment on that occasion; in reply to another member who argued that the country was not yet ripe for such a declaration, that in his opinion it "was not only ripe for the measure, but in danger of rotting for the want of it." He also firmed up entrance requirements. John Witherspoon arrived in Philadelphia to take their place as new members of Congress meeting at the State House (now Independence Hall). -----------------------------------------------------------------. At the urging of Benjamin Rush and Richard Stockton, whom he met in Paisley, Witherspoon finally accepted a second invitation to become president and head professor of the small Presbyterian College of New Jersey in Princeton. Norton and Company, Inc.; 1972 page 195:British officers and rebels agreed the proclamation of November 30 had been a failure. (Image courtesy of the Architect of the Capitol) UCF lecturer David Head barely needs notes to teach the course U.S. History: 1492-1877. In 1772, fifteen year old Alexander Hamilton arrived from the West Indies and lived with Elias and Hanna for two years. John Knox Witherspoon was born at Gifford, a parish of Yester, at East Lothian . "Sir, out of respect to you," an artilleryman replied." 5/177. On July 2, 1776, the day of the vote on independence, another delegate claimed that America wasn't yet ripe enough for independence. John R. Vile. They were pleased to take up the matter with that zeal which the nature of it required and determined to take every step that they might in this endeavor to more effectually and speedily execute the business. Dr. Samuel S. Smith, who succeeded Dr. W. as president of the college j and Frances, the second tiaughter, married Dr. David 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). His parents were James Witherspoon and Anna Walker. Categories: Patriotic Service, New Jersey, American Revolution | American Founding Fathers | Signers of the Articles of Confederation | Signers of the United States Declaration of Independence | Presbyterian Ministers | Princeton University | NSDAR Patriot Ancestors, WIKITREE HOME | ABOUT | G2G FORUM | HELP | SEARCH. Rev. Because of Stocktons poor health and the parole requiring him not to participate in the war effort he resigned from Congress. udinot (born Stockton), Abigail Pintard (born Stockton), Susanna Pintard (born Stockton), John Stockton, Rev. 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 1764, Stockton became the Grand Master of the first chartered Masonic lodge (St. Johns No 1) in Princeton, New Jersey. Christian Witherspoon (bap Beith, Ayrshire 14 August 1750), Barbra Witherspoons (bap Beith, Ayrshire 20 February 1756), John Witherspoon (bap Beith, Ayrshire 29 July 1757), George Witherspoon (31 Mar 1762-27 July 1762), WikiTree profile Witherspoon-160 created through the import of Maltby master 08282011.GED on Aug 30, 2011 by. 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