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Let’s get acquainted with the 11 patriots in this edition...
Samuel Adams
• Born September 27, 1722 in Boston.
• He was born into a prominent family, who were very religious as Puri- tans and his father was very involved in politics.
• He was a second cousin the John Adams, who was the second president of the United States.
• In 1740, he graduated from Harvard, after studying Latin, law, and philosophy, although his parents hoped he would prepare himself for ministry.
• His mother did not like the idea of him becoming a lawyer, and when he tried to work in business, it did not work out very well, as he did not have a head for it, and instead, he found his calling was in politics.
• His father was a founder and active in the Boston Caucus, and Samuel was very active in the many branches.
• He took over his father’s business, a malt company, but it soon closed
when Samuel took control of it, as most of his attention was given to politics.
• When he became active in politics, he became influential in the Massachusetts House of Representatives and the Boston Town Meeting, the Continental Congress in Philadelphia, which eventually resulted in our Declaration of Independence, also helping form the Massachusetts Con- stitution, later serving as a state senator and this led to him being elected Governor.
• Samuel was involved in many other political arenas, including starting the first minutemen militia, in 1775 in the Second Continental Congress, was an influence in the Bill of Rights, was a leader of the Jeffersonian Re- publican, was Lt. Governor of Massachusetts and a state senator. When his term as governor was finished, he decided to retire from politics.
• He was known as the “Father of the American Revolution.” He was involved in the fight for freedom from Britain, and was seen as a sinister figure by Loyalists, but he was praised by supporters of the revolution.
• Died October 2, 1803 at age 81 in Boston.
Reuben Ford
• Reuben Ford, who is the great, great, great, great grandfather of the editor,
was born in Goochland, Virginia on August 19, 1742.
• He contributions included spearheading a movement that would bring the protection of separation of church and state in the new America.
• As the Anglican Church began to exert its power over the lives of the people who had become known as “Anti-Baptists,” it was Rev. Ford who stood tall in the midst of the fray, and became a “champion of the faith.”
• He worked tirelessly for over 20 years with the General Assembly in Virgin- ia, to ensure that the power of “government and its church” was completely broken over the lives of Christian in the colonies.
• Reuben Ford was a trusted leader among Virginia Baptists and served as a highly respected pastor for half a century.
• He was entrusted with a number of offices in the Baptist fellowship.
• As an early advocate of the cause of liberty, Ford supported the Revolution from the beginning.
• In 1775 he was appointed to the Committee of Safety in Goochland Coun- ty, a place of responsibility and trust for patriots who were ready to seek
release from the bondage of the British yoke. His service qualified him as a Minute Man.
• He was one of the few, if not the only, Baptist minister in the Colony of Virginia to have been placed on the Committee of Safety. The purpose of these committees was to expose “All such foes to the right of British America,” and “enemies of American liberty,” and to “break off all dealings with him or her.”
• At this time, before independence in the colonies was a reality, the Committee of Safety members served as the judge and jury. Their word was the law. Their decisions were final. Their decisions held the colonies together in “law and order,” until a new government could be formed.
• Ford was involved in presenting petitions to the state legislature to remove all restrictions against full religious freedom. The General Association of Separate Baptists on October 14, 1780, appointed Ford to consider national grievanc- es. He was one of the main advocates of religious liberty in Virginia, working closely with Jefferson and Hamilton concerning the drafting of the Bill of Rights.
• As a leader and clerk of Dover Baptist, he corresponded back and forth with George Washington, who wrote to him that he would never have signed the Constitution if he had realized that religious freedom was not included in it.
• The Richmond Enquirer on October 14, 1823 wrote, “...though he is dead, he lives and will live in everlasting remembrance.” (See top of page 2.)
Alexander Hamilton
• Born in 1755 or 1757, out of wedlock, in the British West Indies. He was
orphaned as a child. A prosperous merchant took him into his home.
• He built his reputation from his involvement as one of America’s Found- ing Fathers, during the Revolutionary War, fighting for a defending the idea of a strong federal government, and was a major contributor and supporter of ratifying the U.S. Constitution.
• He had a legal and business practices in New York City and was instru- mental in ending the legal international slave trade.
• Due to his views, he was instrumental in the formation of the Federalist Party, opposed by the Democratic-Republican Party whose party leaders were Thomas Jefferson and James Madison.
• He opposed Adam’s re-election, outraged over Adam’s handing of diplo- matic relations with France. Hamilton’s and Adam’s political rivalry was long-standing.
• He ran for the office of governor in New York state, competing against vice president Burr.
• He made offensive remarks about Burr at a dinner, claiming Burr was
unprincipled. In return, Burr challenged Hamilton to a duel feeling his win- ning this duel would help his wanning political career.
• Although a duel was not to Hamilton’s liking, he felt that his position in politics left him no choice but to go forward with the duel.
• Hamilton believed that although he did not want a duel, he had to go through with it to retain his honor.
• The date of the duel was July 11, 1804. During the duel, Hamilton was mortally wounded and died the next day. There is speculation that Burr did not regret shooting Hamilton. In fact, he wanted to see him immediately following the duel to see if he was still alive, before going back to New York city.
• Hamilton’s age at his death was believed to be at death 47 or 49.
• Alexander Hamilton left a legacy of being an immigrant, a statesman, the first secretary of the treasury of the United States, a leader of the Treasury Department, and a founding father. He also was a member of President Washington’s first cabinet, having great influence there. He also was influen- tial in writing the Federalist Papers, which are still being used for interpre- tation of the Constitution.
John Hancock
• Born January 23, 1737 at Braintree, Massachusetts.
• His father, who was a minister, died when John was just a boy. He was adopted by his uncle, raising him like his own son.
• He mastered graduation at Harvard when he was only 17 years old.
• When he was just 27, his uncle died, and John received an inheritance of his uncle’s shipping business, making him most likely the richest person in New England.
• Because it appeared that Hancock’s ships were not paying duty on the tea that was shipped in. The British were suspicious and proceeded to seize his ship, Liberty, in 1768, which started a riot. He was popular in Boston, and this stirred up protests from the local residents.
• He was known for his famous words, “Let every man do what is right in his own eyes,” which stirred the crowd, which added to the start of the Bos- ton Tea Party. Hancock was busy with what the British considered revolu- tionary activities, making him their target.
• He entered local politics in 1765, eventually winning an election to the position of a Boston selectman. He became more and more involved with
the movement toward American independence.
• He helped to raise money for securing troops for the revolution.
• John procured a position with the Continental Congress, later becoming its president in 1775 to 1777. He became a key person in signing the Decla- ration of Independence, as well as, working to ratify the Constitution. Due to his large signature on the Constitution, he has become known as one of America’s best known founding fathers.
• England had a reward for capture of some of the leading figures that were involved in establishing and signing the Declaration of Independence. Han- cock was among them.. When he signed, he knew if the war went against the new America, this signing would be considered treasonous. When he signed the Declaration, it was only witnessed by one other person.
• He was once a candidate for president in 1789, but could not garner enough votes.
• In Boston, the fight for independence gained the name of the “Cradle of Liberty.”
• From 1787 to 1793, he served as governor of Massachusetts, until his death. He was only 56 years old when he died. Page 4