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Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Williams, Jonathan 1750-1815 (search)
Williams, Jonathan 1750-1815 Military officer; born in Boston, Mass., May 26, 1750; was engaged in mercantile and shipping business in early life. Dr. Franklin was his great-uncle, and kindly received his nephew when in England (1770-73), and intrusted him with the bearing of important letters and documents to Massachusetts. Visiting France in 1777, he was appointed commercial agent of Congress, and in 1785 returned to the United States and settled with Franklin in Philadelphia. For several years he was judge of the court of common pleas in Philadelphia. In 1801 he was made a major of artillery and inspector of fortifications, and was appointed the first superintendent of the Military Academy at West Point. He was colonel of engineers from 1808 to 1812, and general of New York militia from 1812 to 1815. He was a delegate in Congress from Philadelphia in 1814, and was made vice-president of the American Philological Society. He died in Philadelphia, May 16, 1815.