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Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Carver, Jonathan 1732-1780 (search)
Carver, Jonathan 1732-1780 Traveller; born in Stillwater, Conn., in 1732; served in the French and Indian War, and afterwards attempted to explore the vast region in America which the English had acquired from the French. He penetrated the country to Lake Superior and its shores and tributaries, and, after travelling about 7.000 miles, he returned to Boston, whence he departed in 1766, and sailed for England, to communicate his discoveries to the government, and to petition the King for a reimbursement of his expenses. His Travels were published in 1778. He was badly used in England, and, by utter neglect, was reduced to a state of extreme destitution. He died in London, Jan. 31, 1780.
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Chittenden, Thomas 1730-1797 (search)
Chittenden, Thomas 1730-1797 First governor of Vermont; born in East Guilford, Conn., Jan. 6, 1730. He held local offices in his native State before 1774, when he emigrated to the New Hampshire Grants, and settled at Williston. During the Revolution he was an active participant in the councils of his State, and was a leader in the convention which (Jan. 16, 1777) dedared Vermont an independent State. He was also a leader in the convention (July, 1777) which formed a constitution for that State, and president of the council of safety vested with governmental powers. He was elected governor of Vermont in 1778, and, with the exception of one year, filled that office until his death, during which time the controversy between New York and Vermont was settled and the latter admitted as a State of the Union. He died in Williston, Vt., Aug. 24, 1797.
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Cifuentes, Fray Bernardino 1725-1780 (search)
Cifuentes, Fray Bernardino 1725-1780 Clergyman; born in Segovia, Spain, July 24, 1725; was educated at the University of Salamanca; entered the Franciscan order about 1760; and later came to America. In June, 1770, a number of Spanish missionaries crossed Arizona and entered California, where a white cloth bearing the inscription Mission de Fray Bernardino was raised on a staff. By 1778 this mission had grown to be a settlement of 200 inhabitants, and when California became a part of the United States it was a large town. The name of the place was afterwards changed to San Bernardino. He died in California about 1780.
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Clark, or Clarke, George Rogers -1818 (search)
Clark, or Clarke, George Rogers -1818 Military officer; born near Monticello, Albemarle co., Va., Nov. 19, 1752; was a land surveyor, and commanded a company in Dunmore's war against the Indians in 1774. He went to Kentucky in 1775, and took command of the armed settlers there. It was ascertained in the spring of 1778 that the English governor of Detroit (Hamilton) was inciting the Western Indians to make war on the American frontiers. Under the authority of the State of Virginia, and with some aid from it in money and supplies, Clark enlisted 200 men for three months, with whom he embarked at Pittsburg, and descended to the site of Louisville, where thirteen families, following in his train, located on an island in the Ohio (June, 1778). There Clark was joined by some Kentuckians, and, descending the river some distance farther, hid his boats and marched to attack Kaskaskia (now in Illinois), one of the old French settlements near the Mississippi. The expeditionists were n
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Clarke, Robert 1829-1899 (search)
Clarke, Robert 1829-1899 Publisher; born in Scotland, May 1, 1829; settled in Cincinnati, O., in 1840. He edited Col. George Rogers Clarke's campaign in the Illinois in 1778-79; Captain James Smith's captivity, and Pioneer biographies. He is the author of The prehistoric remains which were found on the site of the City of Cincinnati, with a vindication of the Cincinnati tablet. He died in Cincinnati, Aug. 6, 1899.
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Coinage, United States (search)
ade it of pinchbeck — an alloy of copper and tin. One side of the coin bore the image of George I., and on the other was a large double rose, with the legend Rosa Americana utile dulci. In the coinage of 1724 the rose was crowned. This base coin was vehemently opposed in the colonies. A writer of the day, speaking of the speculation, said Wood had the conscience to make thirteen shillings out of a pound of brass. The power of coinage was exercised by several of the independent States from 1778 until the adoption of the national Constitution. A mint was established at Rupert, Vt., by legislative authority in 1785, whence copper cents were issued, bearing on one side a plough and a sun rising from behind hills, and on the other a radiated eye surrounded by thirteen stars. Some half-cents also were issued by the Vermont mint. In the same year the legislature of Connecticut authorized the establishment of a mint at New Haven, whence copper coins were issued having on one side the fi
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Collins, John -1795 (search)
Collins, John -1795 Governor; born June 8, 1717; was an active patriot during the Revolutionary War; in 1776 was made a commissioner to arrange the accounts of Rhode Island with Congress; in 1778-83 was a member of the old Congress. and in 1786-89 governor of Rhode Island. He was then elected to the first Congress under the national Constitution, but did not take his seat. He died in Newport, R. I., March 8, 1795.
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Conciliation measures. (search)
ary forces to be two, with ample powers to treat for the re-establishment of royal authority. Meanwhile David Hartley, an opponent of the war, was sent to Paris to open negotiations with the American commissioners there. The war had already (1775-78) cost Great Britain more than 20,000 men, $100,000,000 of public expenditure, and 550 British vessels, chiefly in the merchant service, captured by American cruisers, worth about $12,000,000, besides a loss of trade with America, suspension of American debts, and the confiscation of the property of American loyalists. Added to all was the danger of a war with France. Copies of these conciliatory bills arrived in America in the middle of April (1778), and the Congress took immediate action upon them, for the partisans of the crown were very active in circulating them among the people. A committee of that body criticised these bills very keenly, showing their deceptiveness. Fearing the effect of the bills upon the people, they were ord
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Confederation, articles of (search)
d perpetual union. Know ye that we, the undersigned delegates, by virtue of the power and authority to us given for that purpose, do by these presents, in the name and in behalf of our respective constituents, fully and entirely ratify and confirm each and every one of the said Articles of Confederation and perpetual union, and all and singular the matters and things therein contained. And we do further solemnly plight and engage the faith of our respective constituents, that they shall abide by the determinations of the United States in Congress assembled, on all questions, which by the said confederation are submitted to them. And that the articles thereof shall be inviolably observed by the States we respectively represent, and that the union shall be perpetual. In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands in Congress. Done at Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, the 9th day of July, in the year of our Lord, 1778, and in the 3d year of the Independence of America.
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Congress, Continental (search)
en members from the North spoke freely of the evils of slavery, a member from South Carolina declared that if property in slaves should be questioned, there must be an end to the confederation. So, in the convention that framed the national Constitution, that instrument could not have received the sanction of a majority of the convention had the immediate abolition of the slavetrade been insisted upon. Soon after the arrival of Gerard, the first French minister, at Philadelphia, he wrote (1778) to Vergennes: The States of the South and of the North, under existing subjects of estrangement and division, are two distinct parties, which, at present, count but few deserters. The division is attributed to moral and philosophical causes. The sessions of the Continental Congress were opened at the following times and places: Sept. 5, 1774, Philadelphia; May 10, 1775, ditto; Dec. 20, 1776, Baltimore; March 4, 1777, Philadelphia; Sept. 27, 1777, Lancaster, Pa.; Sept. 30, 1777, York, Pa.
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