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Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Acquisition of Territory. (search)
Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. The boundaries of many of these States, as constituted by their charters, extended to the Pacific Ocean; but in practice they ceased at the Mississippi. Beyond that river the territory belonged, by discovery and settlement, to the-King of Spain. All the territory west of the present boundaries of the States was ceded by them to the United States in the order named: Virginia, 1784: Massachusetts, 1785; Connecticut, 1786 and 1800; South Carolina, 1787; North Carolina, 1790: Georgia, 1802. This ceded territory comprised part of Minnesota, all of Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio (see Northwest Territory), Tennessee, and a great part of Alabama and Mississippi. Vermont was admitted as a separate State in 1791; Kentucky, then a part of Virginia, in 1792; and Maine, till that time claimed by Massachusetts, in 1820.
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), At Lee, Samuel John, 1738-1786 (search)
At Lee, Samuel John, 1738-1786 Military officer; born in Pennsylvania, in 1738. He commanded a company of Pennsylvanians in the French and Indian War. Entering the Continental army, Pennsylvania line, he commanded a battalion in the battle of Long Island, Aug. 27, 1776, where he was made prisoner and remained some time in the hands of the British. Afterwards he was appointed a commissioner to treat with the Indians. He was a member of the Continental Congress from 1778 to 1782. He died in Philadelphia, November, 1786.
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Belknap, Jeremy, 1744- (search)
Belknap, Jeremy, 1744- Clergyman; born in Boston, June 4, 1744; was graduated at Harvard College in 1762; studied theology; taught school four years; was pastor of a church in Dover. N. H., from 1767 to 1786, and of the Federal Street Church, in Boston, from April 4, 1787, until his death. June 20, 1798. He founded the Massachusetts Historical Society; was an overseer of Harvard College; was a patriot during the war for independence, an opponent of African slavery, and a promoter of literature and science. He published a History of New Hampshire, 3 volumes (1784-92); a collection of Psalms and hymns (1795); The Foresters, a work of wit and humor (1792); American biography, 2 volumes (1794-98), besides sermons and other religious-writings.
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Blount, William, 1744-1800 (search)
Blount, William, 1744-1800 Statesman; born in North Carolina, in 1744; was a delegate to the Continental Congress in 1782-83, 1786, and 1787; and was a member of the convention that framed the national Constitution. In 1790 he was appointed governor of the territory south of the Ohio. (See Northwestern Territory.) He was president of the convention that formed the State of Tennessee in 1796, and was chosen the first United States Senator from the new State. Blount was impeached in 1797 by the House of Representatives, charged with having intrigued, while territorial governor, to transfer New Orleans and neighboring districts (then belonging to Spain) to Great Britain by means of a joint expedition of Englishmen and Creek and Cherokee Indians. He was expelled from the Senate, and the process was discontinued in the House. His popularity in Tennessee was increased by these proceedings, and he became, by the voice of the people, a State Senator and president of that body. He di
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Boyd, John Parker, 1764- (search)
Boyd, John Parker, 1764- Military officer; born in Newburyport, Mass., Dec. 21, 1764; entered the military service of the United States in 1786, but soon afterwards went to the East Indies and entered the Mahratta service, in which he rose to the rank of commander, and at one time led 10,000 men. He first raised three battalions of 500 men each, with a few English officers, whom, as well as his men, he hired, at a certain amount a month, to any of the Indian princes who needed their services. Their equipment, including guns and elephants, was at, his own expense. He was at one time in the pay of Holkar, in the Peishwa's service, and afterwards John Parker Boyd. in that of Nizam Ali Khan. Arriving at Madras in July, 1789, he was given, by the ruler, the command of 10,000) men. When demands for his services almost ceased, he sold out and went to Paris. In 1808 he returned to the United States, and re-entered the army as colonel of the 4th Infantry on Oct. 7 of that year. In
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Brant, Joseph, (search)
s were willing to agree to unconditional submission, the only terms which the imperial government would grant. Brant returned, but to find the Americans successful in many places, and determined to persevere. He took up arms for the British; and in the raids of Tories and Indians in central New York upon the patriotic inhabitants he was often a leader, holding the commission of colonel from the King of England. He prevailed on the Six Nations to make a permanent peace after the war; and in 1786 he went to England the second time, but then for the purpose of collecting funds to build a church on the Indian reservation on the Grand River, in Canada. This was the first church erected in the Upper Province. Brant did much to induce his people to engage in the arts of peace. He died on his estate at the head of Lake Ontario. Canada, Nov. 24, 1807. The remains of Brant rest beneath a handsome mausoleum near the church on the reservation on the Grand River, Canada. It was erected by
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Braxton, Carter, 1736-1797 (search)
Braxton, Carter, 1736-1797 A signer of the Declaration of Independence; born in Newington, Va., Sept. 10. 1736; was educated at the College of William and Mary in 1756, and resided in England until 1760. He was a distinguished member and patriot in the Virginia House of Burgesses in supporting the resolutions of Patrick Henry in 1765, and in subsequent assemblies dissolved by the governor. He remained in the Virginia Assembly until royal rule ceased in that colony, and was active in measures for defeating the schemes of Lord Dunmore. Braxton was in the convention at Richmond in 1775, for devising measures for the defence of the colony and the public good; and in December he became the successor of Peyton Randolph in Congress. He remained in that body to vote for and sign the Declaration of Independence. In 1786, after serving in the Virginia legislature, he became one of the executive council. He died in Richmond, Va., Oct. 10, 1797.
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Brown, Nicholas, 1769-1841 (search)
Brown, Nicholas, 1769-1841 Philanthropist; born in Providence, R. I.. April 4, 1769: son of Nicholas Brown, 1st; was graduated at Rhode Island College (afterwards Brown University in 1786; became a very successful merchant in 1791; was a member of the Rhode Island legislature, and giving money liberally to his alma mater, the name of Brown University was given to it. He gave in all about $100,000 to that college, and liberally patronized other institutions of learning. He gave nearly $10,000 to the Providence Athenaeum, and bequeathed $30,000 for an insane asylum in Providence. He died in Providence, Sept. 27, 1841.
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Burke, Edmund, 1730-1797 (search)
ricans. advocating their cause with rare eloquence. In 1771 he was appointed agent for the colony of New York. He lost some popularity by advocating the claims of the Roman Catholics in 1780, and opposing the policy of repressing the trade of Ireland. During the brief administration of the Rockingham ministry in 1782, he was a member of the privy council and paymaster of the forces. Taking a prominent part in the affairs in India, he began the prosecution of Gov. Warren Hastings early in 1786. His labors in behalf of India in that protracted trial were immense, though the conviction of Hastings was not effected. His great work entitled Reflections on the Revolution in France appeared in 1790. As a statesman and thinker and clear writer he had few superiors. His conversational powers were remarkable. and he was one of the suspected authors of the famous Letters of Junius. He died in Beaconsfield, England, July 9, 1797. Conciliation with the colonies. Burke's great conci
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Cadwalader, John 1742-1786 (search)
Cadwalader, John 1742-1786 Military officer; born in Philadelphia, Pa., Jan. 10, 1742; was an active patriot before the war for independence broke out. He was made colonel of one of the city battalions, and as a brigadier-general afterwards he was placed in command of the Pennsylvania militia, co-operating with Washington in the attack on Trenton, and participating in the battle of Princeton. He was in the battles of Brandywine, Germantown, and Monmouth. He challenged Gen. Thomas Conway to fight a duel because of offensive words the latter used towards Wash- John Cadwalader. ington. They fought, and Conway was badly wounded. After the war Cadwalader lived in Maryland, and was in its legislature. He died in Shrewsbury, Pa., Feb. 11, 1786.
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