NEW HAMPSHIRE IN THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS. 275
��NEW HAMPSHIRE IN THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS AND IN THE CONGRESS OF THE CONFEDERATION.
��BY W. F. WHTTCHER, A. M.
��Eew if any of the original thirteen states had an abler or more influential representation in the various Continent- al Congresses by which the war of the Revolution was directed, than New Hampshire, a representation which was continued, in point of ability and influence in the various congresses which met under the Articles of Con- federation, until the Constitution was adopted, and the first congress met at New York in 1 789. From the meeting of the first Continental Con- gress, at Philadelphia, September 5, 1774. to the adjournment of the last congress under the Confederation, at New York city, October 21, 17S8. New Hampshire was represented by eighteen of her wisest and most prom- inent men. Several of these, as for in- stance Nathaniel Folsom, John Lang- don, Samuel Livermore and John Sullivan, served for several terms, hav- ing been engaged in other patriotic service in the intervals between their terms of service. The following brief sketch, gleaned from different historical and biographical sources, chieflv from Poore's Political Register, of the life and services of each of these repre- sentatives, may prove of interest to the readers of the Granite Monthly, as showing the character of those en- gaged in the first and critical struggle for national life and unity. When the first Continental Congress met at Philadelphia, September 5, 1774, New Hampshire had two representatives, Nathaniel Folsom and John Sullivan.
Nathaniel Folsom was a native of the state, and was born at Exeter, September 18, 1726. His education- al advantages were simply those of the public schools of the time, but he early evinced ability which gave him prominence in the affairs of the prov-
��ince. In the so called Seven Years' War he served as captain in the well- known regiment commanded by Col. Blanchard. He was active in militia affairs, and was connected with the Fourth Regiment, being successively major, lieutenant-colonel and colonel, in which capacity he commanded the regiment at the out-break of the Rev- olution. He was a delegate to the first Continental Congress, and at- tended the session at Philadelphia. In April, 1775, he was appointed by the Convention of New Hampshire brig- adier-general to command the state troops sent to Massachusetts, and in this command he served during the seige of Boston. He was subsequent- ly promoted to the rank of major-gen- eral, and had the charge of detailing the troops sent from the state to Ti- conderoga. He was again a delegate to the congresses which met at Lan- caster, Penn., Philadelphia, York, and Philadelphia, serving the whole time in the first three of these congresses, and about a year, 1779-80 in the last. In each of these he was regarded as a valuable member. In 1778 he was a member of the New Hampshire exec- utive council, and was the president of the state constitutional convention which prepared the first constitution of the state in 1783. He died at Ex- eter, where, for the greater part of his life, he had his home, May 26, 1790.
John Sullivan, one of the best known of the patriot leaders of New Hampshire in the Revolutionary pe- riod, was of Irish descent, his father, John O'Sullivan, having for a long number of years followed the calling of a school teacher in New Hamp- shire and Massachusetts. John was born at Dover, February 17, 1741, and was educated by his father, like
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