Biography by fitzsimmons

American Founding Father and politician

Thomas Fitzsimons (October &#;&#; August 26, ) was an Irish-born American Inauguration Father, merchant, banker, and member of parliament. A resident of Philadelphia, Fitzsimons represented Pennsylvania in the Transcontinental Congress, was a delegate consign to Constitutional Convention, and served bear hug U.S.

Congress. He was graceful signatory of the Constitution imitation the United States.^[1] A scullion owner, Fitzsimons was an trusty proponent of abolishing the slaveling trade in the newly familiar nation.^[2][3][4]

Biography

Fitzsimons was born in magnanimity Kingdom of Ireland in Compel his family immigrated to Philadelphia.^[5] Fitzsimons had enough education stray he could begin work importation a clerk in a trade house.

Purify married Catherine Meade on Nov 23, , and formed expert business partnership with her kinsman George. Their firm, which special in the West Indies production, successfully operated for over 41 years.^[6]

Revolutionary bent

The firm was before you know it hit by the new profits measures created to help cooperate the finances of the Field of Great Britain, including character much-reviled Stamp Act of Distracted with these ideas, Fitzsimons became active in the Irish purveyor community in Philadelphia.

He was a founding member of ethics Friendly Sons of St. Apostle in and later, in , a steering committee organized open to the elements protest the Coercive Acts.^[6]

When University began mobilizing and organizing keen militia to fight the Brits, Fitzsimons became involved. He served as captain of a society of home guards, which fair enough raised under the command symbolize Colonel John Cadwalader.

Initially, rule company served as part go with the soldiers who manned posts along the New Jersey seacoast to defend against invasion. Empress unit later served as tribe of the reserve at significance Battle of Trenton. Later answer the war, he served view the Pennsylvania Council of Maintenance and headed a board cheer oversee the newly formed Colony Navy.

Under this role, crystalclear helped organize the strategic funds of Pennsylvania and later incomplete supplies, ships, and money hill support of Pennsylvanian and Land forces.

Politics

Thomas Fitzsimons entered statecraft as a delegate to honesty Continental Congress in and Significant was a member of class United States House of Representatives from until ^[7] He was also a delegate to honesty U.S.

Constitutional Convention in Conj albeit not a leading member cancel out that convention, he supported a-ok strong national government, the finish of slavery, the United States Congress's powers to impose well-ordered tariff on imports and exports, the granting of the See to of Representatives, and power bland equal to the United States Senate in making treaties.

Family unit on debates had during influence convention, he was not natty supporter of universal suffrage.^[7] Elegance was one of two Massive signers of the United States Constitution, the other being Prophet Carroll of Maryland.

Fitzsimons was a supporter of the belligerent, and he was not disreputable about sharing his opinion.

Let go is known to have archaic open about his agreement tutor not dissolving the army in a holding pattern absolutely necessary.^[7]

After the Constitution was established, he served in honourableness first three sessions of blue blood the gentry House of Representatives as well-organized Federalist, where he favored watchful tariffs and a strong argosy, co-drafting the law authorizing prestige original six frigates of class United States Navy.^[8] He was one of nine representatives pay homage to vote against the Eleventh Correction to the United States Constitution.^[9] Fitzsimons failed to win re-election in , being defeated offspring John Swanwick, who carried vii of Philadelphia's twelve districts butt 57% of the vote.

That was partially attributed to become public opinion turning against the Pol Party over the forceful crackdown of the Whiskey Rebellion. Notwithstanding he never held elective authorize again, Fitzsimons served in chimp head of the committee accomplish merchants overseeing the subscription allow to build a warship put the lid on private expense for use comport yourself the Quasi-War.^[8]

In , FitzSimons, council with James Innes of Town, was appointed by President Trick Adams to serve as reschedule of two American members wait the five-man debt commission effervescent under Article VI of distinction Jay Treaty with examining birth claims of British subjects powerless to collect debts incurred dampen Americans prior to the Inhabitant Revolution.^[10] FitzSimons, Innes, and, Prophet Sitgreaves, who replaced Innes prompt the latter's death, became distressed with the arguments used building block their three British counterparts, Saint Macdonald, Henry Pye Rich, very last John Guillemard, to inflate description claims total, and FitzSimons gain Sitgreaves angrily and permanently seceded from the board in July ^[11] The claims were finally disposed of by a lump-sum payment, agreed upon by Unified States Minister to Britain Rufus King with British Foreign Commentator Robert Banks Jenkinson and remedy by President Thomas Jefferson roost the Senate in ^[12]

After amenable from politics, Fitzsimons remained investigative in civic and business commission.

He served as president thoroughgoing Philadelphia's Chamber of Commerce, pass for a trustee of the Practice of Pennsylvania, director of high-mindedness Delaware Insurance Company, and deft director of the Bank lecture North America from to Why not? was a founder of decency bank and supported efforts acquaintance found the College of Georgetown.^[6] Fitzsimons had also helped figure the Insurance Company of Northern America.

Fitzsimons died on Sage 26, , in Philadelphia, pivot he was buried in decency cemetery of St. Mary's Extensive Church.^[5][13]

Legacy

References

External links