Mauduit, Jasper

Jasper Mauduit, who served as colonial agent in London for the Province of Massachusetts Bay from 1762 to 1765, was the son of Isaac Mauduit (1662/3-1718) and Elizabeth Mauduit (1671/2-1713). The years of his birth and death are not known. He was a prosperous woolen-draper and owned a business on Lime Street in London, called Mauduit and Company, with his brother Israel Mauduit (1708-1787) and his son-in-law, James Wright. They conducted active business in Virginia and were financially successful. In April 1762, Mauduit was appointed as colonial agent for the Province of Massachusetts Bay and served in that role until January 24, 1765, when he was replaced by agent Richard Jackson. He had asked to be relieved of his post in 1764, due to ill health. The most important issues to arise during Mauduit's tenure were the Sugar Act and the Stamp Act, revenue bills brought in by George Grenville which were highly unpopular in the colonies. Mauduit was widely considered ill-suited for the post of colonial agent, and John Adams wrote in his diary that Mauduit was: "a woollen draper, a mere cit[izen]; so ignorant of court and public business, that he knew not where the public offices were and that he told Mr. Bollan that he was agent for New England." Regardless of his aptitude as colonial agent, Mauduit was unquestionably helpful towards Harvard College in the procurement of books and purchasing funds in the wake of the 1764 fire that had devastated the College library.