Clymer, George, 1739-1813

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Name Entries *

Clymer, George, 1739-1813

Computed Name Heading

Name Components

Surname :

Clymer

Forename :

George

Date :

1739-1813

eng

Latn

authorizedForm

rda

Genders

Male

Exist Dates

Exist Dates - Date Range

1739-03-16

1739-03-16

Birth

1813-01-23

1813-01-23

Death

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Biographical History

George Clymer (March 16, 1739 – January 23, 1813) was an American politician and Founding Father of the United States, signing both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. Although fact-checkers claim he never held slaves, it would appear that Clymer held slaves as some point in his life. He was one of the first Patriots to advocate complete independence from Britain. He attended the Continental Congress and served in political office until the end of his life.

Born in Philadelphia, he was apprenticed to his maternal aunt and uncle, Hannah and William Coleman, to prepare to become a merchant. Clymer was a patriot and leader in the demonstrations in Philadelphia resulting from the Tea Act and the Stamp Act. Clymer accepted the command as a leader of a volunteer corps belonging to General John Cadwalader's brigade. In 1759, he was inducted as a member of the original American Philosophical Society. He became a member of the Philadelphia Committee of Safety in 1773 and was elected to the Continental Congress from 1776 to 1780. Clymer shared the responsibility of being treasurer of the Continental Congress with Michael Hillegas. He served on several committees during his first congressional term and was sent with Sampson Mathews to inspect the northern army at Fort Ticonderoga on behalf of Congress in the fall of 1776. When Congress fled Philadelphia in the face of Sir Henry Clinton's threatened occupation, Clymer stayed behind with George Walton and Robert Morris. Clymer’s business ventures during and after war served to increase his wealth. In 1779 and 1780, Clymer and his son Meredith engaged in a lucrative trade with Sint Eustatius. Although not partial to the merchant business, Clymer continued in business with his father-in-law and brother-in-law until 1782.

He resigned from Congress in 1777 and in 1780 was elected to a seat in the Pennsylvania Legislature. He was re-elected to the Pennsylvania legislature in 1784 and represented his state at the Constitutional Convention in 1787. He was elected to the first U.S. Congress in 1789. He was the first president of the Philadelphia Bank and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and vice-president of the Philadelphia Agricultural Society. When Congress passed a bill imposing a duty on spirits distilled in the United States in 1791, Clymer was placed as head of the excise department in the state of Pennsylvania. He was also one of the commissioners to negotiate a treaty with the Creek Indian confederacy at Colerain, Georgia on June 29, 1796.

In retirement, Clymer was elected first president of Philadelphia Bank, first president of the Philadelphia Academy of Fine Arts, and vice-president of the Philadelphia Agricultural Society. He held all of these posts until his death in January of 1813. He was buried at the Friends Burying Ground in Trenton, New Jersey.

eng

Latn

External Related CPF

https://viaf.org/viaf/53003719

https://www.worldcat.org/identities/lccn-n81024896

https://id.loc.gov/authorities/n81024896

https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q708913

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Languages Used

eng

Latn

Subjects

Education

Business and Skilled Trades

Constitutional history

Estate

Finance, Personal

Land and Speculation

Marriage and Family Life

Patents

Power of attorney

Taxation

Trust indentures

Whiskey Rebellion, Pa., 1794

Nationalities

Britons

Americans

Activities

Occupations

Businessmen

Delegates, U.S. Continental Congress

Merchants

Representatives, U.S. Congress

Legal Statuses

Places

Philadelphia

PA, US

AssociatedPlace

Birth

Convention Declarations

<conventionDeclaration><citation>VIAF</citation></conventionDeclaration>

General Contexts

Structure or Genealogies

Mandates

Identity Constellation Identifier(s)

w6r032xq

87319924