Folsom, Nathaniel, 1726-1790

Name Entries

Information

person

Name Entries *

Folsom, Nathaniel, 1726-1790

Computed Name Heading

Name Components

Surname :

Folsom

Forename :

Nathaniel

Date :

1726-1790

eng

Latn

authorizedForm

rda

Genders

Male

Exist Dates

Exist Dates - Date Range

1726-09-28

1726-09-28

Birth

1790-05-26

1790-05-26

Death

Show Fuzzy Range Fields

Biographical History

Nathaniel Folsom (September 28, 1726 – May 26, 1790) was an American merchant and statesman. He was a delegate for New Hampshire in the Continental Congress in 1774 and 1777 to 1780, signing the Continental Association. He served as major general of the New Hampshire Militia during the American Revolutionary War and is a Founding Father of the United States.

Born in Exeter in the Province of New Hampshire, Folsom went to work for a merchant after the death of his father. He invested in timber and opened a sawmill. Then in 1761, he went into business with some distant cousins, Joseph and Josiah Gilman. They became Folsom, Gilman & Gilman and opened a general store, built ships, and carried on an import/export business. The firm operated in Exeter and Portsmouth. Though the partners separated in 1768, Folsom continued in foreign commerce, timber, and lumber operations for the rest of his life. During the French and Indian War he was captain of a company in the New Hampshire Provincial Regiment during the Crown Point expedition led by Sir William Johnson in 1755. Folsom went on to become a colonel of the Fourth Regiment of New Hampshire Militia. During the Revolutionary War, Folsom served as the senior officer for militia forces within New Hampshire. He was later named a major general, and continued recruiting, training, and supply efforts throughout the war.

Folsom had served several years as moderator of the town meetings at Exeter. When the revolutionary Provincial Congress first met on July 21, 1774, he was a delegate. The Provincial Congress named him their delegate to the First Continental Congress that met in Philadelphia, during which he was a signatory to the Continental Association. In 1775, Folsom continued his service in the provincial congress, as he would do until 1783. In 1783, he became the chief judge in the common pleas court. That same year he went to, and presided over, the state's constitutional convention. When a constitution was adopted, as president of the convention, he wrote a cover letter, then forwarded it to the towns for ratification. Ironically, one problem addressed by the constitution was to limit the number of offices held by one man. Folsom thus resigned from the Assembly, as head of the militia, and from the Governor's Council. He held the position of chief judge in Rockingham County until his death in Exeter. He is buried in Exeter's Winter Street Cemetery.

eng

Latn

External Related CPF

https://viaf.org/viaf/41187962

https://www.worldcat.org/identities/lccn-n2001065891

https://id.loc.gov/authorities/n2001065891

https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q6969615

Other Entity IDs (Same As)

Sources

Loading ...

Resource Relations

Loading ...

Internal CPF Relations

Loading ...

Languages Used

eng

Latn

Subjects

Nationalities

Britons

Americans

Activities

Occupations

Army officers

Delegates, U.S. Continental Congress

Jurists

Merchants

Militia officers

Millers

State Representative

Legal Statuses

Places

Exeter

NH, US

AssociatedPlace

Birth

Exeter

NH, US

AssociatedPlace

Death

Convention Declarations

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

General Contexts

Structure or Genealogies

Mandates

Identity Constellation Identifier(s)

w6ck95jr

87397095