Fitzsimons, Thomas, 1741-1811

Thomas Fitzsimons (October 1741 – August 26, 1811) was an Irish-American merchant, slaveholder, and statesman from Philadelphia. He represented Pennsylvania in the Continental Congress, the Constitutional Convention, and the United States House of Representatives. He was a signatory of the Constitution of the United States and is considered one of the Founding Fathers of the United States.

Born in the Kingdom of Ireland, his family immigrated to Philadelphia in the mid-1750s. Fitzsimons entered a mercantile house as a clerk there, later forming a business partnership with George Meade. Their firm, which specialized in the West Indies trade, successfully operated for over 41 years. When Pennsylvania began mobilizing and organizing a militia to fight the British, Fitzsimons was became involved. He served as captain of a company of home guards, which he raised under the command of Colonel John Caldwalader. Initially, his company served as part of the soldiers who manned posts along the New Jersey coast to defend against invasion. His unit later served as part of the reserve at the 1776 Battle of Trenton. Later in the war, he served on the Pennsylvania Council of Safety and headed a board to oversee the newly formed Pennsylvania Navy. Under this role, he helped organize the strategic resources of Pennsylvania and later provided supplies, ships, and money in support of Pennsylvanian and French forces.

...