Laurens, Henry, 1724-1792
Variant namesBiographical notes:
Charleston, S.C. merchant, plantation owner, and politician. In June 1775 Laurens became president of the first Provincial Congress.
From the description of Correspondence, 1775. (The South Carolina Historical Society). WorldCat record id: 37521798
American politician.
From the description of Autograph letter signed : Charleston, S. C., to an unidentified recipient, 1762 Sept. 1. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270871270
Henry Laurens was a merchant; he was elected to the American Philosophical Society in 1772.
From the guide to the Henry Laurens papers, 1747-1882, 1747-1882, (American Philosophical Society)
Charleston, S.C. merchant, planter, and member of the Continental Congress.
From the description of Papers, 1777-1792. (Duke University Library). WorldCat record id: 36668709
Charleston, S.C. merchant, plantation owner, South Carolina state legislator, U.S. Continental Congressman, and U.S. diplomat.
From the description of Henry Laurens papers, 1747-1860. (The South Carolina Historical Society). WorldCat record id: 36793991
Henry Laurens (1724-1792), South Carolina merchant-planter, was president of the Continental Congress, 1777-1779.
From the description of Henry Laurens papers, 1769-1792. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122576008
From the guide to the Henry Laurens papers, 1769-1792, (The New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division.)
Revolutionary statesman.
From the description of Autograph letter signed : Philadelphia, to Benjamin Lincoln, 1778 Nov. 16. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270864530
President of the Continental Congress.
From the description of Signature to a contemporary copy of the Articles of confederation, 1781 Mar. 1 / by the Continental Congress. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270599201
From the description of Autograph letter signed : Charlestown, to Wm. Fisher, 1762 July 26. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270595640
From the description of Autograph letter signed : Charlestown, South Carolina, to Capt. George Forten, 1766 Apr. 23. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270595643
From the description of Autograph letter signed : Charleston, South Carolina, to the Rev. Doctor Price, 1785 Feb. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270595646
Merchant, plantation owner, state legislator, member of the Continential Congress, and diplomat, of Charleston, S.C.
From the description of Henry Laurens papers, 1747-1860. (The South Carolina Historical Society). WorldCat record id: 70971817
Merchant, planter, and legislator in the U.S. Continental Congress; of Charleston, S.C.
From the description of Public papers of Henry Laurens [manuscript], 1777-1780. (University of Virginia). WorldCat record id: 647854370
From the description of Public papers, 1777-1780. (University of Virginia). WorldCat record id: 32959926
American statesman and member of the Continental Congress from Charleston, South Carolina.
From the description of Diary, 1772-1773. (New York University, Group Batchload). WorldCat record id: 58759572
South Carolina merchant, planter, Revolutionary statesman, and diplomat.
From the description of Papers of Henry Laurens, 1747-1882. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 71069007
President of the continental congress.
From the description of Autograph signature to statement : York Town, 1778 Feb. 20. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270598750
From the description of Autograph letter signed : Philadelphia, to the right hon. the Earl of Stirling, 1778 Nov. 29. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270597132
South Carolina politician; member of Continental Congress 1777-1779 (president 1777-1778), U.S. minister to Holland 1779, unofficial minister to Britain 1782-1783.
From the description of ALS : Charleston, S.C., to John Houston, 1779 Dec. 16. (Rosenbach Museum & Library). WorldCat record id: 122690080
Henry Laurens was a merchant. He was elected to the American Philosophical Society in 1772.
From the description of Papers, 1747-1882. (American Philosophical Society Library). WorldCat record id: 86165452
Henry Laurens' grandparents came to America from France in the late 17th century. The Laurens family settled in New York. Henry's father, John Laurens (also known as Jean Samuel Laurens) married Esther Grasset in 1715 or 1716. At around that time the Laurens family moved from New York to Charleston, South Carolina, where Henry Laurens was born in 1724. As the third child and the eldest son, Henry had a place of distinction in his family and was made the executor of his father's estate upon his death in 1747.
After a brief stint in London to become acquainted with the business world, Laurens settled himself in South Carolina, where he grew his business empire and became a respected merchant, trading with England and the West Indies. He also ran a large plantation on the Cooper River and was the owner of 300 slaves, and he purchased slaves from Africa and traded them in the colonies. In the 1750s Laurens held a number of local offices, and then served in the House of Assembly for much of the 1760s. When his wife Eleanor (nee Ball), whom he had married in 1750, died in 1770, he stepped away from his business pursuits and concentrated on the education of his children . While in England arranging for their schooling, Laurens became active in attempting to address some of the colonies' grievances with England.
In 1775 he was elected to the South Carolina Provincial Congress, and in 1777 he was elected to the Continental Congress, serving as its president from 1777 to 1778. Following his election to the post of Minister to Holland in 1779, Laurens sailed to Europe but was captured by the British and imprisoned in the Tower of London until the end of 1781. Following his release (in exchange for Lord Cornwallis), Laurens signed the preliminary version of the Treaty of Paris in 1782, and then returned home to South Carolina, where he had barely visited since 1777.
Although he was elected and/or appointed to various political offices, Laurens retired from public life in 1784 and lived on his plantation until his death in 1792.
From the description of Henry Laurens papers, 1762-1780. (Historical Society of Pennsylvania). WorldCat record id: 81545318
Plantation owner and merchant. Born in Charleston, South Carolina, Henry Laurens spent three years in England as a clerk for James Crokatt, a London merchant. In 1749 he became a partner in the Charleston firm Austin & Laurens, which became became Austin, Laurens & Appleby in 1759, dissolving in 1762. Laurens, who made a fortune in the slave and rice trades and held a number of local offices, first served in the Royal Assembly in 1757. For three years beginning in 1771 Laurens was abroad seeing to the education of his three sons. He later served in the Provincial Congress and the General Assembly.
Laurens was elected president of the Continental Congress in 1777. In 1780 while on route to the Netherlands to negotiate a treaty, Laurens was captured by the British and imprisoned in the Tower of London on a charge of high treason. After his bond was paid Laurens was exchanged for Lord Cornwallis. Among his plantations were Mepkin, New Hope, Broughton Island, Mount Tacitus, tracts in Georgia, Wright's Savannah plantation, and tracts at Long Canes (S.C.).
From the description of Henry Laurens account book, 1766-1773. (College of Charleston). WorldCat record id: 31739926
American Peace Commissioner.
Born in Charleston, S. C. ,1724; became clerk in a countinghouse in Charleston, later in London; returned to U.S. & engaged in business; vice-pres. of S.C. ,1776; delegate & pres of Continental congr., 1777-78; minister to Holland, 1779; with B. Franklin in Paris signed prelim. of treaty with England, Nov.30,1782; ret. to Charleston & occupied in agriculture; died there, Dec. 8,1792: (First case of cremation in the United States.) (from Appleton, with portr.) (blue index cards)
From the description of Henry Laurens correspondence, 1782-1783 (Detroit Public Library). WorldCat record id: 422720470
Henry Laurens (1724-1792) was a native of Charleston, S.C. Laurens served as President of the Continental Congress from 1777 to 1778.
John Laurens (1754-1782), the eldest surviving son of Henry Laurens and Eleanor Ball, was born in Charleston, S.C. Against his father's wishes, John Laurens joined the Continental Army under George Washington in 1777.
- Sources
- Biographical Dictionary of the United States Congress. "Laurens, Henry, (1724-1792)." Accessed February 24, 2011. http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=L000121
From the guide to the Henry and John Laurens papers, 1773-1790, (Brooklyn Historical Society)
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Subjects:
- Publishers and publishing
- Account books
- Carriage and wagon making
- Carriages and carts
- Cherokee Indians
- Chickasaw Indians
- Creek Indians
- Diplomats
- Finance, Public
- Hide and skins
- Indians of North America
- Indians of North America
- Indians of North America
- Indians of North America
- Indigo
- Indigo industry
- Merchants
- Monetary policy
- Pardon
- Passports
- Plantations
- Prisoners
- Prisoners
- Retail trade
- Rice trade
- Saratoga Campaign, N.Y., 1777
- Shipping
- Slaves
- Slave trade
- Statesmen
- Tower of London (London, England)
- United States. Congress
- Whites
Occupations:
- Diplomats
- Diplomats
- Legislators
- Legislators
- Merchants
- Merchants
- Plantation owners
- Plantation owners
- Statesmen
Places:
- South Carolina (as recorded)
- United States (as recorded)
- United States (as recorded)
- United States (as recorded)
- South Carolina (as recorded)
- United States (as recorded)
- England--London (as recorded)
- South Carolina (as recorded)
- Mepkin Plantation (Berkeley County, S.C.) (as recorded)
- South Carolina (as recorded)
- France (as recorded)
- England (as recorded)
- United States |x Politics and government |y Revolution, 1775-1783 (as recorded)
- Wright's Savannah Plantation (S.C.) (as recorded)
- East Florida (as recorded)
- United States (as recorded)
- South Carolina (as recorded)
- South Carolina--Charleston (as recorded)
- United States (as recorded)
- United States (as recorded)
- Wambaw Plantation (Berkeley County, S.C.) (as recorded)
- United States |x History |y Revolution, 1775-1783 (as recorded)
- New Hope Plantation (Ga.) (as recorded)
- South Carolina (as recorded)
- Broughton Island Plantation (Ga.) (as recorded)
- England (as recorded)
- Georgia (as recorded)
- United States (as recorded)
- South Carolina (as recorded)
- Charleston (S.C.) (as recorded)
- United States (as recorded)
- United States (as recorded)
- France (as recorded)
- Pennsylvania--Philadelphia (as recorded)
- France (as recorded)
- United States (as recorded)
- South Carolina (as recorded)
- United States (as recorded)
- United States (as recorded)
