Lovell, James, 1737-1814

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James Lovell (October 31, 1737 – July 14, 1814) was a Founding Father of the United States and an educator and statesman from Boston, Massachusetts. He was a delegate for Massachusetts to the Continental Congress from 1777 to 1782. He was a signatory to the Articles of Confederation.

Lovell was born in Boston and had his preparatory education at the Boston Latin School. Lovell then attended Harvard and graduated in 1756. He then joined his father and taught at the Latin School, while continuing his own studies. Lovell received a Master of Arts degree from Harvard in 1759. Father and son continued their work in the Latin School until it was closed in April 1775, during the Siege of Boston in the American Revolutionary War.

Following the Battle of Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775, the new military Governor William Howe, ordered the arrest of likely dissidents in Boston. Lovell was picked up in the sweep and spent nine months in the Boston Stone Jail. He was transported with the British fleet as a prisoner and taken to Halifax, Nova Scotia, where he spent nine months in the jail. After being exchanged, he was elected to be a delegate to the Continental Congress, to which he served until 1782. Lovell served effectively in the Congress during the six years that were critical to the American Revolution. He was particularly important as a long-term member of the Committee of Foreign Correspondence and that of Secret Correspondence. He signed the Articles of Confederation, endorsing them for Massachusetts on July 9, 1778. During his appointment to the Committee for Foreign Affairs, he created and implemented ciphers for the country.

After his term in Congress, Lovell returned to teaching but continued to hold various political offices. He was collector of taxes in Massachusetts from 1784 to 1788 and Customs Officer of Boston in 1778 and 1789. He was appointed as a naval officer of the port of Boston and Charlestown from 1789 and held that position until his death. He died in Windham, Maine (then part of Massachusetts) on July 14, 1814.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Putnam, Hiram. Putnam papers, 1780-1885. Smith College, Neilson Library
referencedIn Benjamin Franklin Papers Part 5 -- Letters to Franklin, 1779 December-1780 December American Philosophical Society
referencedIn Roberdeau, Daniel, 1727-1795. Papers, 1767-1791. Library of Congress
creatorOf Gerry-Townsend papers, 1675-1846. New York State Historical Documents Inventory
creatorOf Lee, Arthur, 1740-1792. Arthur Lee papers, 1741-1882 (inclusive), 1766-1787 (bulk). Houghton Library
creatorOf Lovell, James, 1737-1814. Letter, 1809 January 24, Boston, [Massachusetts] to [Thomas Jefferson], n.p. William & Mary Libraries
referencedIn Frederick M. Dearborn collection of military and political Americana, Part I: The Revolution and the Administration, 1669-1958. Houghton Library
creatorOf Lovell, James, 1737-1814. Oratio in funere vivi venerabilis Henrici Flynttj, Arm. habita in Sacello Holdeniano Coll. Harvard. Cantab. Novang. A Jacobo Lovell. A.M., Anglica Versione [per Ignotum] additâ. Harvard University Archives.
referencedIn Benjamin Franklin Papers Part 2 -- Letters to Franklin, 1777 January-1778 March American Philosophical Society
referencedIn Roberdeau, Daniel, 1727-1795. Daniel Roberdeau papers, 1767-1791. Library of Congress
referencedIn Franklin-Bache Papers, 1707-1799 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn Sparks, Jared, 1789-1866. Collection of documents concerning the American Revolution, 1740-1866 Houghton Library
referencedIn Washington Irving's Life of George Washington Volume VIII, miscellany, 1776-1816 Cornell University Library
creatorOf Gerry, Elbridge, 1744-1814. Elbridge Gerry papers II, 1770-1848. Massachusetts Historical Society
referencedIn Hiram Putnam Papers MS 56., 1780-1885 Mortimer Rare Book Room
referencedIn Gerry, Elbridge, 1744-1814. Elbridge Gerry papers, [1948]. New-York Historical Society
referencedIn Autograph File, L, 1641-1976. Houghton Library
referencedIn Palfrey family papers, 1713-1915 Houghton Library
referencedIn Benjamin Franklin Papers Part 4 -- Letters to Franklin, 1779 January-November American Philosophical Society
referencedIn Thomas Addis Emmet collection, 1483-1876 (bulk:1700-1800) New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
creatorOf Lowell, Charles, 1782-1861. Manuscripts, 1657-1853. Massachusetts Historical Society
referencedIn Benjamin Franklin Papers Part 14 -- Materials held at the University of Pennsylvania, 1705-1788 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn Sparks, Jared, 1789-1866. Jared Sparks collection of American manuscripts, 1582-1843 Houghton Library
creatorOf Lee, Arthur, 1740-1792. Letters of Arthur Lee, [manuscript] 1779-1789. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Lovell, James, 1737-1814. James Lovell papers, 1780. Library of Congress
referencedIn Langdon, John, 1741-1819. John Langdon, William Whipple, and Elwyn family papers, 1713-1965 (bulk 1761-1853). Portsmouth Athenaeum Library & Museum
referencedIn Papers of Joseph and William Whipple, 1717-1904 (inclusive), 1763-1814 (bulk). Houghton Library
referencedIn Du Ponceau, Peter Stephen, 1760-1844. Collection, 1781-1844 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn Dearborn, Henry, 1751-1829. Bill, 1810. Wisconsin Historical Society, Newspaper Project
creatorOf Lee, Richard Henry, 1732-1794. Letters of Richard Henry Lee [manuscript] 1777-1791. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Benjamin Franklin Papers Part 6 -- Letters to Franklin, 1781-1782 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn Peabody, Nathaniel, 1741-1823. Papers, 1767-1815. New Hampshire Historical Society Library
creatorOf Gerry, Elbridge, 1744-1814. Elbridge Gerry papers, 1772-1936, bulk: 1772-1814. Massachusetts Historical Society
creatorOf Lovell, James, 1737-1814. Letter, 1805 July 4, Boston, [Massachusetts] to "Philsopher of Monticello", [Thomas Jefferson], n.p. William & Mary Libraries
referencedIn Benjamin Franklin Papers Part 3 -- Letters to Franklin, 1778 April-December American Philosophical Society
referencedIn Houghton Library. Houghton Library printed book provenance file, L-Q. 1942. Houghton Library
creatorOf Lovell, James, 1737-1814. ALS, 1780 July 24 : [s.l.], to unknown. Copley Press, J S Copley Library
referencedIn Richard Henry Lee Papers, 1763-1823 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn United States. Continental Congress. Whipple/Traile family papers, 1751-1841. Portsmouth Athenaeum Library & Museum
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Bail, Hamilton Vaughan, person
alumnusOrAlumnaOf Boston Latin School (Boston, Mass.) corporateBody
associatedWith Dearborn, Frederick M. (Frederick Myers), b. 1876 person
associatedWith Dearborn, Henry, 1751-1829. person
associatedWith Du Ponceau, Peter Stephen, 1760-1844 person
associatedWith Emmet, Thomas Addis person
associatedWith Flynt, Henry, 1675-1760. person
associatedWith Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790 person
associatedWith Gerry, Elbridge, 1744-1814. person
alumnusOrAlumnaOf Harvard University corporateBody
associatedWith Houghton Library. person
associatedWith Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826, person
correspondedWith Langdon, John, 1741-1819. person
associatedWith Lee, Arthur, 1740-1792. person
associatedWith Lee, Richard Henry, 1732-1794. person
associatedWith Lowell, Charles, 1782-1861. person
associatedWith Mansfield, Isaac, 1750-1826, person
correspondedWith Palfrey family. family
correspondedWith Peabody, Nathaniel, 1741-1823. person
associatedWith Putnam, Hiram person
correspondedWith Roberdeau, Daniel, 1727-1795. person
associatedWith Sparks, Jared, 1789-1866 person
memberOf United States. Continental Congress corporateBody
associatedWith Whipple, Joseph, 1738-1816 person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Boston MA US
Cambridge MA US
Town of Windham ME US
Halifax 07 CA
Subject
Custom houses
Occupation
Teachers
Delegates, U.S. Continental Congress
Educators
School administrators
Activity

Person

Birth 1737-10-31

Death 1814-07-14

Male

Americans,

Britons

English,

Latin

Information

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