Cornelius Harnett
Cornelius Harnett | |
---|---|
Born | |
Died | April 20, 1781 | (aged 58)
Occupation | politician |
Spouse | Mary Hold |
Cornelius Harnett (April 10, 1723 – April 20, 1781) was an
Personal life
Harnett was born on April 10, 1723, to Cornelius and Elizabeth Harnett in
Harnett married Mary Holt where they lived on his second plantation, Poplar Grove, located in Scotts Hill, which is north of Wilmington.[6] During Harnett's political career, he maintained his relationship with his wife through letters.[7]
Harnett's death came about after being captured and "thrown across a horse like a sack of meal".[6] He was captured by the British upon their occupation of Wilmington in January 1781. His health steadily declined while imprisoned. He died April 20, 1781, shortly after being released on parole.
Political career
In 1750 Harnett became involved in public affairs when he was elected Wilmington town commissioner. He was appointed a justice of the peace for New Hanover County by Governor Gabriel Johnston. Harnett was elected to represent Wilmington in the Province of North Carolina House of Burgesses in 1754 and 1775.[8]
In 1765, Harnett became the chairman of the Sons of Liberty and was a leader in the resistance to the Stamp Act. In 1775–1776, he served as the first president of the North Carolina Provincial Council, or Council of safety, essentially the chief executive of the revolutionary state, although with limited powers. In 1776, he was excepted by Sir Henry Clinton from his proclamation of general amnesty. He was a member of the Continental Congress for 1777–1779. He is a signatory to the Articles of Confederation.
Harnett was delegate from Wilmington to the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th North Carolina Provincial Congress. He was a delegate from Brunswick County and Vice President of the Fifth North Carolina Provincial Congress.[9][10][11]
See also
Notes
- ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 150.
- ^ Lennon, Donald R. Lennon (1988). "Cornelius Harnett, Jr". NCPEDIA. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
- ^ "Cornelius Harnet". Adherents.com. Archived from the original on June 24, 2017. Retrieved October 22, 2019.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ Powell, William Stevens, ed. (1988). Dictionary of North Carolina Biography: H–K. Vol. 3. p. 37.
- ^ "The Education of Harnett | Cornelius Harnett". www.corneliusharnett.com. Retrieved October 2, 2015.
- ^ a b Lennon, Donald R. (1988). "Harnett, Cornelius, Jr. | NCpedia". ncpedia.org. Retrieved October 2, 2015.
- ^ "His Relationship with Mrs. Harnett | Cornelius Harnett". www.corneliusharnett.com. Retrieved October 2, 2015.
- ^ Lewis, J.D. "Royal Colony of North Carolina, 27th House of Burgesses". Carolana.com. Retrieved October 24, 2019.
- ^ Lewis, J.D. "2nd North Carolina Provincial Congress". The American Revolution in North Carolina. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
- ^ Lewis, J.D. "3rd North Carolina Provincial Congress". The American Revolution in North Carolina. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
- Lippincott, Grambo & Co. p. 83.
References
- ISBN 0-8369-5647-8).
- Connor, Robert D. W. Revolutionary Leaders of North Carolina, reprinted 1971 from 1916 edition. (ISBN 0-87152-063-X) Chapter 3: pp. 49–78.
- United States Congress. "Cornelius Harnett (id: H000218)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
External links
- Excerpt from "Dictionary of North Carolina Biography" (ISBN 0-8078-1918-2)
- Cornelius Harnett Letters, #311-z at the Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7189423/cornelius-harnett