Richard Peters (priest)
Johann Philipp | |
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Born | 1704 |
Died | 10 July 1776 | (aged 71–72)
Richard Peters (1704 – July 10, 1776), was an attorney, Anglican minister, and civil servant. In 1735, he emigrated to Pennsylvania, where he served in numerous posts for the
Early life and education
Richard Peters was born in
Marriage and family
Peters married a servant girl of Westminster. They later separated.
In 1734, believing that his first wife was dead, Peters remarried. A bigamy scandal arose when his first wife reappeared. The following year, he emigrated from Liverpool to exile in the colonies, settling in Philadelphia.[1] His brother William Peters also immigrated to Philadelphia.[3]
Emigration and years in Philadelphia
Peters became an assistant at Christ Church in
In 1754, Peters was among several men appointed to the Pennsylvania delegation for the Albany Congress, a meeting in Albany, New York of more than 20 colonial representatives to discuss plans for defense in the face of French threat in the Seven Years' War, which front in North America was known as the French and Indian War.[1] He recommended adoption of Benjamin Franklin's Albany Plan, an early proposal to create a unified colonial government. It was rejected by colonial assemblies and the British Board of Trade alike.
In 1762, Peters retired from the proprietary offices to his "Belmont" estate, as he made a sufficient fortune.[1] He was called as rector of Christ Church, and served until his health forced him to resign in September 1775. Throughout these years, he was active in many religious, civic, and educational affairs.
He was the first person Benjamin Franklin spoke with (in 1743) about establishing a public academy. Six years later, Franklin enlisted Peters to be part of initial founding board of trustees for the
Peters also served as a director of the Library Company of Philadelphia (1750-1764), a manager of Pennsylvania Hospital (1751–1752), and a member of the American Philosophical Society (1769–1776).[6]
Peters died in Philadelphia in 1776.
His brother William had also emigrated to Pennsylvania. He named his son Richard after his brother; the boy was later known as Richard Peters Jr. to distinguish him from his uncle. Richard Peters Jr. (1744-1828) would represent Pennsylvania in the Continental Congress and later was appointed as a U.S. District Court judge in Philadelphia.
References
- ^ a b c d e Penn Biographies: "Rev. Richard Peters" (1704-1776), University of Pennsylvania, Archives and Records Center, 1995-2012, accessed 8 November 2012
- Alumni Oxonienses: the Members of the University of Oxford, 1715–1886. Oxford: Parker and Co – via Wikisource.
- ^ a b "Richard Peters".
- ^ accessed October 21, 2021 Penn Biographies: "Rev. Richard Peters" (1704-1776), University of Pennsylvania, Archives and Records Center, 1995-2012,
- ^ "Richard Peters". archives.upenn.edu. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
- ^ "Richard Peters".
- Cummings, Hubertis Maurice. Richard Peters, Provincial Secretary and Cleric, 1704-1776, University of Pennsylvania Press, 1944.
External links
- Media related to Richard Peters (priest) at Wikimedia Commons
- Penn Biographies: "Rev. Richard Peters" (1704-1776), University of Pennsylvania Archives and Records Center