Military officer; born in
Boston, Mass., May 26, 1750; was engaged in mercantile and shipping business in early life.
Dr. Franklin was his great-uncle, and kindly received his nephew when in
England (1770-73), and intrusted him with the bearing of important letters and documents to
Massachusetts.
Visiting
France in 1777, he was appointed commercial agent of Congress, and in 1785 returned to the
United States and settled with
Franklin in
Philadelphia.
For several years he was judge of the court of common pleas in
Philadelphia.
In 1801 he was made a major of artillery and inspector of fortifications, and was appointed the first superintendent of the Military Academy at
West Point.
He was colonel of engineers from 1808 to 1812, and general of New York militia from 1812 to 1815.
He was a delegate in Congress from
Philadelphia in 1814, and was made vice-president of the American Philological Society.
He died in
Philadelphia, May 16, 1815.
