3)

G en eral Nath an iel F o l som

AN A D DR ESS

D EL I ' ER E D

A ' R I L 8 , 19 0 8

' E F O R E T H E NE ' H AM ' S H I R E H I S T O R I CAL S O CI ET '

A H ENR' M . ' ' ER

GENE AL NATHANIEL F R OLSOM .

w h o m w orl d , There are m any men the does n ot call great, wh o by lives of uprightness and efficiency deserve well of their fellow- men an d leave behin d them records of public service faithfully performed which chall enge attention an d comman d

are h th e admiration . Such men substan ce of the state , the strength of the past , the hope of the future . They are more liable to be forgotten th an the brillian t few whose n ames e i illumine history , but they are n on the less essent al to the public welfare . They are those wh o keep the state true to its

wh o principles , the church faithful to its precepts an d lead the

ff r people to higher ideals an d more earn est e o t . We are met

- - to day to con sider the life work of such a man , Gen . Nathaniel

h i s Folsom , to commemorate service to our state , th e n ation ,

- an d to his fellow men . E The Folsom family was of good nglish stock . John Fol som , an ancestor of Gen . Nathaniel Folsom an d the first of

’ m D zl z m t this family to settle in A erica , came on the ship g of - E 1 6 8 a d Ipswich , ngland , in 3 , n foun d a home in Hingham ,

M assachusetts . Less th an two years before , he had married

th e M ary Gilman . Thus , even while in the mother country,

Fol s o m s families of the and th e Gilmans , both so distinguished

. E in , were associated He removed to xeter, 1 1 6 . F 0 this state , about 5 3 It is probable that others of th e som family accompanied h i m or emigrated about the same tim e as the records of the town of Exeter show th at Goodwin Fol 2

1 6 i n 1 6 6 2 som was on e of the selectmen in 5 9 an d a juryman .

Th e grandson of the emigrant , John Folsom , was Jon athan Fol E som , who was a farmer in xeter . He married Ann a, daughter

. of Nathaniel Ladd They had twelve children , on e of whom ,

i e n Nathan l Folsom , the subject of this address , was bor in 6 E 1 2 . xeter, New Hampshire , in 7 He was twice married . By d the first marriage there were six chil ren , and by the second ,

one , a daughter . h At the death of his father , Nat aniel was only fourteen

a years of age . The family was l rge and it became n ecessary

for each member of it to con tribute all possible for its support . He was soon apprenticed to a trade at which he worked for

several years , though later in life he was kn own as a merchan t . In 1 7 6 1 he formed a copartnersh ip with Joseph and Josiah

Gilman under the firm n ame of Folsom , Gilman Gilman . Th e duration of the firm was limited to seven years an d its

' objects were stated to be to keep a gen eral store o n a large ' scale , to build ships an d carry on foreign commerce . ’ In the days of young F ol s o m s early manhood the military i n w n spirit of the colony ran high and deeds of d ing ere freque t . I n common with the young men of his time he joined a militia

company at an early age , an d in its service un doubtedly developed that liking for military affairs which so largely

determined his public career . I have foun d n o record to show what offices he held in his company or regimen t prior to the

Cro wn Poin t E xpedition of 1 7 5 5 . The fact that he was as signed to the comman d of on e of th e ten companies con s ti tu t ’ ing New Hampshire s quota in that expeditio n is proof in i t self that h e must have held good rank an d excellen t reputation

in the military circles of the colony . His company consisted o f his n eighbors and acquai n tan ces i n Exeter an d adj oining Al town s . He marched with his men through the woods to ' E bany, New ork , and thence to Fort dward , where he j oin ed

the other New Hampshire troops . The men from our state s erved largely as rangers , which implies a knowledge of the

wiles and skill of Indian warfare . The French and Indian s attacked the Americans at Fort

n George, were repulsed an d their commander , Baro Dieskau , 3

l ' m ortal y wounded and taken prisoner . During th e day Cap tain Folsom was ordered to scout with his men in th e direction ’ n o f Lake George . About 4 o clock in the aftern oo he met the retreating Fren ch and In dians an d immediately scattered his

men according to the ranger system of fighting, protecting o them by trees an d other defences , leaving each man to sho t f ' when and as often as he could do so e fectively . nder his

immediate con m an d were th e eighty- four men of his own com

pany an d about on e h alf that n umber from New ' ork . They h fl maintain ed a s arp firing until dark, in icting great loss upon

ow n . re the enemy, though their loss was slight Then they

e turned to their camp bringing with them their wound d , several

a n d e prison ers , considerable supplies captured from the n emy .

; Hon Theodore Atkin son , secretary of the province of New

E s . Hampshire , in a letter to Joh n Tomlin son , q , relative to the

' E x ed iti on w rote : Crown Point p , In the engagement with Gen ’ eral Die skau about eighty of our men 'Captain F ol s o m s company — of eighty- four' with about forty ' orkers many of whom were —I of little service though others of them behaved well say, this small party under the command of Captain Folsom of New Hampshire it is thought killed more of the Canadians an d ’ Indians than was killed at General Johnson s camp ; they con tin ned an obstin ate engagemen t with more than on e thousan d —indeed all that retired from before Gen eral Johnson ’s camp — killed great n umbers of the enemy, recovered about twelve

off hun dred packs , beat the enemy , carried their own woun ded men to the camp . This engagement lasted about three hours , when night came o n and the French and Indians wen t off an d

e l ft all . After this our regimen t was ordered to the camp at Lake George and was never put upon duty but in the scouting

e way, which they performed in so acc ptable a way that n o duty n but that was required of them . General Johnso could or ' would have h ad n o intelligen c e had it n ot been for our men . ’ It is said of Captain F ol s o m s victory that it served more t ' han anything else to revive the spirit of the colonies .

This was the last active movemen t in this campaign . The regulars wen t into camp at Fort William Henry an d the New

Hampshire men returned home . 4

It does n ot appear that Captain Fol som engaged in any a c tive campaigning from this time until the outbreak of hostilitie s in the Revolutionary war . He was probably at home engaged H . e in his trade or in business , living an active but quiet life

1 6 did n ot, however, abandon his service in the militia for in 7 7

- he was promoted to be maj or, later to lieuten ant colonel an d. subsequently to be colonel of the Fourth New Hampshire regi ment , which command he probably contin ued to exercise until he was chosen brigadier - general by the Provincial congress E which met at xeter two days after the battle of Lexington . His duty was tersely stated to be to command the tr00ps that had gon e or m ight go ' from this govern ment to assist our suf feri n g brethren in the province of M assachusetts Bay, who are

r n n ow t o o s . a d to opposing the hostile violence of the regular p , m order for the troops that may be un der his command , fro

th e time to time , all necessary supplies an d to transmit to us earliest accounts thereof an d what may be thought furthe r

e u nec ssary for the s pport of the common cause .

‘ T h e n ext Provincial congress met on the 1 7 th of May fol

u lowing and proceeded to put th e colony pon a war basis .

O n 2 0th the of that month they voted to raise men ,

ee including those already en camped aroun d Boston . Thr days

E e later John Stark , James Reed , an d noch Poor were lected colon els an d Nathani el Folsom a brigadier - general to com man d the three regiments in the field an d all the troops raised by the state . This arrangemen t continued until the organization

v s of the Continental ser ice , which was enlisted for three year or during the war . Colonel Stark was then at M edford , with

800 m en d some under his comman . He was soon joined by

e e Colon l Re d and those of his regiment ready for duty . Colonel Poor remained i n New Hampshire with his men to

- defen d Portsmouth , the fron tier, and the sea coast . Colonels Stark and Reed participated i n the battle of Bun ker Hill and

e won laurels for the state . G neral Folsom remained at hom e attending to the details of his military comman d an d enco u r

was aging enlistments . He known by the militia better than

h i s any man in the state , and all had confiden ce in energy,

e int grity, patriotism , courage , and ability to organize thos e 5 s ubject to military duty an d to in duce them to volunteer for a — ctive service . He was first made a brigadier general , an d on t h e 0th 1 - 3 of June , 7 7 5 , was appointed a major gen eral by o resolve of the Provincial congress , an d his commissi n ante , d a th a th ated to the 4 of M ay . O n the 4 of August following he was designate d again to be the general officer over the m f ilitia of the colony . This position he filled e ficiently d uring t h e war . General Folsom was not at Bunker Hill . He was busy equipping the so ldiers an d preparing them for active an d f e ficien t service . He looked after the details which now would be performed by those in the quartermaster , commissary , an d o ener a l ffi rdn ance service , and was in truth the g military o cer f o the state . As an organizer and director he was respected a s well as obeyed . He arrived in Cambridge three days after ’ New the fight on Breed s Hill , an d assumed com man d of the

Hampshire troops ,

Of m en as ard ent and brave an d tru e ' n i n e n As ever la d its p ril ' ew .

I t was unfortun ate that Colonel Stark entertained a feeling o f eal hostility to him , based largely, if n ot altogether, upon j

u l o sy because Fo som outranked him . O ne can scarcely un der

e stan d why he should have claimed the pref rence, for in their prior service in battle Stark was a lieuten an t and Folsom a captain ; an d while Stark was n ot in the militia service of the colony at the commencemen t of hostilities , Folsom com man ded

n a regim ent , and though he was n ot present at the attacks upo

F 1 1 th ort William an d M ary on the 4 th and s of December,

1 n 7 7 4 , when the ews that th e fort had been assaulted reached

Ex eter, he hastily raised a considerable armed force an d

o n m arched to Portsmouth , where he arrived the morning of the 1 6 th of that month and with his men guarded the captured can non un til they could be taken at high tide into the country . H e an d his men formed th e escort for them u ntil they were s tored in a safe place . But whatever the person al merits of

f i n t al a m . hese brave men , the situation was g Stark was pop vu l ar with his men , an d had n eglected an d even refused to obey h m t e orders of General Folsom . General Folso showed great 6

f forbearance an d tried to conciliate C olon el Stark . His e forts

n th e having failed to bri g about proper disciplin e , he reported

2 1 facts to the Committee of Safety by letter dated Jun e 3 , 7 7 5 , ' ’ : in which he said I am well informed by M r . Stark s best friends that he does n ot inten d to be u nder any subordin atio n to any person appointed by the congress of New Hampshire to the general comman d of New Hampshire troops . I have tried all con ciliatory methods,both by person al conversatio n ff an d the mediation of friends but without e ect .

Gentlemen , it is , I trust , un necessary to hint to you that with out a proper subordin ation it will be absolutely impossible for

‘ ' e me to execute the trust you have repos d in me .

e h i s Fortunately, upon reflection , Colon l Stark recognized ffi duty as a military o cer, an d General Folsom , two days later, was happy to supplemen t his previous report by an other in

' 2 d which he said , In my letter of the 3 instant I informed you that Colonel Stark refused subordin ation to my orders . But yesterday he made such submission as induces me to desire to ' pass over said letter , so far as it relates to him , un noticed .

e n o t When Colonel Stark yield d , the past was disregarded if forgotten . Both General Folsom and Colonel Stark desired

- n an election as brigadier general by the Con tinental co gress .

The frien ds of each were active , pos sibly bitter, so congress ,

an d in consequence of this unfortun ate rivalry , set aside both

n elected , who was the a delegate in congress

New from Hampshire . General Folsom remained with the New Hampshire tr00p s

n before Boston less tha three months . When Gen eral S ullivan j oined the army, there appeared to be n o n ecessity for his con ti n u an ce h i s E in the field , an d he retired to home in xeter

h i s e e 'where wife had di d a sh ort time before , leaving a larg family), and devoted himself to th e public service in various capacities , bu t principally as comman der of the militia , improving i ts equipment an d disciplin e so that a considerable

a force could be available u pon a short n otice . The militi m comprised twelve regiments fully organized , an d from the were enlisted four regiments of minute men subject to orders to march at once . After the assumption of civil govern men t by New Hampshire the Provin cial congress passed an act for ' forming an d regulating the Militia within the State of New E d m Hampshire in New ngland . This act ivided the ilitia

— n into two classes the training ba d an d the alarm list . The training ban d included , with the ordinary exceptions , all able

1 6 0 bodied male person s in the state from to 5 . The alarm list in cluded all male person s n ot in the training ban d , or

1 6 otherwise excepted , from years of age to 6 5 . They could n ot be ordered out of their respective towns by an officer of less ran k than a colonel , but must once in every six mon ths appear with their arms an d accoutrements for inspection . Each volunteer of the train in g ban d was required to equip himself with a good firearm an d all other requirements of a E soldier . ach company was to m uster eight times a year, an d in addition the maj or- gen eral could order musters of the militi a

1 6 at his discretion . I n 7 7 the train ing band had men

o o enrolled . That year New Hampshire had g men in her fortifications an d n in e regiments un der arms—three regimen ts of regulars in the Con tinental army and six regiments held as e re nforcements . The remaining enrolmen t of the state was subj ect to duty as emergencies should require . All through the war Gen eral Folsom was the inspiring an d devoted com man der of the state forces . He was responsible for their organization , equipment , an d disciplin e . When any invasion was anticipated he ordered the several regiments to be properly equipped for immediate service , an d that the men carry their firearms with them as much as they can with any

degree of con venien ce , as we know not the day or hour when

an attack may be made on our border ; an d , as it is of th e greatest importan ce to meet our enemies before they have time 0 to get much footing, and to st p those infern al traitors among ' ourselves who may be disposed to j oin them . A few extracts from the public records will illustrate his duties an d the confi

den ce reposed in him .

2 1 1 On April , 7 7 5 , the first Provincial congress of which he m was a member, voted un ani ously that Col . Nathaniel Folsom be desired immediately to take the chief command of the New

Hampshire forces as has been stated . Five days later he was 8 made chairman of a committee to visit bearing a letter to the congress there an d was in structed to assure them of the sympathy an d aid of the people of New Hampshire . Later he wen t upon a like mission bearing the reply of New

Hampshire to a letter from Massachusetts . The same month h e was appoin ted on a committee to call a Provincial Congress of Deputies when they shall judge the exigencies of public ff a airs require it, an d chairman of a committee on correspond en ce with other congresses an d with committees of safet y . He was a member of the secon d Provin cial congress which met at

E 1 th 1 . xeter the 7 of May, 7 7 5 In this congress he was a m member of the com ittee on rules an d on ways an d mean s .

' z o th O n the of May it was voted , That if it should appear that the above n umb er of men 'those enlisted in the towns) is n ot our full proportion with the other govern men ts that this c onvention will be ready to make a proper addition for that ' purpose . Gen eral Folsom was also a member of the third Provincial congress . In this congress he was appointed on a committee to prepare a plan for the represen tation of the people in the future .

His committee service was varied an d extensive . Among the subj ects which he was called upon to consider, in addition

s u ffi to those already stated , were to lay a plan for an army of cient force , to report what laws should be adopted as laws of

- the state , to nomin ate a proper person to be major gen eral of militia while he is in the , on pay of f soldiers , to n ominate o ficers , as to highways , to nomin ate dele

e gates to the Con tin ntal congress , to nominate collectors of taxes , on oath of fidelity, on the defen ses of Portsmouth harbor,

offi to reduce tax on money loaned the state , to nominate civil

th e cers , on business of session , to raise men for the defense of Rhode Islan d , on ratable polls and estates , on recruiting soldiers , on clothing for soldiers , on bills as legal tender , on f pay of civil o ficers , on accounts , on the liquor excise , on amoun t to be raised as taxes , on un iform taxation in the New E ngland colon ies by imposts , excises , etc . , on the salaries of

n j ustices of the courts , on resolution s of co gress , an d various 9

u o thers . Those en merated are ample to show the confidence reposed in him and his capacity for multiform service . The secon d an d third Provincial congresses elected committees of c orrespondence . Gen eral Folsom was a member of each an d c hairman of the secon d on e . After that an d until the close of

the war committees of safety were chosen . General Folsom s 1 1 6 erved on that responsible committee in the years 7 7 5 , 7 7 ,

1 8 . 1 n an d 7 3 In 7 7 7 , whe he was n ot a m em b er of the committee , he joined the citizen s of Portsmouth in a petition to it asking the banishment or execution of ' those

- abandoned wretches well kn own by the n ame of Tories , who h ave too long infested this town and State an d contin u ed repeatedly to add Insult to Injury, till at length m any have by the further instigation of the Devil been prompt on to coun ' rf i t te e an d pass large sums of money . He was a member o f the state council in the years 1 7 7 6 and 1 784 . As in the Continental congress e ach state had on e vote an d n o more , though represented by several delegates , it is evident th at there was n ot that in ducemen t and possibly not the n eces s i ty for th e con tin uous attendan ce of each delegate which exists ao under our present representative system . This fact may count for the failure to atten d of some of those elected to rep

resen t our state in the Con tin ental congress , and for the irreg

ular attendan ce of others , an d also for the many times an elec

tion was declined . I t is also to be n oted that such delegate s did n ot receive a stated salary regularly paid but were required by the n ecessities ad of the hour to expen d their private fortunes or , at least , to vance their personal and official expen ses until such time as the

public treasury would j ustify reimbursemen t . Gen eral Folsom was elected a delegate from New Hampshire to the first Contin en tal congress which assembled in Carpen ’ ter s hall , Philadelphia, on Mon day, the fifth of September,

1 7 7 4 . John Sullivan was his colleague . Their credentials w being the first issued are given in full . They are as follo s

' R O' I NC E O F NE ' H AM ' S H I R E . At a m eeting of th e d eputies appoin ted by th e several tow ns i n this prov

i n e e x e e i n the n R ' n z rs t 1 th e c , h ld at E t r Cou ty of oc i gham , ' uly 7 74 , for 10 el ection of del egat es o n behalf of this provin ce to j oin th e gen eral Con gr ess

' e en 8 e e T h e H n e n ' en w E s . i n th e r s t 5 m mb rs ; o orabl ' oh t orth , q chair

' e T M n S n and ne N n e F E s rs . ot d , hat ajor ' oh ulliva Colo l atha i l olsom , q ; be n e a nd e w e e e e e o n th e n e appoi t d mpo r d , as d l gat s, part of this provi c , to atten d and assist i n th e Gen eral Co n gress of d el eg at es from th e oth er Colo n e e and e be n e e e n and i s, at such tim plac as may appoi t d , to d vis , co sult

e e e th e ' e en en ex e th e adopt such m asur s , as may hav most li ly t d cy to tricat

n e e e en ffi e e e and e e e e C olo i s from th ir pr s t di culti s ; to s cur p rp tuat th ir rights,

' e e and e e an d e e e e n an d con lib rti s privil g s to r stor that p ac , harmo y mutual fid ence w hich o n ce happily subsist ed b etw een th e par en t cou n try an d h er colo nies .

' . ' E NT ' O RT H ,

‘

Cfia z r m an .

Maj or Sullivan and Colon el Folsom were prompt in their

d a attendance . On Tuesday the secon d y of the congress it ' th e was resolved , That a committee be appointed to state

a h h rights of the Colonies in gener l , the several instances in w ic

an d those rights are violated or infringed , the mean s most ' proper to be pursued for obtaining a restoration of them . Both the delegates from New Hampshire were appointed on this committee . Their report , m ade a few days later, became the basis of the Declaration of Independence and remain s to this day on e of th e most memorable documen ts in our n ation al history . Though Gen eral Folsom was elected to congress s u bs e quently at various times an d though his credentials were pre

1 6 1 d sented by his colleague May , 7 7 7 , he eclined to serve , or

f z r s t was too busy in home a fairs to atten d until Mon day, the

h e day of July of that year . The n ext month was appointed on the board of the treasury, an d from that time the colonial

fin ances absorbed much of his time an d atten tion . That ser vice was so exacting that later he declined various committee assign men ts that h e might devote himself to his duties at the

re res en treasury . Gen eral Folsom opposed all measures for p

ati on t other than by one vote for each state . That view gen er ' ally obtain ed . The opposition consisted of irginia, one half e of North Carolina , an d one delegate from P n n sylvania . He also vigorously O pposed the plan to apportion taxes among the several states according to the value of the private lan d and

' H e al s o improvemen ts thereon in each state . served on the 11

few marin e committee for a months , but was excused from

' ' further service as he was engaged at the treasury, an d Mr .

Frost was appointed to the vacan cy . During the con sideration of the Articles of Confederation

Mr . Folsom was active and alert . He voted against an amen d m en t which required the states voting in favor of a proposition ' S to comprise a maj ority of all the people of the nited tates , an d opposed limiting the call for yeas and n ays to the demand f O a state in stead of a delegate . He was not satisfied with the

Articles of Confederation because , among other reasons , the slaves , who constituted about on e third of the wealth of certain

w to states , ere not taxed , an d because they were n ot subject

u military d ty on the other hand , though they produced the food an d clothing which in other states required the labor of

- men who were enrolled . Thus the quotas of the slave holding states were equitably too small if their taxes were proportion i in able . These inequalit es , aga st which General Folsom earn l es t . y protested , were maintain ed un til slavery was abolished

1 In October , 7 7 7 , when Mr . Han cock retired from the presi d en c y of congress upon a leave of absen ce for two months , it was moved ' that the thanks of congress be presented to Joh n

E s . e Han cock , q , for the u nr mitted attentio n an d steady impar ti al i ty w hich he has manifested in the discharge of the variou s f ' duties of his o fice as presiden t . This resolution was met by a motion to substitute for it a resolution to the effect that ' it is improper to thank any presiden t for the d ischarge of the f ' duties of that O fice .

Mr . Folsom voted in favor of the substitute , but the motion was lost, the states being equally divided . The question then being upon the adoption of the origin al resolution , he voted

N o e , an d was sustain ed in that vote by M assachusetts , Rhod

Islan d , and Penn sylvania .

e I t is certain th at he voted against the resolution , n ot becaus he doubted either the ability, patriotism , or impartiality of

Mr . Hancock , but because h e thought the performance of duty to the best of on e ’s skill and capacity should be required of

u an d every one as a matter of co rse of right, and n ot be the subject of special thanks . 12

Gen eral Washington having consulted with General Gates and Govern or Clinton relative to the advisability and expedi e ncy of detaching a large force from the main army for the ' purpose of op ening Hudson river after th e surrender of Bur goyn e , and that fact having become known i n congress , it was proposed to instruct General Washington to act relative thereto

' e ' only with their concurr nce . pon that proposition Gen eral

- i n n Folsom promptly voted the negative . He voted to detai the troops surrendered by Gen eral Burgoyn e until the terms of the surrender were complied with by the British .

1 0th 1 8 On the of Jan uary, 7 7 , a com mittee of three from

e congress was ordered appoint d , to serve with three members of the board of war , to visit the camp , consult with Gen eral

Washington , and form an d execute a plan for the consolida tion of the army and increas e its effi ciency and promote disci' pline and good morals . Mr . Folsom was appointed on that h t e . committee . Letters from camp , an d the fact th at Mr Fol ’ som s n ame does n ot appear in the roll - calls O f congress from

1 2 1 Jan uary 5 to March 4 , 7 7 8, in dicate that during that time the committee was at ' all e y Forge . The committee made h several recommendations w ich were adopted, an d the comfort f an d e ficiency of the army were increased .

r s t 1 8 About the of April , 7 7 , General Folsom return ed home , an d New Hampshire was unrepresented in congress

z r s t h until the of May , when Mr . Josia Bartlett presented his credentials . General Folsom returned to congress on the 3 oth of Decem

1 ber, 7 7 9, an d remained about six months . The Journ als of

u this congress are brief an d nsatisfactory . In the published

' edition I have been abl e to con sult the yeas an d n ays are n ot

e the giv n , an d it is practically impossible to determine action

n of individual delegates upo many questions of importance .

Mr . Nathan iel Peabody was his only colleague presen t 'though Woodbury Langdon an d George Frost had been chosen) until

Mr . Samuel Livermore , who was subsequently elected , pre

th 1 80 sented his credentials Monday, the 7 of February, 7 , and began a service which was continued several years . During this session General Folsom devoted himself especi ally to the 13

determination of the boundary between New Hampshire an d

' u ri s d i c the states of Massachusetts an d New ork , involving j ' tion over the territory n ow known as the state of ermon t, an d to the settlemen t of the accounts of the state of New Hamp shire with the general govern ment . His efficient service i n prior congresses is proof that he was

active upon all public questions at this time . Th e Journals do n ot show definitely when Gen eral Folsom returned home . I t is certain that he was in attendance u ntil late in June . With the session his congressional career ended . It was active , ffi e cien t , progressive , an d patriotic . He was true to his state , ' the nited States , an d the high ideals which actuated the lead h ers of the Revolution in military an d civil life alike . He ad served with such distinguished statesmen an d patriots as John

Sullivan , , Samuel Adams , John Adams , John

Han cock , Robert Treat Paine , Stephen Hopkins , Roger Sher E E man , lbridge Gerry, Oliver llsworth , Oliver Wolcott, Philip

Livingston , George Clinton , Gouvern eur Morris , John Jay, M iffli n E Thom as , dward Biddle , Benjamin Franklin , George

h u Read , P ilip Sch yler, Peyton Ran dolph , George Washington , E d Patrick Henry , dward Rutle ge , Charles Pinckn ey, an d others , and was respected an d hon ored by them . With them he had performed valued an d delicate committee service , an d at times had been selected by them for importan t an d tech n i cal duties . Had he performed n o other service than on the

an d ' treasury board in the camp at alley Forge , plan ning

fi h e greater ef cien cy for the army, would have deserved well of

n his countryme an d received the approval of his state . T h e records show that he served in the colonial assembly f under Gov . Joh n Wen tworth before the di ficulties with the mother country rendered separation a n ecessity, that h e was an active an d efficien t member of the first four of the Provincial congresses , an d that he served for several sessions in the state

I 1 6 legislature . n 7 7 he was on e of the first twelve councilors 'or sen ators) of th e state under the form of governmen t then adopted .

- H e was a member of the con stitution al convention of 1 7 7 87 9. That con vention submitted to the people a n ew constitution 14

of which they rej ected . No copy the journal of this conven tion is preserved and hence n o knowledge is obtain able of the propo s i ti on s submitted to the conven tion an d rej ected or the dis

con stitu cu s s i on s which ensued . Two years later the third ti o n al con vention al assembled . Gen eral Folsom was a mem t ber of this convention . It submitted three cons itutions to the

T h e people . first an d second were rej ected and the third ratified . The constitution thus secured is the basis of the con s ti tuti on now in force and is a mon umen t to the wisdom and forethought of our ancestors . This convention from its organ i z ati o n e to its fin al adj ourn m nt was in existence two years , four

- m onths , and twenty six days . Its j ournal is also lost but that General Folsom was prominen t in its deliberations can be fairly presumed from the fact that h e was elected president p r o l empor e of its last session and as such signed the an nouncement of the adoption of the constitution by the people .

2 6 th 1 6 t h e O n the of Jan uary , 7 7 , he was elected secon d j ustice of the court of common pleas for the county of Rock i n h g am . The decisions of that court are not reported an d hence n o O pinion can be expressed in positive terms of his career as

was a j udge , but the facts that Rockingham at that time th e

n most important county in the state , that upon the adoptio of the constitution h e was promoted to chief justice , an d that he ffi held the o ce until his death , would indicate that he was sat i fa to r s c y as a trial justice .

During his entire life he had the confidence of his townsmen . They elected him to all th e offi ces—great and small— within th e ir control an d it appears that he n ever declined to serve them because the office was insignifican t or its duti e s laborious or

e . unpleasan t . His whole lif was on e of service For a score of ’ x r s - tim es he was elected moderator of E ete town meeting . Gen eral Folsom was a Free Mason as is shown by his sig

e n atur to the petition of the master , warden s , and members of ' S t . John s lodge at Portsmouth to the legislature in the year of Light 5 7 99 asking th e incorporation of their lodge .

In religion he was an orthodox Congregationalist, firm in his faith an d strict in the observance of his duties . When the First church an d its pastor were accused of being heterodox