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Francis Hopkinson QUICK FACTS REVOLUTIONARYREVOLUTIONARY NEIGHBORSNEIGHBORS Francis Hopkinson QUICK FACTS • Resided with his wife and family in Bordentown, New Jersey • Justice of the Peace for Burlington County New Jersey • A member of His Majesty’s Council in New Jersey • Authored and published various satirical articles to help build support for Independence from England and the development of a new government, the first titled “A Pretty Story” in 1774 • Published “The Prophesy” in 1776 • New Jersey Delegate in the Continental Congress 1776 • Signer of the Declaration of Independence FRANCIS HOPKINSON • Served on the US Naval Board 1731-1791 • Contributed to the design on the US Flag Patriot, Pro-Revolutionary Satirist • Created Official Seals for State of New Jersey, the Treasury and the Admiralty Boards Member of Continental Congress Designer of the American Flag • Contributed to the design of the Great Seal of the United States 1780 • Wrote Revolutionary War songs such as “Battle of the Kegs” • His home was raided twice by Hessian soldiers 1776 and 1778 • Admiralty Court Judge 1779 • Federal District Court Judge • Published “The New Roof” • Member of the Constitutional Congress 1787 • Organized a grand parade to commemorate the First Anniversary of the US Constitution 1788 Visit us online today! www.revolutionarynj.org PAGE 1 REVOLUTIONARY NEIGHBORS Francis Hopkinson BIOGRAPHY was born and raised across the river, in month that the Continental Congress met for the Philadelphia. My father was a well-known first time, I published a satirical allegory called “A lawyer and close friend of Benjamin Franklin. Pretty Story” which told the history of the problems IUnfortunately, my father died when I was only between England and the colonies from a firmly fourteen years old, leaving my mother to care for American perspective. The King was presented as five children, of which I was the eldest. My mother a just nobleman, who had let some of his children managed the family finances well, and was able to settle a wilderness; however due to the greed of enroll me as the very first pupil of the newly created the “King’s Wife,” representing Parliament, the University of Pennsylvania. I was a good student, relationship between the nobleman and his children with a love of music and poetry. After graduating progressively deteriorates. The piece was highly from college, I studied law under successful. It was in its third edition before the My mother had discovered that she was distantly beginning of 1775 and helped build support for related to the powerful Bishop of Worcester, back in resistance to England. the England. With the help of Benjamin Franklin, she By 1776, the war was already in progress and the was able to get an invitation from the Bishop for me to question hotly debated was whether the American visit him in London. We hoped that I would be able to colonies should declare official independence procure some kind of royal appointment, such as toll from England. I came out in favor of the move, collector, to secure my income. So in 1766, I set sail for England, the very day that the Americans learned of the publishing another allegorical essay called “The repeal of the hated Stamp Act. I wrote that I could see Prophesy” which told the story of an “old tree” the fireworks celebrating the repeal from my ship as I which needed to be cut down in order for a new tree sailed away. Unfortunately, while the Bishop was kind, to flourish: “and the people shall dwell under the I was unable to secure a job during my time in England. shadow of its branches and become an exceedingly All positions had already been promised to former stamp great, and powerful and happy nation.” That same collectors who had lost their livelihood due to the repeal year, I officially resigned my posts with the British of the Stamp Act. government, and joined the Continental Congress Upon my return to Philadelphia, I was forced as a delegate from New Jersey. In this role, I voted to pursue a back-up plan as a store owner. I had for, and signed, the Declaration of Independence. moderate success, and soon married and started a My role in the Continental Congress included family. My wife, Anne Borden of Bordentown, NJ, service on various committees, most importantly came to live with me in Philadelphia. Finally, in on the Naval Board, where I helped administer 1772, I secured a position as customs collector of the the developing US Navy, no easy task. After port of New Castle. Around late 1773 or early 1774, the British captured Philadelphia, Washington my family relocated to Bordentown. In 1774, I was ordered the Effingham, an American ship, sunk named Justice of the Peace for Burlington County near Bordentown to deny the British use of her. I and member of His Majesty’s Council in New Jersey. implemented the order, but faced opposition from Up until 1774, I had always been a loyal subject naval hero Commodore John Barry, who thought of King George III of England. However, once his ship could be saved. The arguments between us tensions between the American colonists and got so heated that Barry eventually shouted “D--n the British government seemed to have reached you!”, which led to Barry being formally instructed a breaking point, I quickly chose the side of the by the Congress to apologize for treating me with revolutionaries. In September 1774, the same “indecency and disrespect.” Visit us online today! www.revolutionarynj.org PAGE 2 REVOLUTIONARY NEIGHBORS Francis Hopkinson BIOGRAPHY My artistic aptitude stretched beyond music and mocking of the British navy lifted American spirits poetry into parchment and ink designs. I aided in and ensured that the “Battle of the Kegs” remains designing a new naval flag, which later became my part of the public memory of the Revolutionary War. inspiration for a proposal of the United States flag. From a personal standpoint, my war experience There has been much controversy over who should included the Hessians looting my Bordentown home rightfully be credited with the design of the “first” not once but twice, in 1776 and 1778. However, I was American flag. The design I proposed had thirteen lucky that the house itself was spared. My father-in- stripes and thirteen stars. The stars had six points law’s home, just across the street, was burned in 1778 and were staggered in their arrangement. I’m sure as the Hessians marched through town. Many books you know other famous individuals who also have and manuscripts were taken from my home though; been said to have created designs for the American some of which eventually turned up later. One of the flag. However, I do believe that my design was Hessian officers who plundered my possessions was truly the “first.” I created seals for the Treasury and very impressed with what he encountered, inscribing Admiralty boards, consulted in the development in the flyleaf of a book: of the official seal of the State of New Jersey and “This man was one of the greatest rebels, created designs for United States currency. In 1780, nevertheless if we dare to conclude from the library I served on the second committee that worked to and mechanical and mathematical instruments, amend the Great Seal of the United States. Several he must have been a very learned man.” years later, I presented the Continental Congress with an itemized bill for my design contributions, I summed up the experience this way: including my design of the flag of the United States. I “I have suffered much by the invasion of the Goths was, however, unsuccessful in securing payment for & Vandals. I was obliged to flee from my house my efforts. While the bill was initially approved for at Borden Town with my family & leave all my payment, it later got bogged down by the Treasury effects in status quo; the savages plundered me Board and went unpaid in the end. An investigation to their hearts’ content--but I do not repine, as I ordered by Congress finally determined that it really esteem it an honour to have suffered in my was too difficult to credit the design of the United country’s cause in support of the rights of human States flag to just one person. Congress believed nature and of civil society.” payment to only one person would be unfair. It was After the war was over, I continued my deemed that as a paid public servant, I was already involvement in law and politics. I served for many compensated for my duties to the United States. years as an Admiralty Court Judge, a post I first held I also harnessed my musical and literary side in in 1779 and later a Federal District Court Judge. support of the army, composing several songs meant I was active in promoting the ratification of the to encourage the troops and keep up morale. The Constitution, and again turned to literary satire to most famous of my war-time compositions is called promote my message, publishing a fable entitled “The Battle of the Kegs” and tells the story of the “The New Roof” which enjoyed great success. I was time the Americans tried to attack British ships with an active member of the Constitutional Congress kegs filled with gunpowder. Their attempts failed, as that met in Philadelphia in 1787. all the kegs but one floated harmlessly by the British fleet. However, the British fired furiously into the water anyway, wasting valuable ammunition. My Visit us online today! www.revolutionarynj.org PAGE 3 REVOLUTIONARY NEIGHBORS Francis Hopkinson BIOGRAPHY Once the Constitution had been successfully ratified by enough states to let it take effect, I hoped the event could be commemorated with a great public parade, on the 4th of July, 1788.
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