Revolutionary War Historical Article
George Clymer of Pennsylvania: Signer of the Constitution of the United States
Editor's Note: This article was reprinted from the August 1984 Edition of the Valley Compatriot Newsletter
George Clymer was the son of an English immigrant and was
orphaned in 1740 and reared by his uncle, a close personal friend of Benjamin Franklin. His uncle left him his business
and fortune. Through his wife's family, George met George
Washington many times in his youth. When the War with England
started, George became an early Patriot and was a Captain of a
Volunteer Company in Cadwalader's Brigade. In 1773 he was chairman
of the "Philadelphia Tea Party", forcing the resignation of
all merchants named by the British to sell tea. A member of the
council of safety, he became one of the first Continental Treasures
(29 July 1775 thru 6 August 1776). He converted all his
specie to Continental Currency.
On July 20th, 1776 he and four others were named by his State to replace the five delegates who did not sign the Declaration of Independence. After the battle of Brandywine, his home was sacked by British Soldiers forcing him to leave Chester City for a time.
On September he was named Inspector of the Northern Army at Ticonderoga and advocated increasing General Washington's powers. In 1777 he was named commissioner to treat the Indians at Fort Pitt. In 1780 he was one of the founders of the Philadelphia bank formed to supply the army and was re-elected to the Continental Congress serving from 1780 to 1782. Although a strong supporter of the Confederation, he was a member of the Federalist Constitutional Convention and in November of 1788 was elected to the first Congress. He declined re-election in 1791 but served at George Washington's request, as collector of duty on spirits, and in 1796 helped negotiate a treaty with the Creeks and Cherokee Indians. He was noted for his brevity, both in speech and in his writings.
He lived until 1813.
