Henry Laurens and the Continental Congress presidency

¶ … Henry Laurens, the President of the Continental Congress. Henry Laurens was an American patriot and revolutionary hero who was the President of the Second Continental Congress from November 1, 1777 through December 9, 1778. During his lifetime he was imprisoned by the English for treason, he helped form a new nation, he fought in the militia, and he lost his oldest son in battle during the Revolutionary War. Many people believe he was at least partially the model for the Mel Gibson character Benjamin Martin in the film "The Patriot."

Henry Laurens was born in 1724 in Charleston, South Carolina. His grandparents were French Huguenots who had immigrated to America for religious freedom. His family did well in the New World. Originally, they settled in New York, but his parents moved to Charleston before he was born, and his father was a very successful saddler and merchant. Henry clerked for local businesses from the time he was sixteen, and when he was twenty, he left America for England, where he would learn to be a merchant. He returned three years later, just a few days after his father died and he inherited his estate, and began a long career as a merchant. He prospered in Charleston, mainly trading in rice and slaves, along with planting rice, and became quite wealthy. He also engaged in importing and exporting items, and he had a store in Charleston, as well. He had a plantation in the country outside Charleston called "Mepkin," and a house in town.

In 1850, he married Eleanor Ball, the daughter of another planter, and they had twelve children together. Eight of them died before they reached adulthood. Eleanor died in 1770, and after that, he raised the children alone, dedicating himself to their education and success. Eventually he owned almost 25,000 acres of rice-growing land in South Carolina and Georgia, which he farmed throughout his lifetime with the help of over 300 slaves. He lived until 1792, and died at Mepkin.

Laurens military and political service began in the 1750s. He served in the militia and became a Lt. Colonel in the battles against the Cherokee Indians in 1757 to 1761. He was also elected to the colonial assembly in 1757, and was re-elected every year except one, thereafter until the state Convention took over governance. In 1775, Laurens was elected to the Provincial Congress of South Carolina, and served as the president of the Committee of Safety, and head of the Congress, as well. When South Carolina created its own independent government, he served as the first Vice-President of the state. He became a delegate to the Continental Congress in early 1777, and served in that Congress until 1780. He was the President of the Second Continental Congress until late 1778. He went on to become an important diplomat for the country in Europe.

LAURENS in the CONTINENTAL CONGRESS

Laurens was a natural born leader it seems. He managed his estate extremely effectively, and did the same in the Congress, which is one reason he became on the political leaders in South Carolina. He served in a variety of roles in the Congress, and led it for over a year as President. He was also extremely patriotic and proud of his American heritage. During his time as the head of the Committee of Safety, he organized unofficial militias to help safeguard Charleston from the British, and he urged friends to take up the cause for American freedom. To one friend he wrote, "A Man who is not a friend to the American Cause certainly holds principles, if he holds any, which are injurious to America" (Chesnutt & Taylor, Vol. XI 333). He was also proud of his accomplishments in Congress. To another friend he wrote, "Our Congress which is still sitting has nearly concluded a system of Resolves which are to be the basis of a Constitution for this Colony during the continuance of our opposition to Tyranny" (Chesnutt & Taylor, Vol. XI 183). As a member of the Continental Congress and other bodies, Laurens is remembered as a hero of the fight for freedom, even if he did not actually participate in the war himself.

After his time spent imprisoned in the Tower of London, he traveled to Paris to take part in the peace negotiations that eventually led to the Treaty of Paris. It was his last official political act. Although he was nominated to the Continental Congress again after his return to America, he declined to serve, and spent the rest of his life at Mepkin. His only other political action during this time was to serve at the South Carolina state convention in 1788, where he was one of the delegates to vote to ratify the United States Constitution. He was also asked to serve in the state assembly and Constitutional Convention of 1787, but he declined these offers, as well.

LAUREN and SLAVERY

Interestingly, Laurens began his career in South Carolina as a slave trader. He was the business agent for a London company that "harvested" slaves in Sierra Leone in Africa. In Charleston, he received the slaves when the arrived in America, advertised auctions, organized them, and then took 10% of the sales price as his commission, sending the remainder to his employers in London. He also owned several slaves of his own that worked on his plantation and in his house in Charleston. However, in some of his letters, he claims to abhor the practice of slavery. He writes, "You know my Dear Sir. I abhor Slavery, I was born in a Country where Slavery had been established by British Kings & Parliaments as well as by the laws of that Country Ages before my existence" (Chesnutt & Taylor, Vol. XVI, 224). He also said that he wanted to free his slaves, but that he worried about depriving his children of their estate. Several of his slaves did run away during the Revolutionary War, and he made no attempt to recover them. In addition, he never broke up slave families, and he always hoped for the end of slavery and proposed importing while laborers to work on southern plantations instead of slaves.

LAURENS CHILDREN

Laurens had twelve children, but only four lived to become adults. His son John was famous for attempting to create an all-black regiment to fight in the Revolutionary War, and his father attempted to talk him out of the endeavor. John proposed the slaves would gain their freedom after serving their country. He became a military aide to General George Washington, and was killed in the Revolutionary War. His father wrote of mourning his loss. He said, "Oppressed & sunk down as I am by doubled Woe, Mourning & Weeping for the loss of a dear son, Mourning & Weeping over my country in general, involved in a bloody Civil War, & particularly over this Colony reduced to circumstances & a situation truly lamentable" (Chesnutt & Taylor, Vol. XI 4). He mourned the loss of all his children, but John's death seemed to have a special impact on him.

His daughter Martha married David Ramsay, a physician, historian, and South Carolina Congressman. Her lifelong journal was published by the family after her death, and it chronicled her life, but much of her father's life in the political arena as well. Lauren's son, Henry Jr., married Eliza, the daughter of John Rutledge, and inherited his father's estate, and his other daughter Mary had been involved in a dubious relationship with a Frenchman, causing problems with the father-daughter relationship. She married Charles Pinckney and died in childbirth soon afterwards, leaving only two remaining children out of the original twelve. Laurens family is very representative of life during colonial times. Most couples had numerous children, and only a few lived because life was so difficult. Many died from disease or illness, but many others died as a result of farming accidents and such. This was accepted as a part of life, and most people tried to combat it by raising as many children as they could, and hoping at least a few would survive.

MEPKIN ABBEY

Interestingly, part of the Mepkin estate is now an abbey for Trappist Monks. Laurens heirs sold some of the property in 1936 to Henry and Clare Booth Luce, who donated it to the monks in 1949 to establish an abbey and compound there. Laurens and his descendents are buried in the family cemetery on the grounds at Mepkin. The abbey is still in operation today and the public can visit the abbey, and even participate in retreats at the abbey.

In conclusion, Henry Laurens was a hero of the American Revolution and a patriot who built a substantial empire in America before the war, lost it, and rebuilt it before he died. He signed and helped create some of the most important documents in South Carolina history, and he served his country as a politician, diplomat, and more. He suffered imprisonment, loss, and success during his life, and he is an essential part of American history. He raised children who helped fight in the Revolution, as well, and his descendents still are considered to be the descendents of one of America's most important founding fathers.