George Mason More anon. Val's Draft: Mr Jefferson James Madison George Mason @Cop Shoot Cop : You're up.
OK, for my next pick I go with someone whose primary claim to having a significant role in the founding of the United States has a lot to do with the aphorism that "decisions are made by those who show up." No one showed up more for the congresses and gatherings that created the government(s) of the United States than Roger Sherman. He was there for and signed the final documents for the Continental Association, the Continental Congress, the Second Continental Congress, and the Constitutional Convention. He was one of the delegates who put forth the Connecticut Compromise that set up the mixed bicameral legislative body of Congress in the Constitution, and was sufficiently politically adept to not let his personal opposition to slavery keep him from working with Southern delegates as needed. Relevant quotation/assessment by contemporary -- "That is Mr. Sherman, of Connecticut, a man who never said a foolish thing in his life." By Thomas Jefferson. Wonderful trivia -- Archibald Cox, of Watergate fame, was a descendant. @American Brummie is up next.
Gouvernor Morris. He advanced the idea of citizens of the United States, rather than individual states. A man after my own heart. @soccernutter
That all men are born equally free and independent, and have certain inherent natural Rights, of which they cannot by any Compact, deprive or divest their Posterity; among which are the Enjoyment of Life and Liberty, with the Means of acquiring and possessing Property, and pursuing and obtaining Happiness and Safety. Sound familiar? Well, it's George Mason's first draft of the Virginia Declaration of Rights, of which Mr Jefferson was oh-so-obviously aware. Mason also wrote the first state constitution (for Virginia) in 1776, just weeks after his Declaration of Rights, and it had many of the rights that would only be found in the Bill of Rights. Mason is notable for not voting for the Constitution because it lacked the rights found in the first 10 amendments, and he was as tireless a negotiator as John Adams, and James Madison later in life credited Mason with forcing him to see the necessity of the Bill of Rights. Mason was born into wealth and privilege, with a large manor house and estate to manage, like so many of Virginia's luminaries, but he was an able administrator and could afford to free his slaves. Which he did. During his lifetime, during the war, thereby making him the first major landholder to emancipate his slaves.
Nutter would approve of this pick, as he is one of the choices he proxied to me. So, instead, Nutter takes: John Jay. And now all three of the authors of the Federalist Papers have been accounted for. And that's as it should be. You're up, @roby
Below is a photo of my Great Great Great Nana sitting astride her beloved pony Natasha. Granpa Boris would bake up a passel of Canoli and squeeze a few grape for Grappa that Nana would sell to both the Redcoats and the Bluecoats. As you can see she was impartial and would have been a yuge winner regardless of the rocky outcome. Gen Thaddeus T. Bullwinkle credited her with allowing the troops to avoid having to survive on Poutine & Cheese Curds on Fries[bleah!] Nana loved pony. As the years wore on everyone in family got pony. We all love pony. @chaski .... saddle up!
Jerry: I hate anybody who had a pony growing up. Manya: I had a pony! Jerry: Well, I didn't mean a pony per se Manya: When I was a little girl in Poland, we all had ponies. My sister had pony, my cousin had pony. So, what's wrong with that? Jerry: Nothing. Nothing at all. I was just expressing Helen: Should we have coffee? Who's having coffee? Manya: He was a beautiful pony. And I loved him! Jerry: Well, I'm sure you did. Who wouldn't love a pony? Who wouldn't love a person who had a pony? Manya: You! You said so!
Thomas Truxtun A notable privateer captain of the revolution, Truxtun commanded the "Congress," "Independence," "Mars," and finally the "St. James" on highly profitable cruises. After the war he returned to the merchant service until, in 1794, he was one of the six original captains named when the United States Navy was founded (the navy of the Revolution having been disbanded after the Treaty of Paris.) When the quasi war with France finally started up after several years of hanging fire, Truxtun had finished and fitted out the USS Constellation, 38 and took her to sea against the French Navy and French privateers, flagship of a small squadron. In February of 1799 he took "Constellation" into action against "L'Insurgeante" 40 and forced her to surrender in a little over an hour. Eleven months later, "Constellation" encountered "LaVengeance" 56, and fought her through a long moonless night, at the end of which she ran, badly smashed up by a considerably lesser opponent. Truxtun was the first true naval hero of the new nation, and established the traditions of gunnery and meticulous attention to detail and preparation which made the fledgling service far more effective than its size suggested. One of the top navigators of his time, he wrote books on the craft which became standards throughout the English speaking world. A martinet and excessively touchy, Truxtun resigned from the service in 1800-- but not before he had persuaded a young David Porter to make it his career. Porter went on to be a major figure for half a century, and both his youngest son and his foster son, Davy Porter and David Farragut became Admirals, the first two ever named in this navy. Five destroyers have been named after him between 1902 and the present. @Knave
See....I'm glad somebody understands. If everyone had pony there would be less strife in the world. So what if a few kids got trampled now and then. Plus don't forget fertilizer...lots of fertilizer!
I'm up for it...I think a Midnight to 8am Eastern time no-required-vote pause is fair. Thus @Val1 has until 10:41am Eastern to pick (a bit less than an hour an a half). Anybody object?
Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? @Val1 is up,but late so I think that means that @Cop Shoot Cop is up.
So, having picked for money, rhetoric, and longevity among those I think are founding fathers of the United States, now it is time for a big man. Henry Knox may not be considered a founding father by many or most, but he was an important part of the military part of the founding of the United States. He also may have been the first to refer to George Washington as the father of the country, organized the Order of the Cincinnati, and turned down the possibility of being Washington's vice-president to become the first Secretary of War under the Constitution. He may not have been the leader Washington was in all roles, but he is the muscle for my team of founders.
I cannot see anyone having claimed Ethan Allen, so I will. Ethan Allen being known for his capture of Fort Ticonderoga, but less well known for his maneuvering to make what is now known as Vermont become a reality. In many ways he was the typical "real" Founding Father: an upstart brat who used violence to achieve petty means (see his mercenary regiment). But he does have a funny passage in Team of Rivals, so there's that.
Updated though round 3 http://forums.bigsoccer.com/threads/founding-fathers-whose-your-daddy-the-selection-thread.2036729/
For my forth pick, I choose: Charles Cotesworth Pinckney In 1753, he accompanied his father, who had been appointed colonial agent for South Carolina, to England. As a result, the youth enjoyed a European education. Pinckney received tutoring in London, attended several preparatory schools, and went on to Christ Church College, Oxford, where he heard the lectures of the legal authority Sir William Blackstone and graduated in 1764. Pinckney next pursued legal training at London's Middle Temple and was accepted for admission into the English bar in 1769. He then spent part of a year touring Europe and studying chemistry, military science, and botany under leading authorities. In 1773 he acted as attorney general for several towns in the colony. By 1775 he had identified with the patriot cause and that year sat in the provincial congress. Then, the next year, he was elected to the local committee of safety and made chairman of a committee that drew up a plan for the interim government of South Carolina. He was one of the leaders at the Constitutional Convention. Present at all the sessions, he strongly advocated a powerful national government. His proposal that senators should serve without pay was not adopted, but he exerted influence in such matters as the power of the Senate to ratify treaties and the compromise that was reached concerning abolition of the international slave trade. In 1798 he was appointed as a major general in command of American forces in the South and served in that capacity until 1800, when the threat of war ended. That year, he represented the Federalists as Vice-Presidential candidate, and in 1804 and 1808 as the Presidential nominee [of the Federalist Party]. He studied chemistry and botany, and like, Lafayette, was in the military for both the US and France. @roby , you're up
My next pick is "Brown Beauty" which is the name of the horse that Paul Revere borrowed from a Charlestown merchant John Larkin. Paul would have used one of his own pony but they were spent after hauling all day in his silver mines. His cry as he rode across the countryside was shortened to fit into history books. "The British are coming, the British are coming...hide the wimmen" was his factual and logical repartee. Brown Beauty was later confiscated by the Brits and turned into a faux Beef Wellington. She was served with a nice Bordeaux. @chaski ....pony up again!
You forgot to note that one of his descendants was none other than Marion Cotesworth Hayes who is a cherished member of the Daughters of The American Revolution. It wasn't long ago that she was awarded the "Fransis Scott Key Key"!