Cromwell Pearce was a colonel in the U.S. army during the War of 1812

War of 1812

The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...

, served as sheriff of Chester County

Chester County, Pennsylvania

-State parks:*French Creek State Park*Marsh Creek State Park*White Clay Creek Preserve-Demographics:As of the 2010 census, the county was 85.5% White, 6.1% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American or Alaskan Native, 3.9% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian, 1.8% were two or more races, and 2.4% were...

, and later as an associate judge in the county. He lived in West Chester

West Chester, Pennsylvania

The Borough of West Chester is the county seat of Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 18,461 at the 2010 census.Valley Forge, the Brandywine Battlefield, Longwood Gardens, Marsh Creek State Park, and other historical attractions are near West Chester...

.

Early life

Pearce was born on the farm in Willistown where the Paoli Massacre

Paoli massacre

The Battle of Paoli was a battle in the Philadelphia campaign of the American Revolutionary War fought on September 21, 1777, in the area surrounding present-day Malvern, Pennsylvania...

 took place in 1777. He had a limited childhood education due to the Revolutionary War.

Personal life

Pearce married Isabella Bull on April 23, 1801. They lived in Philadelphia for a short time. Their son Lewis Gronow Pearce was born in Philadelphia. In 1802, the family moved to West Chester and Pearce became postmaster on September 25, 1802.

On March 30, 1807, Isabella Pearce died.

On April 13, 1821, he married Mary Bartholomew.

Military service

President John Adams

John Adams

John Adams was an American lawyer, statesman, diplomat and political theorist. A leading champion of independence in 1776, he was the second President of the United States...

 appointed Pearce first lieutenant of the 10th Regiment United States Light Infantry on April 17, 1799.

Pearce became lieutenant-colonel of the 85th regiment state militia on August 18, 1806.

Pearce was appointed by President James Madison

James Madison

James Madison, Jr. was an American statesman and political theorist. He was the fourth President of the United States and is hailed as the “Father of the Constitution” for being the primary author of the United States Constitution and at first an opponent of, and then a key author of the United...

 and the United States Senate

United States Senate

The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...

 as a colonel of infantry on July 23, 1812. He commanded the 16th Regiment. In the Pennsylvania militia, Pearce previously was replaced by James Steele.

Cromwell Pearce (along with Thomas Sargeant of Harrisburg

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...

, Rees Hill

Rees Hill

Rees Hill was a U.S. army colonel in the War of 1812, a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from Greene County, speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and later a Pennsylvania State Senator.-Military service:...

 of Greene County

Greene County, Pennsylvania

-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 40,672 people, 15,060 households, and 10,587 families residing in the county. The population density was 71 people per square mile . There were 16,678 housing units at an average density of 29 per square mile...

, and Samuel McKean

Samuel McKean

Samuel McKean was an American merchant and politician from Burlington, Pennsylvania. He served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1815 to 1819. He was in the Pennsylvania State Senate from 1829 to 1830....

 of Bradford County

Bradford County, Pennsylvania

-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 62,761 people, 24,453 households, and 17,312 families residing in the county. The population density was 54 people per square mile . There were 28,664 housing units at an average density of 25 per square mile...

) was appointed as an aide de camp to the commander in chief of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Political Activity

Pearce was a member of the Democratic Republican party. He held a number of party meetings, open to the public, at his home.

Pearce became a Presidential elector in 1824.

Associate Judge of Chester County

Governor John Andrew Schulze appointed Pearce as an associate judge in the county court on September 5, 1825. He remained in that position until 1839. He resigned due to a hearing problem.

Miscellaneous Notes

On January 8, 1805, a petition from Pearce was presented to the United States House of Representatives

United States House of Representatives

The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...

 for a claim of 2000 acres (8.1 km²) of unappropriated land due to service of his father as an officer in the French and Indian War

French and Indian War

The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...

. This was based on a proclamation signed by the King of England in 1763. On January 24, 1805, the petition was declined.