Francis Bernard
Encyclopedia
Sir Francis Bernard, 1st Baronet (bapt. 12 July 1712 – 16 June 1779) was a British colonial administrator who served as governor of the provinces of New Jersey
and Massachusetts Bay
. His policies and tactics in the governance of Massachusetts were instrumental in the building of broad-based opposition within the province to the rule of Parliament in the early years of the American Revolution
.
, (then in Berkshire
, but part of Oxfordshire
since 1974), England to the Rev. Francis and Margery (Winslowe Tyringham) Bernard and was christened on 12 July 1712. His father died three years later. His mother remarried, but died herself of smallpox
in 1718. He was thereafter probably raised by an aunt for several years, since his stepfather was forced by a failed courtship to flee to Holland. His stepfather, Anthony Alsop, returned to Berkshire a few years later, and continued to play a role in the boy's upbringing. Bernard's formal education began at Westminster
in 1725, and he then spent seven years at Oxford, where Christ Church
granted him a master of arts in 1736. A man of considerable intelligence, it was reported that he could recite entire plays of Shakespeare
from memory. He read law at the Middle Temple
and was called to the bar in 1737. He settled in Lincoln, where he practiced law and took on a variety of municipal posts. Among his neighbors in Lincoln were the Pownalls, with one son serving in the colonial office, and another, Thomas
, who went to the North American colonies in 1753 and was appointed governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay
in 1757. Other neighbors were the Hastingses, of whom Warren
went on to fame in India.
Bernard married Amelia Offley in 1741 and the couple raised a large family: by 1757 the couple had eight living children. Because his prospects for further income to support this large family were unlikely in Lincoln, he apparently decided to seek a posting in the colonies. John Adams
later described Bernard as "avaricious to a most infamous degree; needy at the same time, having a numerous family to provide for."
, who became a Privy Council
lor in 1755. Probably through his connection to Barrington, he secured an appointment as governor of the Province of New Jersey
on 27 January 1758, a post that became available upon the death of Jonathan Belcher
. Leaving some of his children with relatives, the couple sailed for North America with four of their children, arriving at Perth Amboy
on 14 June. Bernard won a good reputation and some popularity there by promoting mutual defence activities with other colonies. He also negotiated treaties to bring an end to Indian raids on the colony's frontiers on the upper Delaware River
valley. His efforts did much to gain New Jersey's active support during the latter part of the French and Indian War
. His work was rewarded by appointment to the post of Governor of Massachusetts. On behalf of King George II
, Bernard established through a patent charter on 24 May 1760, the founding of Bernardston, New Jersey, later renamed Bernards Township and Bernardsville. His service as Royal Governor of New Jersey ended on 4 July 1760.
until 2 August 1760. Although initially well received, his tenure in Massachusetts was difficult, because he was responsible for enforcing unpopular laws and taxes, and his tactics in attempting to do so made him many enemies. His difficulties started when he issued Writs of Assistance in 1760 to customs tax collectors. These writs, which were essentially open-ended search warrant
s, were judicially controversial and so unpopular that their issuance was explicitly disallowed by the United States Constitution
. His difficulties continued through other tax measures, including the Stamp Act
, which united many factions in the province against him.
In 1767 the passage by Parliament of the Townshend Acts
again raised a storm of protest in the colonies. In Massachusetts the provincial assembly issued a circular letter
, calling on the other colonies to join it in a boycott of the goods subject to the Townshend taxes. Bernard was ordered in April 1768 by Lord Hillsborough
, who had recently been appointed to the newly created office of Colonial Secretary
, to dissolve the assembly if it failed to retract the letter. The assembly refused, and Bernard prorogued it in July. Bernard and local customs officials also made repeated requests for military support, due to the hostility exhibited, especially to the latter, who were charged with collecting the taxes. British Army
troops arrived in Boston in October 1768, further heightening tensions. Bernard was vilified in the local press, and accused of writing letters to the ministry that mischaracterized the situation. Although he was challenged to release those letters he refused. Opposition agents in London were eventually able to acquire some of his letters, which reached members of the Sons of Liberty
in April 1769. They were promptly published by the radical Boston Gazette
, along with deliberations of the governor's council. One letter in particular, in which Bernard called for changes to the Massachusetts charter to increase the governor's power by increasing the council's dependence on him, was the subject of particularly harsh treatment, and prompted the assembly to formally request that "he might be forever removed from the Government of the Province." He was recalled to England, and Lieutenant Governor Thomas Hutchinson became acting governor. When he left Boston on 1 August, the town held an impromptu celebration, decorated the Liberty Tree
, and rang church bells.
Among his accomplishments in Massachusetts was the design of Harvard Hall at Harvard University
, and the completion of a governor's mansion in present day Jamaica Plain
near Jamaica Pond
in Boston. The plan for Bernardstown, Massachusetts
was laid out during his administration and is named for him. Bernard also named the Berkshires and Pittsfield, Massachusetts
.
, was awarded at crown expense). His appeals on the matter were at first rejected, but when Lord North
became Prime Minister in 1770, the pension was raised, but shortly after replaced by an appointment as commissioner on the Board of Revenue for Ireland, which paid the same amount.
In late 1771 he was bequeathed the manor at Nether Winchendon
upon the death of a cousin to whom he had been close since childhood. Combined with other uncertainties about where various family members would reside with the Irish appointment, the stress of the situation led Bernard to suffer a stroke. His mobility was impaired, but he took the waters at Bath, which appear to have improved his recovery. He applied for permission to resign the Irish post, and settled first at the Nether Winchendon manor; in 1774 his resignation was accepted and his pension restored. He was well enough in 1772 to travel to Oxford, where he received an honorary Doctor of Civil Law
from his alma mater, Christ Church. Because of his health he moved later in 1772 to a smaller house in nearby Aylesbury
. He died on 16 June 1779 at Nether Winchendon.
Province of New Jersey
The Province of New Jersey was one of the Middle Colonies of Colonial America and became the U.S. state of New Jersey in 1776. The province had originally been settled by Europeans as part of New Netherland, but came under English rule after the surrender of Fort Amsterdam in 1664, becoming a...
and Massachusetts Bay
Province of Massachusetts Bay
The Province of Massachusetts Bay was a crown colony in North America. It was chartered on October 7, 1691 by William and Mary, the joint monarchs of the kingdoms of England and Scotland...
. His policies and tactics in the governance of Massachusetts were instrumental in the building of broad-based opposition within the province to the rule of Parliament in the early years of the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
.
Early life
Francis was born in Brightwell-cum-SotwellBrightwell-cum-Sotwell
Brightwell-cum-Sotwell is a twin-village and civil parish in the Upper Thames Valley in South Oxfordshire. It lies between Didcot to the west and the historic market town of Wallingford to the east...
, (then in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
, but part of Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
since 1974), England to the Rev. Francis and Margery (Winslowe Tyringham) Bernard and was christened on 12 July 1712. His father died three years later. His mother remarried, but died herself of smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
in 1718. He was thereafter probably raised by an aunt for several years, since his stepfather was forced by a failed courtship to flee to Holland. His stepfather, Anthony Alsop, returned to Berkshire a few years later, and continued to play a role in the boy's upbringing. Bernard's formal education began at Westminster
Westminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
in 1725, and he then spent seven years at Oxford, where Christ Church
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
granted him a master of arts in 1736. A man of considerable intelligence, it was reported that he could recite entire plays of Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
from memory. He read law at the Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
and was called to the bar in 1737. He settled in Lincoln, where he practiced law and took on a variety of municipal posts. Among his neighbors in Lincoln were the Pownalls, with one son serving in the colonial office, and another, Thomas
Thomas Pownall
Thomas Pownall was a British politician and colonial official. He was governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay from 1758 to 1760, and afterward served in the British Parliament. He traveled widely in the North American colonies prior to the American Revolutionary War, and opposed...
, who went to the North American colonies in 1753 and was appointed governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay
Province of Massachusetts Bay
The Province of Massachusetts Bay was a crown colony in North America. It was chartered on October 7, 1691 by William and Mary, the joint monarchs of the kingdoms of England and Scotland...
in 1757. Other neighbors were the Hastingses, of whom Warren
Warren Hastings
Warren Hastings PC was the first Governor-General of India, from 1773 to 1785. He was famously accused of corruption in an impeachment in 1787, but was acquitted in 1795. He was made a Privy Councillor in 1814.-Early life:...
went on to fame in India.
Bernard married Amelia Offley in 1741 and the couple raised a large family: by 1757 the couple had eight living children. Because his prospects for further income to support this large family were unlikely in Lincoln, he apparently decided to seek a posting in the colonies. 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...
later described Bernard as "avaricious to a most infamous degree; needy at the same time, having a numerous family to provide for."
Governor of New Jersey
Bernard's wife was cousin to Lord BarringtonWilliam Barrington, 2nd Viscount Barrington
William Wildman Shute Barrington, 2nd Viscount Barrington PC was a British politician best known for his two periods as Secretary at War during Britain's involvement in the Seven Years War and American War of Independence....
, who became a Privy Council
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
lor in 1755. Probably through his connection to Barrington, he secured an appointment as governor of the Province of New Jersey
Province of New Jersey
The Province of New Jersey was one of the Middle Colonies of Colonial America and became the U.S. state of New Jersey in 1776. The province had originally been settled by Europeans as part of New Netherland, but came under English rule after the surrender of Fort Amsterdam in 1664, becoming a...
on 27 January 1758, a post that became available upon the death of Jonathan Belcher
Jonathan Belcher
Jonathan Belcher was colonial governor of the British provinces of Massachusetts Bay, New Hampshire, and New Jersey.-Early life:Jonathan Belcher was born in Cambridge, Province of Massachusetts Bay, in 1682...
. Leaving some of his children with relatives, the couple sailed for North America with four of their children, arriving at Perth Amboy
Perth Amboy, New Jersey
Perth Amboy is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. The City of Perth Amboy is part of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 50,814. Perth Amboy is known as the "City by the Bay", referring to Raritan Bay.-Name:The Lenape...
on 14 June. Bernard won a good reputation and some popularity there by promoting mutual defence activities with other colonies. He also negotiated treaties to bring an end to Indian raids on the colony's frontiers on the upper Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
valley. His efforts did much to gain New Jersey's active support during the latter part of 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...
. His work was rewarded by appointment to the post of Governor of Massachusetts. On behalf of King George II
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
, Bernard established through a patent charter on 24 May 1760, the founding of Bernardston, New Jersey, later renamed Bernards Township and Bernardsville. His service as Royal Governor of New Jersey ended on 4 July 1760.
Governor of Massachusetts
Bernard was appointed governor of Massachusetts in late 1759, but delays in communications and travel were such that he didn't arrive in BostonBoston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
until 2 August 1760. Although initially well received, his tenure in Massachusetts was difficult, because he was responsible for enforcing unpopular laws and taxes, and his tactics in attempting to do so made him many enemies. His difficulties started when he issued Writs of Assistance in 1760 to customs tax collectors. These writs, which were essentially open-ended search warrant
Search warrant
A search warrant is a court order issued by a Magistrate, judge or Supreme Court Official that authorizes law enforcement officers to conduct a search of a person or location for evidence of a crime and to confiscate evidence if it is found....
s, were judicially controversial and so unpopular that their issuance was explicitly disallowed by the United States Constitution
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
. His difficulties continued through other tax measures, including the Stamp Act
Stamp Act 1765
The Stamp Act 1765 was a direct tax imposed by the British Parliament specifically on the colonies of British America. The act required that many printed materials in the colonies be produced on stamped paper produced in London, carrying an embossed revenue stamp...
, which united many factions in the province against him.
In 1767 the passage by Parliament of the Townshend Acts
Townshend Acts
The Townshend Acts were a series of laws passed beginning in 1767 by the Parliament of Great Britain relating to the British colonies in North America. The acts are named after Charles Townshend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who proposed the program...
again raised a storm of protest in the colonies. In Massachusetts the provincial assembly issued a circular letter
Massachusetts circular letter
The Massachusetts Circular Letter was a statement written by Samuel Adams and passed by the Massachusetts House of Representatives in February 1768 in response to the Townshend Acts...
, calling on the other colonies to join it in a boycott of the goods subject to the Townshend taxes. Bernard was ordered in April 1768 by Lord Hillsborough
Wills Hill, 1st Marquess of Downshire
Wills Hill, 1st Marquess of Downshire PC , known as the Viscount Hillsborough from 1742 to 1751 and as the Earl of Hillsborough from 1751 to 1789, was a British politician of the Georgian era...
, who had recently been appointed to the newly created office of Colonial Secretary
Secretary of State for the Colonies
The Secretary of State for the Colonies or Colonial Secretary was the British Cabinet minister in charge of managing the United Kingdom's various colonial dependencies....
, to dissolve the assembly if it failed to retract the letter. The assembly refused, and Bernard prorogued it in July. Bernard and local customs officials also made repeated requests for military support, due to the hostility exhibited, especially to the latter, who were charged with collecting the taxes. British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
troops arrived in Boston in October 1768, further heightening tensions. Bernard was vilified in the local press, and accused of writing letters to the ministry that mischaracterized the situation. Although he was challenged to release those letters he refused. Opposition agents in London were eventually able to acquire some of his letters, which reached members of the Sons of Liberty
Sons of Liberty
The Sons of Liberty were a political group made up of American patriots that originated in the pre-independence North American British colonies. The group was formed to protect the rights of the colonists from the usurpations by the British government after 1766...
in April 1769. They were promptly published by the radical Boston Gazette
Boston Gazette
The Boston Gazette was a newspaper published in Boston, Massachusetts, in the British North American colonies. It began publication December 21, 1719 and appeared weekly.-Brief history:...
, along with deliberations of the governor's council. One letter in particular, in which Bernard called for changes to the Massachusetts charter to increase the governor's power by increasing the council's dependence on him, was the subject of particularly harsh treatment, and prompted the assembly to formally request that "he might be forever removed from the Government of the Province." He was recalled to England, and Lieutenant Governor Thomas Hutchinson became acting governor. When he left Boston on 1 August, the town held an impromptu celebration, decorated the Liberty Tree
Liberty Tree
The Liberty Tree was a famous elm tree that stood in Boston near Boston Common, in the days before the American Revolution. Ten years before the American Revolution, colonists in Boston staged the first act of defiance against the British government at the tree...
, and rang church bells.
Among his accomplishments in Massachusetts was the design of Harvard Hall at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, and the completion of a governor's mansion in present day Jamaica Plain
Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts
Jamaica Plain is a historic neighborhood of in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded by Boston Puritans seeking farm land to the south, it was originally part of the city of Roxbury...
near Jamaica Pond
Jamaica Pond
Jamaica Pond is a kettle pond, part of the Emerald Necklace of parks in Boston designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. The pond and park are in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston, close to the border of Brookline...
in Boston. The plan for Bernardstown, Massachusetts
Bernardston, Massachusetts
Bernardston is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 2,155 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
was laid out during his administration and is named for him. Bernard also named the Berkshires and Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Pittsfield is the largest city and the county seat of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the principal city of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Berkshire County. Its area code is 413. Its ZIP code is 01201...
.
Retirement
Upon his return to England, he asked for and received a hearing concerning the colonial petition against his rule. The Privy Council after deliberation dismissed all of the charges as "groundless, vexatious, and scandalous." Despite this vindication, Bernard resigned the post shortly after. Although he had been promised a baronetcy and a pension of £1,000 for his service, he learned after his return that the pension had been reduced to £500 (the baronetcy, of NettlehamNettleham
Nettleham is a large village and civil parish within the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England.-Geography:It is located four miles north-east of the city of Lincoln between the A46 and A158, and has a total resident population of 6,514....
, was awarded at crown expense). His appeals on the matter were at first rejected, but when Lord North
Frederick North, Lord North
Frederick North, 2nd Earl of Guilford, KG, PC , more often known by his courtesy title, Lord North, which he used from 1752 until 1790, was Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1770 to 1782. He led Great Britain through most of the American War of Independence...
became Prime Minister in 1770, the pension was raised, but shortly after replaced by an appointment as commissioner on the Board of Revenue for Ireland, which paid the same amount.
In late 1771 he was bequeathed the manor at Nether Winchendon
Nether Winchendon
Nether Winchendon is a village and also a civil parish within Aylesbury Vale district in Buckinghamshire, England. It is near the border of Oxfordshire, about five miles west of Aylesbury and three miles south of Waddesdon.The village name 'Winchendon' originates from Anglo Saxon, meaning 'hill...
upon the death of a cousin to whom he had been close since childhood. Combined with other uncertainties about where various family members would reside with the Irish appointment, the stress of the situation led Bernard to suffer a stroke. His mobility was impaired, but he took the waters at Bath, which appear to have improved his recovery. He applied for permission to resign the Irish post, and settled first at the Nether Winchendon manor; in 1774 his resignation was accepted and his pension restored. He was well enough in 1772 to travel to Oxford, where he received an honorary Doctor of Civil Law
Doctor of Civil Law
Doctor of Civil Law is a degree offered by some universities, such as the University of Oxford, instead of the more common Doctor of Laws degrees....
from his alma mater, Christ Church. Because of his health he moved later in 1772 to a smaller house in nearby Aylesbury
Aylesbury
Aylesbury is the county town of Buckinghamshire in South East England. However the town also falls into a geographical region known as the South Midlands an area that ecompasses the north of the South East, and the southern extremities of the East Midlands...
. He died on 16 June 1779 at Nether Winchendon.