Richard Peters (Continental Congress)
Encyclopedia
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lawyer, jurist, and politician from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
. He was a delegate for Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
to the Continental Congress
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
in 1782 and 1783. For many years he was a United States federal judge
United States federal judge
In the United States, the title of federal judge usually means a judge appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate in accordance with Article II of the United States Constitution....
for Pennsylvania
United States District Court for the District of Pennsylvania
The following are former United States district courts, which ceased to exist because they were subdivided into smaller units. With the exception of California, each of these courts initially covered an entire U.S. state, and was subdivided as the jurisdictions which they covered increased in...
.
Early years
Richard was the son of William Peters (1702–1786), who came from LiverpoolLiverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to Philadelphia in 1739. He was named for his uncle, Richard Peters
Richard Peters (cleric)
Richard Peters was an American cleric and a civil servant in colonial Pennsylvania. For many years he was the rector of Christ Church in Philadelphia....
(1704–1776), rector of Christ Church
Christ Church, Philadelphia
Christ Church is an Episcopal church located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1695 by members of the Church of England, who built a small wooden church on the site by the next year. When the congregation outgrew this structure some twenty years later, they decided to erect a new...
in Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
. Richard was born on his father's newly acquired country estate, named Belmont
Belmont Mansion (Philadelphia)
Belmont Mansion is a historic mansion located in Fairmount Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Built in the early 18th century, the mansion is one of the finest examples of Palladian architecture in the United States....
, then just outside of Philadelphia. William was a large landowner with rental properties in both America and England, had a successful law practice in Philadelphia, and was a judge in the court of common pleas.
Young Richard was educated at home and then attended the College of Philadelphia (now the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
). He graduated in 1761, and then read law to be admitted to the bar in 1763. He built a successful practice in Philadelphia. He also held a number of government posts under the colonial government, including Admiralty Register of Philadelphia, from 1771 to 1776.
Revolutionary War years
Unlike many of Philadelphia's lawyers as the RevolutionAmerican 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...
became imminent, Peters sided with the Whig or American cause. A week after the Continental Congress created the Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
, they appointed him as the Secretary to their Board of War
Board of War
The Board of War was created by the Second Continental Congress as a special standing committee to oversee the American Continental Army's administration and to make recommendations regarding the army to Congress. On January 24, 1776, Congressional delegate Edward Rutledge, echoing Gen. George...
. Later his position title was changed to Commissioner of the Board of War. He held this post with honor throughout the active phase of the Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. When he resigned in 1781, Congress passed a declaration to thank him for "long and faithful service".
He was a good friend and benefactor of Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben
Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben
Friedrich Wilhelm August Heinrich Ferdinand von Steuben , also referred to as the Baron von Steuben, was a Prussian-born military officer who served as inspector general and Major General of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War...
, Inspector-General and trainer of the army, often paying his expenses and allowing him and his staff to stay at the family estate, Belmont. It was there in early 1779 that the Blue Book was written and became the first military manual of the United States Army.
Legislative and judicial service
In 1782, he was back with the Congress, this time as a delegate for Pennsylvania. He served in the Congress until 1783.In 1785 he visited England. With the war over, he was seeking a continuance or reconciliation for the Anglican Church
Anglican Communion
The Anglican Communion is an international association of national and regional Anglican churches in full communion with the Church of England and specifically with its principal primate, the Archbishop of Canterbury...
in America. His meetings with John Moore
John Moore (Archbishop)
John Moore was a bishop in the Church of England.-Life:Moore was the son of George Moore, butcher, and his wife Jane.He was born in Gloucester and was educated at the Crypt School there...
, Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
, ultimately bore fruit. The English hierarchy agreed to a formal separation. In 1786 Parliament passed the Act for the Consecration of Bishops Abroad, and on February 14, 1787 the church consecrated bishops from Philadelphia and New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in what became the Episcopal Church in the United States of America.
In 1786 he was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Pennsylvania General Assembly, the legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. There are 203 members, elected for two year terms from single member districts....
, where he served from 1787 to 1790. He was the Speaker of the House from 1788 onward. In 1791 he entered the Pennsylvania State Senate
Pennsylvania State Senate
The Pennsylvania State Senate has been meeting since 1791. It is the upper house of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Pennsylvania state legislature. The State Senate meets in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. Senators are elected for four year terms, staggered every two years such...
but served only a year.
On January 12, 1792, Peters was nominated by President George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Pennsylvania
United States District Court for the District of Pennsylvania
The following are former United States district courts, which ceased to exist because they were subdivided into smaller units. With the exception of California, each of these courts initially covered an entire U.S. state, and was subdivided as the jurisdictions which they covered increased in...
, vacated by William Lewis
William Lewis (judge)
William Lewis was a Pennsylvania attorney and politician.Born in Edgemont, Pennsylvania, Lewis read law to enter the bar in 1773. He was in private practice in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from then until 1787, when he was elected as a representative to the Pennsylvania State Legislature...
. Peters was confirmed by 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...
on January 13, 1792, and received his commission immediately. On April 20, 1818, the District of Pennsylvania was subdivided, and he was reassigned by operation of law
Operation of law
The phrase "by operation of law" is a legal term that indicates that a right or liability has been created for a party, irrespective of the intent of that party, because it is dictated by existing legal principles. For example, if a person dies without a will, his heirs are determined by operation...
to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania is one of the original 13 federal judiciary districts created by the Judiciary Act of 1789...
, which post he held post until his death. His court held sessions in Independence Hall in Philadelphia. During his service on the court, he published Admiralty Decisions in the United States District Court of Pennsylvania (two volumes, 1807).
Death and legacy
Peters died at home in 1828 and is buried in St. Peter's Churchyard CemeterySt. Peter's Church, Philadelphia
St. Peter's Church is a historic church located on the corner of Third and Pine Streets in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It opened for worship on September 4, 1761 and served as a place of worship for many of the United States Founding Fathers during the period of the Continental Congresses. The...
in Philadelphia. His home, known as "Belmont Mansion
Belmont Mansion (Philadelphia)
Belmont Mansion is a historic mansion located in Fairmount Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Built in the early 18th century, the mansion is one of the finest examples of Palladian architecture in the United States....
", still stands and is open as a museum. It is located at 2000 Belmont Mansion Drive in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park
Fairmount Park
Fairmount Park is the municipal park system of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It consists of 63 parks, with , all overseen by the Philadelphia Department of Parks and Recreation, successor to the Fairmount Park Commission in 2010.-Fairmount Park proper:...
.
Famous descendants
His son RichardRichard Peters (Atlanta)
Richard Peters was an American railroad man and a founder of Atlanta.Grandson of Judge Richard Peters, Jr...
became a founder of Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. That Richard's son, and this Richard's great-grandson, Edward C. Peters
Edward C. Peters
Edward Conyngham Peters - was an Atlanta real estate developer. He was son of Richard Peters, a founder of the city.Edward inherited Richard's land, railroad and trolley interests in 1889....
, bought and then sold off for development the land that is now the southern half of Midtown Atlanta
Midtown Atlanta
Midtown is the second largest financial district in the city of Atlanta, Georgia, situated between the commercial and financial districts of Downtown and SoNo to the south and the affluent residential and commercial district of Buckhead to the north...
.
External links
- Biographical sketch and portrait at the University of PennsylvaniaUniversity of PennsylvaniaThe University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...