Thomas Boone (governor)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Boone was the 7th Royal Governor of New Jersey and the 28th Royal Governor of South Carolina. The New Jersey town of Boonton
(Boone Town, Booneton) is named in his honour.
, was a merchant with interests in the East Indies
whose family also included major landowners in the Province of South Carolina
, and his mother, Elizabeth Garth Boone, was from a military family from County Durham
. The extended family was well connected to the politically powerful Duke of Newcastle. Thomas' older brother Charles served in Parliament for many years, married into the wealthy and powerful Crowley family, and was a friend of Horace Walpole. Educated at Eton
and Trinity College, Cambridge
, Boone came to South Carolina in 1752 to claim title and lands he had inherited from the Boone and Colleton families. He traveled to England in 1754, and returned to South Carolina in 1758, at which time he married Sarah Ann Tattnall Perroneau.
in 1759, but he did not arrive in New Jersey until 10 May 1760. He did not meet with the colonial assembly until 30 October 1760. Six months later, he was appointed Governor of South Carolina
. He arrived in Charleston in December 1761, and replaced acting governor William Bull II
.
In 1762, Boone refused to administer the oath of office
to a newly elected provincial assemblyman named Christopher Gadsden
, stating that his election was not valid. Without taking the oath, Gadsden could not take his seat. When the Assembly objected, Governor Boone dissolved the Assembly and called for new elections.
When the Assembly reconvened that winter after elections (in which Gadsden was able to take his seat), they drew up a resolution condemning Governor Boone's actions. The Assembly then produced a resolution stating clearly that the Assembly held sole authority to determine the validity of any elections of its members.
Boone replied that he was acting under his authority as the representative of the British Crown. Ultimately, Boone and the Assembly could not come to an agreement, and the Assembly refused to conduct any business at all with the Governor until their complaints were addressed, refusing even to pass tax bills
or appropriate money to pay the salaries of the various administrative staff.
Finally, Boone gave up. Taking advantage of a previous offer of a leave of absence, he sailed to England and the matter passed. In May 1764, he left lieutenant governor Bull to fill in as acting governor, and went home to England.
He served for many years as commissioner of customs, resigning the post in 1805. His properties in South Carolina were confiscated after the American Revolutionary War
. He died at Lee
(then part of County Kent) on 25 September 1812.
Boonton, New Jersey
Boonton is a town in Morris County, New Jersey that was chartered in 1867. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 8,347. The town was originally called "Boone-Towne" in 1761 in honor of the Colonial Governor Thomas Boone....
(Boone Town, Booneton) is named in his honour.
Early life
Boone was born in England in 1730 or 1731. His father, Charles BooneCharles Boone
Charles Boone was a British governor of the Bombay Presidency during the period of the Honourable East India Company, serving from 1715 to 1722....
, was a merchant with interests in the East Indies
East Indies
East Indies is a term used by Europeans from the 16th century onwards to identify what is now known as Indian subcontinent or South Asia, Southeastern Asia, and the islands of Oceania, including the Malay Archipelago and the Philippines...
whose family also included major landowners in the Province of South Carolina
Province of South Carolina
The South Carolina Colony, or Province of South Carolina, was originally part of the Province of Carolina, which was chartered in 1663. The colony later became the U.S. state of South Carolina....
, and his mother, Elizabeth Garth Boone, was from a military family from County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
. The extended family was well connected to the politically powerful Duke of Newcastle. Thomas' older brother Charles served in Parliament for many years, married into the wealthy and powerful Crowley family, and was a friend of Horace Walpole. Educated at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, Boone came to South Carolina in 1752 to claim title and lands he had inherited from the Boone and Colleton families. He traveled to England in 1754, and returned to South Carolina in 1758, at which time he married Sarah Ann Tattnall Perroneau.
Political career
Possibly through the influence of his brother Charles, Boone was appointed Governor of New JerseyProvince 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...
in 1759, but he did not arrive in New Jersey until 10 May 1760. He did not meet with the colonial assembly until 30 October 1760. Six months later, he was appointed Governor of South Carolina
Province of South Carolina
The South Carolina Colony, or Province of South Carolina, was originally part of the Province of Carolina, which was chartered in 1663. The colony later became the U.S. state of South Carolina....
. He arrived in Charleston in December 1761, and replaced acting governor William Bull II
William Bull II
William Bull II was a landowner, military officer, and politician in the Province of South Carolina. A son of Governor William Bull, he was for many years lieutenant governor of the province, and served as acting governor on five occasions...
.
In 1762, Boone refused to administer the oath of office
Oath of office
An oath of office is an oath or affirmation a person takes before undertaking the duties of an office, usually a position in government or within a religious body, although such oaths are sometimes required of officers of other organizations...
to a newly elected provincial assemblyman named Christopher Gadsden
Christopher Gadsden
Christopher Gadsden , a soldier and statesman from South Carolina, was the principal leader of the South Carolina Patriot movement in the American Revolution. He was a delegate to the Continental Congress and a brigadier general in the Continental Army during the War of Independence...
, stating that his election was not valid. Without taking the oath, Gadsden could not take his seat. When the Assembly objected, Governor Boone dissolved the Assembly and called for new elections.
When the Assembly reconvened that winter after elections (in which Gadsden was able to take his seat), they drew up a resolution condemning Governor Boone's actions. The Assembly then produced a resolution stating clearly that the Assembly held sole authority to determine the validity of any elections of its members.
Boone replied that he was acting under his authority as the representative of the British Crown. Ultimately, Boone and the Assembly could not come to an agreement, and the Assembly refused to conduct any business at all with the Governor until their complaints were addressed, refusing even to pass tax bills
Appropriation bill
An appropriation bill or running bill is a legislative motion which authorizes the government to spend money. It is a bill that sets money aside for specific spending...
or appropriate money to pay the salaries of the various administrative staff.
Finally, Boone gave up. Taking advantage of a previous offer of a leave of absence, he sailed to England and the matter passed. In May 1764, he left lieutenant governor Bull to fill in as acting governor, and went home to England.
He served for many years as commissioner of customs, resigning the post in 1805. His properties in South Carolina were confiscated after the American 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...
. He died at Lee
Lee, London
Lee is a district of south London, England, located mostly in the London Borough of Lewisham and partly in the London Borough of Greenwich. The district lies to the east of Lewisham, one mile west of Eltham, and one mile south of Blackheath village...
(then part of County Kent) on 25 September 1812.