Life

He was the son of John North, who commanded Fort Frederick in 1751, and Fort St. George in Thomaston, Maine

Thomaston, Maine

Thomaston, Maine is a town on the coast of Maine the United States. The name may also refer to:*Thomaston , Maine, a census-designated place comprising the center of the town*South Thomaston, Maine, an adjacent town...

, in 1758. He moved with his mother, Elizabeth North, to Boston

Boston

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...

, Massachusetts

Massachusetts

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...

.

He entered 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...

 in 1775, and served under Benedict Arnold

Benedict Arnold

Benedict Arnold V was a general during the American Revolutionary War. He began the war in the Continental Army but later defected to the British Army. While a general on the American side, he obtained command of the fort at West Point, New York, and plotted to surrender it to the British forces...

 in the unfortunate expedition to Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

 in that year. He was appointed in May 1777 as captain in Henry Jackson

Henry Jackson (general)

Born in Boston, Massachusetts, on 19 October 1747, Henry Jackson was the youngest son of Joseph and Susannah Jackson. Before the War for Independence, he was an officer of the First Corps of Cadets in Boston, which was disbanded during the British occupation...

's 16th Massachusetts Regiment

16th Massachusetts Regiment

The 16th Massachusetts Regiment also known as Henry Jackson's Additional Continental Regiment was raised on January 12, 1777 under Colonel Jackson at Boston, Massachusetts. The regiment would see action at the Battle of Monmouth and the Battle of Rhode Island...

, with which he participated in the Battle of Monmouth

Battle of Monmouth

The Battle of Monmouth was an American Revolutionary War battle fought on June 28, 1778 in Monmouth County, New Jersey. The Continental Army under General George Washington attacked the rear of the British Army column commanded by Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton as they left Monmouth Court...

. In 1779 he became aide-de-camp to Baron Steuben, whom he greatly aided in introducing his system of discipline in the Continental Army. Later he accompanied Steuben to Virginia

Virginia

The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...

, and was present at the surrender of Cornwallis.

According to historian William Benemann, it is likely that North was romantically involved

Homosexuality

Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...

 with Steuben and another male companion, Captain Benjamin Walker

Benjamin Walker (representative)

For other persons named Benjamin Walker, see Benjamin Walker .Captain Benjamin Walker was a soldier in the American Revolutionary War and later served as a U.S. Representative from New York....

.http://books.google.com/books?id=q7TPqeUa9UIC&printsec=frontcover&dq=male+male+intimacy+in+early+america&ei=DnykSM3qFouUiAGvntD6BA&sig=ACfU3U2KRSdN3-e0S2Zv2tZnboB964y9Mw, William Benemann, Male-Male Intimacy in Early America: Beyond Romantic Friendships Haworth Press, 2006 ISBN 1560233451. However, based on the limited historical record, Benemann said his research is not entirely conclusive, writing that "it is impossible to prove the nature of the relationships."

He was appointed by Act of Congress a Major in the 2d United States Regiment on October 20, 1786. After the war he settled in Duanesburg, New York

Duanesburg, New York

Duanesburg is a town in Schenectady County, New York, USA. The population was 5,808 at the 2000 census. Duanesburg is named for James Duane, who held most of it as an original land grant. The town is in the western part of the county.-History:...

, where he married Mary Duane, daughter of James Duane

James Duane

James Duane was an American lawyer, jurist, and Revolutionary leader from New York. He served as a delegate to the Continental Congress, New York state senator, Mayor of New York, and a U.S...

, on October 14, 1787, and had six children. The General William North House

North Mansion and Tenant House

North Mansion and Tenant House, also known as the General William North House, is a historic home located at Duanesburg in Schenectady County, New York. The North Mansion was built about 1795 by General William North . It is a 2-story, five-bay, rectangular frame residence topped by a low-pitched...

 was listed on the National Register of Historic Places

National Register of Historic Places

The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...

 in 1987.

He was a member of the New York State Assembly

New York State Assembly

The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...

 from Albany County

Albany County, New York

Albany County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, and is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area. The name is from the title of the Duke of York and Albany, who became James II of England . As of the 2010 census, the population was 304,204...

 in 1792, 1794 and 1795, from Albany and Schenectady Counties in 1796, and from Schenectady County

Schenectady County, New York

Schenectady County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 154,727. It is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county seat is Schenectady. The name is from a Mohawk Indian word meaning "on the other side of the...

 in 1810. He was Speaker

Speaker of the New York State Assembly

The Speaker of the New York State Assembly is the highest official in the New York State Assembly, customarily elected from the ranks of the majority party....

 in 1795, 1796 and 1810.

North was appointed as a Federalist

Federalist Party (United States)

The Federalist Party was the first American political party, from the early 1790s to 1816, the era of the First Party System, with remnants lasting into the 1820s. The Federalists controlled the federal government until 1801...

 to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of John Sloss Hobart

John Sloss Hobart

John Sloss Hobart was an American jurist and politician. He was a member of the Federalist Party who served as United States Senator from New York, and later as a United States federal judge.-Early life:...

 and served from May 5, 1798, to August 17, 1798, when James Watson

James Watson (politician)

James Watson was a United States Senator representing the state of New York.-Life:Watson moved to New York City in 1786 and engaged in business pursuits. He was a member of the New York State Assembly in 1791, 1794–1796 and was Speaker in 1794...

 was elected and qualified to succeed.

He was appointed adjutant general of the United States Army

United States Army

The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...

 with the rank of brigadier general

Brigadier General

Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...

 on July 19, 1798, but was mustered out on 10 June 1800, as tensions with France

Quasi-War

The Quasi-War was an undeclared war fought mostly at sea between the United States and French Republic from 1798 to 1800. In the United States, the conflict was sometimes also referred to as the Franco-American War, the Pirate Wars, or the Half-War.-Background:The Kingdom of France had been a...

 diminished. In March 1812, he was again appointed adjutant-general of the Army, but declined.

He was a member of the first Erie Canal Commission

Erie Canal Commission

The New York State Legislature appointed in 1810 a Commission to Explore a Route for a Canal to Lake Erie, and Report which became known as the Erie Canal Commission...

, from 1810 to 1816.

The bulk of Baron Steuben's property was bequeathed to General North, who divided it among his military companions. General North was a member of the Society of the Cincinnati

Society of the Cincinnati

The Society of the Cincinnati is a historical organization with branches in the United States and France founded in 1783 to preserve the ideals and fellowship of the American Revolutionary War officers and to pressure the government to honor pledges it had made to officers who fought for American...

. He died in New York City, and was buried in the crypt under the Christ Episcopal Church

Christ Episcopal Church (Duanesburg, New York)

Christ Episcopal Church is a historic Episcopal church on NY 20 in Duanesburg, Schenectady County, New York. It was built in 1793 and is a two story, rectangular meeting house with a freestanding tower. The square tower with octagonal spire was erected in 1811. Also on the property is a...

 in Duanesburg.

External links

• The New York Civil List compiled by Franklin Benjamin Hough (pages 40 and 294; Weed, Parsons and Co., 1858)
• Political Graveyard
• William North Historic Marker