Father, Merchant, Continental Congress 1777-80

[nordleuchten]

If by every exertion in my power, if principally by the advices of my officers and spirited bravery of my troops, I am happy enough as to meet with some good luck, then, sir, my greatest satisfaction schall be to serve the noble cause of liberty, and in the same time not to be useless to the succes and future glory of our respectable friend [George Washington] (…)

Marquis de La Fayette to Henry Laurens, January 26, 1778.

Idzerda Stanley J. et al., editors, Lafayette in the Age of the American Revolution: Selected Letters and Papers, 1776–1790, Volume 1, December 7, 1776–March 30, 1778, Cornell University Press, 1977, p. 253.

[todaysdocument]

“ … the Military Chest is entirely exhausted and …  a third of the army remains unpaid for the months of April and May.” George Washington, August 11, 1778. 

Record Group 360: Records of the Continental and Confederation Congresses and the Constitutional Convention

Series: Papers of the Continental Congress

File Unit: Letters from General George Washington, Commander in Chief of the Army

Transcription:

Keep reading

[h-laurens]

Martha Laurens Ramsay’s inherited lands from her father and her uncle James were not particularly helpful to her in adulthood.

(Source: Memoirs of the Life of Martha Laurens Ramsay)

[h-laurens]

Joint pain gang -- Henry Laurens, John Jay, and Ben Franklin

[sanyu-thewitch05]

[my-deer-history]

The Will of James Laurens

Notes:

The handwriting here was incredibly difficult to decipher, so there are lots of gaps below. If you have any corrections or suggestions to offer, please do let me know!

There are no line breaks in the original document, but to make for easier reading, I have added them in where they seemed most fitting.

Although all the other names are given in their English forms, for some reason the name Mary is given in the French form of Marie instead.

Transcript:

In the Name of God so be it on this sixth day of the month of September in the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty two in the afternoon at the City of Vigan diocess of Alais in Languedoc I the undersigned James Laurens a Native and Inhabitant of Charles Town Capital of the State of South Carolina in North America but having been for several years in Languedoc because of my health being at present in an infirm state but of sound understanding and having the use of my Memory I find it necessary to explain my last will and testament and make the [—]

and first I recommend my Soul to God in the name of Jesus Christ and as to my body that it be buried in the most private manner and the least [—]

and as to what relates to my estate I dispose as I [—] I ought in [—] in [manner] following first it is my will that my proportion which is two fifth part of the debt in Great Britain in the partnership of Hawkins Petrie and Company be paid therewith the just and lawful Interest unless that an argument can be made with the Auditors to receive the payment in South Carolina

I give to my most dear and beloved wife Marie Laurens an annuity of five hundred pounds sterling during her natural life to be paid regularly every six months in advance in the proportions of two hundred and fifty pounds sterling to commence from the day of my decease and it is my will that all my Real and personal Estate be liable for the payment of the said annuity unless that my Testamentary Executors and Executrices should choose to give her some other security for the payment of the said annuity to the satisfaction of my said wife and in case my said wife shall remain in Europe after my decease it is my will that the said annuity be paid to her at the place of her residence [clear] of all deductions and expenses whatsoever

I give unto my said wife all the money I have at present or that I may have in the hands of Mr William Manning of London and also the sum of five hundred pounds sterling invested for my account in the Consolidated Bank of London in the name of Mr John Savage if those two sums exceed the sum of twelve hundred pounds sterling Madam Laurens shall have a right to receive the whole and she shall render an account go the overplus to the Executors but if the said two sums shall not make twelve hundred pounds sterling then it is my will that my Executors and Executrices or some of them pay the sum that shall be wanting in sterling or in that which shall be equivalent to its full value in sterling

I also give unto my said beloved wife all the plate [—] [—] my wearing apparel table [service] and furniture of every denomination whatsoever whether in France London or America

I also give unto my said wife all and [—] my Male and Female Negroes excepting the female Satira whom I declare free from all servitude whatsoever and I [recommend] it to all my Executors and Executrices to assist the said Negro Woman if she be reduced to poverty or in any other distress

I give unto my dear friend Elizabeth Petrie widow and sister of my dear wife an annuity of fifty pounds sterling payable every six months in advance during her natural life unto my friend Edmond Petrie as a token of my regard an hundred pounds sterling and to each of his Brothers namely Alexander and George fifty pounds sterling and to his sister Marie Petrie fifty pounds sterling

I give unto my dear Brother Henry Laurens as a token of my unalterable friendship and esteem the sum of five hundred pounds sterling and twenty pounds sterling to purchase a Mourning Ring as a remembrance of his Brother

I give unto my dear Niece Martha Laurens as a token of my friendship for her and as an acknowledgement for the service she has rendered to me qnd my family and for her good and gentle conduct upon all occasions five hundred pounds sterling

I give unto my Nephew Francis Bremar of South Carolina the sum of three hundred and twenty pounds sterling to my Nephew John Bremar two hundred and fifty pounds sterling to my Niece Martha [L—] widow two hundred and fifty pounds sterling

I give unto my dear sister in law Ann Sanders as a token of my friendship and esteem fifty pounds sterling

I give as a mark of my friendship and respect for the memory of my deceased friend Jacob Motte to each of the Children of his last Marriage two hundred pounds sterling

I give unto my worthy friend Isaac Motte as a token of my friendship fifty pounds sterling to my worthy friend Louis Gervais as a token of my friendship fifty pounds sterling

I give three hundred pounds sterling to be distributed amongst my poor relations in such proportion as my Executors and Executrices shall think proper

I give five hundred pounds sterling to be distributed among the poor of South Caroline at the discretion of my Executors and Executrices I give unto the Protestant Church at Vigan fifty pounds sterling and in case that the Roman Catholic Church should pretend to and could possess [—] of this Legacy It is my will that It shall become void and of none effect

And lastly I give unto my dear Nephew John Laurens to my dear Niece Martha Laurens to my dear Nephew Henry Laurens Junior and unto my dear Niece Marie Eleanor Laurens Minor and unto their Heirs for ever all my [Real] and personal Estate of what kind soever and at what place soever they be situated to be equally shared between them subject nevertheless to the payment of the annuity of five hundred pounds sterling to my wife and as my said Niece Marie Eleanor Laurens is under age her share shall remain in trust in the hands of my said Brother Henry Laurens her father and in case that my said Nephew and Niece Henry Laurens and Marie Eleanor Laurens shall happen to die in their minority it is my will that the share to them here above bequeathed shall go and be divided in equal shares between their Brothers and Sisters who shall survive each as [—] [them]

I nominate for my Executors and Executrices of this my will my Brother Henry Laurens my Wife Marie Laurens my Nephew John Laurens my Niece Martha Laurens and my Nephew Henry Laurens

such is my last will and testamentary disposition which I will that it avail in the best manner it [can] by law which [—] of the difficulty I have to explain myself in french though I understand the Language I have transcribed it in English on an [separate] sheet of paper and Mr Louis [G—] Notary Public of Vigan aforesaid wrote and translated it into French upon this sheet of paper dictated by my dear Niece Martha Laurens and in my presence and that of my dear Wife my dear Nephew Henry Laurens and my dear Niece Marie Eleanor Laurens and the said translation made the said Mr [G—] read over the contents to me distinctly and intelligibly and which I clearly understood and comprehended and I declare that it comprises my will most expressively and it is my will that it be fulfilled after my decease the same as though it had been done at Charlestown the place of my residence even though it should not have all the required formalities In testimony thereof

I have signed my name under the two foregoing pages at the [House] where I reside at Vigan aforesaid on the day and year as above I annul all other wills which I have heretofore made Note the [—] of the words and [—] fifty pounds sterling I give as a mark of my friendship [—] approved James Laurens

[foundingfatherjohnlaurens]

November 29, 1777

Unofficial gossip of the American Revolution John Laurens wrote to his father about the “misbehaviour” of the Navy, being reunited with forces under Greene, and a set of gloves gifted by a lady.

[h-laurens]

From John Adams to Henry Laurens, November 6 1782

And now I am crying in the middle of the night

[h-laurens]

"I perswade myself, that it is unnecessary for me to have recourse to assurances, to prove the sincere pleasure with which I should receive my worthy Aid Colo. Laurens—It is an event however, I have little expected since I have heard of his late appointment—nor shall I suffer a selfish wish to come into the scale of determination—His abilities in whatsoever station they are employed will render essential services to his Country—My attachment therefore to him nor my desire of benefitting by his Aid shall not weigh in the ballance—For his past services and attention to me, he will ever have my warmest thanks. For his honor—happiness—& advancement in life—my unfeigned wishes. these in every step you take—in every station of life to which you may be called, will also attend you—as I can with truth assure you that with the greatest esteem & regard—I am Dr Sir Yr Most Obedt & Affecte Servt

Go: Washington"

Letter from George Washington to Henry Laurens on the 5th of November 1779

Highlighted this last paragraph with Washington singing John's praises to Henry Laurens 🥰

[john-laurens]

Is there any record of Henry Laurens’ view/stance on queer people specifically? I know he was pretty religious but of course back then nobody was really accepting as far as today’s standards regardless of religion. Just curious :)

To my recollection, Henry Laurens never outright discussed his views on queer people. A quick skim of The Papers of Henry Laurens also did not produce anything. Keep in mind that the queer culture of the 18th century was different than the world we know today. While most people today have an opinion on queer marriage, gender transition, and other queer topics, these weren't really topics of discussion to the same extent in the 18th century. We can certainly guess at what Henry Laurens's views on two men engaging in a romantic/sexual relationship might have been based on his Christian views, but it's not something that he likely would have ever discussed much outright.

In regards to Henry's view on his son John Laurens likely being what we would consider a gay man - again, there's not much to say. John was not "out," and any of his intimate relationships with men could be dismissed as the typical romantic friendships of the day. The closest thing we have to Henry commenting on this matter is the following quote:

Master Jack is too closely wedded to his studies to think about any of the Miss Nanny’s I would not have such a sound in his Ear, for a Crown; why drive the poor Dog, to what Nature will irresistably prompt him to be plagued with in all probability much too soon. - Henry Laurens to James Grant, in a letter dated October 13, 1767

So Henry seems to have noticed that almost-13-year-old John wasn't interested in girls, but he wasn't very concerned with the matter - he figured such attraction would come about soon enough.

Transitioning from genuine response to borderline crack theory here, I do find it interesting that there are multiple instances of Henry possibly recognizing John's attraction to men and just staying quiet/being mildly supportive about it (if you read way too into it). My points:

1. The above quote about John showing no interest in girls and Henry saying "that's ok, I won't push him into courting any girls."

2. "I purpose [Jack] shall go to Britain & there be first initiated at Winchester which I am told has greatly retrieved its character for Learning & discipline & from thence to such University as my friends who are better Judges than I am shall advise, among whom I am permitted to number Your Excellency & if nothing very cross interposes to hinder, either Jack or I or both will go to Augustine before he goes to England, but the Monkey insists upon being Major of the Clyster pipe." - Henry Laurens to James Grant, in a letter dated November 24, 1770. A clyster pipe was a device used in administering an enema, so this was a reference to John wanting to enter the field of medicine. But, as one might imagine, "clyster pipe" or "clystering" could be used as a sexual reference, particularly in regards to sodomy (Sex and the Eighteenth-Century Man: Massachusetts and the History of Sexuality in America by Thomas Foster includes a couple examples of this). That's probably not the connotation Henry was aiming for here, but also - why did he specifically reference enemas when he could have referred to any medical practice to get the point across? John also often copied his father's letters for writing practice, so imagine his reaction if/when he came across this passage.

3. Henry let John know that Francis Kinloch was going to be around, both in Geneva and at Army headquarters:

From a hint which Waag dropped at Bath tis expected by the freinds of the young Eatonian that he will find a freind in you at Genevé, tho none of 'em have Said a word to me on the Subject. - Henry Laurens to John Laurens, in a letter dated January 14, 1774. Francis Kinloch is the "Eatonian" (he had studied at Eton).

Your friend F. Kinloch will probably salute you in Camp this day sinnight, another friend of yours R. Berresford is in New York. - Henry Laurens to John Laurens, September 17, 1778

4. There is the likelihood that Hamilton sent THE April 1779 letter to John through Henry. Who's to say how much (if any) of the letter Henry actually read, but it's interesting to think that Henry once possessed the gayest letter of the 18th century and just casually sent it along to his son.

[h-laurens]

Obsessed with this thesis title

[h-laurens]

Some snippets of a letter from Lafayette to Henry Laurens. Note:

"while I am going to send so many public letters to the president of Congress, I must give myself the pleasure of writing two lines to my friend Mr Laurens"

and

"to beg the continuance of your Remembrance and affection, and to assure you of the high Regard and very intimate friendship"

[h-laurens]

“…and then you would be convinced that the difference between the love of an uncle and that degree of pleasure which a parent enjoys is as great as the difference between the faint light of the moon and the warm and cheerful beams of the universal eye.”

[h-laurens]

Did Henry eat rattlesnake?

A very intriguing footnote

[h-laurens]

Henry and Eleanor ❤️

Honestly I love the image of Henry bragging about his beautiful wife/best friend and her cooking. By all accounts, they seem to have been very in love.

[h-laurens]

Seals on the letters Henry Laurens sent

[h-laurens]

Henry Laurens portrait by John Singleton Copley