Jonathan Blanchard (statesman)
Encyclopedia
Jonathan Blanchard was an American
lawyer, farm owner, and statesman from Dunstable, New Hampshire
. He was a delegate for New Hampshire
to the Continental Congress in 1784.
Jonathan was the son of Colonel Joseph Blanchard
(1704–1758) and Rebecca (Hubbard) Blanchard (1710–1774) of Dunstable. He was the sixth of eleven children who lived to adulthood. His father, the Colonel, was also an active leader in New Hampshire as a judge in the Superior Court and member of the Governor's Council.
Jonathan was active in the New Hampshire Militia
, rising to the rank of major by 1765. That year he married Rebecca Farwell (1739–1811) and they made their home in Dunstable for the rest of their lives. They would have six children: Rebecca (1766), Grace (1768), Sophia (1769), Abigail (1770), Charles (1776), and Elizabeth (1777).
As New Hampshire moved toward a revolutionary government, Blanchard was elected first to the Provincial Congress in 1775 and then to the state's House of Representatives in 1776. He served on New Hampshire's Committee of Safety
from 1776 to 1778.
When a new government was established Blanchard served as the Attorney General for New Hampshire from 1777 until 1782. In 1783 he was named as a delegate to the Continental Congress
but wasn't able to attend. He was re-appointed the following year, and took his seat in the Congress.
In 1784 Blanchard was elected to the New Hampshire State Senate. He was also named as Brigadier General of the state's militia, a position he held until his death. He died at home in Dunstable and was buried in the town's burying ground. Dunstable is now named Nashua, New Hampshire
, and the cemetery is called the Old South Cemetery, located on the Daniel Webster Highway
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lawyer, farm owner, and statesman from Dunstable, New Hampshire
Dunstable, New Hampshire
Dunstable, New Hampshire was a town located in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, that is now the city of Nashua.The town was originally part of Dunstable, Massachusetts, which was incorporated in 1673...
. He was a delegate for New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
to the Continental Congress in 1784.
Jonathan was the son of Colonel Joseph Blanchard
Joseph Blanchard
Joseph Blanchard was born in Dunstable, New Hampshire on February 11, 1704 to Capt. Joseph Blanchard and his wife Abiah Hassell. In 1724 he joined the New Hampshire Militia as a lieutenant and served in Capt. Eleazer Tyng's Company. On September 26, 1728 he married Rebecca Hubbard of Groton,...
(1704–1758) and Rebecca (Hubbard) Blanchard (1710–1774) of Dunstable. He was the sixth of eleven children who lived to adulthood. His father, the Colonel, was also an active leader in New Hampshire as a judge in the Superior Court and member of the Governor's Council.
Jonathan was active in the New Hampshire Militia
New Hampshire Militia
The New Hampshire Militia was first organized in March 1680, by New Hampshire Colonial President John Cutt. The King of England authorized the Provincial President to give commissions to persons who shall be best qualified for regulating and discipline of the militia. President Cutt placed Major...
, rising to the rank of major by 1765. That year he married Rebecca Farwell (1739–1811) and they made their home in Dunstable for the rest of their lives. They would have six children: Rebecca (1766), Grace (1768), Sophia (1769), Abigail (1770), Charles (1776), and Elizabeth (1777).
As New Hampshire moved toward a revolutionary government, Blanchard was elected first to the Provincial Congress in 1775 and then to the state's House of Representatives in 1776. He served on New Hampshire's Committee of Safety
Committee of Safety (American Revolution)
Many Committees of Safety were established throughout Colonial America at the start of the American Revolution. These committees started to appear in the 1760s as means to discuss the concerns of the time, and often consisted of every male adult in the community...
from 1776 to 1778.
When a new government was established Blanchard served as the Attorney General for New Hampshire from 1777 until 1782. In 1783 he was named as a delegate 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....
but wasn't able to attend. He was re-appointed the following year, and took his seat in the Congress.
In 1784 Blanchard was elected to the New Hampshire State Senate. He was also named as Brigadier General of the state's militia, a position he held until his death. He died at home in Dunstable and was buried in the town's burying ground. Dunstable is now named Nashua, New Hampshire
Nashua, New Hampshire
-Climate:-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 86,494 people, 35,044 households, and 21,876 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,719.9 people per square mile . There were 37,168 housing units at an average density of 1,202.8 per square mile...
, and the cemetery is called the Old South Cemetery, located on the Daniel Webster Highway
Daniel Webster Highway
Daniel Webster Highway is the name for several sections of U.S. Route 3 in New Hampshire. The highway is named after 19th century statesman Daniel Webster, a New Hampshire native.-Extent:...
.