Thomas Mifflin
Continental Congressman 1774—1775, 1782—1784
5th President of the United States in Congress Assembled
In office November 3, 1783 – October 31, 1784
Preceded by	Elias Boudinot
Succeeded by	Richard Henry Lee
Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
In office 1785 – 1787
Preceded by	John Bayard
Succeeded by	Richard Peters
7th President of Pennsylvania
In office 1778 – 1790
Preceded by	Benjamin Franklin
Succeeded by	himself, as 1st Governor of Pennsylvania
1st Governor of Pennsylvania
In office 1790 – 1799
Preceded by	Himself, as 7th President of Pennsylvania
Succeeded by	Thomas McKean
Born	10 January 1744(1744-01-10) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Died	20 January 1800 Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Political party	Federalist
Spouse	Sarah Morris
Residence	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Profession	merchant, soldier, politician
Religion	Lutheran

Thomas Mifflin (January 10, 1744 – January 20, 1800) was an American merchant and politician from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the Year 1774 ( MDCCLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Year 1775 ( MDCCLXXV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Year 1782 ( MDCCLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Year 1784 ( MDCCLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year The President of the Continental Congress was the presiding officer of the Continental Congress, the convention of delegates that emerged as the first national government Events 644 - Umar ibn al-Khattab, the second Muslim Caliph, is killed by a Persian slave in Medina. Year 1783 ( MDCCLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or Events 445 BC – Ezra reads the Book of the Law to the Israelites in Jerusalem (see Nehemiah 91 NLTse Year 1784 ( MDCCLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Elias Boudinot Jr (1740 1821 was an early American lawyer and statesman from Elizabeth New Jersey who was a delegate to the Continental Congress and a Richard Henry Lee (January 20 1732 June 19 1794 was an American statesman from Virginia best known for proposing the motion in the Second Continental The speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives holds the oldest state-wide Elected office in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Legislature of the U Year 1785 ( MDCCLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Year 1787 ( MDCCLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common John Bubenheim Bayard ( 11 August, 1738 &ndash 7 January, 1807) was a merchant soldier and statesman from Philadelphia Pennsylvania Richard Peters is the name of Richard Peters (cleric (1704&ndash1776 Pennsylvania colonial minister uncle of the Continental Congressman The Supreme Executive Council of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (also known as The Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania and where state affiliation was understood The Year 1778 ( MDCCLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or Year 1790 ( MDCCXC) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Benjamin Franklin ( April 17 1790 was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America. Governors Pennsylvania was one of the original Thirteen colonies, and was admitted as a state on December 12 1787 Governors Pennsylvania was one of the original Thirteen colonies, and was admitted as a state on December 12 1787 Year 1790 ( MDCCXC) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Year 1799 ( MDCCXCIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a The Supreme Executive Council of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (also known as The Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania and where state affiliation was understood The Thomas McKean (March 19 1734 June 24 1817 was an American Lawyer and Politician from New Castle, Delaware, and Philadelphia Events 49 BC - Julius Caesar crosses the Rubicon, signaling the start of civil war. Year 1744 ( MDCCXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Philadelphia (ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə Events 250 - Emperor Decius begins a widespread persecution of Christians in Rome. Year -of the Julian calendar. The Gregorian calendar was 11 days ahead of the Julian calendar until Friday, but 12 days ahead since Saturday. Lancaster is a city in the South Central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and is the County seat of Lancaster County. The Federalist Party (or Federal Party) was an American political party in the period 1792 to 1816 with remnants lasting into the 1820s Merchants function as professionals who deal with Trade, dealing in commodities that they do not produce themselves in order to produce Profit. A soldier is a general English term that refers to a member of a land component of National Armed forces. A politician (from Greek " Polis " is an individual who is involved in influencing public decision making through the influence of Politics or a person Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther Events 49 BC - Julius Caesar crosses the Rubicon, signaling the start of civil war. Year 1744 ( MDCCXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Events 250 - Emperor Decius begins a widespread persecution of Christians in Rome. Year -of the Julian calendar. The Gregorian calendar was 11 days ahead of the Julian calendar until Friday, but 12 days ahead since Saturday. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Merchants function as professionals who deal with Trade, dealing in commodities that they do not produce themselves in order to produce Profit. A politician (from Greek " Polis " is an individual who is involved in influencing public decision making through the influence of Politics or a person Philadelphia (ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern He was a major general in the Continental Army during the American Revolution, a member of the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly, a Continental Congressman from Pennsylvania, fifth President of the U.S. Congress under the Articles of Confederation, and a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1787. Major General or Major-General is a Military rank used in many countries The American Continental Army was an Army formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots" The Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly, also known as the Colonial Assembly the General Assembly or simply the Pennsylvania Assembly was the representative branch of government in the The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the The United States Congress is the bicameral Legislature of the federal government of the United States of America, consisting of two houses The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, also the Articles of Confederation was the governing Constitution of the alliance of thirteen independent and The Philadelphia Convention (now also known as the Constitutional Convention, the Federal Convention, or the " Grand Convention at Philadelphia He served as Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, President of the Pennsylvania Supreme Executive Council and the first Governor of Pennsylvania. The speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives holds the oldest state-wide Elected office in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Legislature of the U The Supreme Executive Council of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (also known as The Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania and where state affiliation was understood The The Supreme Executive Council of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (also known as The Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania and where state affiliation was understood The Governors Pennsylvania was one of the original Thirteen colonies, and was admitted as a state on December 12 1787

Early life and family

Thomas Mifflin was born January 10, 1744 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, son of John Mifflin and Elizabeth Bagnall. Events 49 BC - Julius Caesar crosses the Rubicon, signaling the start of civil war. Year 1744 ( MDCCXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Philadelphia (ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə He graduated from the College of Philadelphia in 1760, and joined the mercantile business of William Biddle. After returning from a trip to Europe in 1765, he established a commercial business partnership with his brother, George Mifflin, and married his cousin, Sarah Morris, on 4 March 1765. Events 51 - Nero, later to become Roman Emperor, is given the title Princeps iuventutis (head of the youth ^[1] He was a member of the American Philosophical Society. The American Philosophical Society is a discussion group founded in 1743 by Benjamin Franklin as an offshoot of his earlier club the Junto.

American Revolution

Early in the Revolutionary War, Mifflin left the Continental Congress to serve in the Continental Army. In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots" The American Continental Army was an Army formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America Although his family had been Quakers for four generations, he was expelled from the Religious Society of Friends because his involvement with a military force contradicted his faith's pacifistic nature. ^[2] He was commissioned as a major, then became George Washington's aide-de-camp and, on August 14, 1775, became the army's first Quartermaster General. Major is a Military rank the use of which varies according to country George Washington (February 22 1732 December 14 1799 served as the first President of the United States of America (1789&ndash1797 and led the An aide-de-camp ( French for camp assistant) is a personal assistant secretary or Adjutant to a person of high rank usually a senior military officer Events 1183 - Taira no Munemori and the Taira clan take the young Emperor Antoku and the three sacred treasures Year 1775 ( MDCCLXXV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a A Quartermaster general is the Staff officer in charge of supplies for a whole Army. He was good at the job, but preferred to be on the front lines. His leadership in battle gained him promotions to colonel and then brigadier general. Colonel ( RP ˈkɜnəl GA ˈkɜrnəl is a Military rank of a Commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every country Brigadier General is the lowest ranking General Officer in some countries usually sitting between the ranks of Colonel and Major General. He asked to be relieved of the job of Quartermaster General, but was persuaded to resume those duties because Congress was having difficulty finding a replacement.

In Congress, there was debate regarding whether a national army was more efficient or if individual states should maintain their own forces. As a result of this debate the Congressional Board of War was created, on which Mifflin served from 1777 to 1778. He then rejoined the army but took little active role, following criticism of his service as quartermaster general. He was accused of embezzlement and welcomed an inquiry; however, one never took place. He resigned his commission—by then, as a major general—but Congress continued to ask his advice even after accepting his resignation.

Political career

Prior to Independence, Thomas Mifflin was a member of Pennsylvania's Provincial Assembly (1772–1776). The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern He served two terms in the Continental Congress (1774–1775, and 1782–1784). The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the He then served in the Pennsylvania General Assembly (1785–1788). The Pennsylvania General Assembly is the state legislature of the U He was a delegate to the United States Constitutional Convention in 1787, as well as a signer of the Constitution. The Philadelphia Convention (now also known as the Constitutional Convention, the Federal Convention, or the " Grand Convention at Philadelphia The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme Law of the United States. ^[1] He was a member of the Supreme Executive Council of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and on 5 November 1788 he was elected President of the Council, replacing Benjamin Franklin. The Supreme Executive Council of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (also known as The Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania and where state affiliation was understood The Events 1499 - Publication of the Catholicon in Treguier ( Brittany) Year 1788 ( MDCCLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap The Supreme Executive Council of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (also known as The Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania and where state affiliation was understood The Benjamin Franklin ( April 17 1790 was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America. He was unanimously reelected to the Presidency on 11 November 1789. Events 308 - The Congress of Carnuntum: Attempting to keep peace within the Roman Empire, the leaders of the Tetrarchy declare Year 1789 ( MDCCLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common ^[3] He presided over the committee that wrote Pennsylvania's 1790 State Constitution. Year 1790 ( MDCCXC) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year That document did away with the Executive Council, replacing it with a single Governor. On 21 December 1790 Mifflin became the last President of Pennsylvania and the first Governor of the Commonwealth. Events 69 - The end of the Year of the four emperors: Following Galba, Otho and Vitellius, Vespasian He held the latter office until 17 December 1799, when he was succeeded by Thomas McKean. Events 546 - Gothic War (535–554: The Ostrogoths of King Totila Year 1799 ( MDCCXCIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Thomas McKean (March 19 1734 June 24 1817 was an American Lawyer and Politician from New Castle, Delaware, and Philadelphia He then returned to the state legislature, where he served until his death the following month. Mifflin decreed that no less than six towns in Pennsylvania bear his name.

Death and legacy

Mifflin died in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, January 20, 1800. Lancaster is a city in the South Central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and is the County seat of Lancaster County. Events 250 - Emperor Decius begins a widespread persecution of Christians in Rome. Year -of the Julian calendar. The Gregorian calendar was 11 days ahead of the Julian calendar until Friday, but 12 days ahead since Saturday. He is buried in front of Trinity Lutheran Church in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. A Commonwealth of Pennsylvania historical marker at the church commemorates both Thomas Wharton and Mifflin, the first and last Presidents of Pennsylvania under the 1776 State Constitution. Thomas Wharton Jr (1735–1778 was a Pennsylvania Statesman and Politician of the Revolutionary era The Pennsylvania Constitution of 1776 has been described as the most democratic in America and was authored primarily by Timothy Matlack, Dr The marker, dedicated in 1975, is located on Duke Street in Lancaster. ^[4] It reads:

Entities named after Mifflin

• Mifflin County, Pennsylvania
• Governor Mifflin School District
• Mifflinburg, Pennsylvania
• Mifflintown, Pennsylvania
• Mifflinville, Pennsylvania
• Mifflin Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania
• Upper Mifflin Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania
• Mifflin Township, Ohio[1]

• Mifflin Hall (the main building at the US Army Quartermaster Center and School at Fort Lee, Virginia)[2]
• Mifflin Hall (dormitory at the Pennsylvania State University main campus) [3]
• Dunder Mifflin, the fictional paper distribution company, is a parody of the large number of entities named after Mifflin

Footnotes

Sources

• Taffe, Stephen R. (2003). The Philadelphia Campaign 1777-1778. Lawrence, Kansas: University Press of Kansas. 0-7006-1267.  
• Boatner, Mark M. III (1974). Encyclopedia of the American Revolution. New York: David Mckay Company, Inc. . 0-679-50440-0.  
• Thomas Mifflin at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

External links

• Brief biography and portrait at the University of Pennsylvania
• Biography and portrait at Quartermaster-Generals