Phoebe Bayard St Clair

 Phoebe Bayard St Clair
September 14, 1743 -  September 18, 1818

“The Hermitage”, Arthur St. Clair’s Ligonier Valley estate. The property was situated about two miles north of Ligonier Borough and was described on the 1798 Direct Tax List as “1 story dwelling house 90′ by 18, wood, 14 windows, 16′ square kitchen, 1 shingled roof barn, 1 grist mill with 2 pair stones, 1 saw mill”. An iron furnace was added in the early 1800’s. The parlor is of log construction; the logs were apparently always covered by siding.  Today, the parlor is the only room remaining from the Hermitage. 
Phoebe Bayard was born on September 14, 1743, in the Massachusetts colony. She came from a prominent family, being the daughter of Balthasar Bayard and Mary Bowdoin. Her maternal grandfather was James Bowdoin, a wealthy merchant and politician who left Phoebe a substantial legacy of 14,000 pounds.

Phoebe received an excellent education for a woman of her time and was known for her superior accomplishments. Her family connections included some of the most influential families in Boston and New York, such as the Winthrops, Jays, Verplancks, and Stuyvesants.

In 1760, at the age of 17, Phoebe met Arthur St. Clair, a young Scottish officer serving in the British Army's Royal American Regiment. Despite their age difference (St. Clair was about seven years her senior), they fell in love. The couple married on May 15, 1760, at Trinity Church in Boston, with Reverend William Hooper officiating.

After their marriage, Phoebe's substantial inheritance, combined with Arthur's military savings, allowed the couple to consider a different life path. In 1764, Arthur resigned his commission in the British Army, and the couple decided to settle in western Pennsylvania, where Arthur had previously been stationed at Fort Ligonier.

The St. Clairs' decision to move to the frontier was unusual for a couple of their social standing and wealth. However, they were drawn to the beauty of the Ligonier Valley and the growing community of Scotch-Irish settlers in the area. Arthur acquired a large tract of land, both through purchase and land grants, and the couple established their home, known as "The Hermitage," in what is now Westmoreland County.

Phoebe adapted to frontier life, supporting her husband's various endeavors in land development, iron production, and eventually, his political and military career. During the American Revolution, while Arthur served as a general in the Continental Army, Phoebe managed their affairs at home and provided emotional support through correspondence.

The couple had seven children together, with their eldest son, Daniel, following in his father's footsteps as a military officer. Phoebe's life was not without challenges; historical records suggest she struggled with mental health issues in her later years.

Throughout their marriage, Phoebe remained a steadfast partner to Arthur, supporting him through his various roles as a military leader, President of the Continental Congress, and Governor of the Northwest Territory. Her social connections and education likely proved valuable in these high-profile positions.

Phoebe Bayard St. Clair passed away on September 18, 1818, just 18 days after her husband's death. The couple is buried together in St. Clair Park in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, under a monument that recognizes their contributions to early American history.

Notwithstanding the adverse circumstances which surrounded her home at the close of the war, and her delicate health, she bore all with calm resignation. At last, however, when the hungry creditors hounded their victim to the last extremity, and her little family were turned out of house and home, the mental energies gave way, and the former highly educated and refined woman became an intellectual wreck. She ended her days in the log house which her son Daniel bought as an asylum for his aged father and mother. Here to nurse life a little longer, to keep his family together, the hero of many wars cared for his wife. On the 18th of September, 1818, only eighteen days after her husband, death claimed the beauty of 1760, Phoebe Bayard St. Clair, her remains being interred by the side of the General.   - by historian William Henry Egle

The Congressional Evolution of the United States of America 

For students and teachers of U.S. history, this video features Stanley and Christopher Klos presenting America's Four United Republics Curriculum at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School. Filmed in December 2015, this video is an informal recording by an audience member capturing a presentation attended by approximately 200 students, professors, and guests. To explore the full curriculum, [download it here]. 


Continental Congress of the United Colonies Presidents 
Sept. 5, 1774 to July 1, 1776


September 5, 1774
October 22, 1774
October 22, 1774
October 26, 1774
May 20, 1775
May 24, 1775
May 25, 1775
July 1, 1776

Commander-in-Chief United Colonies & States of America
George Washington: June 15, 1775 - December 23, 1783


Continental Congress of the United States Presidents 
July 2, 1776 to February 28, 1781

July 2, 1776
October 29, 1777
November 1, 1777
December 9, 1778
December 10, 1778
September 28, 1779
September 29, 1779
February 28, 1781



Presidents of the United States in Congress Assembled
March 1, 1781 to March 3, 1789

March 1, 1781
July 6, 1781
July 10, 1781
Declined Office
July 10, 1781
November 4, 1781
November 5, 1781
November 3, 1782
November 4, 1782
November 2, 1783
November 3, 1783
June 3, 1784
November 30, 1784
November 22, 1785
November 23, 1785
June 5, 1786
June 6, 1786
February 1, 1787
February 2, 1787
January 21, 1788
January 22, 1788
January 21, 1789

Articles of Confederation Congress
United States in Congress Assembled (USCA) Sessions

USCA
Session Dates
USCA Convene Date
President(s)
First
03-01-1781 to 11-04-1781*
03-02-1781
Second
11-05-1781 to 11-03-1782
11-05-1781
Third
11-04-1782 to 11-02-1783
11-04-1782
Fourth
11-03-1783 to 10-31-1784
11-03-1783
Fifth
11-01-1784 to 11-06-1785
11-29-1784
Sixth
11-07-1785 to 11-05-1786
11-23-1785
Seventh
11-06-1786 to 11-04-1787
02-02-1787
Eighth
11-05-1787 to 11-02-1788
01-21-1788
Ninth
11-03-1788 to 03-03-1789**
None
None

* The Articles of Confederation was ratified by the mandated 13th State on February 2, 1781, and the dated adopted by the Continental Congress to commence the new  United States in Congress Assembled government was March 1, 1781.  The USCA convened under the Articles of Confederation Constitution on March 2, 1781.  

** On September 14, 1788, the Eighth United States in Congress Assembled resolved that March 4th, 1789, would be commencement date of the Constitution of 1787's federal government thus dissolving the USCA on March 3rd, 1789.


Presidents of the United States of America
1789 - Present

POTUS - CLICK HERE


United Colonies and States First Ladies
1774 - Present

FLOTUS - CLICK HERE



Capitals of the United Colonies and States of America

Philadelphia
Sept. 5, 1774 to Oct. 24, 1774
Philadelphia
May 10, 1775 to Dec. 12, 1776
Baltimore
Dec. 20, 1776 to Feb. 27, 1777
Philadelphia
March 4, 1777 to Sept. 18, 1777
Lancaster
September 27, 1777
York
Sept. 30, 1777 to June 27, 1778
Philadelphia
July 2, 1778 to June 21, 1783
Princeton
June 30, 1783 to Nov. 4, 1783
Annapolis
Nov. 26, 1783 to Aug. 19, 1784
Trenton
Nov. 1, 1784 to Dec. 24, 1784
New York City
Jan. 11, 1785 to Nov. 13, 1788
New York City
October 6, 1788 to March 3,1789
New York City
March 3,1789 to August 12, 1790
Philadelphia
Dec. 6,1790 to May 14, 1800       
Washington DC
November 17,1800 to Present

Chart Comparing Presidential Powers Click Here


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