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
Continental Congress of the United Colonies Presidents
Continental Congress of the United States Presidents
July 2, 1776 to February 28, 1781
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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].
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
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 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
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
Capitals of the United Colonies and States of America
Philadelphia | Sept. 5, 1774 to Oct. 24, 1774 | |
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Baltimore | Dec. 20, 1776 to Feb. 27, 1777 | |
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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 |
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Edited: Open AI. (2024). ChatGPT [Large language model] - https://chatgpt.com
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