Benjamin Pierce | |
|---|---|
_1939_537.jpeg) Portrait of Pierce byHenry Cheever Pratt, c. 1835 | |
| 11thGovernor of New Hampshire | |
| In office June 4, 1829 – June 3, 1830 | |
| Preceded by | John Bell |
| Succeeded by | Matthew Harvey |
| In office June 7, 1827 – June 5, 1828 | |
| Preceded by | David L. Morril |
| Succeeded by | John Bell |
| Sheriff ofHillsborough County, New Hampshire | |
| In office 1818–1827 | |
| Preceded by | Israel W. Kelly |
| Succeeded by | Jacob Whittemore |
| In office 1809–1813 | |
| Preceded by | Moses Kelley |
| Succeeded by | Israel W. Kelly |
| Member of theNew Hampshire House of Representatives fromDeering,Society Land,Henniker, andHillsborough | |
| In office 1786–1788 | |
| Preceded by | Robert Wallace |
| Succeeded by | William Wallace |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1757-12-25)December 25, 1757 |
| Died | April 1, 1839(1839-04-01) (aged 81) |
| Resting place | Pine Hill Cemetery, Hillsborough, New Hampshire |
| Political party | Democratic-Republican Party |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 9, includingBenjamin Kendrick Pierce andFranklin Pierce |
Benjamin Pierce (December 25, 1757 – April 1, 1839) was an American politician who twice served as thegovernor of New Hampshire from 1827 to 1828 and from 1829 to 1830. Pierce fought during theAmerican Revolutionary War before becoming aDemocratic-Republican Party politician. He was the father ofFranklin Pierce, the 14thpresident of the United States.
Benjamin Pierce was born inChelmsford in theProvince of Massachusetts Bay, the son of Benjamin and Elizabeth Merrill Pierce, as well as a direct descendant of Thomas Pierce (1618–1683), the grandson ofSir Richard Carew, who was born inNorwich,Norfolk, England and settled in theMassachusetts Bay Colony.
Pierce was a distinguished veteran of theRevolutionary War, serving in the 16th Continental Regiment, which was later renamed the8th Massachusetts Regiment. He was present at theBattle of Bunker Hill.[1] He was promoted toEnsign in the1st Massachusetts Regiment for bravery during theSaratoga campaign.
Following the war, he moved toHillsborough, New Hampshire, where he built thePierce family home, and was assigned the task of forming theHillsborough County militia. In 1805, he was promoted tobrigadier general and assigned command of theNew Hampshire state militia.
Prior to becoming governor, Pierce served in theNew Hampshire House of Representatives from 1786 to 1788 and twice as Sheriff of Hillsborough County, from 1809 to 1812 and later from 1818 to 1827.
He was a delegate to thestate Constitutional Convention in September 1791 and a member of theGovernor's Council from 1803 to 1809 and again in 1814.
Pierce served his first term as governor from 1827 to 1828, and later served from 1829 to 1830.
Pierce's father died when he was six. He subsequently worked on his uncle's farm until enlisting in Ebenezer Bridge's Massachusetts regiment on April 26, 1775.
On May 24, 1787, he married Elizabeth Andrews. Their daughter, named Elizabeth Andrews Pierce, was born August 9, 1788, but the elder Elizabeth died of childbirth complications four days later on August 13. Elizabeth Andrews Pierce (1788–1855) was the wife of United States Army GeneralJohn McNeil Jr.
He married Anna Kendrick (born October 30, 1769) on February 1, 1790, atAmherst, New Hampshire. Together they had eight children:
They were married until her death on December 7, 1838. He died four months later in Hillsborough, and is buried in the town's Pine Hill Cemetery.
Benjamin Pierce was an original member of theSociety of the Cincinnati[2] and served as vice president of the Massachusetts state society from 1836 to 1839.[3] With membership inherited throughprimogeniture, Pierce's eldest son,Benjamin Kendrick Pierce, succeeded him.[2] Benjamin K. Pierce died in 1850 and was succeeded byFranklin Pierce, the next eldest son of Benjamin Pierce.[2] Franklin Pierce died in 1869 and was succeeded by Henry Dearborn Pierce, the youngest son of Benjamin Pierce.[4] Henry Dearborn Pierce was succeeded by his son Kirk Dearborn Pierce, the grandson of Benjamin Pierce.[4]
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: publisher location (link){{cite journal}}:Cite journal requires|journal= (help)| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| First | Democratic nominee forGovernor of New Hampshire 1826,1827,1828,1829 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Governor of New Hampshire 1827–1828 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by John Bell | Governor of New Hampshire 1829–1830 | Succeeded by |
| |
| Life | |
| Presidency | |
| Public image | |
| Family |
|
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
