John Laurens by Charles Willson Peale, 1780. Contents Quick facts Born: 28 October 1754 in Charleston, South Carolina. John Laurens’ father, Henry, was a partner in the largest slave-trading house in North America. While studying law in England, he married Martha Manning (1776), daughter of one of his father’s business partners. Martha was already pregnant. ... Read more| AmericanRevolution.org
John Jay by Gilbert Stuart, 1794. Contents Quick facts Peter Jay, a wealthy trader and merchant, married Mary Van Cortlandt in 1728. John Jay, the eighth of ten children (seven of whom survived into adulthood), was born on 12 December 1745 in New York City. But a few months after his birth his family moved ... Read more| AmericanRevolution.org
Thomas Paine by Laurent Dabos, 1791. Contents Quick facts Born: 9 February 1737 in Thetford, Norfolk, England. Prior to arriving in Philadelphia (30-Nov-1774) at age 37, Thomas Paine had only succeeded at failure. He had been a privateer, stay maker, schoolteacher, excise officer, minister, grocer and tobacconist — and married twice. He had also written ... Read more| AmericanRevolution.org