Elijah Boardman
Encyclopedia
Elijah Boardman was a United States Senator from Connecticut
. Born to a noted and politically connected Connecticut family, he served in the United States Army
before becoming a noted merchant and businessman. Becoming involved in property and land ownership in Connecticut and Ohio
, he founded the towns of Boardman
and Medina
. His involvement in politics also increased, and he gradually rose through the ranks of the local, and then national government in the United States Senate
. He served as Senator for Connecticut until his death in Ohio
.
, was born in New Milford
in Connecticut, the third of four children for Deacon
Sherman Boardman (1728–1814) and Sarah Bostwick Boardman (1730–1818). His father, a first minister, was a "prosperous farmer", well educated and well versed in local politics – he was 21 times elected as a member of the General Assembly of Connecticut – and was familiar with "civil and military concerns of the town." The Boardman family were the town's founding family, and lived on a "substantial farm" on the Housatonic River
.
A biographer of his later wife wrote of Elijah Boardman: "Inheriting many of the good qualities of his father and his grandfather, he combined, with those good qualities, the energy and intrepidity of his mother and of his grandmother, respecting both of whom there are preserved family traditions of much historical and domestic interest." The biographer also noted Boardman to be "dignified" in personal appearance, and handsome. His brother, Davind Sherman Boardman, remarked that he was "inclined" to hilarity. Elijah Boardman was educated by private tutors – including tutoring in Latin
by Reverend Nathaniel Taylor and other matters by his own mother – at home before enlisting in the local militia
to serve in the American Revolutionary War
as a "common soldier", in March 1776 aged 16.
under the command of Colonel Charles Webb. Boardman was directed to Boston
, and diverted to New London
and New York City
, where he took part in Battle of Long Island
, however after defeat there and American evacuation to Washington, he was confined to a sick bed having exacerbated childhood medical difficulties and fever. After six months, having achieved an ultimate rank of sergeant, he obtained passage on a wagon back to New York, where he was discovered in poor health by a friend of his father, who sent word home for Boardman to be collected. Meanwhile, Boardman obtained a discharge from the army.
In the summer of 1777, Sir Henry Clinton led British forces through Fort Montgomery and prompted a call-up of Connecticut militia, which Boardman joined until the danger passed following the surrender of General Burgoyne, whereupon the militia was disbanded. Now detached from the army, Boardman resumed his tutorship under John Hickling, a family tutor employed by Boardman's father.
and Daniel. As part of his travels, he visited Ohio, where he founded the town of Boardman
. In 1789, he was the subject of a portrait by Ralph Earl, which "portrayed the richly dressed dry goods merchant... in his store in New Milford... through the open door, bolts of textiles tell the viewer how Boardman earned a living." Earl's most "accomplished" and successful series of paintings were of the Boardman family. Boardman then married Mary Anna Whiting on September 25, 1792, for whom he would build 'Boardman' house, which still stands in New Milford. By this time, he had also opened a second shop outside of any partnership with his brothers, which was situated in Litchfield County and was designed by architect William Sprats, and on October 10, 1794 his first son, William Whiting Boardman
, was born.
In September 1795, Boardman became a member of the Connecticut Land Company, and a purchaser of the Connecticut Western Reserve
– now part of northern Ohio – which entitled Boardman and his associates to two townships located there, one of which being Medina
. The 227 acre (0.91863722 km²) site set aside to create a county seat was originally named Mecca, until it was realised that a nearby town was named the same. Boardman's land agent, Rufus Ferris Sr., became the first resident of Medina, Together with his brothers, Boardman had thus became the owner of a "considerable" amount of real estate, among the post-Revolutionary War landed gentry
"among the town's highest taxpayers."
on June 18, 1801. He included a sermon of Rev. Stanley Griswold, of the New Milford church, which discussed the new President as "an example of how evil could be overcome by good." Jefferson subsequently replied with a detailed critique of the sermon.
Boardman became a member of the State House of Representatives for the period 1803–05 and again in 1816, before becoming a member of the State's upper house
between 1817–1819, and a member of the State Senate between 1819–1821. On March 4, 1821, he was elected to the US Senate while living in Litchfield, Connecticut
. He is listed by the Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856 as having been present at Senate proceedings on December 3, 1821, in Washington DC in the company of Class-3 Connecticut senator James Lanman
.
. His cause of death is a subject of speculation, however biographer and son-in-law John Frederick Schroeder (m. Caroline Maria Boardman) related it while writing in 1849 to several bouts of cholera
and fever
Boardman had suffered throughout his life, particularly during a tour of Rhode Island
in 1780, as well as other attacks in Vermont
and New Hampshire
throughout his life. Senator James Lanman
proposed on December 5, 1823, a motion for the members of the Senate to wear "the usual mourning" for thirty days to commemorate his passing. Boardman's body was returned home and interred in New Milford. He was survived by his first son, later politician William, and his second, Henry Mason Boardman. Mabel Thorp Boardman
, American philanthropist
, was his great-granddaughter.
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. Born to a noted and politically connected Connecticut family, he served in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
before becoming a noted merchant and businessman. Becoming involved in property and land ownership in Connecticut and Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, he founded the towns of Boardman
Boardman, Ohio
Boardman is a census-designated place in Boardman Township, Mahoning County, Ohio, United States, just south of Youngstown. Boardman is considered to be a moderately affluent community and is one of two major retail hubs in the greater Youngstown area...
and Medina
Medina, Ohio
In the city the population was spread out with 29.9% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 33.8% from 25 to 44, 18.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 92.1 males...
. His involvement in politics also increased, and he gradually rose through the ranks of the local, and then national government in the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
. He served as Senator for Connecticut until his death in Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
.
Early life
Boardman, an EpiscopalianEpiscopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
, was born in New Milford
New Milford, Connecticut
New Milford is a town in southern Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States north of Danbury, on the Housatonic River. It is the largest town in the state in terms of land area at nearly . The population was 28,671 according to the Census Bureau's 2006 estimates...
in Connecticut, the third of four children for Deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
Sherman Boardman (1728–1814) and Sarah Bostwick Boardman (1730–1818). His father, a first minister, was a "prosperous farmer", well educated and well versed in local politics – he was 21 times elected as a member of the General Assembly of Connecticut – and was familiar with "civil and military concerns of the town." The Boardman family were the town's founding family, and lived on a "substantial farm" on the Housatonic River
Housatonic River
The Housatonic River is a river, approximately long, in western Massachusetts and western Connecticut in the United States. It flows south to southeast, and drains about of southwestern New England into Long Island Sound...
.
A biographer of his later wife wrote of Elijah Boardman: "Inheriting many of the good qualities of his father and his grandfather, he combined, with those good qualities, the energy and intrepidity of his mother and of his grandmother, respecting both of whom there are preserved family traditions of much historical and domestic interest." The biographer also noted Boardman to be "dignified" in personal appearance, and handsome. His brother, Davind Sherman Boardman, remarked that he was "inclined" to hilarity. Elijah Boardman was educated by private tutors – including tutoring in Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
by Reverend Nathaniel Taylor and other matters by his own mother – at home before enlisting in the local militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
to serve in the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
as a "common soldier", in March 1776 aged 16.
Revolutionary War
Under Captain Isaac Bostwick, Boardman served in one of the first sixteen regiments raised by the Continental CongressContinental Congress
The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
under the command of Colonel Charles Webb. Boardman was directed to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, and diverted to New London
New London
-Places:In the United States:*New London, Connecticut, largest place with this name**New London County, Connecticut*New London, Indiana*New London, Iowa*New London, Maryland*New London, Minnesota*New London, Missouri*New London, New Hampshire...
and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where he took part in Battle of Long Island
Battle of Long Island
The Battle of Long Island, also known as the Battle of Brooklyn or the Battle of Brooklyn Heights, fought on August 27, 1776, was the first major battle in the American Revolutionary War following the United States Declaration of Independence, the largest battle of the entire conflict, and the...
, however after defeat there and American evacuation to Washington, he was confined to a sick bed having exacerbated childhood medical difficulties and fever. After six months, having achieved an ultimate rank of sergeant, he obtained passage on a wagon back to New York, where he was discovered in poor health by a friend of his father, who sent word home for Boardman to be collected. Meanwhile, Boardman obtained a discharge from the army.
In the summer of 1777, Sir Henry Clinton led British forces through Fort Montgomery and prompted a call-up of Connecticut militia, which Boardman joined until the danger passed following the surrender of General Burgoyne, whereupon the militia was disbanded. Now detached from the army, Boardman resumed his tutorship under John Hickling, a family tutor employed by Boardman's father.
Mercantile employment
In 1781, Boardman took work as a clerk and as a merchant. He spent time employed in New Haven, training as a shopkeeper in the store of Elijah and Archibald Austin, before setting up his own company in his home town of New Milford later that same year. This business, a dry-goods store, was operated in conjunction with his two brothers, DavidDavid Sherman Boardman
David Sherman Boardman was an American lawyer, judge, and state assemblyman in the early United States.The youngest child of Deacon Sherman and Sarah Boardman, he lived for nearly his entire life in New Milford. He was born at a farm near Housatonic, and suffered severe illness...
and Daniel. As part of his travels, he visited Ohio, where he founded the town of Boardman
Boardman, Ohio
Boardman is a census-designated place in Boardman Township, Mahoning County, Ohio, United States, just south of Youngstown. Boardman is considered to be a moderately affluent community and is one of two major retail hubs in the greater Youngstown area...
. In 1789, he was the subject of a portrait by Ralph Earl, which "portrayed the richly dressed dry goods merchant... in his store in New Milford... through the open door, bolts of textiles tell the viewer how Boardman earned a living." Earl's most "accomplished" and successful series of paintings were of the Boardman family. Boardman then married Mary Anna Whiting on September 25, 1792, for whom he would build 'Boardman' house, which still stands in New Milford. By this time, he had also opened a second shop outside of any partnership with his brothers, which was situated in Litchfield County and was designed by architect William Sprats, and on October 10, 1794 his first son, William Whiting Boardman
William Whiting Boardman
William Whiting Boardman was a politician and United States Representative from Connecticut.He was born in New Milford, Connecticut, the son of Elijah Boardman and nephew of David Sherman Boardman. He was an early graduate of Bacon Academy in Colchester, CT...
, was born.
In September 1795, Boardman became a member of the Connecticut Land Company, and a purchaser of the Connecticut Western Reserve
Connecticut Western Reserve
The Connecticut Western Reserve was land claimed by Connecticut from 1662 to 1800 in the Northwest Territory in what is now northeastern Ohio.-History:...
– now part of northern Ohio – which entitled Boardman and his associates to two townships located there, one of which being Medina
Medina, Ohio
In the city the population was spread out with 29.9% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 33.8% from 25 to 44, 18.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 92.1 males...
. The 227 acre (0.91863722 km²) site set aside to create a county seat was originally named Mecca, until it was realised that a nearby town was named the same. Boardman's land agent, Rufus Ferris Sr., became the first resident of Medina, Together with his brothers, Boardman had thus became the owner of a "considerable" amount of real estate, among the post-Revolutionary War landed gentry
Landed gentry
Landed gentry is a traditional British social class, consisting of land owners who could live entirely off rental income. Often they worked only in an administrative capacity looking after the management of their own lands....
"among the town's highest taxpayers."
Politics
Boardman's initial ventures into politics are recorded in a letter to then-President Thomas JeffersonThomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
on June 18, 1801. He included a sermon of Rev. Stanley Griswold, of the New Milford church, which discussed the new President as "an example of how evil could be overcome by good." Jefferson subsequently replied with a detailed critique of the sermon.
Boardman became a member of the State House of Representatives for the period 1803–05 and again in 1816, before becoming a member of the State's upper house
Upper house
An upper house, often called a senate, is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house; a legislature composed of only one house is described as unicameral.- Possible specific characteristics :...
between 1817–1819, and a member of the State Senate between 1819–1821. On March 4, 1821, he was elected to the US Senate while living in Litchfield, Connecticut
Litchfield, Connecticut
Litchfield is a town in and former county seat of Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States, and is known as an affluent summer resort. The population was 8,316 at the 2000 census. The boroughs of Bantam and Litchfield are located within the town...
. He is listed by the Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856 as having been present at Senate proceedings on December 3, 1821, in Washington DC in the company of Class-3 Connecticut senator James Lanman
James Lanman
James Lanman was an American lawyer and politician from Connecticut who served in the United States Senate.-Early life and education:...
.
Later life and death
Boardman served there the Senate his death in Boardman during a visit to his son, whereupon he was succeeded by Henry W. EdwardsHenry W. Edwards
Henry Waggaman Edwards was the 27th and 29th Governor of the U.S. state of Connecticut.He was born in New Haven, Connecticut, the son of Pierpont Edwards...
. His cause of death is a subject of speculation, however biographer and son-in-law John Frederick Schroeder (m. Caroline Maria Boardman) related it while writing in 1849 to several bouts of cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
and fever
Fever
Fever is a common medical sign characterized by an elevation of temperature above the normal range of due to an increase in the body temperature regulatory set-point. This increase in set-point triggers increased muscle tone and shivering.As a person's temperature increases, there is, in...
Boardman had suffered throughout his life, particularly during a tour of Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
in 1780, as well as other attacks in Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
and New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
throughout his life. Senator James Lanman
James Lanman
James Lanman was an American lawyer and politician from Connecticut who served in the United States Senate.-Early life and education:...
proposed on December 5, 1823, a motion for the members of the Senate to wear "the usual mourning" for thirty days to commemorate his passing. Boardman's body was returned home and interred in New Milford. He was survived by his first son, later politician William, and his second, Henry Mason Boardman. Mabel Thorp Boardman
Mabel Thorp Boardman
Mabel Thorp Boardman was an American philanthropist involved with the American Red Cross. She led the Red Cross in the United States following its receiving congressional charter in 1905 until World War I, however she did not take up the post of chairman since she believed the organisation would...
, American philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
, was his great-granddaughter.
External links
- Elijah Boardman's Portrait by Ralph Earl at the Metropolitan Museum of ArtMetropolitan Museum of ArtThe Metropolitan Museum of Art is a renowned art museum in New York City. Its permanent collection contains more than two million works, divided into nineteen curatorial departments. The main building, located on the eastern edge of Central Park along Manhattan's Museum Mile, is one of the...