George Bryan
Encyclopedia
George Bryan was a Pennsylvania
businessman, statesman
and politician
of the Revolutionary
era. He served as the first Vice-President of Pennsylvania (analogous to Lieutenant Governor
) and its second President (Governor) following the Declaration of Independence
from Great Britain
. He was an early abolitionist and a judge
of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
in 1731. He emigrated to Philadelphia in 1752 in order to join a business partnership arranged by his father. That partnership soon came to an end, but Bryan went on to become a successful businessman, both as a retailer and as an importer and exporter. He married Elizabeth Smith in 1757. Their family would number ten children. His son, Samuel Bryan
(1759-1821) was a Pennsylvania
n Anti-Federalist author
.
. That experience led to his involvement in local and provincial politics
. After Britain’s passage of the Stamp Act
in 1765 Bryan took an active role in the American opposition, joining other Philadelphia Merchants in signing the Non-Importation Agreement. This likely led to his bankruptcy
in 1771.
Bryan was considered a “radical” regarding the issue of Independence, and as such is listed in the company of such men as Thomas Paine
. Bad health limited his political activities during the early 1770s, but after the adoption of the 1776 Pennsylvania Constitution
he became an advocate of the unicameral legislature and executive council
outlined in that document. On 5 March 1777 he was elected the first Vice-President of that Council. Although it would become standard procedure for Presidents and Vice-Presidents to take office immediately upon election, Bryan did not take the oath of office until the following day, 6 March, and according to the State Constitution could not exercise his office until that time. Thus, his term officially began 6 March 1777. Bryan was reelected to the Vice-Presidency on 21 November 1777.
Bryan, and subsequent Vice-Presidents, may be referred to properly as Vice-Governors and Presidents of Pennsylvania; however, the position is analogous to the modern office of Lieutenant Governor
, and Vice-Presidents of Council are often listed with those who have held the latter title.
, the first President of Pennsylvania, died in office on 23 May 1778 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
. (The State government had evacuated to Lancaster during the British occupation of Philadelphia
.) According to the provisions of the 1776 State Constitution Bryan assumed the duties of the late President. Some sources consider Bryan to have been merely the Acting President during the seven months that followed. Others—including the records of the Council itself—deny him even that title and continue to address him as simply Vice-President, as he was never elected or officially elevated to the Presidency. Nonetheless, perhaps due to the length of his service at the head of the Council, both the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Governors Association today recognize George Bryan as a full-fledged Governor of Pennsylvania, serving from 23 May 1778 through 1 December 1778. It was under Bryan's leadership that the Council returned to Philadelphia on 26 June 1778, after almost nine months in Lancaster. On 1 December Bryan was soundly defeated in his bid to be formally elected to the Presidency, receiving only one of sixty three votes cast and losing to Joseph Reed
. However, he handily defeated Joseph Hart to retain the Vice-Presidency, winning sixty two of the sixty three votes cast for that office. Bryan remained Vice-President for almost a year, resigning the office 11 October 1779. (No reason for the resignation is noted in the records of the Council.) Matthew Smith
was elected to fill the vacancy and took office that same day. Bryan continued to serve on the Council for several days after leaving the Vice-Presidency, and on 18 October was succeeded by William Moore as Counsellor for the City of Philadelphia.
Following his service with the Executive Council, in 1780 Bryan was appointed a judge on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. He also served in the Pennsylvania General Assembly
. An early abolitionist
, Bryan believed that slavery
was a moral disgrace, and he authored the first legislation in History to abolish the practice. This legislation served as a model for the gradual emancipation
of slaves throughout the northern colonies.
In the late 1780s Bryan remained an ardent advocate of the unicameral legislature and executive council still in place in Pennsylvania, and he opposed adoption of the 1787 Federal Constitution
largely because it created a bicameral legislature and a single executive
.
. University records are not clear on this issue, but it is certain that, after leaving the Vice-Presidency in 1779, Bryan was appointed a Trustee
in his own right, and served that body until his death in 1791. He was Treasurer
of the Board from 1779 to 1788.
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
businessman, statesman
Statesman
A statesman is usually a politician or other notable public figure who has had a long and respected career in politics or government at the national and international level. As a term of respect, it is usually left to supporters or commentators to use the term...
and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
of the Revolutionary
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
era. He served as the first Vice-President of Pennsylvania (analogous to Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania
The Lieutenant Governor is a constitutional officer of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Lieutenant Governor is elected every four years along with the Governor. Jim Cawley of Bucks County is the incumbent Lieutenant Governor...
) and its second President (Governor) following the Declaration of Independence
Declaration of independence
A declaration of independence is an assertion of the independence of an aspiring state or states. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another nation or failed nation, or are breakaway territories from within the larger state...
from Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
. He was an early abolitionist and a judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
Early life and family
Bryan was born in Dublin, IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
in 1731. He emigrated to Philadelphia in 1752 in order to join a business partnership arranged by his father. That partnership soon came to an end, but Bryan went on to become a successful businessman, both as a retailer and as an importer and exporter. He married Elizabeth Smith in 1757. Their family would number ten children. His son, Samuel Bryan
Samuel Bryan
Samuel Bryan was a Pennsylvanian Anti-Federalist author, who wrote during the American Revolution. Historians generally ascribe to him the Letters of Centinel written under the pseudonym Centinel between 1787 and 1789. Centinel attacked the proposed Constitution of the United States as a document...
(1759-1821) was a Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
n Anti-Federalist author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
.
Politics
Bryan was an active member of the Presbyterian Church, and during the late 1750s and early 1760s tried to mediate a conflict that had arisen between two opposing factions of that denomination during the Great AwakeningFirst Great Awakening
The First Awakening was a Christian revitalization movement that swept Protestant Europe and British America, and especially the American colonies in the 1730s and 1740s, leaving a permanent impact on American religion. It resulted from powerful preaching that gave listeners a sense of personal...
. That experience led to his involvement in local and provincial politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
. After Britain’s passage of the Stamp Act
Stamp Act
A stamp act is any legislation that requires a tax to be paid on the transfer of certain documents. Those that pay the tax receive an official stamp on their documents, making them legal documents. The taxes raised under a stamp act are called stamp duty. This system of taxation was first devised...
in 1765 Bryan took an active role in the American opposition, joining other Philadelphia Merchants in signing the Non-Importation Agreement. This likely led to his bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
in 1771.
Bryan was considered a “radical” regarding the issue of Independence, and as such is listed in the company of such men as Thomas Paine
Thomas Paine
Thomas "Tom" Paine was an English author, pamphleteer, radical, inventor, intellectual, revolutionary, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States...
. Bad health limited his political activities during the early 1770s, but after the adoption of the 1776 Pennsylvania Constitution
Pennsylvania Constitution of 1776
The Pennsylvania Constitution of 1776 was the state's first constitution following the Declaration of Independence, and has been described as the most democratic in America. It was drafted by Robert Whitehill, Timothy Matlack, Dr. Thomas Young, George Bryan, James Cannon, and Benjamin Franklin...
he became an advocate of the unicameral legislature and executive council
Supreme Executive Council of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
The Supreme Executive Council of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania comprised the executive branch of the Pennsylvania State government between 1777 and 1790...
outlined in that document. On 5 March 1777 he was elected the first Vice-President of that Council. Although it would become standard procedure for Presidents and Vice-Presidents to take office immediately upon election, Bryan did not take the oath of office until the following day, 6 March, and according to the State Constitution could not exercise his office until that time. Thus, his term officially began 6 March 1777. Bryan was reelected to the Vice-Presidency on 21 November 1777.
Bryan, and subsequent Vice-Presidents, may be referred to properly as Vice-Governors and Presidents of Pennsylvania; however, the position is analogous to the modern office of Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania
The Lieutenant Governor is a constitutional officer of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Lieutenant Governor is elected every four years along with the Governor. Jim Cawley of Bucks County is the incumbent Lieutenant Governor...
, and Vice-Presidents of Council are often listed with those who have held the latter title.
President of Pennsylvania
Thomas WhartonThomas Wharton Jr.
Thomas Wharton Jr. was a Pennsylvania merchant and politician of the Revolutionary era. He served as the first President of Pennsylvania following the Declaration of Independence from Great Britain....
, the first President of Pennsylvania, died in office on 23 May 1778 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster is a city in the south-central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the county seat of Lancaster County and one of the older inland cities in the United States, . With a population of 59,322, it ranks eighth in population among Pennsylvania's cities...
. (The State government had evacuated to Lancaster during the British occupation of Philadelphia
Philadelphia campaign
The Philadelphia campaign was a British initiative in the American Revolutionary War to gain control of Philadelphia, which was then the seat of the Second Continental Congress...
.) According to the provisions of the 1776 State Constitution Bryan assumed the duties of the late President. Some sources consider Bryan to have been merely the Acting President during the seven months that followed. Others—including the records of the Council itself—deny him even that title and continue to address him as simply Vice-President, as he was never elected or officially elevated to the Presidency. Nonetheless, perhaps due to the length of his service at the head of the Council, both the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Governors Association today recognize George Bryan as a full-fledged Governor of Pennsylvania, serving from 23 May 1778 through 1 December 1778. It was under Bryan's leadership that the Council returned to Philadelphia on 26 June 1778, after almost nine months in Lancaster. On 1 December Bryan was soundly defeated in his bid to be formally elected to the Presidency, receiving only one of sixty three votes cast and losing to Joseph Reed
Joseph Reed (jurist)
Joseph Reed was a Pennsylvania lawyer, military officer, and statesman of the Revolutionary Era. He served as a delegate to the Continental Congress and, while in Congress, signed the Articles of Confederation...
. However, he handily defeated Joseph Hart to retain the Vice-Presidency, winning sixty two of the sixty three votes cast for that office. Bryan remained Vice-President for almost a year, resigning the office 11 October 1779. (No reason for the resignation is noted in the records of the Council.) Matthew Smith
Matthew Smith (Pennsylvania statesman)
Matthew Smith —the dates of his birth and death apparently unknown—was a Pennsylvania politician. He served briefly as Vice-President of Pennsylvania following the resignation of George Bryan on 11 October 1779...
was elected to fill the vacancy and took office that same day. Bryan continued to serve on the Council for several days after leaving the Vice-Presidency, and on 18 October was succeeded by William Moore as Counsellor for the City of Philadelphia.
Following his service with the Executive Council, in 1780 Bryan was appointed a judge on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. He also served in the Pennsylvania General Assembly
Pennsylvania General Assembly
The Pennsylvania General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The legislature convenes in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. In colonial times , the legislature was known as the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly. Since the Constitution of 1776, written by...
. An early abolitionist
Abolitionism
Abolitionism is a movement to end slavery.In western Europe and the Americas abolitionism was a movement to end the slave trade and set slaves free. At the behest of Dominican priest Bartolomé de las Casas who was shocked at the treatment of natives in the New World, Spain enacted the first...
, Bryan believed that slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
was a moral disgrace, and he authored the first legislation in History to abolish the practice. This legislation served as a model for the gradual emancipation
Emancipation
Emancipation means the act of setting an individual or social group free or making equal to citizens in a political society.Emancipation may also refer to:* Emancipation , a champion Australian thoroughbred racehorse foaled in 1979...
of slaves throughout the northern colonies.
In the late 1780s Bryan remained an ardent advocate of the unicameral legislature and executive council still in place in Pennsylvania, and he opposed adoption of the 1787 Federal Constitution
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
largely because it created a bicameral legislature and a single executive
Executive (government)
Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...
.
University of Pennsylvania
Like most of the Presidents and Vice-Presidents of Council who came after him, Bryan may have served as an ex officio member of the Board of Trustees of the University of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
. University records are not clear on this issue, but it is certain that, after leaving the Vice-Presidency in 1779, Bryan was appointed a Trustee
Trustee
Trustee is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, can refer to any person who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another...
in his own right, and served that body until his death in 1791. He was Treasurer
Treasurer
A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The adjective for a treasurer is normally "tresorial". The adjective "treasurial" normally means pertaining to a treasury, rather than the treasurer.-Government:...
of the Board from 1779 to 1788.