George Vaughan (New Hampshire)
Encyclopedia
George Vaughan (1676 - Dec 1724) may be best known for being Lieutenant Governor
of colonial New Hampshire
for only one year. A graduate of Harvard College
in 1696, he was also at various times a merchant
, Colonel
of militia
, agent for the province to England, and counsellor.1
Sources disagree regarding whether he resigned or was removed from office:
He "resigned his office, after some months of controversy. This was occasioned by his opinions on some important measures not agreeing fully with those of the General Assembly
, especially on the excise
and impost
laws."2
"In 1716, Samuel Shute
, a resident of Massachusetts
, was appointed governor of that province and of New Hampshire, and soon after a controversy arose between these two highest officials. The Lieutenant Governor claimed that he was the true and sole executive
, when the Governor was absent from the Province, and thereby became vested in all of the prerogative
s pertaining to that office. He therefore declined to obey the mandate of his superior, when issued from Massachusetts.
"... On the 30th day of September, 1717, Lieutenant-Governor Vaughan was removed from office ...."3
Lieutenant governor
A lieutenant governor or lieutenant-governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction, but is often the deputy or lieutenant to or ranking under a governor — a "second-in-command"...
of colonial 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...
for only one year. A graduate of Harvard College
Harvard College
Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...
in 1696, he was also at various times a merchant
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
, Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
of 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...
, agent for the province to England, and counsellor.1
Sources disagree regarding whether he resigned or was removed from office:
He "resigned his office, after some months of controversy. This was occasioned by his opinions on some important measures not agreeing fully with those of the General Assembly
General assembly
General assembly may refer to an official meeting of the members of a trade union, church, association, or similar organization, or of their representatives, in particular:-Governing bodies of international organizations:*The United Nations General Assembly...
, especially on the excise
Excise
Excise tax in the United States is a indirect tax on listed items. Excise taxes can be and are made by federal, state and local governments and are far from uniform throughout the United States...
and impost
Impost
Impost may mean:*A type of extra tax*A handicap used in horse racing*Impost : a block or capital on which an arch rests*A tax levied on imports....
laws."2
"In 1716, Samuel Shute
Samuel Shute
Samuel Shute was a military officer and royal governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay. After serving in the Nine Years' War and the War of the Spanish Succession, he was appointed by King George I as governor of Massachusetts in 1716...
, a resident of Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, was appointed governor of that province and of New Hampshire, and soon after a controversy arose between these two highest officials. The Lieutenant Governor claimed that he was the true and sole 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...
, when the Governor was absent from the Province, and thereby became vested in all of the prerogative
Prerogative
In law, a prerogative is an exclusive right given from a government or state and invested in an individual or group, the content of which is separate from the body of rights enjoyed under the general law of the normative state...
s pertaining to that office. He therefore declined to obey the mandate of his superior, when issued from Massachusetts.
"... On the 30th day of September, 1717, Lieutenant-Governor Vaughan was removed from office ...."3
Other sources which discuss George Vaughan
- John Norris McClintock, Colony, province, state, 1623-1888: History of New Hampshire, (1889) pp. 136–7 at: http://books.google.ca/books?id=VnUUAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA17&dq=dover+new+hampshire&hl=en&ei=mp14TMiRMoH_nAf8rqidCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=9&ved=0CFoQ6AEwCDgK#v=onepage&q=dover%20new%20hampshire&f=false
- Jeremy Belknap, The history of New-Hampshire: Comprehending the events of one ..., (Volume 2), pp. 17–23, at http://books.google.ca/books?id=ipY-AAAAYAAJ&pg=PA17&lpg=PA17&dq=george+vaughan+governor&source=bl&ots=0UTCya670r&sig=58cDai_Y3lLCrk9C5I0m7y-gyX4&hl=en&ei=gaSATPqgKozksQPH2rD3Bw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CCEQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=george%20vaughan%20governor&f=false accessed 3 September 2010
- http://www.gravematter.com/williamvaughan3.htm accessed 16 September 2010
- Thomas Shannon, MD, "Vaughan and Shannon Families, In: The New England historical and genealogical register, Volume 5, p. 245 at: http://books.google.ca/books?id=MQe21xly7AsC&pg=PA245&lpg=PA245&dq=george+vaughan+%22new+hampshire%22&source=bl&ots=TNE7FXNbHc&sig=cp1LAMZEXaykPPRYC7ladi-fhrs&hl=en&ei=tAKTTLmyHof2swPFkpjlCQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CCMQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=george%20vaughan%20%22new%20hampshire%22&f=false accessed 16 September 2010