Henry Dearborn
Encyclopedia
Henry Dearborn was an American physician, a statesman and a veteran of both the American Revolutionary War
and the War of 1812
. Born to Simon Dearborn and Sarah Marston in North Hampton, New Hampshire
, he spent much of his youth in Epping
, where he attended public schools. He studied medicine and opened a practice in Nottingham Square
in 1772.
When fighting in the American Revolutionary War
began, he organized and led a local militia troop of 60 men to Boston
where he fought at the Battle of Bunker Hill
as a captain in Colonel John Stark
’s First New Hampshire Regiment
. He then volunteered to serve under Benedict Arnold
during the difficult American expedition to Quebec. His journal is an important record for that campaign. He was captured on December 31, 1775, during the Battle of Quebec
and detained for a year. He was released on parole
in May 1776, but he was not exchanged until March 1777.
After fighting at Ticonderoga, Freeman's Farm and Saratoga
, Dearborn joined George Washington
's main army at Valley Forge
as a lieutenant colonel where he spent the winter of 1777–1778. He fought at the Battle of Monmouth
in 1778, and in 1779, he accompanied Major General John Sullivan
on the Sullivan Expedition
against the Iroquois
in upstate New York
. During the winter of 1778-1779 he was encamped at what is now Putnam Memorial State Park
in Redding, Connecticut
. Dearborn joined Washington’s staff in 1781 as deputy quartermaster general with the rank of colonel, and was present when Cornwallis surrendered after the Battle of Yorktown
.
In June 1783, he received his discharge from the army and settled in Gardiner, Maine
, then part of Massachusetts, where he worked as a U.S. marshal for the District of Maine
. He represented this district as a Democratic-Republican in the Third and Fourth Congresses (1793-1797). In 1801, President Thomas Jefferson
appointed him Secretary of War
, a post he held for eight years until March 7, 1809. During his tenure, he helped plan the removal of Indians beyond the Mississippi River
.
He was appointed collector of the port of Boston by President James Madison
in 1809, a position he held until January 27, 1812, when he was appointed senior major general in the United States Army
in command of the northeast sector from the Niagara River
to the New England
coast. During the War of 1812, while Dearborn prepared plans for simultaneous assaults on Montreal
, Kingston
, Fort Niagara
, and Amherstburg, the execution was imperfect. Some scholars believe that he did not move quickly enough to provide sufficient troops to defend Detroit. William Hull
, without firing a shot, surrendered the city to British General Isaac Brock
. Although Dearborn had minor successes at the capture of York
(now Toronto
) on April 27, 1813, and at the capture of Fort George
on May 27, 1813, his command was, for the most part, ineffective. He was recalled from the frontier on July 6, 1813, and reassigned to an administrative command in New York City
. Dearborn was honorably discharged from the army on June 15, 1815.
President James Madison
nominated Dearborn for reappointment as Secretary of War, but the Senate rejected the nomination. He was later appointed Minister Plenipotentiary to Portugal
by President James Monroe
and served from May 7, 1822, to June 30, 1824, when, by his own request, he was recalled.
He retired to his home in Roxbury, Massachusetts
, where he died 5 years later. He is interred in Forest Hills Cemetery
, in Jamaica Plain
outside of Boston.
Dearborn was married three times: to Mary Bartlett in 1771, to Dorcas (Osgood) Marble in 1780, and to Sarah Bowdoin, widow of James Bowdoin
, in 1813. Henry Alexander Scammell Dearborn
was his son by his second wife.
in west-central Montana
after Dearborn in 1803. Dearborn County, Indiana
, Dearborn, Michigan
and Dearborn, Missouri
were also named for him, as was Fort Dearborn in Chicago
, which in turn was the namesake for Dearborn Street, a major street in downtown Chicago. His son, Henry A. S. Dearborn
, was a congressman in 1831-1833.
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...
and the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. Born to Simon Dearborn and Sarah Marston in North Hampton, New Hampshire
North Hampton, New Hampshire
North Hampton is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 4,301 at the 2010 census. While the majority of the town is inland, North Hampton includes a part of New Hampshire's limited Atlantic seacoast.-History:...
, he spent much of his youth in Epping
Epping, New Hampshire
Epping is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 6,411 at the 2010 census. Epping includes the area known as Camp Hedding....
, where he attended public schools. He studied medicine and opened a practice in Nottingham Square
Nottingham, New Hampshire
Nottingham is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 4,785 at the 2010 census. It is the location of Pawtuckaway State Park.-History:...
in 1772.
When fighting 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...
began, he organized and led a local militia troop of 60 men 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...
where he fought at the Battle of Bunker Hill
Battle of Bunker Hill
The Battle of Bunker Hill took place on June 17, 1775, mostly on and around Breed's Hill, during the Siege of Boston early in the American Revolutionary War...
as a captain in Colonel John Stark
John Stark
John Stark was a New Hampshire native who served as a major general in the Continental Army during the American Revolution. He became widely known as the "Hero of Bennington" for his exemplary service at the Battle of Bennington in 1777.-Early life:John Stark was born in Londonderry, New...
’s First New Hampshire Regiment
1st New Hampshire Regiment
The 1st New Hampshire Regiment was an infantry unit that came into existence on 22 May 1775 at the beginning of the American Revolutionary War. John Stark was the regiment's first commander. The unit fought at Chelsea Creek and Bunker Hill in 1775. On 1 January 1776, while engaged in the Siege of...
. He then volunteered to serve under Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold V was a general during the American Revolutionary War. He began the war in the Continental Army but later defected to the British Army. While a general on the American side, he obtained command of the fort at West Point, New York, and plotted to surrender it to the British forces...
during the difficult American expedition to Quebec. His journal is an important record for that campaign. He was captured on December 31, 1775, during the Battle of Quebec
Battle of Quebec (1775)
The Battle of Quebec was fought on December 31, 1775 between American Continental Army forces and the British defenders of the city of Quebec, early in the American Revolutionary War. The battle was the first major defeat of the war for the Americans, and it came at a high price...
and detained for a year. He was released on parole
Parole
Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole . Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their...
in May 1776, but he was not exchanged until March 1777.
After fighting at Ticonderoga, Freeman's Farm and Saratoga
Battle of Saratoga
The Battles of Saratoga conclusively decided the fate of British General John Burgoyne's army in the American War of Independence and are generally regarded as a turning point in the war. The battles were fought eighteen days apart on the same ground, south of Saratoga, New York...
, Dearborn joined George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
's main army at Valley Forge
Valley Forge
Valley Forge in Pennsylvania was the site of the military camp of the American Continental Army over the winter of 1777–1778 in the American Revolutionary War.-History:...
as a lieutenant colonel where he spent the winter of 1777–1778. He fought at the Battle of Monmouth
Battle of Monmouth
The Battle of Monmouth was an American Revolutionary War battle fought on June 28, 1778 in Monmouth County, New Jersey. The Continental Army under General George Washington attacked the rear of the British Army column commanded by Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton as they left Monmouth Court...
in 1778, and in 1779, he accompanied Major General John Sullivan
John Sullivan
John Sullivan was the third son of Irish immigrants, a United States general in the Revolutionary War, a delegate in the Continental Congress and a United States federal judge....
on the Sullivan Expedition
Sullivan Expedition
The Sullivan Expedition, also known as the Sullivan-Clinton Expedition, was an American campaign led by Major General John Sullivan and Brigadier General James Clinton against Loyalists and the four nations of the Iroquois who had sided with the British in the American Revolutionary War.The...
against the Iroquois
Iroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
in upstate New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. During the winter of 1778-1779 he was encamped at what is now Putnam Memorial State Park
Putnam Memorial State Park
Putnam Memorial State Park is named for Major General Israel Putnam who chose the site as the winter encampment for his men during the winter of 1778/1779. The former American Revolutionary War encampment and park is located at the intersection of Route 107 and Route 58 in Redding, Connecticut, in...
in Redding, Connecticut
Redding, Connecticut
Mark Twain, a resident of the town in his old age, contributed the first books for a public library which was eventually named after him.-Government:...
. Dearborn joined Washington’s staff in 1781 as deputy quartermaster general with the rank of colonel, and was present when Cornwallis surrendered after the Battle of Yorktown
Siege of Yorktown
The Siege of Yorktown, Battle of Yorktown, or Surrender of Yorktown in 1781 was a decisive victory by a combined assault of American forces led by General George Washington and French forces led by the Comte de Rochambeau over a British Army commanded by Lieutenant General Lord Cornwallis...
.
In June 1783, he received his discharge from the army and settled in Gardiner, Maine
Gardiner, Maine
Gardiner is a city in Kennebec County, Maine, United States. The population was 6,198 at the 2000 census. Popular with tourists, Gardiner is noted for its culture and old architecture.-History:...
, then part of Massachusetts, where he worked as a U.S. marshal for the District of Maine
District of Maine
The District of Maine was a legal designation for what is now the U.S. state of Maine from American independence until the Missouri Compromise on March 4, 1820, after which it gained its independence from Massachusetts and became the 23rd state in the Union...
. He represented this district as a Democratic-Republican in the Third and Fourth Congresses (1793-1797). In 1801, President Thomas Jefferson
Thomas 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...
appointed him Secretary of War
United States Secretary of War
The Secretary of War was a member of the United States President's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War," was appointed to serve the Congress of the Confederation under the Articles of Confederation...
, a post he held for eight years until March 7, 1809. During his tenure, he helped plan the removal of Indians beyond the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
.
He was appointed collector of the port of Boston by President James Madison
James Madison
James Madison, Jr. was an American statesman and political theorist. He was the fourth President of the United States and is hailed as the “Father of the Constitution” for being the primary author of the United States Constitution and at first an opponent of, and then a key author of the United...
in 1809, a position he held until January 27, 1812, when he was appointed senior major general 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...
in command of the northeast sector from the Niagara River
Niagara River
The Niagara River flows north from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. It forms part of the border between the Province of Ontario in Canada and New York State in the United States. There are differing theories as to the origin of the name of the river...
to the New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
coast. During the War of 1812, while Dearborn prepared plans for simultaneous assaults on Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Kingston
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
, Fort Niagara
Fort Niagara
Fort Niagara is a fortification originally built to protect the interests of New France in North America. It is located near Youngstown, New York, on the eastern bank of the Niagara River at its mouth, on Lake Ontario.-Origin:...
, and Amherstburg, the execution was imperfect. Some scholars believe that he did not move quickly enough to provide sufficient troops to defend Detroit. William Hull
William Hull
William Hull was an American soldier and politician. He fought in the American Revolution, was Governor of Michigan Territory, and was a general in the War of 1812, for which he is best remembered for surrendering Fort Detroit to the British.- Early life and Revolutionary War :He was born in...
, without firing a shot, surrendered the city to British General Isaac Brock
Isaac Brock
Major-General Sir Isaac Brock KB was a British Army officer and administrator. Brock was assigned to Canada in 1802. Despite facing desertions and near-mutinies, he commanded his regiment in Upper Canada successfully for many years...
. Although Dearborn had minor successes at the capture of York
Battle of York
The Battle of York was a battle of the War of 1812 fought on 27 April 1813, at York, Upper Canada . An American force supported by a naval flotilla landed on the lake shore to the west, defeated the defending British force and captured the town and dockyard...
(now Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
) on April 27, 1813, and at the capture of Fort George
Fort George, Ontario
Fort George National Historic Site is a historic military structure at Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, that was the scene of several battles during the War of 1812...
on May 27, 1813, his command was, for the most part, ineffective. He was recalled from the frontier on July 6, 1813, and reassigned to an administrative command in 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...
. Dearborn was honorably discharged from the army on June 15, 1815.
President James Madison
James Madison
James Madison, Jr. was an American statesman and political theorist. He was the fourth President of the United States and is hailed as the “Father of the Constitution” for being the primary author of the United States Constitution and at first an opponent of, and then a key author of the United...
nominated Dearborn for reappointment as Secretary of War, but the Senate rejected the nomination. He was later appointed Minister Plenipotentiary to Portugal
United States Ambassador to Portugal
This is a list of Ambassadors of the United States to Portugal.Bilateral diplomatic relations between the United States and Portugal date from the earliest years of the United States. Following the Revolutionary War, Portugal was the first neutral country to recognize the United States. On February...
by President James Monroe
James Monroe
James Monroe was the fifth President of the United States . Monroe was the last president who was a Founding Father of the United States, and the last president from the Virginia dynasty and the Republican Generation...
and served from May 7, 1822, to June 30, 1824, when, by his own request, he was recalled.
He retired to his home in Roxbury, Massachusetts
Roxbury, Massachusetts
Roxbury is a dissolved municipality and current neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It was one of the first towns founded in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630, and became a city in 1846 until annexed to Boston on January 5, 1868...
, where he died 5 years later. He is interred in Forest Hills Cemetery
Forest Hills Cemetery
Forest Hills Cemetery is a historic cemetery, greenspace, arboretum and sculpture garden located in the Forest Hills section of the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. The cemetery was designed in 1848.-Overview:...
, in Jamaica Plain
Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts
Jamaica Plain is a historic neighborhood of in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded by Boston Puritans seeking farm land to the south, it was originally part of the city of Roxbury...
outside of Boston.
Dearborn was married three times: to Mary Bartlett in 1771, to Dorcas (Osgood) Marble in 1780, and to Sarah Bowdoin, widow of James Bowdoin
James Bowdoin
James Bowdoin II was an American political and intellectual leader from Boston, Massachusetts during the American Revolution. He served in both branches of the Massachusetts General Court in the colonial era and was president of the state's constitutional convention...
, in 1813. Henry Alexander Scammell Dearborn
Henry Alexander Scammell Dearborn
Henry Alexander Scammell Dearborn was an American lawyer, author, statesman and soldier...
was his son by his second wife.
Legacy
Lewis and Clark, appointed by Thomas Jefferson, named the Dearborn RiverDearborn River
The Dearborn River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately 70 mi long, in western Montana in the United States. It rises in the Lewis and Clark National Forest, near Scapegoat Mountain in the Lewis and Clark Range of the Rocky Mountains at the continental divide, in western Lewis...
in west-central Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
after Dearborn in 1803. Dearborn County, Indiana
Dearborn County, Indiana
Dearborn County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2010, the population was 50,047. It is part of the Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky metropolitan area. The county seat is Lawrenceburg.-History:...
, Dearborn, Michigan
Dearborn, Michigan
-Economy:Ford Motor Company has its world headquarters in Dearborn. In addition its Dearborn campus contains many research, testing, finance and some production facilities. Ford Land controls the numerous properties owned by Ford including sales and leasing to unrelated businesses such as the...
and Dearborn, Missouri
Dearborn, Missouri
Dearborn is a city in Buchanan and Platte counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. The population was 529 at the 2000 census.The Platte County portion of Dearborn is part of the Kansas City, MO–KS Metropolitan Statistical Area, while the Buchanan County portion is part of the St...
were also named for him, as was Fort Dearborn in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, which in turn was the namesake for Dearborn Street, a major street in downtown Chicago. His son, Henry A. S. Dearborn
Henry Alexander Scammell Dearborn
Henry Alexander Scammell Dearborn was an American lawyer, author, statesman and soldier...
, was a congressman in 1831-1833.
External links
- State Builders: An Illustrated Historical and Biographical Record of the State of New Hampshire. State Builders Publishing, Manchester, NH 1903
- George LaBarre Galleries : Henry Dearborn autographed as President, Republican Institution Certificate dated 1821.