Meshech Weare
Encyclopedia
Meshech Weare was an American
farmer, lawyer and revolutionary statesman from Seabrook, New Hampshire
. He served as the first President of New Hampshire from 1776 to 1785.
, New Hampshire
. The site of the home is now in Seabrook
, though the actual house burned down in the early 1900s.
Weare was baptized
in modern day Hampton Falls, New Hampshire, on June 21, 1713. He was the youngest of 14 children. Some of the children included (in order of baptism date) Elizabeth, Meshech, Abigail, Mehitable, Susanna and Nathan. It later became part of Hampton Falls, but is now a part of Seabrook
. The house Meshech lived in was built in 1737 by Samuel Shaw. It has been visited by George Washington
, Marquis de Lafayette and James Monroe
. The back half of the house burnt down a while back, but the firefighters managed to save the front half. It still stands to this day, right next to the park named after him and across from the town school, Lincoln Akerman School
.
Weare graduated from Harvard College
in 1735. He originally planned to work in the Congregational ministry, but those plans were changed after his marriage to Elizabeth Shaw in 1738. He planned on improving the land he and his wife bought after their marriage — a plan cut short with his wife's death. He remarried to Mehitable Wainwright in 1746. During this time he began to study law, starting with the books passed down to him from his father and grandfather, who were former lay Judges in the provincial court.
, and its clerk for eight years. In 1754, he was one of New Hampshire's delegates to the Albany Congress
.
On January 5, 1776, New Hampshire became the first American state to adopt a formal constitution. Weare was a leader in the drafting of this document, which served as the basic instrument of government for the ensuing eight years or until the adoption of a second and more permanent constitution in 1784. Under this constitution, there was no established executive, and the legislature was supreme. In practice, executive power was delegated to a Committee of Safety consisting of eight or 10 legislative leaders. This committee had full power to act on behalf of the government while the legislature was not in session. After a brief interval, Weare was elected chairman of the Committee of Safety
and served in this capacity throughout the Revolution.
In addition to being New Hampshire's first "President", Weare was chief justice of the state's highest court the "Superior Court of Judicature
" from 1776 to 1782. He also served as presiding officer of the Council, then part of the upper house of the legislature. He managed to hold that position throughout the American Revolution.
The Committee of Safety
, over which Weare presided, was a most interesting governmental institution. It operated both at the state and (through a network of town committees of safety) at the local level, and was virtually a law unto itself while the legislature was not in session. Its duties included supervision and coordination of military affairs within the state, raising of recruits and supplies, regulation of the state militia, custody of prisoners of war, supervision of the entrance and clearance of vessels from Portsmouth Harbor, regulation of privateers and captured prizes, surveillance of the Loyalist
s, regulation of trade and currency (including prevention of counterfeiting), and supervision of price controls.
is named after him because he was the town's first clerk.
In Hampton Falls
, a park is named after him. It was built in the early 2000s directly next to his house. His grave is located in a small cemetery across from the park.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
farmer, lawyer and revolutionary statesman from Seabrook, New Hampshire
Seabrook, New Hampshire
Seabrook is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 8,693 at the 2010 census. Located at the southern end of the coast of New Hampshire on the border with Massachusetts, Seabrook is noted as the location of the Seabrook Nuclear Power Station, the third-most...
. He served as the first President of New Hampshire from 1776 to 1785.
Family life
Meshech was born to Deacon Nathaniel Weare and his second wife, Mary Waite, in what was then the Third ParishHampton Falls, New Hampshire
Hampton Falls is a New England town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,236 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, 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...
. The site of the home is now in Seabrook
Seabrook, New Hampshire
Seabrook is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 8,693 at the 2010 census. Located at the southern end of the coast of New Hampshire on the border with Massachusetts, Seabrook is noted as the location of the Seabrook Nuclear Power Station, the third-most...
, though the actual house burned down in the early 1900s.
Weare was baptized
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
in modern day Hampton Falls, New Hampshire, on June 21, 1713. He was the youngest of 14 children. Some of the children included (in order of baptism date) Elizabeth, Meshech, Abigail, Mehitable, Susanna and Nathan. It later became part of Hampton Falls, but is now a part of Seabrook
Seabrook, New Hampshire
Seabrook is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 8,693 at the 2010 census. Located at the southern end of the coast of New Hampshire on the border with Massachusetts, Seabrook is noted as the location of the Seabrook Nuclear Power Station, the third-most...
. The house Meshech lived in was built in 1737 by Samuel Shaw. It has been visited by 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...
, Marquis de Lafayette and 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...
. The back half of the house burnt down a while back, but the firefighters managed to save the front half. It still stands to this day, right next to the park named after him and across from the town school, Lincoln Akerman School
Lincoln Akerman School
Lincoln H. Akerman School, also known just as Lincoln Akerman, is a kindergarten through 8th grade elementary school and middle school in Hampton Falls, New Hampshire, on the Eastern seaboard of the United States...
.
Weare graduated from Harvard College
Harvard College
Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...
in 1735. He originally planned to work in the Congregational ministry, but those plans were changed after his marriage to Elizabeth Shaw in 1738. He planned on improving the land he and his wife bought after their marriage — a plan cut short with his wife's death. He remarried to Mehitable Wainwright in 1746. During this time he began to study law, starting with the books passed down to him from his father and grandfather, who were former lay Judges in the provincial court.
Political life
Weare's political career began in 1739 when he became a town moderator. For the next 35 years, he served in various political positions, including selectman and representative of Hampton Falls in the Assembly. He was also thrice speaker of the House of RepresentativesNew Hampshire House of Representatives
The New Hampshire House of Representatives is the lower house in the New Hampshire General Court. The House of Representatives consists of 400 members coming from 103 districts across the state, created from divisions of the state's counties. On average, each legislator represents about 3,300...
, and its clerk for eight years. In 1754, he was one of New Hampshire's delegates to the Albany Congress
Albany Congress
The Albany Congress, also known as the Albany Conference and "The Conference of Albany" or "The Conference in Albany", was a meeting of representatives from seven of the thirteen British North American colonies in 1754...
.
On January 5, 1776, New Hampshire became the first American state to adopt a formal constitution. Weare was a leader in the drafting of this document, which served as the basic instrument of government for the ensuing eight years or until the adoption of a second and more permanent constitution in 1784. Under this constitution, there was no established executive, and the legislature was supreme. In practice, executive power was delegated to a Committee of Safety consisting of eight or 10 legislative leaders. This committee had full power to act on behalf of the government while the legislature was not in session. After a brief interval, Weare was elected chairman of the Committee of Safety
Committee of Safety (American Revolution)
Many Committees of Safety were established throughout Colonial America at the start of the American Revolution. These committees started to appear in the 1760s as means to discuss the concerns of the time, and often consisted of every male adult in the community...
and served in this capacity throughout the Revolution.
In addition to being New Hampshire's first "President", Weare was chief justice of the state's highest court the "Superior Court of Judicature
New Hampshire Supreme Court
The New Hampshire Supreme Court is the supreme court of the U. S. state of New Hampshire and sole appellate court of the state. The Supreme Court is seated in the state capital, Concord. The Court is composed of a Chief Justice and four Associate Justices appointed by the Governor and Executive...
" from 1776 to 1782. He also served as presiding officer of the Council, then part of the upper house of the legislature. He managed to hold that position throughout the American Revolution.
The Committee of Safety
Committee of Safety (American Revolution)
Many Committees of Safety were established throughout Colonial America at the start of the American Revolution. These committees started to appear in the 1760s as means to discuss the concerns of the time, and often consisted of every male adult in the community...
, over which Weare presided, was a most interesting governmental institution. It operated both at the state and (through a network of town committees of safety) at the local level, and was virtually a law unto itself while the legislature was not in session. Its duties included supervision and coordination of military affairs within the state, raising of recruits and supplies, regulation of the state militia, custody of prisoners of war, supervision of the entrance and clearance of vessels from Portsmouth Harbor, regulation of privateers and captured prizes, surveillance of the Loyalist
Loyalist (American Revolution)
Loyalists were American colonists who remained loyal to the Kingdom of Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. At the time they were often called Tories, Royalists, or King's Men. They were opposed by the Patriots, those who supported the revolution...
s, regulation of trade and currency (including prevention of counterfeiting), and supervision of price controls.
Memorials
The New Hampshire town of WeareWeare, New Hampshire
Weare is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 8,785 at the 2010 census. It is close to two important New Hampshire cities, Manchester and Concord.-History:...
is named after him because he was the town's first clerk.
In Hampton Falls
Hampton Falls, New Hampshire
Hampton Falls is a New England town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,236 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, a park is named after him. It was built in the early 2000s directly next to his house. His grave is located in a small cemetery across from the park.
External links
- Meschach Weare at SeacoastNH.com