1. Egbert Benson was an American lawyer, jurist, politician and Founding Father who represented New York State in the Continental Congress, Annapolis Convention, and United States House of Representatives.
33 Facts About Egbert Benson
1. 2.
Egbert Benson served as a member of the New York constitutional convention in 1788 which ratified the United States Constitution.
3.
Egbert Benson served as the first attorney general of New York, chief justice of the New York Supreme Court, and as the chief United States circuit judge of the United States circuit court for the second circuit.
4.
Egbert Benson was born in New York City in the Province of New York, the son of Robert Benson and Catherine Benson.
5.
The Egbert Benson family was one of the earliest Dutch families to have settled in Manhattan.
6.
Egbert Benson's home was one of the centers of cultural life in New York City.
7.
Egbert Benson lived with his maternal grandmother, a widow who lived on Broad Street, at the corner of Beaver, during the early part of his life.
8.
Egbert Benson was taught in Dutch, and he learned his catechism in that language.
9.
Egbert Benson was privately educated, then attended King's College, graduating in 1765.
10.
Egbert Benson read law, was admitted to the bar and moved to Red Hook in Dutchess County, New York.
11.
Egbert Benson practiced law both there and in New York City.
12.
Egbert Benson was the brother of Lieutenant Colonel Robert Benson and Captain Henry Benson, who commanded an armed vessel in the Revolution.
13.
Egbert Benson owned slaves; in the 1790 census, he was recorded as having one slave, and in the 1800 census, two slaves.
14.
Towards the start of the American Revolutionary War, Egbert Benson approved the course of the Sons of Liberty and gave up, in a measure, his professional prospects then brightly opening and devoted himself to his country.
15.
Egbert Benson aided the Sons of Liberty, who were in Dutchess County where Benson, as a part of his first efforts, gave proper directions to the political meetings.
16.
From 1777 to 1781, Egbert Benson served as a member of the New York State Assembly and drafted every important bill passed there in during the Revolution.
17.
Egbert Benson was elected to the Assembly annually until 1781 and again in 1788.
18.
Egbert Benson returned to the Congress in 1787 and 1788, and in 1788 attended the New York state convention that ratified the United States Constitution.
19.
In 1794, Egbert Benson was appointed a justice of the New York Supreme Court, a position he held until 1801.
20.
Egbert Benson was part of the three-man commission that decided the location of the St Croix River in 1798.
21.
Egbert Benson was confirmed by the United States Senate on February 20,1801, and received his commission the same day.
22.
Egbert Benson's service terminated on July 1,1802, due to abolition of the court.
23.
Egbert Benson returned to the private practice of law in New York City in 1802.
24.
Egbert Benson joined other civic leaders to found the New-York Historical Society and served as its first president from 1804 to 1816.
25.
Egbert Benson was the author of several books, including Vindication of the Captors of Major Andre, defending the three American Patriots who captured the spy Major John Andre, which led to the discovery of the plot to surrender West Point to the British by Benedict Arnold.
26.
In 1812, Egbert Benson was again elected from New York's 2nd congressional district to the United States House of Representatives of the 13th United States Congress as a Federalist but served only five months before he resigned on August 2,1813.
27.
In December 1813, Egbert Benson was elected a member of the American Antiquarian Society.
28.
Egbert Benson's writings include A Biographical Sketch of Gouverneur Morris, and Brief Remarks on the 'Wife' of Washington Irving.
29.
Egbert Benson wrote and published in the New York American a series of able and highly interesting articles, in condemnation of what he regarded as the absurd and anti-Christian practice of calling the first day of the week the Sabbath.
30.
Egbert Benson married late in life, on May 17,1820, to Maria Conover.
31.
Egbert Benson died on August 24,1833, in Jamaica, Queens, and is buried in the Prospect Cemetery there.
32.
Egbert Benson's grave has been designated by a historical marker.
33.
Hevelyn D Benson, great-grandnephew of Egbert Benson, sent Jerome D Greene, director of Harvard's Trancentanery, seven photostats concerning Egbert Benson.