William North

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William North
William North

In office
May 5, 1798 – August 17, 1798
Preceded by John Sloss Hobart
Succeeded by James Watson

Born 1755
Pemaquid, Maine, USA
Died January 3, 1836
Duanesburg, New York, USA
Political party Federalist
Spouse Mary Duane
Profession Soldier, Statesman

William North (1755 Fort Frederick, Pemaquid, now Lincoln County, Maine - January 3, 1836 Duanesburg, Schenectady County, New York) was an American soldier and politician.

[edit] Life

He was the son of John North, who commanded Fort Frederick in 1751, and Fort St. George in Thomaston, Maine, in 1758. He moved with his mother to Boston, Massachusetts.

He entered the Continental Army in 1775, and served under Benedict Arnold in the unfortunate expedition to Canada in that year. He was appointed in May 1777 as captain in Henry Jackson's 16th Massachusetts Regiment, with which he participated in the Battle of Monmouth. In 1779 he became aide-de-camp to Baron Steuben, whom he greatly aided in introducing his system of discipline in the Continental Army. Later he accompanied Steuben to Virginia, and was present at the surrender of Cornwallis. He was appointed by act of congress Major in the 2d United States regiment on 20 October, 1786. After the war he settled in Duanesburg, New York, where he married Mary Duane, daughter of James Duane, on October 14, 1787 and had six children.

He was elected to the New York State Assembly several times, and was Speaker in 1795, 1796 and 1810.

North was appointed as a Federalist to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of John Sloss Hobart and served from May 5, 1798, to August 17, 1798, when James Watson was elected and qualified to succeed.

He was appointed adjutant general of the United States Army with the rank of brigadier general on July 19, 1798, but was mustered out on 10 June, 1800 as tensions with France diminished. In March, 1812, he was again appointed adjutant-general of the Army, but declined.

The bulk of Baron Steuben's property was bequeathed to General North, who divided it among his military companions. General North was a member of the Society of the Cincinnati. He died in Duanesburg, New York and is interred there in the crypt under the Christ Episcopal Church.

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Preceded by
James Watson
Speaker of the New York State Assembly
1795–1796
Succeeded by
Gulian Verplanck
Preceded by
John Sloss Hobart
United States Senator (Class 1) from New York
1798
Served alongside: John Laurance
Succeeded by
James Watson
Preceded by
James W. Wilkin
Speaker of the New York State Assembly
1810
Succeeded by
Nathan Sanford
Persondata
NAME North, William
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION American statesman
DATE OF BIRTH 1755
PLACE OF BIRTH Pemaquid, Maine
DATE OF DEATH January 3, 1836
PLACE OF DEATH Duanesburg, New York