Letter from John Sergeant Discussing His Appointment to a Committee
- Philadelphia, PA , 1834
Philadelphia, PA, 1834. General wear. Separation at letter fold. Blue residue from a paper which the letter must have been glued to. Minor penciling on interior.. A letter from John Sergeant (1779-1852), the American politician, to members of an unnamed committee, declining their appointment to invite a Mr. Clay to "celebrate the approaching anniversary", dated June 13, 1834. John Sergeant was a lawyer and politician from Philadelphia, PA, who was the state's US Representative and Senator at different times in his career. During the 1932 presidential race, he ran for Vice President with his running mate, Henry Clay (1777-1852), but lost to President Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren. While the letter only requests that Sergeant invite a "Mr. Clay", it can be assumed, that given their past relationship, Mr. Clay is Henry Clay. Additionally, while unable to to confirm the exact nature of the "approaching anniversary" in the letter, it is mostly the upcoming 4th of July celebration which would have been only weeks away at the time of this correspondence. The letter is addressed to an unnamed committee whose members are: Gideon Scull, Josiah Randall, John Scholefield, M. Carey, George W. Jones, and John S. Riddle. Folded, stampless post. Measures 9 3/4" x 7 3/4" (folded), 15 1/2" x 9 3/4" (unfolded). Below are some excerpts from the letter:
“Mr. Scholefield informed me yesterday, that at a meeting at Ryckman’s on the evening of the 11th, I was appointed one of a committee to invite Mr. Clay to unite with his fellow citizens here in celebrating the approaching anniversary. To day, I find the proceedings of the meeting, including the appointment of the committee, all extensively published in the newspapers. It is a pleasure to me to render service to my fellow citizens. It is gratifying to me at all times to be associated with the gentleman named on this committee.... I should nevertheless have considered myself bound, if present at the meeting, to decline being one of the committee, and, not having had that opportunity, I am obliged now to decline.”. John "Sergeant" Sergeant was born on December 5, 1779 to Jonathan D. Sergeant (1746-1794) and Margaret Spencer (1759-1787). He had seven full siblings: William Sergeant (1776-1807), Sarah Sergeant Miller (1778-1861), Henry Sergeant (1782-1824), Judge Thomas Sergeant (1782-1860), Elizabeth Sergeant (1784-1845), Jonathan Sergeant (1786-1786), and Elihu Spencer Sergeant (1787-1824). After John's mother died in 1871, his father married Elizabeth Rittenhouse (1787-?), and had three more children, John's half siblings: Esther Rittenhouse Sergeant Barton (1789-1870), David Rittenhouse Sergeant (1791-1872), and Frances Rittenhouse Sergeant Lowber (1893-1847). John would attend school at the University of Pennsylvania and Princeton College. By 1799, was admitted to the bar, and practice law for fifty years. John started his political career as an attorney general for Philadelphia in 1800, before becoming a member of the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives from 1808 to 1810 and then advancing to the United States House of Representatives from 1815-1823, 1827-1829, and 1837-1841. In 1832 in was on the presidential election ticket as the Vice President for Henry Clay, but lost to Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren. John Margaretta Watmough on June 23, 1813 and had ten children: Margaretta Sergeant Meade (1814-1886), Anna Sergeant Gerhard (1815-1873), Sarah Sergeant Wise (1817-1850), Maria Sergeant Smith (1820-1908), John Sergeant (1821-1822), John Sergeant Jr. (1822-1856), Katherine Sergeant Cram (1825-1909), Spencer Sergeant (1827-1851), Ellen Sergeant (1831-1902), and Col. William Sergeant (1829-1865). John Sergeant died on November 23, 1852 in Philadelphia, PA. Several of John's descents have also had political careers, such as his grandsons John Sergeant Wise (1846-1913), John Sergeant Cram Sr. (1851-1936), and Richard Alsop Wise (1843-1900), and great-grandson John Crain Kunkel (1898-1970).
“Mr. Scholefield informed me yesterday, that at a meeting at Ryckman’s on the evening of the 11th, I was appointed one of a committee to invite Mr. Clay to unite with his fellow citizens here in celebrating the approaching anniversary. To day, I find the proceedings of the meeting, including the appointment of the committee, all extensively published in the newspapers. It is a pleasure to me to render service to my fellow citizens. It is gratifying to me at all times to be associated with the gentleman named on this committee.... I should nevertheless have considered myself bound, if present at the meeting, to decline being one of the committee, and, not having had that opportunity, I am obliged now to decline.”. John "Sergeant" Sergeant was born on December 5, 1779 to Jonathan D. Sergeant (1746-1794) and Margaret Spencer (1759-1787). He had seven full siblings: William Sergeant (1776-1807), Sarah Sergeant Miller (1778-1861), Henry Sergeant (1782-1824), Judge Thomas Sergeant (1782-1860), Elizabeth Sergeant (1784-1845), Jonathan Sergeant (1786-1786), and Elihu Spencer Sergeant (1787-1824). After John's mother died in 1871, his father married Elizabeth Rittenhouse (1787-?), and had three more children, John's half siblings: Esther Rittenhouse Sergeant Barton (1789-1870), David Rittenhouse Sergeant (1791-1872), and Frances Rittenhouse Sergeant Lowber (1893-1847). John would attend school at the University of Pennsylvania and Princeton College. By 1799, was admitted to the bar, and practice law for fifty years. John started his political career as an attorney general for Philadelphia in 1800, before becoming a member of the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives from 1808 to 1810 and then advancing to the United States House of Representatives from 1815-1823, 1827-1829, and 1837-1841. In 1832 in was on the presidential election ticket as the Vice President for Henry Clay, but lost to Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren. John Margaretta Watmough on June 23, 1813 and had ten children: Margaretta Sergeant Meade (1814-1886), Anna Sergeant Gerhard (1815-1873), Sarah Sergeant Wise (1817-1850), Maria Sergeant Smith (1820-1908), John Sergeant (1821-1822), John Sergeant Jr. (1822-1856), Katherine Sergeant Cram (1825-1909), Spencer Sergeant (1827-1851), Ellen Sergeant (1831-1902), and Col. William Sergeant (1829-1865). John Sergeant died on November 23, 1852 in Philadelphia, PA. Several of John's descents have also had political careers, such as his grandsons John Sergeant Wise (1846-1913), John Sergeant Cram Sr. (1851-1936), and Richard Alsop Wise (1843-1900), and great-grandson John Crain Kunkel (1898-1970).