The 39 Days of the Brave: Jacob Broom - Day 37

[Debbie G]

Constitution Signer

 

Jacob Broom

 

            Jacob Broom was born in 1752 in Wilmington, Delaware.  He was the eldest son of a blacksmith who prospered in farming.  After receiving his education at Wilmington's Old Academy he became a farmer, a surveyor, and a local businessman where he dealt in public security interests, lending and investments, mercantile, manufacturing, and shipping.

           He held a variety of local offices including: borough assessor, president of the city's “street regulators”, justice of the peace for New Castle County, assistant burgess, and chief burgess (mayor).He was also the first postmaster general for Wilmington, DE (1790-1792).

            The strong pacifist influence of his Quaker friends and relatives kept him from actual fighting in the Revolutionary War, however, he served his country in other ways such as drawing maps for General Washington before the battle of Brandywine, Pennsylvania.

            He attended all sessions of the Constitutional Convention, spoke on several occasions, but his role was a minor one.  Surrounded by wealthy planters, lawyers, and merchants, he quietly voiced the concerns of the down home politician.  William Pierce said of him “he is a plain good man, with some abilities, but nothing to render him conspicuous”.  He was a dedicated supporter of a strong central government and supported ratification of the Constitution.  He took no active part in the new Federal Government, but, instead, concentrated on local government.

             Jacob Broom died on April 25, 1810.  His is remembered as a local politician whose interests  remained focused throughout his career on the government of his city and state.

[Arthur Crounse]

I read all and even with a college ed I have learned much.  Thank much for the info.

[Patricia M. McBride]

Good for you.  What I suggested is easy to do, and I am sure you won't have any trouble at all once your son shows you, and then, you can take your new skills and use them in other places as well.  Your idea is a far better one as you will learn a skill which can be used repeatedly (kind of the give a fish rather than showing how to fish scenario).

[jean winters]

Patricia -- I'm keeping your suggestions and my son, who is a whiz on computers and takes care of all my computer problems when he's in town, will definitely be able to get me the bios either with your suggestions or his way.  And then teach me how.  Yeah!!!

[Patricia M. McBride]

PS.  I will start doing what I suggested, and if you still don't have it, I can either attach the file to an Email to you or send it as  a cut and paste in an Email to you?  Then, you could print out the Email or download the attachment (oops.........do you know how to download?) and print it.

[Patricia M. McBride]

Hmmm.  I thought you were better than you are I think.  This will be going on for 39 days, so maybe your son can show you how to do what I suggest, and you can put together something that includes all of these.  I agree with you that this would be a wonderful package to give someone with children as Debbie and the others have done a wonderful job of gathering and writing all these folks up.

[jean winters]

Patricia -- You made me chuckle reading your comment.  I can't even cut and paste.  When I say computer illiterate....I mean ILLITERATE.  My son is coming to town in a couple weeks, and maybe he can help me.  Thanks for the suggestion, though. 

[Patricia M. McBride]

Jean, you might try to start a word document and put a copy of the bios in your word document with an eye at printing the document out at the end of the 39 days?  Just a suggestion though.  Or you could do a cut and paste, put the info in a word doc, and then, print it out each day?

[Patricia M. McBride]

Really nice work Debbie.  And agree with Jean, they should be shared with others and most expecially children!

 

[jean winters]

Debbie -- I'm not computer literate enough to print these short bios out on my printer.  Is there some way I could get all of them when you're finished?  I would love to staple them together and give them to a couple friends with small children.  Thanks.