William Whipple

At 55 years old, William Whipple has this physical status:

William Whipple Jr. (1731-78 NS) (January 25, 1730-075) was a signatory of the United States Declaration of Independence as a representative of New Hampshire and a member of the Continental Congress from 1776 to 1779.

He served as both a ship's captain and a merchant, as well as a judge who studied in college to become a judge.

In 1785, he died of heart disease at the age of 55.

Early life and education

Whipple was born in Kittery, Massachusetts Bay (now Maine) to Captain William Whipple Sr. and his wife Mary (née Cutt). He was educated at a common school before going off to sea, where he became a ship's master at age 21. Catherine Moffat was his first cousin married in 1767 and the Moffatt-Ladd House was built on Market Street in Portsmouth in 1769. William Whipple III, their son, died in infancy. Whipple was a descendant of Samuel Appleton, a early settler in Ipswich, Massachusetts, who was a descendant of Samuel Appleton.

Whipple made his fortune by working in the Triangle trade between the West Indies and Africa, shipping goods such as wood, rum, and slave slaves. In 1759, he began working as a merchant in Portsmouth, in partnership with his brother Joseph.

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Political career

In 1775, New Hampshire dissolved the British Royal government and organized a House of Representatives and an Executive Council known collectively as a Provincial Congress, and Whipple was elected to represent Portsmouth. He became a member of the Committee of Safety. He was then elected to the Continental Congress, and he signed the United States Declaration of Independence. He was the second cousin of fellow signatory Stephen Hopkins. In January 1776, Whipple wrote to fellow signatory Josiah Bartlett of the approaching convention:

Whipple freed his enslaved servant, Prince Whipple, believing that no man could fight for freedom and hold another in bondage. He wrote:

Military career

Whipple was given his first commission by the New Hampshire Provincial Congress in 1777. At Saratoga, Whipple was placed in command of a brigade, consisting of four regiments of militia. Whipple commanded Bellow's regiment, Chase's regiment, Moore's regiment, and Welch's regiment. As a result of their meritorious conduct at the Battle of Saratoga, Whipple and Colonel James Wilkinson were then chosen by Major General Horatio Gates to determine terms of capitulation with two representatives of General John Burgoyne. Whipple then signed the Convention of Saratoga, the effective surrender of General Burgoyne and his troops.

Whipple was then appointed along with several other officers to escort Burgoyne and his army back to Winter Hill, Somerville, Massachusetts. Whipple passed the news of the victory at Saratoga to Captain John Paul Jones, who informed Benjamin Franklin, who was in Paris at the time. News of the victory proved valuable to Franklin throughout alliance negotiations with the French. In 1778, Whipple followed his commanding officer, General John Sullivan to the Battle of Rhode Island, where he commanded Evans' regiment, Peabody's regiment, and Langdon's light horse regiment. After General Sullivan ordered retreat, Whipple and other officers resided in a house near the battlefield. The approaching enemy fired a field piece from a range of three-quarters of a mile. The shot tore through a horse lashed outside the house and severely wounded the leg of one of Whipple's brigade majors, which later required amputation.

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