Robert Morris

Robert Morris was born on January 31, 1734, in Liverpool, England.  He was a resident of the Quaker City and a wealthy merchant who became the "financier of the revolution."   In 1776 he was left in charge of the Government as Congress fled the British‑threatened city.   Later that year, Morris pledged his personal credit for the funds that allowed Washington to defeat the Hessians at Trenton.   Although not a member of the military, Morris was the person in charge of the supply and finance for the Continental forces.

The nation's paper currency was almost worthless when Morris was appointed as Superintendent of Finance in 1781.   He established the Bank of North America to help relieve the shortage of acceptable currency, and issued notes which served as money, based on his own credit.  Morris also worked with Washington in planning support for the major offensive against Cornwallis at Yorktown, backing the purchase of ammunition and supplies with his personal pledge.

Morris declined Washington's offer to be Secretary of the Treasury, serving instead from 1789 to 1795 as one of Pennsylvania's first senators.  Near the end of his life, Morris lost everything in land speculation and spent three years in Philadelphia's debtors' prison.  After living his last few years in poverty and obscurity, he died in 1806, and is buried in the churchyard of Old Christ Church, 2nd and Market Streets, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

With Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Robert Morris shares the distinction of having signed all three of the principal founding documents of our country - the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the United States Constitution.