Benjamin Loxley

December 20, 1720 (age 80)

Wakefield, England

He was also a well known American patriot army leader. He collaborated with Benjamin Franklin on some of Franklin"s electrical experiments, including the kite experiment when Franklin used his house key. Loxley immigrated to America when he was fourteen years old and settled in Pennsylvania. Loxley was free of his commitments to Watkins in 1742 when he was 22 years old. He had a set of carpenter"s tools and some books on architecture and went about to find work. He soon found several well paid jobs. After Loxley"s first wife Jane died on September 22, 1760, he remarried—on September 1, 1761—to Catherine Cox, the eldest daughter of John and Mary (Potts) Cox of Upper Freehold, New Jersey. He was successful in his investments and that—with an inheritance—made him a wealthy manitoba Loxley became a leader of the Carpenters" Company of Philadelphia with Joseph Fox, Robert Smith, and Thomas Nevell. With these three he purchased for the Carpenters" Company the lot on Chestnut Street in 1768 where Carpenters" Hall was eventually built. Loxley volunteered much for the new American movement among the building trades. He organized the first artillery company of Philadelphia in 1755 and taught the use of cannons and small arms. He was a major in the American patriot army under Colonel Samuel Mifflin. In July 1776, Loxley took his company in boats down the Delaware River to an engagement with British gunboats at the Battle of Red Bank. He also marched them to Amboy, New Jersey, on July 21, 1776, to prevent the British army from crossing from Staten Island. He assisted Franklin in his electrical experiments. Loxley provided his house key that Franklin used to get lightning from flying a kite in the clouds. The kite experiment became known as a variant of the "Philadelphia Experiment" of 1752. He died on October 10, 1801, in Darby, Pennsylvania at the age of 80. He lived at 177 South Second Street in Philadelphia.

Benjamin Loxley

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carpenter Philadelphia master

Background

Loxley was born in Wakefield, England, on December 20, 1720. He was the son of Benjamin Loxley and his wife Elizabeth (Pullen).

Career

He was also a well known American patriot army leader. He collaborated with Benjamin Franklin on some of Franklin"s electrical experiments, including the kite experiment when Franklin used his house key. Loxley immigrated to America when he was fourteen years old and settled in Pennsylvania.

Loxley was free of his commitments to Watkins in 1742 when he was 22 years old.

He had a set of carpenter"s tools and some books on architecture and went about to find work. He soon found several well paid jobs.

After Loxley"s first wife Jane died on September 22, 1760, he remarried—on September 1, 1761—to Catherine Cox, the eldest daughter of John and Mary (Potts) Cox of Upper Freehold, New Jersey. He was successful in his investments and that—with an inheritance—made him a wealthy manitoba

Loxley became a leader of the Carpenters" Company of Philadelphia with Joseph Fox, Robert Smith, and Thomas Nevell.

With these three he purchased for the Carpenters" Company the lot on Chestnut Street in 1768 where Carpenters" Hall was eventually built. Loxley volunteered much for the new American movement among the building trades. He organized the first artillery company of Philadelphia in 1755 and taught the use of cannons and small arms.

He was a major in the American patriot army under Colonel Samuel Mifflin.

In July 1776, Loxley took his company in boats down the Delaware River to an engagement with British gunboats at the Battle of Red Bank. He also marched them to Amboy, New Jersey, on July 21, 1776, to prevent the British army from crossing from Staten Island.

He assisted Franklin in his electrical experiments. Loxley provided his house key that Franklin used to get lightning from flying a kite in the clouds.

The kite experiment became known as a variant of the "Philadelphia Experiment" of 1752.

He died on October 10, 1801, in Darby, Pennsylvania at the age of 80. He lived at 177 South Second Street in Philadelphia.

Membership

Member of Carpenters" Company of Philadelphia. Member of the American Philosophical Society. Member of Committee of Safety in 1774-1776.

Member of Pennsylvania Hospital.

Connections

Partner:: Benjamin Franklin
Friend:: William Henderson

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