Background
James Pemberton was born on August 26, 1723 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia Country, Pennsylvania, United States. He was the eighth of the ten children of Israel and Rachel (Read) Pemberton, and brother of Israel and John Pemberton.
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James Pemberton
Edit ProfileEducation
James Pemberton was educated in Friends' School.
Career
In 1745 James Pemberton traveled in the Carolinas and in 1748 he went to Europe, primarily for business purposes, as he was associated with his father and brother in the shipping trade. His main interest was in the Society of Friends and in the various religious organizations. An active member of Meeting, he sat at the head of the preacher's gallery for many years. When the Meeting for Sufferings, the executive body of the Friends, was established in 1756 he was appointed a member, a position which he held until 1808. With his brother Israel he was one of the trustees of the Friendly Association for Regaining and Preserving Peace with the Indians by Pacific Measures, and was a liberal contributor to its support. He was one of the founders of the Society for the Relief of Free Negroes, established in 1775.
In 1787, when it became the Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery, James Pemberton became vice-president, and in 1790 he succeeded Franklin as president, holding this office for thirteen years. He was a member of the Board of Overseers of the public schools of Philadelphia, for both the city and the county, and took an active part in establishing secondary education in the Friends' schools. A member of the first board of managers of the Pennsylvania Hospital, he served for twenty-two years on the board and acted as secretary from 1759 to 1772. He was elected a member of the American Philosophical Society in January 1768. Pemberton was elected to the Assembly for the County of Philadelphia but he resigned in June 1756 with five colleagues because of his opposition to a war with the Delawares. In 1757, as clerk of the Meeting, he signed a petition to the governor protesting against forcing the Friends of the Lower Counties to bear arms. He was reelected to the Assembly in 1765 and held office for four years.
At the time of the Stamp Act, James Pemberton signed the non-importation agreement. He opposed armed resistance to Great Britain and was arrested, imprisoned in the Free Masons' Lodge, and deported with nineteen other Quakers to Virginia. Since they were not permitted to attend meeting, Pemberton helped to set up one of their own. On his return to Philadelphia he gave up all active interest in politics. As early as 1756 he wrote An Apology for the People called Quakers, containing some Reasons for their not complying with Human Injunctions and Institutions in matters relative to the Worship of God. In his capacity as clerk of the meeting he wrote, as well, many documents of a religious nature, one of which was a "Remonstrance vs. Erecting a Theatre and Theatrical Performances in Philadelphia. "
During the exile in Virginia, James Pemberton kept a journal, but more interesting are his letters, which are descriptive, concise, and filled with comments upon the life in the city and country. He died in his eighty-sixth year on February 9, 1809.
Achievements
Membership
James Pemberton was a member of the Pennsylvania Abolition Society.
Connections
On October 15, 1751 James Pemberton married Hannah, daughter of Mordecai and Hannah (Fishbourne) Lloyd. They had six children. After her death in 1764, he married, on March 22, 1768, Sarah, daughter of Daniel and Mary (Hoedt) Smith of Burlington, New Jersey. They had one daughter. Two years after her death, Pemberton married, on July 12, 1775, Phoebe (Lewis) Morton, daughter of Robert and Mary Lewis.
References
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Born
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Died
February 9, 1809 (aged 85) -
Nationality
American