Jonathan J. Hazard

Background

Jonathan J. Hazard was born in 1744, in Newport, Rhode Island, United States, the son of Jonathan and Abigail (MacCoon) Hazard and a descendant of Thomas Hazard, one of the founders of Newport.

Career

Jonathan Hazard's native ability, ready oratory, and political skill put him in the forefront of Rhode Island affairs. He took an early stand for liberty and in 1776, as a delegate to the Rhode Island House of Representatives from Charlestown, was a member of the General Assembly which, on May 4, enacted the law containing Rhode Island’s Declaration of Independence. In the same year he had the difficult and dangerous task of apprehending disaffected persons on Block Island.

In 1777 Hazard was paymaster of the Continental Battalion and in 1778 he became a member of the Council of War. In the latter year also he was again elected to the lower house of the General Assembly and, repeatedly chosen, served with intermissions during most of the period of the Revolution and after. In 1787 he was elected a delegate from Rhode Island to the Congress of the Confederation but did not take his seat until the next year, when he was again selected. In May 1789 he was once more elected a delegate although Rhode Island was not in the Union. Beau Jonathan stood at the height of his power perhaps in 1786. At the May session of the Assembly in that year he was the victorious champion of the agricultural element of the state in struggle with the mercantile element. Using the qualities of his leadership, he aided in forcing through the Paper Money Act which was set at naught, however, by the decision of the court m the famous case of Trevett vs. Weeden.

The year 1790 saw him again on the losing side and saw too the end of his active power in state affairs. He had fought in the General Assembly against the adoption of the Federal Constitution; he continued the fight as a delegate to the state convention held at South Kingstown in March 1790 and at the adjourned convention held in Newport on the1st of May. On May 29, ratification was agreed to vote of 34 to 32. Beau Jonathan said in a letter written in an after year that he was sold on by his friends. In his later life he removed Verona in Oneida County, New York. There, too, he continued his interest in public affairs.

Achievements

• Jonathan Hazard was known as anti-federalist who served as a delegate for Rhode Island in the Continental Congress. He was the dictator in Rhode Island politics until his course in the Constitutional Convention ruined him. He was the most efficient leader of the paper money party in 1786 and their ablest debater in the General Assembly.

Personality

Jonathan was called "Beau Jonathan" because of his scrupulous regard for dress and courtliness of manner. He was a natural orator, with a ready command of the language, and was subtle and ingenious in debate.

Connections

Hazard was married four times. His first wife was his second cousin Patience, daughter of Stout Jeffrey Hazard, who had the strength of six common men; his second wife was Hannah Brown; his third, Marian, daughter of Moses Gage. He married Caroline Newbold, daughter of John Newbold of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, September 25, 1828.

Spouse:

Marian (Gage) Hazard

Spouse:

Caroline (Newbold) Hazard

Spouse:

Patience Hazard

Spouse:

Hannah (Brown) Hazard

Daughter:

Abigail (Hazard) Shearman

Daughter:

Susannah (Hazard) Champlin

Son:

Griffin Barney Hazard