Background
Tobias Lear was born at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, United States, the son of Col. Tobias Lear and Mary (Stilson) Lear. His father was a shipmaster and later a farmer.
(Excerpt from Letters From George Washington to Tobias Lea...)
Excerpt from Letters From George Washington to Tobias Lear: With an Appendix; Containing Miscellaneous Washington Letters and Documents After a pleasant Journey we arrived in this City about 2 o'clock on Thursday last. To - morrow we proceed (if Mrs Washington's health, for she has been much indisposed since she came here) towards Mount Vernon. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
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Tobias Lear was born at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, United States, the son of Col. Tobias Lear and Mary (Stilson) Lear. His father was a shipmaster and later a farmer.
Before going to college, Lear attended Dummer Charity School (now known as The Governor's Academy). He attended Harvard College, beginning in 1779, during the American Revolutionary War. He graduated with 30 classmates in 1783.
His education led to his engagement as private secretary to General Washington after his retirement to Mount Vernon in 1785. Lear held that enviable position for seven years, during which time there is every evidence that he greatly endeared himself to Washington and his family, becoming a life-long friend as well as a valued employee.
While living at Mount Vernon he published Observations on the River Potomack, the Country Adjacent, and the City of Washington (1793), probably the earliest separate monograph on the District of Columbia. In 1793 he went abroad, carrying letters of introduction from Washington and Jefferson. Returning in 1794, he settled in Alexandria, Virginia. He was elected president of the Potomac Canal Company in 1795.
When war was imminent in 1798 Washington appointed him his military secretary, with rank of colonel, and from that time Lear remained with him until his death. Tradition says that he was the last person to whom Washington spoke; it is certain that he received a substantial legacy from his chief in appreciation of his services. The fact that he was honored by Washington was largely responsible for his appointment by President Jefferson, in 1801, as consul at Santo Domingo. This post presented great difficulties at that time, for Toussaint L'Ouverture was rapidly becoming independent ruler there, while Jefferson still considered the island a French possession. Faced with these conditions, Lear conducted himself with great caution and tact, and upheld with energy the rights of American citizens during a period of bloodshed and horror. His task became hopeless after the arrival of General LeClerc, sent by Napoleon to take possession of the island, preparatory to extending the empire to Louisiana. In April 1802 LeClerc declined longer to allow Lear to remain, and he was forced to return to America.
Upon his arrival in Washington his conduct was commended by the President, and he was shortly afterward named consul general at Algiers, with powers to negotiate a treaty with Tripoli in cooperation with the squadron commander, also to adjust affairs with any of the Barbary rulers. It is evident that Lear possessed the qualities necessary to deal with the vacillating potentates, for between 1803 and 1805 he assisted in making a treaty with Morocco, in keeping a precarious peace with Algiers, and in adjusting affairs in Tunis. With Tripoli, matters were complicated in many ways: by the plight of three hundred Americans imprisoned since the loss of the Philadelphia; by the ill-health of Commodore Barron, with whom Lear was to cooperate; by a military expedition against the de facto authorities led by William Eaton, "Navy Agent to the Barbary States"; and by Lear's own ardent desire for peace. Plans for a treaty had been discussed for two years, when suddenly, on June 4, 1805, Lear signed an agreement with the Pasha which, although otherwise desirable, acceded to ransom for the prisoners. Although this treaty was upheld by the government, it became a political issue. Opponents of the administration held that in view of the fleet in the Mediterranean and the land operations in progress under Eaton, no money should have been promised. Mystery surrounds Lear's motive for making this hasty treaty: explanations that have been suggested are the seemingly groundless fear of the naval officers for the safety of the prisoners, Lear's "passion for peace, " and the fact that at that time he felt certain of securing liberal terms. Beset by many difficulties, he remained as consul in Algiers until the beginning of the War of 1812, at which time the Dey, expecting the United States to be defeated by Great Britain, gave him summary orders to leave.
Arriving in Washington under the cloud of the ill-timed treaty with Tripoli, Lear found his diplomatic career at an end. He was made an accountant in the War Department, and on October 11, 1816, he committed suicide, leaving no explanation of his deed.
(Excerpt from Letters From George Washington to Tobias Lea...)
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In 1790 Lear had married Mary Long of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. She died in 1793. On August 22, 1795 he married Frances (Bassett) Washington, a niece of Martha Washington and the widow of Washington's nephew, George Augustine. On her death, he married Frances Dandridge Henley, another niece of Mrs. Washington.