Background
He was born in Ballikilty, Co. Wexford, Ireland. As a youth he went to Philadelphia, where he embarked on a mercantile career.
He was born in Ballikilty, Co. Wexford, Ireland. As a youth he went to Philadelphia, where he embarked on a mercantile career.
A few months later, he formed a partnership with his brother-in-law under the firm-name of George Meade & Company, which carried on an extensive mercantile and commercial business, particularly with the West India Islands.
FitzSimons not only warmly espoused the cause of the colonists in the controversy with England but, after the opening of hostilities, raised and commanded a company of militia, which saw service in a number of important campaigns.
In addition, he served on the Council of Safety and the Navy Board and took an active part in the construction of fire ships and other military equipment.
Near the end of the war, George Meade & Company contributed 5, 000 (Flanders, post) towards a general subscription for the immediate necessities of the army. FitzSimons was elected in 1782 to the new Congress established under the Articles of Confederation.
In the closing months of the war he labored strenuously to induce the government to pay all the arrears due to the soldiers, since he felt that the meeting of this obligation should precede their demobilization.
As a member of the Convention that framed the Federal Constitution of 1787, he took an active part in the debates, advocating, among other things, the establishment of a strong national government, the placing of rigid restrictions on suffrage and office-holding, the conferring upon Congress of the power to tax imports and exports, and the granting to the House of Representatives and the Senate equal authority in the making of treaties.
In 1789, he was elected to the first national House of Representatives, where he served until 1795.
He identified himself immediately with those members who supported Hamilton in his nationalistic measures and he was in accord with practically the entire program of the Federalist party.
From the opening of the Federal Convention of 1787 until his retirement from Congress he advocated persistently the making of provisions for the retirement of the debt of the United States and the levying of a protective tariff for the encouragement of manufactures.
With the exception of a position on the commission for the liquidation of the claims of British creditors provided for under the Jay Treaty, he held no political offices.
Nevertheless, he continued to manifest intense interest in public questions and was frequently consulted by the federal and the state governments. On a number of occasions, he joined Stephen Girard, Robert Morris, Joseph Ball, Charles Pettit, James Coxe, and others to memorialize Congress on the question of "the spoliations of France on American commerce" and the interference with American trade by British cruisers.
FitzSimons was opposed to the establishment of the Embargo on the ground that it was "unjust, impolitic, and oppressive" and that, as a means of coercion, it was "weak, inefficient, and useless. " The enforcing law he regarded as an invasion of the principles of civil liberty.
In 1810 he served on a committee of Philadelphia business men organized to induce Congress to re-charter the United States Bank. Although he was conspicuous as a political leader, it was in the establishment of firm foundations in business and commerce that FitzSimons was especially noteworthy.
In 1805, as a result of obligations incurred by Robert Morris and other business associates, he went into bankruptcy. While he recouped his financial losses to a considerable extent, he never regained his former prestige.
He died in Philadelphia.
In 1781, he was influential in establishing the first bank of America--the Bank of North America, and became one of its trustees. He was a founder and a director of the Insurance Company of North America and was for many years the president of the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce. For many years he was a trustee of the University of Pennsylvania and was interested actively in the advancement of public education in the state. He was a member of the Hibernian Society, was the largest single contributor to the erection of St. Augustine's Church in Philadelphia, and was a participant in many philanthropies. When Pennsylvania began mobilizing and organizing a militia to fight the British, Fitzsimons was soon involved. He served as captain of a company of home guards, which he raised, under the command of Colonel John Caldwalader. Initially his company served as part of the soldiers who manned posts along the New Jersey coast to defend against British actions. His unit later served as part of the reserve at the Battle of Trenton in 1776. Later in the war, he served on the Pennsylvania Council of Safety and headed a board to oversee the newly formed Pennsylvania Navy. Under this role, he helped organize the strategic resources of Pennsylvania, and later provided supplies, ships, and money in support of Pennsylvanian and French forces.
After his defeat in the election of 1794 by a Democrat, John Swanwick, he retired to private life.
He was a member of the Hibernian Society, was the largest single contributor to the erection of St. Augustine's Church in Philadelphia, and was a participant in many philanthropies.
He was also a member of the Hibernian Society.
On November 23, 1761, he married Catharine Meade, daughter of a prosperous and influential merchant, Robert Meade, the great-grandfather of Gen. George G. Meade.
