Hopkinson, Francis

Hopkinson, Francis
born Oct. 2, 1737, Philadelphia, Pa.
died May 9, 1791, Philadelphia, Pa., U.S.

U.S. political leader and writer.

After a brief business career, he launched a successful legal practice in New Jersey. He was appointed to the governor's council in 1774, and in 1776 he represented New Jersey in the Continental Congress. He signed the Declaration of Independence, and he later wrote articles that helped win ratification of the U.S. Constitution. He served as judge of the admiralty court for Pennsylvania (1779–89) and as U.S. district judge (1789–91). An accomplished harpsichordist and composer of religious and secular songs, he was also known for his poetry and literary essays and for his design of numerous governmental and organizational seals.

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▪ American lawyer, musician, and patriot
born October 2, 1737, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania [U.S.]
died May 9, 1791, Philadelphia

      American lawyer, musician, author, member of the Continental Congress, and signer of the Declaration of Independence.

      Hopkinson was educated at the College of Philadelphia (later the University of Pennsylvania) and also studied law. After a brief business career, he launched a successful legal practice in New Jersey.

      In 1774 Hopkinson was appointed to the governor's council, and in 1776 he represented New Jersey in the Continental Congress. He signed the Declaration of Independence and later served in several minor offices in the new American government. From 1779 to 1789 he was judge of the admiralty court for Pennsylvania, and from 1789 to his death he was U.S. district judge for eastern Pennsylvania. An ardent backer of the Constitution, he wrote several effective articles that contributed to the ratification effort in Pennsylvania.

      Hopkinson was an accomplished player of the harpsichord and a composer of both religious and secular songs. In addition, he wrote poetry and literary essays. During the Revolution, he ridiculed the British and their loyalist sympathizers with pointed political satires. After the Revolution, he maintained a steady correspondence with Benjamin Franklin (Franklin, Benjamin), George Washington (Washington, George), and Thomas Jefferson (Jefferson, Thomas).

      Among his varied pursuits, Hopkinson was also an artist. He designed the seal of the American Philosophical Society, the seal for the State of New Jersey, and seals for various departments of the U.S. government. There is strong evidence to support the view that he helped design the American flag (United States of America, flag of the); the U.S. Congress, however, turned down his petition for payment, asserting that others had contributed to the design.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Hopkinson,Francis — Hop·kin·son (hŏpʹkĭn sən), Francis. 1737 1791. American writer and Revolutionary leader. A member of the Continental Congress and a signer of the Declaration of Independence (1776), he is also known for his political satires against the British.… …   Universalium

  • Hopkinson, Francis — (2 oct. 1737, Filadelfia, Pa., EE.UU.–9 may. 1791). Líder político y escritor estadounidense. Tras una breve carrera en los negocios, inició con éxito la práctica de la abogacía en Nueva Jersey. En 1774 fue miembro del consejo del gobernador y en …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Hopkinson, Francis —    см. Хопкинсон, Фрэнсис …   Писатели США. Краткие творческие биографии

  • Francis — Francis. Asteroide nº. 2050 de la serie (1974 KA), descubierto el 28 de mayo de 1974 por Eleanor Francis Helin desde Monte Palomar. La descubridora lo nombró en honor de sus padres Fred y Kay Francis. Lista de asteroides * * * Francis, turbina *… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Francis Hopkinson — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Hopkinson. Francis Hopkinson Francis Hopkinson né le 21 septembre 1737 et décédé le 9 mai 1791 est un auteur …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Francis — /fran sis/, n. a male given name: from an Old French word meaning Frenchman. * * * (as used in expressions) Abbott George Francis Adams Charles Francis Bacon Francis Viscount St. Albans Bacon Francis Bayard Thomas Francis Beaumont Francis Bebey… …   Universalium

  • Francis Hopkinson — (September 21, 1737 ndash May 9, 1791), an American author, was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence as a delegate from New Jersey. His supporters believe he played a key role in the design of the first American flag.Education… …   Wikipedia

  • Francis Hopkinson — Francis Hopkinson. Bild aus „The Cyclopaedia of American Literature“ (1880). Francis Hopkinson (* 2. Oktober 1737 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Kolonie des Königreichs Großbritannien, heute USA; † 9. Mai 1791 ebenda) unterzeichnete die …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Francis Hopkinson Smith — (October 23, 1838 ndash; April 7, 1915), United States author, artist and engineer, was born in Baltimore, Maryland, a descendant of Francis Hopkinson, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.Smith became a contractor in New York… …   Wikipedia

  • Hopkinson — is a surname, and may refer to:* Austin Hopkinson, British politician * Carl Hopkinson, English cricketer * Bertram Hopkinson, British engineer * Charles Hopkinson, American artist * Francis Hopkinson, American writer and signer of the… …   Wikipedia

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