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This Day In Founding Fathers History – 14 May
On this day in 1787, delegates from several states congregated at the State House of Philadelphia for the Federal Convention. The convention did not meet a quorum until 25 May. 1
In 1607 on this day, the Jamestown settlement was established by English settlers with the Virginia Company of London. Jamestown was the first permanent British settlement in North America. The settlers were led by Captain John Smith and he was chosen as president of the governing council a year after settling. Only 60 of the 214 colonists survived the first eight months. 2
One notable birthday on this day in 1739, that of Paine Wingate. Wingate was born in Massachusetts, studied at Harvard and ordained a minister of the Congregational Church, moving to New Hampshire for a pastorate. He was a member of the state constitutional convention in 1781, served in the New Hampshire House and later the U.S. Senate. Wingate also served as a delegate to the Continental Congress and became the last survivor of the Continental Congress. 3
Another birthday on this day in 1772, that of Charles Caldwell, a physician and medical educator. Caldwell studied medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, with teachers including Benjamin Rush. Caldwell opened a practice in Philadelphia and later moved to Lexington, Kentucky where he was a professor at the Institutes of Medicine and Clinical Practice. There he helped develop a medical library. He became the first professor at the Louisville Medical Institute. For years he edited a popular medical magazine called Port Folio, translated medical works and wrote over 200 medical publications. 4
1 “The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787,” The Online Library of Liberty, oll.libertyfund.org/?option=com_staticxt&staticfile=show.php%3Ftitle=1057&Itemid=27
2 “Jamestown Was Established May 14, 1607,” America’s Story from America’s Library, www.americaslibrary.gov/jb/colonial/jb_colonial_jamestwn_1.html
3 “Wingate, Paine,” Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=W000633
4 “Charles Caldwell,” RootsWeb, www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ncccha/biographies/caldwell.html
