The French Arms Tavern (also known as the Thirteen Stars , Blazing Star Tavern , City Tavern and City Hotel ) was a structure in Trenton, New Jersey , that served as the capitol of the United States and meeting place of the Congress of the Confederation from November 1, 1784, to December 24, 1784. The building was located at the southwest corner of King (now Warren) and Second (now State) Streets from 1730 until 1837 when it was torn down.
24-464: Historian William Backes described the original building as "a stone house two stories high with gable roof. The building measured 45 feet front by 53 feet in depth, with a kitchen in the rear containing rooms for servants on the second floor. It was the handsomest and most commodious house in Trenton in its day." From 1740 until 1742 it was the official residence of Royal Governor Lewis Morris . During
48-554: A good relationship. Sir William Cosby , who served as governor of New York and New Jersey (as did all governors beginning with Viscount Cornbury), showed little interest in New Jersey politics, started a feud with Morris because of a decision of the New York Supreme Court. Morris was Chief Justice, and wrote a dissenting minority opinion which Cosby found deeply offensive. Cosby recommended Morris' removal from
72-459: Is pleasing to the Governor, and agreeable to his private views, the people of this province who are very much concerned both with respect to their lives and fortunes in the freedom and independency of those who are to judge them, may possibly not think themselves so secure in either of them as the laws of his Majesty intended they should be. This even further angered Cosby, who removed Morris from
96-595: The Second Battle of Trenton , it was involved in "one of the most brutal military murders" of the New Jersey campaign when Reverend John Rosburgh was bayonetted to death by Hessian troops. From April 1, 1780, until February 1781 it was known as the Thirteen Stars and run by Jacob Bergen. In 1781, John Cape, upon becoming the proprietor, changed the name to the French and Indian Arms, commonly referred to as
120-522: The Bronx after buying the estate from Samuel Edsall in 1670 when it was still known as Broncksland. As the name suggests, Broncksland was the original settlement of Jonas Bronck and his wife, for whom the borough is named. In the fall of 1672, both Richard and Sarah died, leaving only the infant Lewis, barely a year old, as the lord of the manor. Although the manor was left in the trust of five prominent Westchester citizens until Lewis could rightfully inherit
144-625: The Eastern Division of New Jersey. After the recall of Cornbury by the Crown, Lewis Morris was reinstated to the Council in the June 27, 1708, instructions to Baron Lovelace ; Lovelace died eleven months later, and Morris was again suspended, this time by Lt. Gov. Richard Ingoldesby . Morris was again reinstated to the Council in the instructions to Governor Robert Hunter , with whom he had
168-751: The French Arms Tavern until being leased to Francis Witt on January 4, 1785 and renamed the Blazing Star. From December 11 to December 18, 1787, it served as the meeting location for the New Jersey ratification convention for the United States Constitution . On April 1, 1789, Henry Drake took over the tavern and renamed it the City Tavern. It was here on April 21, 1789, that George Washington , journeying to New York for his inauguration, dined after being received by
192-523: The French Arms Tavern. In 1783, Jacob Bergen returned to operate the tavern again. It was extensively renovated in 1784, combining the rooms on the first floor into one room known as the Long Room. Moore Furman, James Ewing, and Conrad Knotts signed a lease with Bergen for annual payment of 150 pounds for "the use and purpose of Congress of the United States to set in." It continued to be known as
216-675: The Morris family crypt at St. Ann's Church in the Bronx . Through his children, he was the grandfather of many prominent Americans, including Lewis Morris (1726–1798), a signer of the Declaration of Independence ; Gen. Staats Long Morris (1728–1800); New York Chief Justice Richard Morris ; New Jersey Chief Justice Robert Morris (1745-1815); and U.S. Senator and Founding Father Gouverneur Morris (1752–1816). Andrew Hamilton (New Jersey governor) Andrew Hamilton (died 1703)
240-482: The New Jersey Council on February 5, 1735. In 1738, New Jersey petitioned the crown for a distinct administration from New York, and Lewis Morris served as Governor of New Jersey until his death in 1746. On March 16, 1715, Morris was appointed Chief Justice of New York . When William Cosby was appointed Governor of New York and New Jersey in 1732, his opponents were called "Morrisites" as Lewis Morris
264-672: The administrations of seven governors. During much of this time Morris was President of Council. Morris and Cornbury soon found themselves at opposition, and Cornbury responded by suspending Morris from the upper house. The first time, in September 1704, Morris apologized to the governor and was reinstated, but in December 1704 Cornbury suspended him. Morris was elected to a seat in the New Jersey General Assembly in 1707, representing an at-large constituency within
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#1732765358431288-691: The citizens of Trenton at the Assunpink Creek Bridge. In 1836, the First Mechanics and Manufacturers Bank purchased the property, tore down the tavern and constructed a new two-story building on the site. The building is currently occupied by a branch of Wells Fargo . 40°13′13″N 74°45′57″W / 40.2203°N 74.7658°W / 40.2203; -74.7658 Lewis Morris (governor) Lewis Morris (October 15, 1671 – May 21, 1746), chief justice of New York and British governor of New Jersey ,
312-459: The council of New Jersey. In March 1687, he became the deputy-governor for East Jersey on the absence of Deputy-Governor Lord Neill Campbell , who returned to England for business reasons. After Edmund Andros took control over the rest of New England , Hamilton sailed back to England to consult with the proprietaries of New Jersey. On the voyage, he was captured by the French, delaying his journey to London until May 1690. In March 1692, Hamilton
336-663: The court. His dismissal led directly to the John Peter Zenger trial affirming freedom of speech in the United States . On November 3, 1691, Morris was married to Isabella Graham (1673–1752), the eldest daughter of James Graham , who served as Speaker of the New York General Assembly and Recorder of New York City . Together, they were the parents of: Gov. Lewis Morris died on May 21, 1746, in Kingsbury (near Trenton ). His remains are in
360-519: The estate, Matthias Nicoll , secretary of the colony, sent word to Colonel Lewis Morris, the infant's uncle in Barbados. Col. Lewis immediately made plans to move to Morrisania to care for his young nephew and his nephew's estate, which had been somewhat embezzled. Col. Lewis made great pains to secure his nephew's lost property, including a few slaves that had been captured and resold. He was even successful in petitioning for an additional land grant with
384-592: The help of family friend, Walter Webley. When the childless Col. Lewis and his wife, Mary, died, the now fully-grown Lewis inherited the estate in 1691. Lewis Morris showed a passion for politics from an early age, and first appears on the political scene in 1692, serving in the East New Jersey Provincial Council during the administration of Governor Andrew Hamilton . After the late 1690s the government of East and West Jersey became increasingly dysfunctional. This ultimately resulted in
408-463: The non-Quaker councilmen managed to acquire the necessary money. Despite this, Hamilton remained on friendly terms with the Quakers, which allowed several successful laws to pass. During his governorship, he patented the first colonial postal service . Parliament later deposed Hamilton because "no other than a natural-born subject of England could serve in any public post of trust or profit" (Hamilton
432-529: The reasons which caused Penn to return to England was the bill before the House of Lords to change proprietorship to Royal Governors. Although this was not approved, after the death of King William III, an act passed requiring Royal assent to persons named as (deputy) governors. Hamilton also made preparations for organizing a defensive force in the province to assuage the group in Parliament who were questioning
456-637: The surrender by the Proprietors of East Jersey and those of West Jersey of the right of government to Queen Anne . Anne's government united the two colonies as the Province of New Jersey , a royal colony , establishing a new system of government. On July 29, 1703, in the instructions to Governor Viscount Cornbury Morris was appointed to the New Jersey Provincial Council , and would serve, with several suspensions, through
480-532: Was Scottish). However, after poor administration by Jeremiah Basse , he was reappointed on 19 August 1699. By then, the state government was already in a weak state, and several riots erupted in the second term as governor over tax issues. Other riots (especially in East Jersey) occurred because many of the settlers refused to recognize the legitimacy of the government. In 1701, he became the deputy-governor of Pennsylvania , appointed by William Penn . One of
504-463: Was a prominent critic. In 1733 Morris presided over the case of Cosby v. Van Dam . Although the case was decided in favor of Gov. Cosby, Morris wrote the minority opinion, which infuriated Cosby. Cosby demanded the written opinion from Morris. Morris complied with the Governor, but also had the opinion printed for public distribution, along with an explanatory letter stating, If judges are to be intimidated so as not to dare to give any opinion, but what
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#1732765358431528-606: Was appointed governor of both West Jersey and East Jersey . During his governorship, Hamilton found that New Jersey was fraught with external and internal problems. Royal authorities attempted to remove the proprietors from power and create a large colony of New England . New York was demanding help for defense during the war with France. In addition, many of the inhabitants refused to pay the quitrents , fees on land. The Quakers in West Jersey were against providing any money to New York, since they were pacifists . Hamilton and
552-513: Was the colonial governor of East and West New Jersey from 1692 to 1697 and again from 1699 to 1703. He also served as Deputy Governor of the neighboring Province of Pennsylvania . Hamilton was born in Scotland . Originally a merchant in Edinburgh , he was sent to East Jersey to act as an agent to recruit men to settle there. His work brought him a recommendation for becoming a member of
576-505: Was the first lord of the manor of Morrisania in New York City (in what is now the Bronx ). Born on the estate of his parents, Richard Morris (originally from Monmouthshire, Wales) and Sarah (Pole) Morris in 1671, this Lewis Morris was the first in a lengthy string of men with the same name to inherit the prominent estate of Morrisania in the southwest section of today's Bronx. Richard and Sarah moved their estate from Barbados to
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