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152-446: In the early years of the NFL, schedules were balanced by granting associate memberships for either football or basketball to Batavia , Dunkirk , Jamestown , and Olean . The league stabilized its membership in 1939 with the addition of La Salle and the expansion to other sports. In 1959, Kenmore East entered competition and in 1961, the late Harry Blakeslee brought Lewiston-Porter into

304-654: A national bank . Despite the opposition of Madison and other Southern leaders, Congress approved the establishment of the First Bank of the United States in 1791. While Morris served in Congress, a new political elite emerged in Philadelphia. These new leaders generally respected Morris, but most did not look to him for leadership. With Morris playing little active role, they called a convention that revised

456-606: A boycott of British goods. In Philadelphia, Willing, Charles Thomson , and John Dickinson took the lead in calling for a congress of all the colonies to coordinate a response to British tax policies. Morris was not elected to the First Continental Congress , which convened in Philadelphia in August 1774, but he frequently met with the congressional delegates and befriended colonial leaders such as George Washington and John Jay . Morris generally sympathized with

608-768: A convention in Philadelphia in May 1787 to amend the Articles. The Pennsylvania state legislature sent a delegation consisting of Morris, James Wilson, Gouverneur Morris, George Clymer , Thomas Mifflin , Jared Ingersoll , and Ben Franklin to the Philadelphia Convention . With the exception of Franklin (who avoided aligning with either political faction in Pennsylvania), all of the Pennsylvania delegates were closely aligned with Morris's Republican faction,

760-683: A disastrous choice for managing American privateers in Europe, as Thomas engaged in binge drinking and mismanaged funds. In October 1776, at the urging of Morris and Benjamin Franklin, Congress authorized the appointment of two envoys charged with seeking a formal treaty of alliance with France; ultimately, Benjamin Franklin and Arthur Lee were appointed as those envoys. Along with Silas Deane, Franklin would help to greatly expand arms shipments from France and Spain , but Lee proved to be completely incompetent in his efforts to gain support from Prussia and

912-549: A drop-off in American trade, caused in part by British naval operations. In December 1782, shortly after the apparent defeat of the proposed amendment to allow the national government to levy a tariff, General Alexander McDougall led a delegation that presented a petition for immediate payment on behalf of the Continental Army. While Morris helped temporarily defuse the crisis by offering the soldiers one month's pay,

1064-611: A factor in his life. After the Pennsylvania legislature stripped the Bank of North America of its charter, Morris won election to the state legislature and helped restore the bank's charter. Meanwhile, the United States suffered a sustained recession after the end of the Revolutionary War, caused by the lingering debt burden and new restrictions on trade imposed by the European powers. Some members of Congress, including those on

1216-411: A full partner in the newly renamed firm of Willing Morris & Company. Morris's shipping firm was just one of many such firms operating in Philadelphia, but Willing, Morris & Co. pursued several innovative strategies. The firm pooled with other shipping firms to insure vessels, aggressively expanded trade with India, and underwrote government projects through bonds and promissory notes. Ships of

1368-448: A group of Dutch land speculators. These early successes encouraged Morris to pursue greater profits through increasingly large and risky land acquisitions. On March 7, 1791, Morris obtained title to a lot from John Dickinson and wife; on March 9, 1793, the site was surveyed; it wasn't until 1794 he began construction of a mansion on Chestnut Street in Philadelphia designed by architect of Washington, D.C., Pierre Charles L'Enfant ; it

1520-503: A land company led by John Nicholson, the comptroller general of Pennsylvania, beginning a deep business partnership between Nicholson and Morris. Later in 1793, Morris, Nicholson, and James Greenleaf jointly purchased thousands of lots in the recently established District of Columbia . They subsequently purchased millions of acres in Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Virginia, Georgia, and the Carolinas; in each case, they went into debt to make

1672-481: A large difference in the health outcomes of the people in these neighborhoods, including increased asthma rates in children of color compared to their white counterparts, and many other adverse effects. Robert Morris (merchant) Robert Morris Jr. (January 20, 1734 – May 8, 1806) was an English-born American merchant, investor and politician who was one of the Founding Fathers of

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1824-598: A leader of the Nationalist faction, an informal group of American leaders who favored a stronger national government. He also had effective control over foreign affairs until Robert R. Livingston was appointed as Secretary of Foreign Affairs later in the year. In September 1781, Morris reluctantly agreed to serve as the Agent of Marine , giving him civilian leadership of the Continental Navy. Congress filled

1976-421: A major street named after him (Ellicott Street) as well as a minor one (Ellicott Avenue), and a large monument in the heart of the city. Batavia was incorporated as a village in 1823. The present counties of western New York were all laid-out from the original Genesee County; the modern Genesee County is but one of many. However, the entire area, as a region, is still referred to as Genesee Country . Thus, Batavia

2128-551: A measure to provide pensions to Continental Army officers. He formed a close working relationship with Gouverneur Morris (no relation), a young New York congressman who shared many of Robert Morris's views. The following month, Morris returned with Congress to Philadelphia, which had been evacuated by the British. Morris did not resume his wide array of duties in Congress, seeking instead to wind down his projects so that he could focus on business. In late 1778, Morris won election to

2280-476: A mechanism for raising revenue, Congress repeatedly issued paper money , leading to rampant inflation. By 1781, the U.S. faced an unremitting financial crisis, which was underscored by the January 1781 Pennsylvania Line Mutiny , in which ten poorly fed, unpaid Continental Army regiments demanded better conditions from Congress. Though the mutiny was put down, it convinced Congress to implement reforms that created

2432-419: A multitude of negative health effects in residents surrounding these facilities. Among this list, nickel compounds have been found to be associated with cancer, hematological, immunological, and respiratory complications, manganese has been linked to neurological complications, and lead has been linked to cancer, cardiovascular, developmental, hematological, neurological, renal, and reproductive complications. This

2584-513: A mutiny by assuring the soldiers that they would eventually be paid. In the aftermath of the near-mutiny, Morris denied that he had played any role in fomenting insurrection. Nonetheless, most historians believe that Morris was one of three leaders of the " Newburgh Conspiracy , along with Alexander Hamilton and Gouverneur Morris. Jack N. Rakove emphasizes the leadership of Robert Morris. However, this conclusion overlooks several exculpatory facts: 1) Morris supplied $ 800,000 in his own notes to pay

2736-591: A native of England but from principle am American in this dispute." While his partner, Thomas Willing, served in various governmental positions, Morris declined to serve in any public office other than that of port warden (a position he shared with six other individuals), and he generally let Willing act as the public face of the firm. In early 1774, in response to the Intolerable Acts , many colonists in British North America began calling for

2888-610: A new state constitutional convention frustrated by Joseph Reed and others, Morris and James Wilson founded the Republican Society, a political club devoted to implementing a new state constitution. The Republican Society favored a bicameral legislature, a state executive with veto power, an independent judiciary, and an end to loyalty oaths to the state government. Other prominent Pennsylvanians, including Wilson, Benjamin Rush , Thomas Mifflin , and Charles Thomson, supported

3040-491: A possibility of harm and contamination. These companies include the following: In total, these companies accounted for 29,724 pounds of the 53,610 pounds of contaminants released in Batavia in 2020, totaling 55.44% of the year's chemical releases. The top 5 contaminants by weight that caused an elevated RSEI score in 2020 are as follows: If consumed in toxic amounts, either rapidly or slowly over time, these chemicals can cause

3192-514: A reflection of Republican strength in the state legislature. Many of Morris's Nationalist allies from other states, including Hamilton, James Madison , John Dickinson, and Washington, would also attend the convention. With Franklin ill, Morris opened the proceedings of the Philadelphia Convention on May 25. His motion to nominate Washington as chairman of the convention was backed by a unanimous vote. Morris consistently attended

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3344-657: A republican government of the Netherlands and home of the investors of the Holland Land Company. One of the provisions of the sale was that Morris needed to settle the Indian title to the land, so he arranged for his son, Thomas Morris , to negotiate with the Iroquois at Geneseo, New York , in 1797. About 3,000 Iroquois, mostly Senecas , arrived for the negotiation. Seneca chief and orator Red Jacket

3496-421: A significant proportion of the debt it represented 45 ". Holker's partners will therefore suffer considerable losses and they will fight for years to obtain compensation, in vain. Chaumont, on the verge of ruin, will have to request a decree preventing its French creditors from seizing its assets. After his resignation, Holker faced two challenges: settling his accounts with Robert Morris and bouncing back to absorb

3648-421: A successor for Morris, Congress established the three-member Board of Treasury, consisting of Arthur Lee, William Livingston , and Samuel Osgood . In 1778–1779 Morris had attempted to strengthen out the accounts of the old Commercial Committee but had to give it up; he stated in answer to Paine "the accounts of Willing and Morris with the committee had been partially settled, but were still partially open, because

3800-658: A supply of new slaves to compensate for the ongoing labor shortage. While Morris was a junior partner in the firm and Willing was pursuing a political career, Willing, Morris & Co. co-signed a petition calling for the repeal of Pennsylvania's tariff on imported slaves. In 1762, approximately 200 slaves were imported into Philadelphia, at the height of Pennsylvania's involvement in the Atlantic slave trade ; most were brought in by Rhode Island merchants Mark Anthony DeWolf , Aaron Lopez , and Jacob Rivera . As part of their commercial operations, Willing, Morris & Co. engaged in

3952-521: A teenage trainee to become a key agent in Willing's firm. Morris traveled to Caribbean ports to expand the firm's business, and he gained a knowledge of trading and the various currencies used to exchange goods. He also befriended Thomas Willing , the oldest son of Charles Willing who was two years older than Morris and who, like Morris, had split his life between England and British North America. Charles Willing died in 1754, and in 1757 Thomas made Morris

4104-548: A total of 53,610 pounds was released on land, or into the air and water of the surrounding areas without being managed properly. These oversights in waste management can cause toxic chemicals to leech into the surrounding environment and become toxic to the individuals living there. Of these facilities, 4 are indicated by the EPA to release chemicals that could pose a threat to people in the surrounding communities. The risk indication comes from an RSEI score higher than zero, which signifies

4256-642: A younger half-brother, Thomas, whom Morris's father had sired out of wedlock shortly before his own death. Thomas eventually became a partner in Morris's shipping firm. Mary's brother, William White , was ordained as an Episcopal priest and served as the Senate chaplain . In 1781, Morris purchased a home on Market Street that was two blocks north of Independence Hall , the seat of the Second Continental Congress. He gained clear title to

4408-739: Is also where the New York State School for the Blind , a New York State-operated K-12 school, and the main campus of Genesee Community College is located. In Batavia, there are multiple companies ranging from food products to manufacturing that release toxic chemicals on a regular basis. The following data comes from the United States Environmental Protection Agency ’s Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) database. In 2020, these facilities were responsible for 1,522,366 pounds of waste. Of this number,

4560-594: Is considered to be part of the Rochester–Batavia–Seneca Falls combined statistical area . The name Batavia is Latin for the Betuwe region of the Netherlands , and honors early Dutch land developers. In 2006, a national magazine, Site Selection , ranked Batavia third among the nation's micropolitans , based on economic development. The New York State Thruway ( Interstate 90 ) passes north of

4712-441: Is just a short list of all of the possible risks of exposure so independent research is recommended. It is important to note, however, that the very presence of these compounds in released materials does not directly correlate with human ingestion, and that there are many safety measures in place to ensure that this is the case. Each facility listed above is located inside or on the outer boundary of residential areas. In these areas,

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4864-426: Is water. The city also sits directly along the 43rd parallel north . New York State Route 5 (east-west) intersects state routes 33 , 63 and 98 in the city. The New York State Thruway ( Interstate 90 ) is immediately north of Batavia. This climatic region is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. According to

5016-533: The Anglican Christ Church , which was also attended by Benjamin Franklin , Thomas Willing, and other leading citizens of Philadelphia. The Morris household employed several domestic workers and retained several slaves. In addition to the children he had with Mary White, Morris fathered a daughter, Polly, out of wedlock around 1763. Morris supported Polly financially and remained in contact with her throughout her adult life. Morris also supported

5168-528: The Bank of North America , the first congressionally chartered national bank to operate in the United States. Morris believed that the national government would be unable to achieve financial stability without the power to levy taxes and tariffs , but he was unable to convince all thirteen states to agree to an amendment to the Articles of Confederation. Frustrated by the weakness of the national government, Morris resigned as Superintendent of Finance in 1784. Morris

5320-601: The Delaware and Schuylkill Canal Company chartered April 10, 1792. Morris was president of both companies; he was also involved with a steam engine company and launched a hot air balloon from his garden on Market Street. He had the first iron rolling mill in America. His icehouse was the model for one Washington installed at Mount Vernon. He backed the new Chestnut Street Theater and had a greenhouse where his staff cultivated lemon trees. In early 1793, Morris purchased shares in

5472-660: The Erie Triangle . Along with an agent of the Holland Land Company, Aaron Burr , Robert Morris, and other individual and institutional investors, he formed the Pennsylvania Population Company. This front organization purchased all 390 parcels of land in the Erie Triangle. Nicholson was impeached in 1794 for his role in the company. However, Morris severely overextended himself financially. He had borrowed to speculate in real estate in

5624-668: The Federalist Party . During and after his service in the Senate, Morris went deeply into debt through speculating on land, leading into the Panic of 1796–1797 . Unable to pay his creditors, he was confined in the Prune Street debtors' apartment adjacent to Walnut Street Prison from 1798 to 1801. After being released from prison, he lived a quiet, private life in a modest home in Philadelphia until his death in 1806. Morris

5776-572: The Habsburg monarchy . In early December 1776, Washington's army was forced to retreat across the Delaware River and into Pennsylvania, and most members of Congress temporarily left Philadelphia. Morris was one of few delegates to remain in the city, and Congress appointed Morris and two other delegates to "execute Continental business" in its absence. Morris frequently corresponded with Washington, and he provided supplies that helped enable

5928-471: The Köppen climate classification system, Batavia has a humid continental climate , abbreviated "Dfa" or "Dfb" on climate maps. As of the census of 2010 , there were 15,465 people, 6,644 households, and 3,710 families residing in the city. The city's racial demographic changed slightly from 2000 to 2010. As of the census of 2000 , there were 16,256 people, 6,457 households, and 3,867 families residing in

6080-636: The Model Treaty , which was designed to serve as a template for relations with foreign countries. Unlike Britain's mercantile trade policies, the Model Treaty emphasized the importance of free trade . In March 1776, after the death of Samuel Ward , Morris was named as the chairman of the Secret Committee of Trade. He established a network of agents, based in both the colonies and various foreign ports, charged with procuring supplies for

6232-488: The Nichols School in 1983. Each member school felt the loss of charter member Trott Vocational due to the school closing in 1988. The Engineers, with more than 50 years of competition in the NFL had been a source of pride for the school, the city of Niagara Falls, the league and their alumni. In 1995, charter member Tonawanda High School left for the E.C.I.C. The opening of the new Niagara Falls High School in

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6384-587: The Phelps and Gorham Purchase in western New York. He realized a substantial profit the following year when he sold the land to The Pulteney Association , a group of British land speculators led by Sir William Johnstone Pulteney . Morris used the money from this sale to purchase the remainder of the Phelps and Gorham Purchase, then turned around and sold much of that land to the Holland Land Company ,

6536-580: The Potomac River ; until construction of that capital was completed, Philadelphia would serve as the nation's temporary capital. With the backing of all four leaders, the Compromise of 1790 , as it became known, was approved by Congress. That same year, Morris and Maclay helped secure Pennsylvania's control of the Erie Triangle , which provided the state with access to the Great Lakes . In

6688-524: The Southern theater of the war, while leaving a large force garrisoned at New York City . In August 1781, Morris met with General Washington and the comte de Rochambeau , who were planning a joint Franco-American operation against the British forces. Morris redirected government funds to purchase supplies for Washington's march against British forces in Virginia, and he pleaded with state governments and

6840-626: The Theo Muller Group . On December 10, 2015, the closure of the yogurt plant was announced with the additional news that the facility would be sold to the Dairy Farmers of America cooperative. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has an area of 5.2 square miles (13.6 km ), of which 5.2 square miles (13.4 km ) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.2 km ) (1.14%)

6992-547: The convention held to debate ratification of the Constitution. Due to a dispute with a business partner, Morris did not attend the ratification convention, which voted to ratify the Constitution in December 1787. By the end of 1788, the Constitution had been ratified by enough states to take effect. In September 1788, the Pennsylvania legislature elected Robert Morris and William Maclay , both of whom were aligned with

7144-564: The tobacco trade. Two years later, Morris's father sent him to Philadelphia, then the most populous city in British North America , where Morris lived under the care of his father's friend, Charles Greenway. Greenway arranged for Morris to become an apprentice at the shipping and banking firm of Philadelphia merchant Charles Willing . In 1750, Robert Morris Sr. died from an infected wound, leaving much of his substantial estate to his son. Morris impressed Willing and rose from

7296-715: The "Financier of the Revolution." Along with Alexander Hamilton and Albert Gallatin , he is widely regarded as one of the founders of the financial system of the United States. Born in Liverpool , Morris was brought to North America by his father when he was 13 years old, quickly becoming a partner in a successful shipping firm based in Philadelphia . In the aftermath of the French and Indian War , Morris joined with other merchants in opposing British tax policies such as

7448-467: The "Minister of Injustice", he submitted his resignation in early 1783, but Hamilton and other Nationalists convinced him to stay in office. As of January 1, 1783, the public debt was $ 42 million of which 18.77 percent was foreign debt and 81.23 percent was owned at home. In a report to the President of Congress Morris wrote: of which The rest being unliquidated debts, etc., interest. At roughly

7600-586: The 1765 Stamp Act . By 1775 he was the richest man in America. After the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War , he helped procure arms and ammunition for the revolutionary cause, and in late 1775 he was chosen as a delegate to the Second Continental Congress. As a member of Congress, he served on the Secret Committee of Trade, which handled the procurement of supplies, the Committee of Correspondence , which handled foreign affairs, and

7752-565: The Board of Treasury, continued to favor amendments to the Articles of Confederation, but the states still refused to authorize major changes to the Articles. In 1786, Morris was one of five Pennsylvania delegates selected to attend the Annapolis Convention , where delegates discussed ways to reform the Articles of Confederation. Though Morris ultimately declined to attend the convention, the delegates convinced Congress to authorize

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7904-688: The Continental victory at the Battle of Trenton . After the Continental Army was defeated in the September 1777 Battle of Brandywine , Congress fled west from Philadelphia; Morris and his family went to live at the estate they had recently purchased in Manheim, Pennsylvania . Morris obtained a leave of absence in late 1777, but he spent much of his time defending himself against attacks regarding alleged mismanagement and financial improprieties levied by

8056-626: The Continental war effort. In late February 1776, Americans learned that the British Parliament had passed the Prohibitory Act , which declared that all American shipping was subject to seizure by British ships. Unlike many other congressional leaders, Morris continued to hope for reconciliation with Britain, since he believed that all-out war still lacked the strong support of a majority of Americans and would prove financially ruinous. In June 1776, due largely to frustration with

8208-647: The Federalists, as the state's first representatives in the United States Senate . In the country's first presidential election , Washington was elected as the President of the United States . Washington offered the position of Secretary of the Treasury to Morris, but Morris declined the offer, instead suggesting Alexander Hamilton for the position. In the Senate, Morris pressed for many of

8360-459: The Freeman’s Journal, attacking Morris. Blaming Morris had all the ear-marks of an early misinformation campaign designed to shift the blame for a failed and unpopular mutiny. Frustrated by his defeat in the tariff battle and the failure of states to provide adequate funding, Morris thought he was being forced to run up debts that the states were unwilling to pay. Writing that he would not be

8512-407: The French government for further funding, with the final $ 20,000 needed coming from Morris's longtime collaborator, Haym Salomon . At the October 1781 Battle of Yorktown , Washington forced the surrender of the British army under the command of General Cornwallis . After the Battle of Yorktown, Britain essentially abandoned its campaign on land, but the naval war continued as Britain sought to cut

8664-449: The Marine Committee, which oversaw the Continental Navy . Morris was a leading member of Congress until he resigned in 1778. Out of office, Morris refocused on his merchant career and won election to the Pennsylvania Assembly , where he became a leader of the "Republican" faction that sought alterations to the Pennsylvania Constitution . Facing a difficult financial situation in the ongoing Revolutionary War , in 1781 Congress established

8816-429: The Nationalist faction, and they all cooperated to enhance the power of the national government. In mid-1782, Congress established standing committees to provide oversight to the executive departments; Morris supported the congressional reorganization, but to his dismay, his longtime foe Arthur Lee became the chairman of the committee overseeing the finance department. Morris pursued an array of reforms designed to boost

8968-409: The Public Credit , which Hamilton submitted in 1790. Hamilton proposed to fully fund all federal debts and assume all state debts, and to pay for those debts by issuing new federal bonds. Hamilton argued that these measures would restore confidence in public credit and help to revitalize the economy, but opponents attacked his proposals as unfairly beneficial to the speculators who had purchased many of

9120-416: The Republican Society's goals, but Morris became the de facto leader of the faction that became known as the Republicans. Meanwhile, those who favored maintaining the state constitution became known as the Constitutionalists. Due to rising inflation , in mid-1779 the Constitutionalists established a committee to implement price controls ; numerous Philadelphia merchants were arrested for allegedly violating

9272-428: The US, or abroad, and according to U.S. Census data there has been a gradual but consistent decline in the city's population from 1960 forward. The construction of the Buffalo Federal Detention Facility , a federal immigration detention center next to the airport has provided more jobs in the area, as well as expansion of the airport, including lengthening the runway to accommodate larger aircraft in 2005. Inmates at

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9424-429: The United States . He served as a member of the Pennsylvania legislature, the Second Continental Congress , and the United States Senate , and was one of only two people who signed the Declaration of Independence , the Articles of Confederation , and the United States Constitution (The other being Roger Sherman ). From 1781 to 1784, he served as the Superintendent of Finance of the United States , becoming known as

9576-425: The United States off from its sources of trade. Months after the Battle of Yorktown, Morris issued the "Report on Public Credit," an ambitious economic plan calling for the full payment of the country's war debt through new revenue measures. It included a head tax on slaves in the various states, but above all, he pushed for a federal tariff of five percent on all imported goods, which would require an amendment to

9728-404: The average family size was 3.01. 23.4% of the city's population were under the age of 18, 8.7% were from age 18 to 24, 29.0% were from age 25 to 44, 20.2% were from age 45 to 64, and 18.6% were age 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.2 males. The city's median household income was $ 33,484, and

9880-399: The bank provided a boost to Morris's popularity, and in October 1780, he won election to the state legislature. William Bingham , rumored to be the richest man in America after the Revolutionary War , purchased 9.5% of the available shares of the Bank of North America. The greatest share, however, 63.3%, was purchased on behalf of the United States government by Robert Morris, using a gift in

10032-428: The beginning of his bankruptcy began with the failure of John Warder & Co. of Dublin and Donald and Burton of London in the spring of 1793. Morris was deeply involved in land speculation, especially after the Revolutionary War; (See Phelps and Gorham Purchase of 1791 above); on April 22, 1794, Morris entered into an association called the Asylum Company with John Nicholson, [who had served as Comptroller-General of

10184-418: The boycott. In April 1775, the American Revolutionary War broke out following the Battles of Lexington and Concord . Shortly thereafter, the Second Continental Congress began meeting in Philadelphia , and Congress appointed George Washington to command the Continental Army . The Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly established the twenty-five member Committee of Safety to supervise defenses, and Morris

10336-458: The chief supplier of gunpowder to the Continental Army. Morris became increasingly focused on political affairs rather than business, and in October 1775 he won election to the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly. Later in the year, the Provincial Assembly elected Morris as a delegate to Congress. In Congress, Morris aligned with the less radical faction of delegates that protested British policies but continued to favor reconciliation with Britain. He

10488-593: The city after the riot, and popular anger at merchants resulted in Morris's defeat in his campaign for re-election to the state legislature. Out of public office for the first time since the start of the American Revolution, Morris focused on expanding his shipping business. He partnered with several out-of-state businessmen, including Jonathan Hudson of Maryland and Carter Braxton and Benjamin Harrison of Virginia, to form what biographer Charles Rappleye calls "the first national conglomerate ." In these trading ventures, Morris often provided financing and oversight but left

10640-404: The city. Genesee County Airport (GVQ) is also north of the city. The city hosts the Batavia Muckdogs baseball team, of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League , at Dwyer Stadium , (299 Bank Street). The Muckdogs, formerly, were an affiliate of the Miami Marlins ; in 2008, they won the New York Penn League Championship. The city's UN/LOCODE is USBIA. The current City of Batavia

10792-444: The city. The population density was 3,133.9 people per square mile (1,210.0 people/km ). There were 6,924 housing units at an average density of 1,334.8 per square mile (515.4/km ). The city's racial makeup was 90.23% White , 5.43% Black or African American , 0.48% Native American , 0.87% Asian , 0.02% Pacific Islander , 1.06% from other races , and 1.90% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.45% of

10944-410: The committee's orders, but Morris avoided imprisonment and emerged as a leading opponent of the committee. The price control committee proved ineffective and disbanded in September, but the following month a mob rioted and seized several Republican leaders. Morris and other Republicans sheltered at James Wilson's house, where they were rescued by Reed and a detachment of the Continental Army. Wilson fled

11096-452: The conclusion of the 2006–07 season. They have since rejoined the league as a full member. Batavia (city), New York Batavia is a city in and the county seat of Genesee County, New York , United States. It is located near the center of the county, surrounded by the Town of Batavia , which is a separate municipality . Batavia's population, as of the 2020 census, was 15,600. It

11248-606: The convention which, rather than amending the Articles, was intended to supplant the Articles as the new Constitution of the United States . Morris was one of just six individuals to sign both the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution. Rather than seeking to block the new constitution, Congress simply forwarded it to each state to debate ratification. Morris's Republican faction, along with Federalist groups in other states, sought

11400-617: The dangerous and secretive nature of a committee charged with obtaining contraband goods made it difficult for the committee to establish competitive bidding procedures for procurement contracts. In addition to his service on the Secret Committee of Trade, Morris was also appointed to the Marine Committee, which oversaw the Continental Navy , and the Committee of Secret Correspondence , which oversaw efforts to establish relations with foreign powers. From his position on

11552-529: The departments of war, marine, finance, and foreign affairs, each of which would be led by a departmental executive. By a unanimous vote, Congress selected Morris as the Superintendent of Finance . Morris accepted appointment as the Superintendent of Finance in May 1781, and he appointed Gouverneur Morris as his deputy. Morris soon emerged as the key economic official in the country and became

11704-665: The depreciations suffered and finally decide that Holker owes Morris the very symbolic sum of 1500 Pennsylvania pounds. In 1787, Morris was sued in Virginia by Carter Braxton for £28,257; the lawsuit continued for eight years before commissioners were appointed, then Morris appealed. Finally, Virginia's Court of Appeals led by Edmund Pendleton decided mostly in favor of Braxton before Morris was forced into bankruptcy by his own continued land speculations (although Morris as late as 1800 believed he should have won £20,000). Morris became increasingly fixated on land speculation, reaching his first major real estate deal in 1790 when he acquired much of

11856-402: The details to his partners. With national finances in tatters, Morris led a group of merchants in creating the Bank of Pennsylvania , which provided funding for the purchase of supplies by the Continental Army. The bank did not engage in the full range of modern banking activities, but it did accept deposits and provide a potential model for monetary reforms at the national level. The success of

12008-425: The detention center have included terrorism suspects, such as Nabil Ahmed Farag Soliman , who embarked on a hunger strike in 1999 after two and a half years in federal detention. In August 2012, Muller Quaker Dairy broke ground on what was to be one of the largest yogurt manufacturing plants in the United States, and employed 170 people in December 2015. Muller Quaker Dairy is a joint venture between PepsiCo and

12160-502: The document was ratified by the requisite number of states by the end of 1788. The Pennsylvania legislature subsequently elected Morris as one of its two inaugural representatives in the United States Senate. Morris declined Washington's offer to serve as the nation's first Treasury Secretary , instead suggesting Alexander Hamilton for the position. In the Senate, Morris supported Hamilton's economic program and aligned with

12312-609: The early 1790s, the country became increasingly polarized between the Democratic-Republican Party , led by Jefferson and Madison, and the Federalist Party , led by Hamilton. Though Morris was less focused on politics after the Compromise of 1790, he supported most of Hamilton's policies and aligned with the Federalist Party. Morris especially supported Hamilton's proposal for the establishment of

12464-417: The economy; many of the reforms were inspired by the laissez-faire economic ideas of Adam Smith . Shortly after taking office, he convinced Congress to establish the Bank of North America , the first bank to operate in the United States. Such a bank had been discussed in the months prior to Morris's appointment, but the bank itself was organized along lines laid out by Robert Morris and Gouverneur Morris. It

12616-438: The estate in 1785 and made it his primary residence. In 1790, President George Washington accepted Morris's offer to make the house his primary residence; Morris and his family subsequently moved to a smaller, neighboring property. By the 1790s, Morris had become close friends with Washington, and he and his wife were regular fixtures at state events thrown by the president. The President's House , as it became known, served as

12768-548: The fall of 2000 spelled the end of LaSalle High School . LaSalle High School, who entered the Niagara Frontier League in 1939, was consolidated into the new high school. The Nichols School withdrew from the league at the close of the 2002 school year. The NFL welcomed the Charter School for Applied Technologies in 2004. The Charter School for Applied Technologies left the Niagara Frontier League at

12920-685: The field of battle nor do I wish to see them live in tyranny". After the Declaration of Independence was issued, Morris continued to supervise and coordinate efforts to secure arms and ammunition and export American goods. His strategy focused on using ships from New England to export tobacco and other goods from the Southern states to Europe and the islands of the Caribbean, then using the capital obtained from those exports to purchase military supplies from Europe. British spies and warships often frustrated his plans, and many American ships were captured in

13072-586: The firm traded with India, the Levant , the West Indies , Spanish Cuba , Spain, and Italy. The firm's business of import, export, and general agency made it one of the most prosperous in Pennsylvania. In 1784, Morris, with other investors, underwrote the voyage of the ship Empress of China , the first American vessel to visit the Chinese mainland. Morris's partnership with Willing was established just after

13224-487: The fold from the Niagara Orleans League. 1965 saw the withdrawal of charter member Lackawanna to the E.C.I.C. Niagara Wheatfield entered the league at that time, coming from the Niagara Orleans League. The NFL initiated an extensive sports program for the girls in the member schools in 1973 and it has flourished since. Grand Island left the E.C.I.C. and moved to the NFL in 1979 and the league welcomed

13376-519: The form of a loan from France and a loan from Netherlands . This had the effect of capitalizing the bank with large deposits of gold and silver coin and bills of exchange . He then issued new paper currency backed by this supply. In the midst of the American Revolutionary War, U.S. government finances fell into a poor state as Congress lacked the power to raise revenue and the states largely refused to furnish funding. Without

13528-420: The funds that they owed to Congress. Writing to the state governors, Morris argued that it was "high time to reliever ourselves from the infamy we have already sustained, and to rescue and restore the national credit. This can only be done by solid revenue." By late 1782, all of the states but Rhode Island had agreed to back an amendment allowing the tariff, but that was enough to block the amendment. Though he

13680-462: The government's debt certificates. Morris supported Hamilton's economic proposals, but the two differed on the site of the federal capital, as Hamilton wanted to keep it in New York. In June 1790, Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson convinced Morris, Hamilton, and Madison to agree to a compromise in which the federal government assumed state debts, while a new federal capital would be established on

13832-437: The issuing of a new currency, referred to as "Morris notes," backed by Morris's own funds. Morris also convinced Congress to allow him to purchase all supplies for the Continental Army, and Congress required states to furnish funding rather than supplying goods like flour or meat. By 1781, the Revolutionary War had become a stalemate between Britain and the United States. The British had concentrated their military operations in

13984-547: The last of the executive positions in November, when Benjamin Lincoln accepted appointment as Secretary of War . Along with General Washington and Continental Congress secretary Charles Thomson, the three executives served as the leaders of the de facto first national executive branch in U.S. history; Morris assumed an unofficial role as the leading department secretary. All three executives, as well as Washington, aligned with

14136-565: The late 1780s after a business partner mistakenly refused to honor bills issued by Morris, causing him to default on a loan. In 1784 Morris was part of a syndicate that backed the sailing of the Empress of China (1783) for the China trade.(In 1787 Morris also sent the ex-warship Alliance to Canton China as part of the China Trade). As part of the effort to repay France for loans that financed

14288-571: The latter committee, Morris helped arrange for the appointment of Silas Deane as Congress's representative to France; Deane was charged with procuring supplies and securing a formal alliance with France. Throughout 1776, Morris would emerge as a key figure on the Marine Committee; Rappleye describes him as the "de facto commander" of the Continental Navy. Morris favored a naval strategy of attacking Britain's "defenseless places" in an effort to divide Britain's numerically superior fleet. Along with Franklin, Dickinson, and John Adams , Morris helped draft

14440-965: The list of Holker's associates (occasional or regular) is given in a note to volume 7. It is edifying: on the French side, Le Ray de Chaumont of course, Sabatier and Després, La Caze and Mallet, the bankers Le Couteulx and Ferdinand Grand; the authors have just forgotten Holker senior, Antoine Garvey and Baudard de Saint-James , associate in Sabatier's business. On the American side, three of the founding fathers , John Langdon , Thomas Fitzsimons and of course Robert Morris, Simeon and Barnabas Deane, brothers of Silas Deane, William Duer, who will be discussed again, Matthew Ridley , Mark Pringle, Jonathan Williams Sr. and Jr 40 , Stacey Hepburn, William Smith (en) , of Baltimore, Benjamin Harrison V , of Virginia 41 . Special mention for Philadelphia merchant Thomas Fitzsimons, one of

14592-529: The losses he had suffered. In January 1784 Morris submitted accounts, but the settlement would stumble over the claim for compensation for the depreciation suffered by Holker. Relations between the two partners deteriorated rapidly and Holker wanted to appeal to the courts. This dispute was not anecdotal, because it would lead to a deterioration in Franco-American relations , the French side noting Morris's stiffening and becoming increasingly concerned about

14744-454: The median family income was $ 42,460. Males had a median income of $ 32,091 versus $ 23,289 for females. The city's per capita income was $ 17,737. About 10.2% of families and 12.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.5% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over. Batavia City School District is the school district of the city, and operates multiple public schools there, including Batavia High School . Batavia

14896-401: The meeting of the convention, but rarely spoke after the first day, instead allowing lawyers and others more experienced with the law to debate various issues. His primary goals, including a provision ensuring the federal government had the power to lay tariffs and taxes, were shared by the vast majority of delegates at the convention. On September 17, Morris signed the final document produced by

15048-437: The midst of trading operations. In response, Morris authorized American envoys in Europe to commission privateers to attack British shipping, and he arranged for an agent, William Bingham , to pay for repairs to American privateers on the French island of Martinique . Due to the lucrative nature of privateering, Morris also started outfitting his own privateers. Another agent of Morris's, his half-brother Thomas Morris, proved

15200-528: The moderate faction of Pennsylvania leaders that included Morris, a convention of delegates from across Pennsylvania began meeting to draft a new constitution and establish a new state government. At the same time, Congress was debating whether to formally declare independence from Britain. By early July 1776, Pennsylvania's delegation was the lone congressional delegation opposed to declaring independence. Morris refused to vote for independence, but he and another Pennsylvania delegate agreed to excuse themselves from

15352-472: The new tax. Facing colonial resistance, Parliament repealed the tax, but it later implemented other policies designed to generate tax revenue from the colonies. During the decade after the imposition of the Stamp Act, Morris would frequently join with other merchants in protesting many of Parliament's taxation policies. Writing to a friend about his objections to British tax policies, Morris stated that "I am

15504-538: The notes. After a mutiny over pay broke out in Pennsylvania, Congress voted to leave Philadelphia and establish a provincial capital in Princeton, New Jersey ; the mutiny dissipated shortly thereafter. Nationalists were devastated by this turn of events, and Hamilton resigned from Congress in mid-1783 after his proposal for convention to revise the Articles of Confederation was ignored. In November 1784, Morris resigned from his government positions. Rather than finding

15656-613: The outbreak of the French and Indian War , which hindered the usual supply of indentured servants from the British Isles to Pennsylvania. Many potential servants had been conscripted by the British Army to fight in Continental Europe , and a significant portion of the servants already in Pennsylvania were nearing the ends of their contracts. As such, there was a rapidly increasing demand in Pennsylvania for

15808-402: The owner took the ship and all the slaves to Jamaica . This was the last time Willing, Morris & Co. was involved in slave trade, though Morris continued to own slaves until 1797. In early 1769, at age 35, Morris married 20-year-old Mary White, the daughter of a wealthy and prestigious lawyer and landholder. Mary gave birth to the couple's first of seven children in December 1769. (One son

15960-468: The petition reflected widespread unhappiness in the Continental Army at the continued lack of pay. Some Nationalists, including Gouverneur Morris, believed that only the discontent of the army could force the adoption of the amendment authorizing Congress to impose a tariff. In March, Colonel Walter Stewart delivered the "Newburgh Address," in which he urged members of the Continental Army to rise up against Congress and demand payment. Washington prevented

16112-546: The population density of lower-income residents, as well as residents of color, is higher than in the areas that do not contain any facilities that potentially toxic chemicals. This trend seemingly holds true in most urban areas. As stated before, the placement of these facilities can have a large impact on the individuals who surround them. Throughout the United States, people of color and people living in impoverished conditions are more likely to live in areas hosting facilities that release toxic chemicals. This disparity accounts for

16264-400: The population. There were 6,457 households, of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.5% were married couples living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.1% were non-families. 33.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.2% had someone living alone who was at least 65 years old. The average household size was 2.34 and

16416-540: The position of Superintendent of Finance to oversee financial matters. Morris accepted appointment as Superintendent of Finance and also served as Agent of Marine, from which he controlled the Continental Navy. He helped provide supplies to the Continental Army under General George Washington , enabling, with the help of frequent collaborator Haym Salomon , the decisive victory in the Battle of Yorktown . Morris also reformed government contracting and established

16568-599: The position of the delegates who favored the reform of British policies but were unwilling to fully break with Britain. In September 1774, the First Continental Congress voted to create the Continental Association , an agreement to enforce a boycott against British goods beginning in December; it also advised each colony to establish committees to enforce the boycott. Morris was elected to the Philadelphia committee charged with enforcing

16720-614: The pro-slavery allies of Henry Laurens , the president of the Continental Congress . Due to his leave of absence, Morris did not play a large role in drafting the Articles of Confederation , which would be the first constitution of the United States, but he signed the document in March 1778. As some states objected to the Articles, it would not enter into force until 1781. Morris returned to Congress in May 1778 to vote for

16872-470: The purchases, with the intent of quickly reselling the land to realize a profit. Morris and his partners struggled to re-sell their lands, and Greenleaf dropped out from the partnership in 1795. Morris realized a profit by selling his lots in the District of Columbia in 1796, but he and Nicholson still owed their creditors approximately $ 12 million (about $ 215 million in 2023). By Morris's own admission

17024-488: The ratification of the new federal Constitution. The Constitutionalists, who saw the new federal constitution as a threat to state sovereignty, joined with Anti-Federalists in other states in seeking to prevent the ratification of the Constitution. In elections held in October and November 1787, Morris's Federalist allies retained control of the state legislature and won a majority of the elections held to select delegates for

17176-453: The reassuring words of the authorities, they convinced themselves that the currency would rise, while Morris, for his own account, did the exact opposite: he did not keep any cash and invested it as soon as he had some in goods: he thus avoided losses linked to currency depreciation. The blow of the club is delivered in March 1780 : "Congress officially devalued "old emission" currency at a ratio of forty to one of species, thereby repudiating

17328-517: The recently approved Articles of Confederation. Such an amendment would greatly strengthen the power of the national government, but the amendment process required the consent of each state, and many states were reluctant to alter the balance of power between the states and the national government. The Articles gave Congress the sole power to conduct foreign policy, but the states retained all power over funding; Congress had no independent power to raise funds, and lacked any mechanism to force states provide

17480-497: The repayment of debts contracted by the United States . The interests of a foreign government which was both ally and creditor expanded the dispute from the private realm into the public arena. Holker consulted Thomas Fitzsimons and the latter explained to him that arbitration was preferable. This arbitration would be entrusted to five Philadelphia merchants, including Fitzsimons himself; he would have to wait five years for it. The verdict ofApril 1789exonerate Morris from any liability for

17632-668: The residence of the president until 1800, when President John Adams moved to the White House in Washington, D.C. In 1765, the Parliament of Great Britain imposed the Stamp Act , a tax on transactions involving paper that proved widely unpopular in British North America. In one of his first major political acts, Morris joined with several other merchants in pressuring British agent John Hughes to refrain from collecting

17784-490: The return of the nation's capital to Philadelphia and the federal assumption of state debts. Morris defeated Maclay's proposal to establish the capital in Pennsylvania at a site on the Susquehanna River west of Philadelphia, but James Madison defeated Morris's attempt to establish the capital just outside of Philadelphia. Morris's 1781 "Report On Public Credit" supplied the basis for Hamilton's First Report on

17936-403: The sale of the western part of the state completed, Batavia became a small industrial city in the heart of an agricultural area. It became known for the manufacture of tractors , agricultural implements, sprayers and shoes. It also was a tool and die making center for industries in other areas. The largest manufacturer, Johnston Harvester Company came into being in 1868. In 1910, the business

18088-483: The same policies he had sought as Superintendent of Finance: a federal tariff, a national bank, a federal mint, and the funding of the national debt. Congress agreed to implement the Tariff of 1789 , which created a uniform impost on goods carried by foreign ships into American ports, but many other issues lingered into 1790. Among those issues were the site of the national capital and the fate of state debts. Morris sought

18240-437: The same time, Morris and others in Philadelphia learned that the United States and Britain had signed a preliminary peace agreement, bringing an unofficial end to the Revolutionary War. Congress approved a furlough of the Continental Army soldiers, subject to recall in case hostilities broke out once again. Morris distributed "Morris notes" to the remaining soldiers, but many soldiers departed for their homes rather than waiting for

18392-604: The same time, he was appointed general agent of the Royal Navy of France and in this capacity had to manage the logistics and finances of the French expeditionary force) . In early 1780, they became partners in William Turnbull and Co. Turnbull had worked for the secret Pennsylvania Committee of Commerce and would manage operations on their behalf.In the monumental edition of the Robert Morris Papers ,

18544-533: The slave trade. The firm advertised slave sales and directed company ships to purchase slaves from Africa to sell in British North America . One of the first ships the firm purchased, Nancy , was used to make two voyages to Africa to purchase slaves; the first voyage occurred in 1762, and resulted in the sale of approximately 170 slaves purchased from the Gold Coast in Wilmington, North Carolina . Though it

18696-604: The soldiers in an effort to avoid discontent in the Army, 2) The address was written by Major Armstrong, General Gate's aide-de-camp, both of whom were anti-Morris partisans, 3) Armstrong went on to become a favorite of the Constitutionalists of Pennsylvania, who later made him their Clerk of the Assembly, 4) Morris's most bitter enemy, Arthur Lee, promoted articles published by anonymous partisans (probably Lee himself) in

18848-466: The state assembly as part of a slate of candidates that favored reforming the Pennsylvania constitution; he resigned from Congress to take up his seat. After Morris left Congress, Henry Laurens , Thomas Paine , and some other members of Congress continued their false attacks on him for allegedly using his position in Congress for his own financial benefit, but in early 1779 a congressional committee cleared Morris of all charges. With their plans to call

19000-408: The state constitution that included many of the alterations that Morris had long favored, including a bicameral legislature, a state governor with the power to veto bills, and a judiciary with life tenure. Morris refocused on his trading concerns after leaving office as Superintendent of Finance, seeking especially to expand his role in the tobacco trade. He began suffering from financial problems in

19152-467: The state of Pennsylvania from 1782 to 1794] to purchase 1,000,000 acres of Pennsylvania land besides land they already had title to in Luzerne County ; Northumberland County and Northampton County . [This was not the first partnership Morris and Nicholson were involved in; in 1792, Nicholson had negotiated the purchase from the federal government of the 202,000-acre (820 km ) tract known as

19304-464: The transactions could not be closed up." The Treasury Board elected in 1794-1795 those old accounts were brought to a settlement—a June 1796 entry in the Treasury debt against Morris for $ 93,312.63. Morris would explain in 1800 in debtors' prison that in fact the debt was due not just to himself but also his partners John Ross and Thomas Willing . After leaving office, Morris once again devoted himself to business, but state and federal politics remained

19456-414: The tribe and helped win them more favorable terms. For the negotiations, Horatio Jones was the translator, and William Wadsworth provided his unfinished home. The land was then surveyed under the supervision of Joseph Ellicott, a monumental task and the biggest land survey ever attempted to that time. Ellicott, as agent for the company, established a land office in Batavia in 1802. The entire purchase

19608-512: The very few Catholic signatories of the Constitution , appreciated for his wisdom by both Holker and Morris and who would serve as arbitrator in their disputes.. In fact, Holker's French partners fell into a double trap: lured by their yield, they invested part of the transferred funds in Congressional loan certificates that yielded 6% 43 , 44 , without realizing that these state funds would be transformed into junk bonds , and, strengthened by

19760-514: The vote on independence, thereby giving the pro-independence movement a majority in the Pennsylvania delegation. With Morris absent, all congressional delegations voted to pass a resolution declaring independence on July 2, and the United States formally declared independence on July 4, 1776. Despite his opposition to independence, and much to Morris's surprise, the Pennsylvania constitutional convention voted to keep Morris in Congress; he

19912-437: The war, Morris contracted to supply 20,000 hogsheads of tobacco annually to France beginning in 1785. Shortly after these contracts were signed, Ambassador Thomas Jefferson took it upon himself to interfere with these arrangements, bringing about the collapse of the tobacco market. Financier James Swan on July 9, 1795, managed to do something Morris had been unable to do: the entire U.S. National debt to France of US$ 2,024,899

20064-589: Was Congressman Thomas Morris , whose wife was related to the Livingston and Van Rensselaer New York political families). Morris and his family lived on Front Street in Philadelphia and maintained a second home, known as "The Hills," on the Schuylkill River to the northwest of the city. He later purchased another rural manor, which he named Morrisville , that was located across the Delaware River from Trenton, New Jersey . The Morrises worshiped at

20216-601: Was a factor in politics for many years afterward, leading to the creation of the Anti-Masonic Party , as well as religion. Many Methodist Episcopal clergy had joined the Masons, and this was one of the reasons the Free Methodist Church separated. The Erie Canal in 1825 bypassed Batavia, going well to the north at Albion and Medina , enabling Buffalo and Rochester to grow much faster. With

20368-410: Was acquired by Massey-Harris Co. Ltd , and became a subsidiary of that Canadian company, founded by Daniel Massey in 1847. Batavia grew rapidly in the early 20th century, receiving an influx of Polish and Italian immigrants. The City of Batavia was incorporated in 1915. Batavia is part of what has become known as The Rust Belt . In recent years much of the heavier industry left for other areas of

20520-530: Was adamantly against the sale, but his influence was thwarted by freely-distributed liquor and trinkets given to the women. He acquiesced and signed the Treaty of Big Tree , in which the tribe sold their rights to the land (except for a small portion) for $ 100,000. Mary Jemison , known as The White Woman of the Genesee , who was captured in a raid and ended up marrying her Seneca captor, was an able negotiator for

20672-726: Was an early settlement in what is today called Genesee Country , the farthest western region of New York State, comprising the Genesee Valley and westward to the Niagara River , Lake Erie , and the Pennsylvania line. The tract purchased in western New York (the Holland Purchase) was a 3,250,000 acre (13,150 km ) portion of the Phelps and Gorham Purchase that lay west of the Genesee River. It

20824-478: Was appointed to the Secret Committee of Trade, which supervised the procurement of arms and ammunition. As the revolutionary government lacked an executive branch or a civil service, the committees of Congress handled all government business. Biographer Charles Rappleye writes that the committee "handled its contracts in a clubby, often incestuous manner" that may have unfairly benefited politically connected merchants, including Morris. However, Rappleye also notes that

20976-449: Was appointed to the committee. Morris became part of the core group of members that directed the committee and served as the committee's chairman when Benjamin Franklin was absent. Charged with obtaining gunpowder , Morris arranged a large-scale smuggling operation to avoid British laws designed to prevent arms and ammunition from being imported into the colonies. Due to his success at smuggling gunpowder for Pennsylvania, Morris also became

21128-522: Was born in Liverpool, England, on January 20, 1734. His parents were Robert Morris Sr., an agent for a shipping firm, and Elizabeth Murphet; biographer Charles Rappleye concludes that Morris was probably born out of wedlock . Until he reached the age of thirteen, Morris was raised by his maternal grandmother in England. In 1747, Morris immigrated to Oxford, Maryland , where his father had prospered in

21280-451: Was developed later that the men were Masons, and they carried him to Fort Niagara , where he was held captive and then disappeared. Although the Masons claimed he was only bribed to cease publication and leave the area forever, public sentiment was that he was murdered. No conviction was ever obtained. His captors were only charged and convicted with his abduction. The event roused tremendous public furor and anti-Mason sentiment. Anti-Masonry

21432-500: Was elected to the American Philosophical Society in 1786. In 1787, Morris was selected as a delegate to the Philadelphia Convention , which wrote and proposed a new constitution for the United States. Morris rarely spoke during the convention, but the constitution produced by the convention reflected many of his ideas. Morris and his allies helped ensure that Pennsylvania ratified the new constitution, and

21584-475: Was established as a private institution governed by its investors but was subject to inspection by the Superintendent of Finance. The bank would take the national government's deposits, provide loans to Congress, and issue banknotes . Morris hoped that the bank would help finance the war, stabilize the nation's currency, and bring the country together under one unified monetary policy. As the bank would take some time to begin functioning, in 1781 Morris presided over

21736-436: Was frustrated in the tariff battle, Morris continued to implement and propose other economic reforms. In January 1782, after receiving its charter from Congress, the Bank of North America commenced operations, and the bank's currency soon achieved wide circulation. Morris sought the establishment of a national mint to provide for a single coinage throughout the United States and proposed the first decimal currency , but Congress

21888-426: Was named Genesee County in 1802, with Batavia as the county seat. The company sold off the purchase until 1846, when the company was dissolved. The phrase "doing a land office business," which denotes prosperity, dates from this era. The office is a museum today, designated a National Historic Landmark . Ellicott lived in Batavia for many years although he thought Buffalo would certainly grow to be larger. Batavia has

22040-458: Was paid in full. The United States no longer owed money to foreign governments, although it continued to owe money to private investors both in the United States and in Europe. This allowed the young United States to place itself on a sound financial footing. FromJuly 1778 to January 1780, Morris was agent, normally paid on commission for John Holker (French consul general for the four states of Delaware , Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey . At

22192-447: Was profitable, this voyage did not make a large profit, and a second slave-trading voyage by Nancy resulted in her capture by French privateers . Willing, Morris & Co. also handled two slave auctions for other importers of slaves, offering 23 slaves for sale. Three years later, the firm advertised 17 slaves for sale who were brought from Africa onboard the slave ship Marquis de Granby . The slaves were not sold in Philadelphia, as

22344-491: Was purchased in December 1792, February 1793, and July 1793 from Robert Morris , a prominent Revolutionary banker, by the Holland Land Company , a consortium of Dutch bankers. The village of Batavia was founded in 1802 by resident Land Agent Joseph Ellicott , under the authorization of Paul Busti of the Holland Land Company. Batavia, New York, was named by Busti in honor of the Batavian Republic (1795–1806),

22496-461: Was the core from which the rest of western New York was opened for settlement and development. A scandal erupted in Batavia in 1826, when William Morgan was offended by the local Masonic Lodge (Western Star Chapter R. A. M. No. 33 of Le Roy, New York ), and threatened to expose the lodge's secrets. He was arrested on a minor charge, then released when his charge was paid, into the company of several men, with whom he went, apparently unwillingly. It

22648-488: Was the lone anti-independence delegate from Pennsylvania to retain his position. In August, Morris signed the Declaration of Independence despite having abstained. In explaining his decision, he stated, "I am not one of those politicians that run testy when my own plans are not adopted. I think it is the duty of a good citizen to follow when he cannot lead." He also stated, "while I do not wish to see my countrymen die on

22800-600: Was to occupy an entire block between Chestnut Street and Walnut Street on the western edge of Philadelphia. The structure was of red brick and marble lining. Besides Land Speculation, Morris founded several canal companies: [Similar to the Potomac Company ], two Pennsylvania canal companies were set up to try to link the produce of the western lands with the eastern markets; they were the Schuylkill and Susquehanna Navigation Company chartered September 29, 1791, and

22952-495: Was unable to pay the soldiers of the Continental Army. The chief issue, aside from the unwillingness of the states to amend the Articles of Confederation, was the unwillingness of the states to supply adequate funding; many states refused to furnish any funds at all. The Bank of North America provided some loans, but eventually refused to furnish more funds until previous loans were paid off. Morris's efforts were further complicated by France's reluctance to extend more loans, as well as

23104-445: Was unwilling to back this project. He appointed several receivers, including Alexander Hamilton , to help circulate banknotes, report on the prices of goods, and perform other functions in places throughout the United States. He also reformed government procurement of supplies, saving money by placing the onus for the storage and transport of supplies on government contractors. Even after implementing several financial reforms, Morris

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