Week 20 – Bearded

 

“beard” definition:

noun – the hair that grows on a man’s face often excluding the mustache

verb – to confront and oppose with boldness, resolution, and often effrontery: Defy

 

I don’t know who talks like this, or anyone that has ever used this in my presence, but I’m going with the verb definition for this week’s story. The man responsible for my initial obsession with genealogy is Michael Hillegas. His name was engrained in me as a young child as someone who I should remember, as he was an important figure in American history, and I was somehow related to him. You have likely never heard of him, but I’m about to share with you just how important my fifth great-grandfather was in forming what we know as the United State of America.

Michael Hillegas was born in Philadelphia on 22 April 1729, the son of German immigrants, Georg “Michael” Hillegas and Margaret Hill Schiebenstock. On 10 May 1753, the younger Michael married Henrietta Cox Boude. She was the daughter of Samuel and Deborah (Cox) Boude. Michael and Henrietta had ten children, only four of whom lived to adulthood and had children of their own.

Michael Hillegas was well educated, and trained in business by his father.  The elder Michael had become involved in sugar refining and as a merchant had become extremely successful. Upon his death in 1749, his only son, twenty-year-old Michael, took over the business. Michael (Jr.) expanded the business to include iron manufacturing and became one of the most prosperous men in Philadelphia. In addition to his business ventures, he was an accomplished musician, playing the violin and piano, and composing complex pieces. From the diary of John Adams (yes, “that” John Adams), 28 November 1775, “Hillegas is one of our Continental Treasurers; is a great musician, talks perpetually of the forte and piano, of Handel, and songs and tunes. He plays upon the fiddle.”

Michael had a keen interest in literature and science, which led him to become a close associate of Benjamin Franklin, both of whom were pew holders at Christ Church. On 8 April 1768, he was elected as a member of the American Philosophical Society. It is likely that his close alliance to Benjamin Franklin, Benjamin Rush, Richard Bache, Tench Francis, and others, prompted Michael to give freely of his fortune and talents to aid in the cause for American Independence.  An act of treason.  One for he which he would have surely been hanged, or worse, had the Revolutionary Patriots been unsuccessful.  With boldness and resolution, he defied King George III and played a very important role in the founding of our nation.

As early as 1761, Michael Hillegas was appointed as one of the commissioners to select the site and erect Fort Mifflin for the protection of Philadelphia from foreign foes, and in 1762, he was elected to the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly. In 1771, Michael was elected as a member of the board of commissioners whose task was to improve the navigation of the Delaware to ensure better trade.  He was then called to serve on the Committee of Observation in 1774. As a member of the Pennsylvania Committee of Safety, he was appointed Treasurer on 30 June 30 1775. Then, on 30 May 1776, he was appointed Provincial Treasurer. When the Continental Congress was convened, he, along with George Clymer were appointed joint Treasurers of the United Colonies and were styled “Continental Treasurers,” but on 6 August 1776 it was resolved that there would be only one Continental Treasurer as George Clymer was appointed to serve as a delegate to Continental Congress by the state of Pennsylvania. George Clymer would go on to be a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and Michael Hillegas continued to serve as Treasurer of the United States until 11 September 1789, when the Treasury Department was established and Alexander Hamilton was named as the Secretary of the Treasury and Samuel Meredith was named Treasurer.

There are many records and letters that refer to the honesty, trustworthiness and business acumen held by Michael Hillegas, but had you ever heard the name before reading this? Reverend Michael Reed Minnich, in 1905, published, “A Memoir of the First Treasurer of the United States” in which he posed the question why this man, who had been so involved in the founding of our nation had been omitted, for the most part, from the history books. He states, “That Michael Hillegas’ fame should have been obscured so long is explainable only on the grounds that he was of German-French ancestry, and that the principal historians of the day were Quakers who preferred to have it appear that the followers of William Penn were the principal actors in the history of Philadelphia.” Whether this is true, Michael Hillegas should have his place in history.

Like many wealthy men who lived during the Revolutionary War, he gave generously to the cause. As businessman, philanthropist, statesman and patriot he served the new nation mightily. He accepted the position of Treasurer and once that occurred, he disqualified himself to serve in any capacity such as the Continental Congress or the Supreme Executive Council. He served without regard to his personal and business interests and attended to his difficult duties. The position of Treasurer demanded absolute honesty and he was never touched by even so much as a hint of scandal.

It is ironic that there should be so little written about this man, especially due to his staunch stand regarding the preservation of history. On 2 April 1781, the General Assembly of Pennsylvania resolved, “That Michael Hillegas be requested and empowered to revise, compare, correct, and publish in one volume the resolves of the Committee of the late Provide of Pennsylvania with their instructions to their Representatives in Assembly held at Philadelphia 15 July 1774…” A task he readily accepted. Shortly thereafter he wrote this to the Governor of New Hampshire –

“Philadelphia, August 20, 1781”

“Sir, - The importance of preserving the history of the present revolution, and transmitting authentic records to posterity is evident, and ought doubtless to be attended to, while we have the means of doing it in our power. Sensible of this, the assembly of this state have lately ordered that all the proceedings of the public bodies (committees and conventions,) from the commencement of the present contest, until the organization of government amongst us be collected and published; whereby the different steps taken to secure our liberty and establish our independence will be clearly seen, and the chain of our history completed. It was with difficulty some of the minutes of Committees could be collected, notwithstanding their transactions were of so recent a date, which I apprehend evinces the necessity of attending to this matter immediately, as the loss of any such papers must occasion a chasm in the history.

I beg leave therefore to suggest to your Excellency the propriety of each legislature in the Union adopting measures similar to those taken by this state for the above purpose; and should your Excellency view the matter in the same light that I do, I have no doubt of its being communicated, and warmly recommended to the House of Representatives of your state.

I have the honor to be your Excellency’s most Obedient and very humble Servant,

M. Hillegas.”

Without his descendants, his name may have remained in obscurity, but around the turn of the 20^th century, several of them banded together to petition the Treasury Department to feature him on United States currency. In 1907, and again in 1922, his likeness appeared on the $10 Gold Certificate. It is my hope that by telling his story that his name will be remembered so that generations from now his descendants will know what an important role their ancestor played in the history of our nation.