Robert Morris, unofficially touted as the Fiscal Father of the Country, made and lost a fortune in this new nation, while being a significant contributor to its independence.
Morris also had a connection to this area. At one time, he owned all the land in the western section of New York State. However, for most of the land purchased, he was acting as agent for a group of Dutch investors of the Holland Land Company.
George Washington, perhaps more correctly referred to as the Father of Our Country, was a confidant of Robert Morris and relied heavily upon him for funding the Revolutionary War. It has often been written that the "Three M's" are needed for a successful war: Men, money and materials.
Robert Morris was an essential ingredient in all three.
He was born in Liverpool, England, in 1733 and migrated to Maryland with his parents in 1745. He apprenticed in the firm of Charles Willing, a prominent merchant in Philadelphia, where he learned economics and merchandising.
Lockport historian and editor Orasmus Turner said Morris was a strong patriot who favored independence from England with a passion. In 1775 and 1776, he was a member of Congress and was a signer of the Declaration of Independence.
Shortly after the Battle of Trenton, Washington wrote to Morris for war funds. Morris replied in a letter dated Dec. 30, 1776, that he had to raise the funds from others, but would do so. He added, "Whilst on this subject, let me inform you that there is upwards of $20,000 of silver at Ticonderoga." He urged Washington to "send a party to bring it away."
In December of 1777, Washington ran into another problem. The enlistment of most of his troops was coming to an end and he promised $10 to each man who would sign up for another six weeks.
He sought Morris' help. Morris immediately sent $50,000 and added, "If further occasional supplies of money are wanted, you may depend on my exertions either in a public or private capacity."
Thus he supplied money and, in aiding reenlistments, the men for war. Next he was called upon for materials: Lead for bullets. One of his privateer ships had just come into port as the shortage was made known to him. The ship carried 90 tons of lead for ballast and Morris turned it over for the war effort.
Morris was made U.S. Financier, a position that eventually became Secretary of the Treasury.
But, Turner wrote, when Morris accepted the job, the Treasury "had not a dollar in it and was two millions and a half in debt." He formed the Bank of North America and obtained bonds signed by wealthy individuals, including himself, as collateral.
Turner seems to credit Morris with the successful conclusion of the war. He relates a meeting between Morris and Washington, when the Commander-in-Chief wanted to attack New York City. "Morris," Turner wrote, "dissented."
Washington reportedly said, "What am I to do? The country calls on me for action; and moreover my army cannot be kept together unless some bold enterprise is undertaken."
Morris reportedly replied, "Why not lead your forces to Yorktown? There Cornwallis may be hemmed in by the French fleet by sea and the American and French armies by land and will ultimately be compelled to surrender."
Washington said he did not have the funds for such a move and, of course, Morris guaranteed and later provided the necessary funding. The war was won at Yorktown.
While Morris funded the war effort, he also made millions because of the war. His fleet of privateer ships attacked and confiscated millions of dollars worth of goods from English ships on the high seas.
Turner wrote, "The close of the Revolution must have found him in possession of immense wealth, exceeded that by far of any individual citizen of the Untied States."
After the war, however, he turned to vast real estate transactions. They were productive for a while, but turned sour when land sales slumped. He was rich on paper through real estate holdings, but cash poor, which brought him down.
Turner wrote, "From the opulence that we have been speaking of, he was reduced to poverty and ultimately some merciless creditors made him for a long time the tenant of a prison."
In a letter to Benjamin Barton, father of Benjamin Barton Jr. of Lewiston and partner in the portage business, Morris wrote on Dec. 11, 1800, "If however, you should find it necessary to write again, be good enough to pay the postage of your letters for I have not a cent to spare from the means of subsistence."
He died at Morrisania, N.J. on Nov. 6, 1806 at 73 years old.
| Niagara Falls Reporter | www.niagarafallsreporter.com | December 17 2002 |