Lear, Tobias, 1762-1816

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Lear became George Washington's private secretary in 1785 and for seven years was a member of the official family at Mount Vernon. After his first wife's death he married Frances Bassett Washington, who was Martha Washington's niece and the widow of George Washington's nephew George Augustine Washington. He later married another niece of Martha's, and served in a number of consular positions.

  • 1762, Sept. 19: Born, Portsmouth, N.H.
  • 1783: Graduated, Harvard College, Cambridge, Mass.
  • 1786 - 1793 : Secretary to George Washington
  • 1790: Married Mary Long
  • 1793 - 1795 : Promoted business interests in Europe
  • 1795: President of the Potomac Co. Married Frances Bassett
  • 1798: Military secretary to George Washington with the rank of colonel
  • 1802: Appointed United States consul to Santo Domingo
  • 1803: Married Frances Henley
  • 1803 - 1812 : United States consul to Algiers
  • 1816, Oct. 11: Died, Washington, D.C.

From the guide to the Tobias Lear Papers, 1790-1816, (Manuscript Division Library of Congress)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Whittle, Conway, 1800-1881. Papers, 1773-1911, 1801-1867. William & Mary Libraries
creatorOf Lear, Tobias, 1762-1816. Letter : [New York], to William Ellery, Newport, R.I., 1790 July 5. Texas Christian University
referencedIn William Shippen prescription book, 1789 Oct. 1-1791 July 10, 1789-1791 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn Eyre de Lanux papers Archives of American Art
referencedIn Shippen, William, 1736?-1808. Prescription book, 1789 Oct. 1-1791 July 10. American Philosophical Society Library
creatorOf Lear, Tobias, 1762-1816. Tobias Lear diary, 1803 June 24 - October 23. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Van Deventer, Christopher, d. 1838. Christopher Van Deventer papers, 1799-1925. William L. Clements Library
creatorOf Lear, Tobias, 1762-1816. ALsS, 1791 Mar. 16-1793 Apr. 8, to David Humphreys. Rosenbach Museum & Library
referencedIn Counting House (South Berwick, Me.). The Counting House collection, 1700-[ongoing]. Old Berwick Historical Society
referencedIn George Washington papers, 1592-1943 Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Washington Irving's Life of George Washington Volume XII, Miscellany, 1769-1838 Cornell University Library
creatorOf Lear, Tobias, 1762-1816. Marriage bond, 1795 July 27. Rosenbach Museum & Library
referencedIn Autograph File, L, 1641-1976. Houghton Library
creatorOf United States. Accountant to the War Department. Statement of appropriations and expenditures for 1814 and 1815 : ms. : Washington, D.C., 1815 Mar. 18. Rosenbach Museum & Library
referencedIn Thomas Addis Emmet collection, 1483-1876 (bulk:1700-1800) New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn Papers of Joseph and William Whipple, 1717-1904 (inclusive), 1763-1814 (bulk). Houghton Library
creatorOf Lear, Tobias, 1762-1816. Papers, 1815. Portsmouth Athenaeum Library & Museum
creatorOf Washington, George, 1732-1799. George Washington papers, 1754-1797. Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
creatorOf Lear, Tobias, 1762-1816. LS, 1805 July 5 : on board the U.S. Frigate Constitution, to James Madison. Copley Press, J S Copley Library
referencedIn War of 1812 mss., 1776-1879 Lilly Library (Indiana University, Bloomington)
creatorOf Letter from Tobias Lear to John Jay National Archives at College Park
creatorOf Tobias Lear Papers, 1790-1816 Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf Barron, Samuel, 1765-1810. Papers, 1793-1942. William & Mary Libraries
referencedIn Biddle, Clement, 1740-1814. Letterbook, 1789-1792. Historical Society of Pennsylvania
referencedIn Wadsworth, Elizabeth, 1779-1802. Elizabeth Wadsworth, Peleg Wadsworth, and Tobias Lear correspondence concerning a lock of President Washington's hair, 1800. Maine Historical Society Library
referencedIn Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826,. Contemporary copies of letters : concerning United States and Algerian relations, 1805-1806. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Isaac Chauncey papers 1801-1818 Chauncey, Isaac papers William L. Clements Library
creatorOf Rodgers, John, 1773-1838. John Rodgers papers, 1796-1908, bulk 1801-1836. William L. Clements Library
creatorOf Washington, George, 1732-1799. Household accounts and accounts of monies received, 1789-1792. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn North American Land Company. Records, 1793-1898 (inclusive), 1798-1810 (bulk). Historical Society of Pennsylvania
creatorOf Lear, Tobias, 1762-1816. DS, 1791 May 30 : In the Henrietta, Weeks, Havre de Grace. Copley Press, J S Copley Library
creatorOf Washington (George) Collection Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens
referencedIn Christopher Van Deventer papers 1799-1925 Van Deventer, Christopher, papers William L. Clements Library
referencedIn Smith, Jonathan Bayard, 1742-1812. The Henley Smith Collection, 1686-1903. Library of Congress
referencedIn Washington, George, 1732-1799. Notes or remarks upon Mr. Lear's observations : manuscript, [1783?]. Texas Christian University
creatorOf Lear, Tobias, 1762-1816. Manuscript letter copybooks and diary, 1803-1809. : Algiers. Copley Press, J S Copley Library
referencedIn Washington Irving's Life of George Washington Volume X, miscellany, 1764-1805 Cornell University Library
referencedIn Harvard University. Mathematical theses, 1782-1839 Harvard University Archives.
referencedIn Northend, William Dummer, 1823-1902. William Dummer Northend family papers, 1673-1965 Emory University. Special Collections and Archives
referencedIn Biddle, Clement, 1740-1814. Papers, 1743-1835. Historical Society of Pennsylvania
creatorOf Lear, Tobias, 1762-1816. Papers, 1813-1814. Copley Press, J S Copley Library
creatorOf Lear, Tobias, 1760-1816. A list of public securities and paper money received by Tobias Lear from the president of the United States ... : autograph list, [n.d.]. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Letter from Tobias Lear to John Jay National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Sparks, Jared, 1789-1866. Jared Sparks collection of American manuscripts, 1582-1843 Houghton Library
creatorOf Lear, Tobias, 1762-1816. [Letters] / Tobias Lear. Texas Tech University Libraries, Academic Library
referencedIn Chase Papers, 1791-1870 New Hampshire Historical Society Library
creatorOf Chauncey, Isaac, 1772-1840. Isaac Chauncey papers, 1801-1818. William L. Clements Library
creatorOf William L. Clements Library. Nathanael Greene papers, 1762-1852, bulk 1780-1785. William L. Clements Library
creatorOf Lear, Tobias, 1762-1816. Diary, 1799-1801. Historical Society of Pennsylvania
referencedIn George Washington papers, 1592-1943 Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf Washington, George, 1732-1799. Autograph letter signed : Philadelphia, to Tobias Lear, 1796 Mar. 30. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn John Clement Fitzpatrick papers Library of Congress
creatorOf Lear, Tobias, 1762-1816. Letter, 1819 Aug. 17. Portsmouth Athenaeum Library & Museum
contributorOf Peter family papers, 1772-1932 George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon
referencedIn Portrait and biographical sketch of Tobias Lear [manuscript], n.d. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Tobias Lear papers 1791-1817 Lear, Tobias, papers William L. Clements Library
referencedIn Nathanael Greene papers 1762-1852 1780-1785 Greene, Nathanael, papers William L. Clements Library
creatorOf Carroll, Daniel, 1764-1849. A memorial of George Washington, engineer, 1785-1800. Cornell University Library
referencedIn Fort Wayne Indian Agency collection 1802-1815 Fort Wayne Indian Agency collection William L. Clements Library
referencedIn Edward Preble Papers, 1680-1912, (bulk 1799-1809) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf Lear, Tobias, 1760-1816. Autograph letter signed : Dept. of war, Acc't office, to Mr. Wm. B. Bend, Baltimore, 1816 Aug. 9. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Lear, Tobias, 1762-1816. Letter, 1793 November 8, New York, [New York] to [Thomas Jefferson], n.p. William & Mary Libraries
referencedIn Autograph File, T, 1580-1975. Houghton Library
referencedIn Washington, George, 1732-1799. George Washington papers, 1592-1937 (bulk 1748-1799). Library of Congress
creatorOf Washington, George, 1732-1799. Washington-Pearce collection, 1793-1798 [microform]. George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon
creatorOf Hancock, John, 1737-1793. Victor V. Martin autograph collection, 1694-1945. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Washington Irving collection, 1683-1839, (bulk 1753-1839) Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
creatorOf Lear, Tobias, 1762-1816. Autograph letter signed : Glasgow, to James Greenleaf, 1793 Dec. 25. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Lear, Tobias, 1762-1816. Tobias Lear manuscript material : 1 item, 1794 New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Washington, George, 1732-1799. Household accounts and accounts of monies received, 1789-1792. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf Barron family. Papers, 1802-1841. Library of Virginia
creatorOf Lear, Tobias, 1760-1816. Autograph letter signed : Dept. of war, 1816 Sept. 14. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Letter from Tobias Lear to John Jay National Archives at College Park
creatorOf Lear, Tobias, 1762-1816. Letter : [Washington, D.C.], to Robert Brent, [Washington, D.C.], 1815 Aug. 15. Texas Christian University
creatorOf Washington, George, 1732-1799. Washington household account book, 1793-1797 [microform]. George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon
creatorOf Washington, Martha, 1731-1802. Autograph signature to letter of condolence written by Gen. Washington : Philadelphia, to Mr. Tobias Lear, 1796 Mar. 30. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Horlbeck, John, 1771-1846. Letter : Charleston, S.C., to Peter Hagner, 1818 September 30. South Carolina Historical Society
referencedIn Brock, Simeon. Old Berwick Historical Society archives collection, 1700-[ongoing]. Old Berwick Historical Society
creatorOf North American Land Company. Papers of the North American Land Company [manuscript], 1794-1805. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Eustis, William, 1753-1825. Letters, 1775-1825. Massachusetts Historical Society
creatorOf William L. Clements Library. Tobias Lear papers, 1791-1816. William L. Clements Library
creatorOf Washington, George, 1732-1799. George Washington financial papers, 1787-1790. New London County Historical Society
referencedIn Washington, George, 1732-1799. Letter signed : Philadelphia, to M. de Barth, 1793 Apr. 30. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Historical manuscripts collection, 1347-1969, bulk: 1775-1885 Free Library of Philadelphia: Rare Book Department
creatorOf Lear, Tobias, 1762-1816. An oration upon ancient history / spoken by T. Lear at Cambridge : manuscript, 1782. Houghton Library
referencedIn Langdon, John, 1741-1819. Papers, 1762-1972. New Hampshire Historical Society Library
referencedIn Martha Washington Collection [Mount Vernon], 26 June 1761 - 11 July 1802 George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon
referencedIn James Dudley Morgan Collection of Digges-L’Enfant-Morgan Papers, 1674-1923, (bulk 1778-1828) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf Beard, Jedediah. War of 1812 : collection of papers, 1792-1876. Western Reserve Historical Society, Research Library
referencedIn John Rodgers papers 1796-1908 1801-1836 Rodgers, John papers William L. Clements Library
creatorOf Lear, Tobias. Tobias Lear Papers 1791-1816. William L. Clements Library
creatorOf Lear, Tobias, 1762-1816. Mount Vernon distillery and fishery ledger, 1799-1801 [microform]. George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon
referencedIn Letter from Tench Coxe to Tobias Lear National Archives at College Park
creatorOf Lear, Tobias, 1760-1816. Autograph letter signed : Dept. of War, to Capt. J.M. Russell, 1816 Mar. 19. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Davis, George, Esq. Letter books, 1804-1808. New-York Historical Society
creatorOf Haiti. Collection, 1796-1888. Connecticut Historical Society
creatorOf Lear, Tobias, 1762-1816. ALS, 1799 December 15 : Mount Vernon, to Colonel Burgess Ball, Big Spring, London County. Copley Press, J S Copley Library
creatorOf Wadsworth, Jeremiah, 1743-1804. Letter, 1789 February 15, Hartford, Conn., to Tobias Lear. Connecticut Historical Society
referencedIn Rodgers Family Papers, 1740-1987, (bulk 1804-1932) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn John Clement Fitzpatrick papers Library of Congress
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Anderson, James. person
associatedWith Bainbridge, William, 1774-1833. person
associatedWith Ball, Burgess. person
associatedWith Bandell, George, fl. 1815. person
associatedWith Barclay, Thomas, 1753-1830. person
associatedWith Barron family. family
associatedWith Barron, Samuel, 1765-1810. person
associatedWith Bend, Wm. B., person
associatedWith Biddle, Clement, 1740-1814. person
associatedWith Bolton, George, Sir, d. 1807? person
correspondedWith Bourne, Sylvanus, 1761-1817 person
associatedWith Brent, Robert, 1764-1819. person
associatedWith Buchan, David Stewart Erskine, Earl of, 1742-1829. person
associatedWith Butler-Gunsaulus Collection (University of Chicago. Library) corporateBody
associatedWith Carr, Robert, 1778-1866. person
associatedWith Casa Yrujo, Carlos Martínez de Yrujo y Tacón, marqués de, 1763-1824. person
associatedWith Cathcart, James L. (James Leander), 1767-1843. person
associatedWith Chauncey, Isaac, 1772-1840. person
associatedWith Childers (Brig) corporateBody
associatedWith Constitution (Frigate) corporateBody
correspondedWith Coxe, Charles D. person
correspondedWith Coxe, Tench, 1755-1824 person
associatedWith Davis, George, 1939- person
associatedWith Davis, George, Esq. person
associatedWith Ellery, William, 1727-1820. person
associatedWith Emmet, Thomas Addis person
associatedWith Eustis, William, 1753-1825. person
associatedWith Fitzpatrick, John Clement, 1876-1940. person
associatedWith Free Library of Philadelphia. corporateBody
associatedWith Freemasons. Alexandria-Washington Lodge, No. 22 (Alexandria, Va.) corporateBody
associatedWith Gantt, J. J. person
associatedWith Gavino, John. person
correspondedWith Gore, Christopher, 1758-1827 person
associatedWith Greenleaf, James, person
associatedWith Harvard University. corporateBody
associatedWith Henley, John Dandridge, fl. 1803. person
associatedWith Higgens, William. person
associatedWith Hopkins, Timothy, 1859-1937 person
associatedWith Horlbeck, John, 1771-1846. person
associatedWith Hull, Isaac, 1773-1843. person
associatedWith Humphreys, David, 1752-1818. person
associatedWith Izard, George. person
correspondedWith Jay, John, 1745-1829 person
associatedWith Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826. person
associatedWith Johnston, John, 1775-1861 person
associatedWith King, Rufus, 1755-1827. person
associatedWith Kirkpatrick, William, 1769-1832. person
associatedWith Kountze, De Lancey, d. 1946, person
associatedWith Langdon, John, 1741-1819. person
associatedWith Lanux, Eyre de. person
associatedWith Law, Thomas, 1756-1834. person
correspondedWith Lear, Benjamin L. (Benjamin Lincoln), 1792-1832 person
associatedWith Lear family. family
associatedWith Lear, Frances Bassett Washington person
associatedWith Lincoln, Benjamin, 1733-1810. person
associatedWith Madison, James, 1751-1836. person
associatedWith Marshall, John, 1755-1835. person
associatedWith Mason, John. person
associatedWith Monroe, James, 1758-1831. person
associatedWith Montgomery, Robert. person
correspondedWith Morgan, James Dudley, 1862-1919. person
associatedWith Morris, Richard Valentine, 1768₁1815. person
associatedWith North American Land Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Northend, William Dummer, 1823-1902. person
associatedWith Philadelphia (Frigate) corporateBody
correspondedWith Pierrepont, James Hervey, 1768-1839 person
associatedWith Pinckney, Charles, 1757-1824. person
associatedWith Preble, Edward, 1761-1807. person
correspondedWith Rodgers family family
associatedWith Rodgers, John, 1773-1838. person
associatedWith Rodgers, John, 1812-1882 person
associatedWith Russell, J. M., Capt, person
associatedWith Shippen, William, 1736?-1808. person
associatedWith Simpson, James, d. 1820. person
associatedWith Smith, Samuel, 1752-1839. person
associatedWith Sparks, Jared, 1789-1866 person
associatedWith Stickney, Benjamin Franklin, 1775-1857 person
associatedWith Sullivan, James, 1744-1808. person
associatedWith Templeman, John. person
associatedWith Thainveille, Dubois. person
associatedWith Triplett, Titus, fl. 1795. person
associatedWith United States. Accountant to the War Department. corporateBody
correspondedWith United States. Army. Pay Dept. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. War Dept. corporateBody
associatedWith Van Deventer, Christopher, 1788-1838 person
correspondedWith Wadsworth, Elizabeth, 1779-1802. person
associatedWith Wadsworth, Jeremiah, 1743-1804. person
associatedWith Washington, George, 1732-1799 person
associatedWith Washington, Martha, 1731-1802. person
associatedWith Whipple, Joseph, 1738-1816 person
associatedWith Whittle, Conway, 1800-1881. person
associatedWith Willard, Joseph, 1738-1804. person
associatedWith Wolcott, Oliver, 1760-1833. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Portsmouth NH US
Subject
Bounties, Military
Military deserters
Diplomatic and consular service, American
Diplomatic and consular service, American
Diplomatic and consular service, American
Distilleries
Fisheries
Fourth of July
Louisiana Purchase
Medicine
Naval history
Pirates
Plantations
Plantations
Presidents
Prisoners of war
Secretaries
Soldiers
Voyages and travels
Weddings
Occupation
Businessmen
Diplomats
Secretaries
Activity

Person

Birth 1762

Death 1816-10-11

Male

Americans

English

Information

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