Varnum, James M. (James Mitchell), 1748-1789

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James Mitchell Varnum (December 17, 1748 – January 9, 1789) was an American legislator, lawyer, general in the Continental Army, and a pioneer to the Ohio Country.

Born in Dracut in the Province of Massachusetts Bay, as a young man, Varnum matriculated at Harvard College only to transfer to the college in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly known as "Rhode Island College" (the college later named Brown University), graduating with honors in their first graduating class. He then studied law under Rhode Island Attorney General Oliver Arnold and was admitted to the bar in 1771. He settled in East Greenwich, Rhode Island and pursued the practice of law. In October 1774, while tensions were rising between the American colonies and Great Britain, Varnum was elected as captain in command of the newly organized Kentish Guards, a chartered militia company in Varnum's home town of East Greenwich. In May 1775, following the Battles of Lexington and Concord, Varnum was commissioned as colonel in command of one of the three regiments from Rhode Island, under the command of Brigadier General Nathanael Greene.

Varnum's regiment served throughout the Siege of Boston which ended with the evacuation of the British army on March 17, 1776. In December 1776 Varnum returned to Rhode Island to recruit more soldiers for the Rhode Island units in the Continental Army whose enlistments were about to expire. His stay in Rhode Island was brief because he was commissioned as a brigadier general in the Continental Army in February 1777. He then served as a brigade commander until he resigned in March 1779. In March 1779 Varnum resigned his Continental Army commission because of personal business matters. He was commissioned as the major general in command of the Rhode Island Militia on May 10, 1779, and held the position until May 7, 1788. He represented Rhode Island at the Continental Congress in Philadelphia from May 3, 1780, to May 1, 1782, and in the 8th Confederation Congress which convened in New York from November 6, 1786, to October 30, 1787. On August 29, 1787, he was chosen as one of the directors of the Ohio Company of Associates. On October 14 of the same year, Varnum was appointed as one of two "supreme" judges for the Northwest Territory. He then moved to Marietta, Ohio, to take up his duties. He was one of the early pioneers to the Northwest Territory, arriving in Marietta on June 5, 1788.

General Varnum died in January 1789, only seven months after his arrival in Marietta, of consumption. He was originally interred in the Mound Cemetery near the original settlement and later reburied the Oak Grove Cemetery in Marietta.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Frederick M. Dearborn collection of military and political Americana, Part I: The Revolution and the Administration, 1669-1958. Houghton Library
referencedIn Papers, 1775-1782. Houghton Library
creatorOf Varnum, James M. (James Mitchell), 1748-1789. Papers of James M. Varnum and John Stark, 1777-1780. Library of Congress
referencedIn Hoar, George Frisbie. 1826-1904. Autograph collection, 1598-1945 Houghton Library
creatorOf Varnum, James Mitchell, 1744-1789. Autograph letter signed : "Camp at Valley Forge," to Colonel Wadsworth, 1778 May 30. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Sullivan, John, 1740-1795. Papers, 1769-1792. New Hampshire Historical Society Library
referencedIn Greene, Nathanael, 1742-1786. Papers, 1777-1780 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn Letters, 1776-1797. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
referencedIn Parker, Benjamin S. (Benjamin Strattan), 1833-1911. Benjamin S. Parker papers, 1844-1923. Indiana State Library - ISL
referencedIn Portrait file: Guide. Houghton Library
creatorOf Varnum, James Mitchell, 1749-1789. Autograph letter signed : "Philadelphia," to Gen. Greene, 1781 Oct. 3. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Varnum, James Mitchell. Ministerial Oppression, or the Grievances of America with The Battle of Bunker Hill. A Tragedy: Play. 1775. Brown University Archives, John Hay Library
creatorOf Arnold, Peleg, 1751-1820. Letter to Governor George Clinton, 1787 April 7. American Periodical Series I
referencedIn Thomas Addis Emmet collection, 1483-1876 (bulk:1700-1800) New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
creatorOf Varnum, James M. (James Mitchell), 1748-1789. ALS, 1780 May 19 : at Genl. Cornell's, to Genl. Nathanael Greene. Copley Press, J S Copley Library
referencedIn Stewart, Charles, 1729-1800. Family papers, 1768-1877 Houghton Library
creatorOf Varnum family papers, 1788-1935 Detroit Public Library, Detroit Main Library
referencedIn Benjamin Franklin Papers Part 9 -- Letters to Franklin, 1787-1790 American Philosophical Society
creatorOf Varnum, James Mitchell, 1748-1789. James M. Varnum papers, 1788 July 4 Detroit Public Library, Detroit Main Library
referencedIn Greene, Nathanael, 1742-1786. Papers, 1777-1780 American Philosophical Society
creatorOf Varnum, James Mitchell, 1749-1789. Autograph letter signed : to Gen. Greene, 1779 Jul. 25. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Smith, Samuel, 1752-1839. Letter, [ca. 1800-1839?]. Brown University Archives, John Hay Library
referencedIn Frederick M. Dearborn collection of military and political Americana, Part I: The Revolution and the Administration, 1669-1958. Houghton Library
referencedIn Orderly books collection, 1758-1813. Gadsden Public Library
referencedIn Nathan T. Porter, Jr. Collection of Bookplates by Edwin Davis French, 1893-1906 Robert B. Haas Family Arts Library Special Collections
referencedIn King's County (R.I.). Superior Court of Judicature. Writ of entry, 1774, April 4, South Kingston. Brown University Archives, John Hay Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Arnold, Peleg, 1751-1820. person
alumnusOrAlumnaOf Brown University. corporateBody
associatedWith Cooke, Nicholas, 1717-1782 person
associatedWith Dearborn, Frederick M. (Frederick Myers), b. 1876 person
associatedWith Emmet, Thomas Addis person
associatedWith Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790 person
associatedWith Greene, Nathanael, 1742-1786, person
almaMaterOf Harvard University corporateBody
associatedWith Hoar, George Frisbie, 1826-1904 person
associatedWith King's County (R.I.). Superior Court of Judicature. corporateBody
associatedWith Parker, Benjamin S. (Benjamin Strattan), 1833-1911. person
associatedWith Porter, Nathan T., Jr., 1867-1947 person
associatedWith Smith, Samuel, 1752-1839. person
associatedWith Stark, John, 1728-1822. person
correspondedWith Stewart, Charles, 1729-1800 person
correspondedWith Sullivan, John, 1740-1795. person
memberOf United States. Continental Army. corporateBody
memberOf United States. Continental Congress corporateBody
sibling of Varnum, Joseph Bradley, 1750 or 1751-1821 person
associatedWith Wadsworth, Jeremiah, 1743-1804, person
associatedWith Washington, George, 1732-1799. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Dracut MA US
Warren RI US
Cambridge MA US
Marietta OH US
East Greenwich RI US
Subject
United States
Battles in literature
Military history
Judges
Occupation
Army officers
Delegates, U.S. Continental Congress
Jurists
Lawyers
Activity

Person

Birth 1748-12-17

Death 1789-01-09

Male

Britons,

Americans

English

Information

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