Jenifer, Daniel of St. Thomas, 1723-1790

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Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer (1723 – November 16, 1790) was a politician, a Founding Father of the United States, and a signer of the United States Constitution. He was a leader for many years in Maryland's colonial government, but when conflict arose with Great Britain Jenifer embraced the Patriot cause.

Born at Coates Retirement (now Ellerslie), an estate west of Port Tobacco in Charles County, Maryland, as a young man, he acted as a receiver general, the local financial agent for the last two proprietors of Maryland. Jenifer served as justice of the peace for Charles County and later for the western circuit of Maryland. He sat on a commission that settled a boundary dispute between Pennsylvania and Delaware (1760) and on the Governor's Council, the upper house of the Maryland legislature that also served as the colony's court of appeals and as a board of senior advisers to the governor (1773–76).

Despite his close ties with the colonial government, Jenifer strongly resented what he and most of the colonial gentry saw as Parliament's arbitrary interference with the colonies' affairs, especially its laws concerning taxation and trade regulation. During and after the war, Jenifer became increasingly concerned about national affairs. He represented his state in the Continental Congress (1778–82) while simultaneously serving as president of Maryland's first senate (1777–80). As manager of his state's finances between 1782 and 1785, Jenifer drew on his experiences as a landholder to help the state survive the critical postwar economic depression. Jenifer attended the Mount Vernon Conference, a meeting that lead eventually to the Constitutional Convention.

Like his old friend Benjamin Franklin, Jenifer enjoyed the status of elder statesman at the Convention, which took place from May 25 to September 17, 1787, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Jenifer used his prestige (as well as humor and reputation as pleasant company) to work for a strong and permanent union of the states by reconciling opposing views and formulating the compromises that made the convention a success. After the convention, Jenifer retired to his plantation at Stepney near Annapolis, where he died in 1790. He was buried at Ellerslie, the place of his birth.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Jenifer, Daniel, 1723-1790. Document signed : Maryland, 1761 Sept. 25. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Letters and documents of signers of the Declaration of Independence, 1750-1933. Houghton Library
referencedIn Sparks, Jared, 1789-1866. Jared Sparks collection of American manuscripts, 1582-1843 Houghton Library
referencedIn Barton-Jenifer family papers, 1663-1876. Library of Congress
creatorOf Jenifer, Daniel, of St. Thomas. Autograph letter signed : Intendant's Office, to Thomas Harwood, 1785 Dec. 1. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Jenifer, Daniel of St. Thomas, 1723-1790. [Legal document] / Daniel of S.Tho. Jenifer. Smith College, Neilson Library
referencedIn Benjamin Franklin Papers Part 14 -- Materials held at the University of Pennsylvania, 1705-1788 American Philosophical Society
creatorOf Jenifer, Daniel of St. Thomas. Autograph letter signed : Agents Office, to the Hon. Robert Carter, Esq., 1786 Aug. 3. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Jenifer, Daniel, of St. Thomas. Document signed : 1775 May 16. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Jenifer, Daniel of St. Thomas, 1723-1790. ALS, 1767 November 8 : Annapolis, to James Christie. Copley Press, J S Copley Library
creatorOf William L. Clements Library. James McHenry papers, 1777-1832. William L. Clements Library
referencedIn Frederick M. Dearborn collection of military and political Americana, Part I: The Revolution and the Administration, 1669-1958. Houghton Library
referencedIn Thomas Addis Emmet collection, 1483-1876 (bulk:1700-1800) New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn James McHenry papers 1777-1832 McHenry, James papers William L. Clements Library
creatorOf Jenifer, Daniel of St. Thomas, 1723-1790. Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer papers, 1784. Library of Congress
creatorOf Jenifer, Daniel of St. Thomas, 1723-1790. DS, 28 February 1777, signed by six members of the Maryland Council of Safety, s.l. [Maryland] Copley Press, J S Copley Library
creatorOf Gwathmey collection, 1708-1852 University of Virginia. Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Carter, Robert, 1728-1984, person
associatedWith Christie, James. person
associatedWith Dearborn, Frederick M. (Frederick Myers), b. 1876 person
associatedWith Emmet, Thomas Addis person
associatedWith Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790 person
associatedWith Harwood, Thomas. person
associatedWith Hubbard, John, collector. person
relativeOf Jenifer, Daniel, 1791-1855 person
memberOf Maryland. General Assembly. Senate corporateBody
associatedWith Maryland. Intendant of the Revenue. corporateBody
associatedWith Maryland State House (Annapolis, Md.) corporateBody
associatedWith Pierpont Morgan Library. Glazier Collection. corporateBody
associatedWith Sparks, Jared, 1789-1866 person
associatedWith Sparks, Jared, 1789-1866 person
memberOf United States. Continental Congress corporateBody
associatedWith Wallace, Charles, 1727-1812. person
associatedWith William L. Clements Library. corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
Charles County MD US
Anne Arundel County MD US
Subject
Public buildings
Public buildings
U.S. History
Occupation
Delegates, U.S. Continental Congress
Justices of the peace
Planter
Public officials
State Senator
Activity

Person

Birth 1723

Death 1790-11-16

Male

Americans,

Britons

English

Information

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