Benjamin Kent facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Benjamin Kent
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Benjamin Kent, Old Burying Ground, Halifax, Nova Scotia
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| Born | 13 June 1708 |
| Died | 22 October 1788 |
| Resting place | Old Burying Ground |
| Education | Harvard College |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
| Known for | Abolitionist, Attorney General |
| Spouse(s) | Elizabeth Watts |
| Children | 4 |
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Benjamin Kent (1708–1788) was an important lawyer and leader during the American Revolution. He served as the top lawyer for Massachusetts, called the Massachusetts Attorney General, from 1776 to 1777. Before the Revolution, Kent was famous for helping enslaved people sue their masters to gain their freedom. His work helped end slavery in Massachusetts.
Kent was also a key member of the Sons of Liberty. This group formed to protest unfair taxes like the Stamp Act of 1765. The Sons of Liberty's actions helped set the stage for events like the Boston Tea Party. Kent was one of the first people to call for the American colonies to become independent from Great Britain.
Early Life and Career
Benjamin Kent graduated from Harvard College in 1727. In 1731, he worked as a chaplain (a minister) at Fort George in Maine. He also preached to settlers in Brunswick. In 1733, he became a minister at the Marlborough Congregational church. However, he soon faced problems because he openly questioned some religious ideas of the time. After being dismissed, Kent successfully sued the town for his unpaid wages.
After this, Kent decided to study law. He began practicing law in Boston in 1739. At that time, there were only seven lawyers in the city. Kent quickly became known for taking on difficult cases. He lived on King's Street, which is now State Street in Boston.
Kent handled many divorce cases. More importantly, he represented many enslaved people who were trying to win their freedom in court. One famous case involved a slave named Pompey, who sued his master Benjamin Faneuil. In 1766, Kent became the first lawyer in the United States to win a case to free an enslaved person, named Jenny Slew. He also won a trial in 1771 for an enslaved man named Ceasar Watson. Kent also helped Lucy Pernam get a divorce and represented Rose and Salem Orne in their freedom lawsuits.
On April 1, 1776, Kent became the Attorney General of Massachusetts. He was sometimes a guest at the Old Colony Club, where important figures like John Adams were members. Adams even saw Kent as a role model among Boston's best lawyers.
Role in the American Revolution
Benjamin Kent was a senior member of the Sons of Liberty in Boston. He exchanged letters with John Wilkes, a British politician who supported American rights. Before the American Revolution began, Kent was involved in more town committees than almost anyone else in Boston.
After the Siege of Boston, Kent strongly encouraged John Adams to write the Declaration of Independence. He wrote to Adams, saying it was certain that the colonies would separate from Great Britain. He urged Adams to convince everyone that it was the right time to declare independence. Adams replied that a declaration was coming soon.
On August 4, 1776, Kent wrote to Samuel Adams, saying that the "declaration of Independence" was truly amazing and unique.
Kent's daughter, Elizabeth, married a man named Sampson Salter Blowers, who was a loyalist (someone who wanted to stay loyal to Britain). When the Revolutionary War started, Kent, as Attorney General, had to briefly put his son-in-law in jail for being a loyalist. In 1782, Elizabeth became ill in New York. Kent asked if she could return to Boston, but his request was denied, and she moved to Nova Scotia.
In 1784, Governor Thomas Cushing sent Kent to Halifax, Nova Scotia. His mission was to get back important legal documents for Suffolk County, Massachusetts. These documents had been taken by a loyalist judge named Foster Hutchinson, who left Boston in 1776. The Governor of Nova Scotia, John Parr, helped Kent negotiate with Foster. This led to Kent successfully returning to Massachusetts with the legal papers.
Personal Life
Benjamin Kent was the son of Joseph Kent of Charlestown. He was baptized in June 1708. In 1740, he married Elizabeth Watts in Chelsea, Massachusetts. They had three daughters: Elizabeth, Ann, and Sally. His daughter Sally later married Sampson Salter Blowers.
When Blowers moved to Halifax after the Revolution, Kent's wife and daughters joined him there. In 1785, at the age of 78, Benjamin Kent also moved to Halifax to be with his family. He died there three years later, in 1788, and is buried in the Old Burying Ground.
Legacy
John Adams included Benjamin Kent among the "illustrious men" who played a role in the American Revolution. When Benjamin Franklin heard of Kent's death, he wrote that Kent was an honest man with good qualities, even if his religious beliefs were different from others.
See also
- History of slavery in Massachusetts
- Abolitionism in the United States
- Nova Scotia in the American Revolution
