Josiah Bartlett facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Josiah Bartlett
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| 6th Governor of New Hampshire | |
| In office June 5 1792 – June 5 1794 |
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| Preceded by | John Sullivan |
| Succeeded by | John Taylor Gilman |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 21, 1729 Amesbury, Massachusetts |
| Died | May 19, 1795 (aged 65) Kingston, New Hampshire |
| Political party | Democratic-Republican |
| Spouse | Mary Bartlett |
| Signature |  |
Josiah Bartlett (born November 21, 1729 – died May 19, 1795) was an important American leader. He was a doctor and a statesman, which means he was a skilled politician.
Josiah Bartlett was a delegate from New Hampshire to the Continental Congress. This was a meeting of representatives from the American colonies. He is famous for signing the Declaration of Independence. Later, he became the Chief Justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court. He also served as the Governor of New Hampshire.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Josiah was born in Amesbury, Massachusetts. His parents were Stephen and Hannah (Webster) Bartlett. He was their fifth child. Even though he went to regular schools, he was very good at learning.
By the time he was 16, he had learned Latin and some Greek. In 1745, he started studying medicine with Dr. Ordway in Amesbury. In 1750, before he turned 21, he moved to Kingston, New Hampshire. There, he opened his own medical practice.
Kingston was a small town back then. It had only a few hundred families. If you could treat injuries and sickness, people welcomed you. Dr. Bartlett was the only doctor in that area. His practice grew quickly. He bought land and started a farm too.
On January 15, 1754, he married Mary Bartlett. They were a very loving couple until she passed away in 1789. They had eleven children together. Three of his sons and five of his grandsons also became doctors, just like him.
Public Service and Law
After 1778, Josiah Bartlett continued to serve his state. In 1779, he became a judge in the Court of Common Pleas. This court handled many types of legal cases.
In 1782, he was appointed to the New Hampshire Supreme Court. This was special because he was not a lawyer! Some people at the time believed that justice was best when judges knew less about old legal rules.
In 1788, Bartlett became the Chief Justice of the state's highest court. That same year, he helped New Hampshire decide to accept the U.S. Constitution. He strongly pushed for it to be approved. It finally happened on June 21, 1788. The state legislature then chose him to be a U.S. Senator, but he chose not to take the job.
Becoming Governor
In 1790, Josiah Bartlett received great honors for his work. He helped create a law that recognized the New Hampshire Medical Society. He was also elected as the leader of New Hampshire. He won by a huge number of votes.
He served as President of New Hampshire in 1791 and 1792. When the new State Constitution started in 1792, he continued his role, but now as Governor. He decided to step down in 1794 after four years. His health was getting worse. He passed away the next year.
As governor, he helped set up a new state constitution. He also made sure all the state's laws were put together. He worked to pay off the state's debt early. He encouraged farming and manufacturing. He also improved roads and started projects to build canals.
Medical Achievements
Bartlett worked as a doctor for 45 years. This was a big achievement, especially since he didn't go to university. He left school at 14. He learned by working with another doctor and started his own practice at age 20. His reputation as a doctor became very strong in 1754.
Around 1735, a serious illness called throat distemper spread in Kingston. It was a fever and canker. It was dangerous for adults and often deadly for children. When the illness returned in 1754, Dr. Bartlett tried different medicines. He found that Peruvian Bark helped patients feel better long enough to recover.
Josiah Bartlett lived when medicine was changing quickly. He read a lot, had steady hands, and worked hard. This made him a very good and successful doctor. He started the New Hampshire Medical Society and was its first president. In 1790, he gave a speech at Dartmouth College. This was when his son Ezra graduated. He was honored because he signed the Declaration of Independence and was the new President of New Hampshire. But it was also because of his great work as a doctor. He received an honorary MD (Doctor of Medicine) degree the same day his son earned his.
Later Years and Legacy
Josiah Bartlett retired to his home in Kingston. He died there on May 19, 1795. He is buried next to his wife Mary in the Plains Cemetery in Kingston.
A bronze statue of Bartlett stands in the town square of Amesbury, Massachusetts. His picture hangs in the New Hampshire State House in Concord, New Hampshire. It was painted from an original by John Trumbull. The town of Bartlett, New Hampshire, is named after him. So is the Josiah Bartlett Elementary School.
There is also a historical marker about him. It is number 46 along New Hampshire Route 111 in Kingston. The Bartlett School in Amesbury was open from 1870 to 1968. Now, it is the Bartlett Museum, Inc., which is a museum.
A fictional U.S. president on the TV show The West Wing is named "Josiah Bartlet". Even though the spelling is a bit different, the character says he is a direct descendant of a New Hampshire signer of the Declaration of Independence.
Images for kids
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See also
In Spanish: Josiah Bartlett para niños
