By: Tim Fullerton
Welcome to Hanson, DC
Around here, some folks will tell you that John Hanson, not George Washington, was the first president of the United States. Something you never learned in school.
John surely wasn't born to privilege, his grandfather, also named John, came to Charles County, Maryland, as an indentured servant around 1661. Hanson had no extended formal education while growing up. Oh, he could read and write okay. In fact he made a hobby out of reading the essays of Seneca, the Roman philosopher.
John became a farmer. His farm, Mulberry Grove, was directly across the Potomac River from another farm, called Mount Vernon. How's that for coincidence?
In November 1781, Hanson became the first President of Congress to be elected for an annual term. Under the Articles of Confederation, the United States had no executive branch; the President of Congress was a mostly ceremonial position, but the office did require Hanson to handle a good deal of correspondence and sign official documents. Hanson found the work tedious and wished to resign, but his departure would have left Congress without a quorum to select a successor, and so, out of a sense of duty, he remained.
No one had ever been President before and the role was poorly defined. His actions in office would set precedent for all future Presidents. He took office just as the Revolutionary War ended. Almost immediately, the troops demanded to be paid. As would be expected after any long war, there were no funds to meet the salaries. As a result, the soldiers threatened to overthrow the new government and put Washington on the throne as king. All the members of Congress ran for their lives, leaving Hanson alone to run the government. Thankfully, Washington, himself, helped quench the forming rebellion.
Hanson, as President, ordered all foreign troops off American soil, as well as the removal of all foreign flags. Hanson established the Great Seal of the United States, which all Presidents have since been required to use on all official documents. President Hanson also established the Treasury Department and the Foreign Affairs Department. Lastly, he declared that the fourth Thursday of every November was to be Thanksgiving Day.
Hanson retired from public office after his one-year term as President. In poor health, he died a year later. Maryland law specifies that "the Governor annually shall proclaim April 13 as John Hanson's birthday and dedicate that day to the statesman."
One of Hanson's nephews was the military secretary to George Washington; another signed the Declaration; still another was a signer of the Constitution; yet another was Governor of Maryland during the Revolution; and still another was a member of the first Congress.
Two sons were killed in action with the Continental Army; a grandson served as a member of Congress under the new Constitution; and another grandson was a Maryland Senator. Thus, even if Hanson had not served as President himself, he would have greatly contributed to the life of the nation through his progeny.
Welcome to Hanson, DC
Around here, some folks will tell you that John Hanson, not George Washington, was the first president of the United States. Something you never learned in school.
John surely wasn't born to privilege, his grandfather, also named John, came to Charles County, Maryland, as an indentured servant around 1661. Hanson had no extended formal education while growing up. Oh, he could read and write okay. In fact he made a hobby out of reading the essays of Seneca, the Roman philosopher.
John became a farmer. His farm, Mulberry Grove, was directly across the Potomac River from another farm, called Mount Vernon. How's that for coincidence?
In November 1781, Hanson became the first President of Congress to be elected for an annual term. Under the Articles of Confederation, the United States had no executive branch; the President of Congress was a mostly ceremonial position, but the office did require Hanson to handle a good deal of correspondence and sign official documents. Hanson found the work tedious and wished to resign, but his departure would have left Congress without a quorum to select a successor, and so, out of a sense of duty, he remained.
No one had ever been President before and the role was poorly defined. His actions in office would set precedent for all future Presidents. He took office just as the Revolutionary War ended. Almost immediately, the troops demanded to be paid. As would be expected after any long war, there were no funds to meet the salaries. As a result, the soldiers threatened to overthrow the new government and put Washington on the throne as king. All the members of Congress ran for their lives, leaving Hanson alone to run the government. Thankfully, Washington, himself, helped quench the forming rebellion.
Hanson, as President, ordered all foreign troops off American soil, as well as the removal of all foreign flags. Hanson established the Great Seal of the United States, which all Presidents have since been required to use on all official documents. President Hanson also established the Treasury Department and the Foreign Affairs Department. Lastly, he declared that the fourth Thursday of every November was to be Thanksgiving Day.
Hanson retired from public office after his one-year term as President. In poor health, he died a year later. Maryland law specifies that "the Governor annually shall proclaim April 13 as John Hanson's birthday and dedicate that day to the statesman."
One of Hanson's nephews was the military secretary to George Washington; another signed the Declaration; still another was a signer of the Constitution; yet another was Governor of Maryland during the Revolution; and still another was a member of the first Congress.
Two sons were killed in action with the Continental Army; a grandson served as a member of Congress under the new Constitution; and another grandson was a Maryland Senator. Thus, even if Hanson had not served as President himself, he would have greatly contributed to the life of the nation through his progeny.