Oxon Hill in Prince George's County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

John Hanson

Photographed By F. Robby, December 1, 2004

1. John Hanson Marker

Inscription. President of the United States in Congress assembled, 1781-2. Died November 15, 1783, at
"Oxon Hill" 1½ miles west of here. The original mansion house, built by the Addison family, was burned February 6, 1895.

Erected 1967 by State Roads Commission.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Government & Politics • Patriots & Patriotism • War, US Revolutionary. A significant historical month for this entry is February 1986.

Location. 38° 48.187′ N, 76° 59.596′ W. Marker is in Oxon Hill, Maryland, in Prince George's County. Marker is on Oxon Hill Road (Maryland Route 414) 0.3 miles east of Indian Head Highway (Maryland Route 210), on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 6357 Oxon Hill Rd, Oxon Hill MD 20745, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. War All Around (approx. 0.6 miles away); Oxon Cove Park and Oxon Hill Farm (approx. 0.6 miles away); A Park with a Past (approx. 0.6 miles away); A Voice Unheard… (approx. 0.6 miles away); Welcome to Salubria (approx. 0.7 miles away); You Are Standing at Historic Salubria (approx. 0.7 miles away); A Farm for St. Elizabeths, 1891-1950

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(approx. 0.7 miles away); Addison Family at National Harbor (approx. 0.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Oxon Hill.

More about this marker. The marker and its pole were leaning over, as if struck by a car, in 2004. It was standing tall again in 2007.

Regarding John Hanson. John Hanson was born in Port Tobacco, Maryland on April, 14, 1715, the namesake of his grandfather who came to Maryland from England as an indentured servant. He followed the family tradition as a planter, extending and improving his holdings.

He was the third of ten men to serve, under the Articles of Confederation, in the ill-defined office of “President of the United States in Congress Assembled.” None functioned as “commander-in-chief” (George Washington continued in this capacity until after the Revolutionary War ended) nor did any exercise much other executive power during their one year terms of office, where they presided over the Congress of Confederation.

As “President of the United States in Congress Assembled,” Hanson was the first to serve a full one-year term, the first elected by the 13 Original States' Delegates serving under the Articles of Confederation,

John Hanson - Oxon Hill marker with marquee for the adjacent "John Hanson Montessori School" image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Richard E. Miller, October 2007

2. John Hanson - Oxon Hill marker with marquee for the adjacent "John Hanson Montessori School"

and the first chosen to the office after the British surrender at Yorktown. Tradition also holds that Hanson was the first “President” to use that title in its executive connotation and to be recognized internationally as the national government’s “head of state.” Even then, he considered himself a successor to the first two men to hold the office. He remains the only Marylander to have ever held this title.

Hanson’s grave site has been lost, but he is presumed to rest somewhere near the great manor house constructed in 1928 by Sumner Welles (U.S. Undersecretary of State, 1933-42) on the grounds of what had been Thomas Addison’s huge tobacco plantation (approximately 14,000 acres, overlooking the Potomac River and operating with some 71 slaves around the time of Hanson’s last visit), “Oxon Hill.”

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker.

Also see . . .
1. John Hanson. (Submitted on March 15, 2009, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland.)
2. John Hanson myths. (Submitted on March 15, 2009, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland.)

Oxon Hill Manor, <i>the great manor house</i>, constructed 1928 image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Richard E. Miller, October 2007

3. Oxon Hill Manor, the great manor house, constructed 1928

President Hanson’s gravesite has been lost, but is presumed to rest somewhere nearby.

Portrait of John Hanson image. Click for more information.

4. Portrait of John Hanson

Portrait is by John Hesselius, c 1765 (Image Source: Wikipedia)
Click for more information.

Credits. This page was last revised on March 3, 2023. It was originally submitted on November 18, 2007, by F. Robby of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 8,237 times since then and 48 times this year. Last updated on August 12, 2011, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland. Photos: 1. submitted on November 18, 2007, by F. Robby of Baltimore, Maryland. 2. submitted on December 9, 2007, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland. 3. submitted on December 10, 2007, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland. 4. submitted on March 15, 2009, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.