Thomas Fitzsimons

Thomas Fitzsimons. . , Thomas Fitzimons was born in County Tubber, Wicklow, Ireland in 1741. He immigrated to Philadelphia, where he married Catherine Meade on November 23, 1761. Eventually he established a West Indies Trading Company with George Meade, Catherine's brother, which operated successfully for over 40 years. He was one of the founding members of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick on March 17, 1771., During the Revolutionary War, he commanded a company of home guards that fought a supporting action in the Battle of Trenton in 1776, sat on the Philadelphia Council of Safety and the Navy Baord. Fitzsimons also provided supplies and money for the support of Pennsylvania soldiers during the War in excess of £5,000., Fitzimmons was a member of the Continental Congress of 1786 and 1787. As a delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention in 1787, he supported a strong national government, favored giving Congress taxing powers of commerce, opposed slavery and became one of the two Catholic signers of the U.S. Constitution. The other Catholic signer was Daniel Carroll, a delegate from Maryland. He was elected three times as a Federalist to the first three Congresses of these United States from March 1789 until March 1795., Losing reelection in 1794, he led a full life serving in various offices, such as a trustee of the University of Pennsylvania, a directors of the First Bank of North America and as a president of the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, and played a great role organizing the Insurance Company of North America. He died on August 26, 1811.