Simone Lawson
Jared Ingersoll, a Founding Father, lawyer, and statesman from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, signed the United States Constitution on September 17, 1787, at the age of 37. Ingersoll was a delegate to the Continental Congress and a strong supporter of American independence and a stronger national government. He was also involved in several significant legal cases that helped clarify constitutional issues, including the first legal challenge to the constitutionality of an act of Congress in Hylton v. US (1796).
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Jared Ingersoll Jr. |
| Birth | October 24, 1749 |
| Death | October 31, 1822 |
| Age | 73 |
| Colony | Pennsylvania |
| Occupation | Lawyer, Statesman, Politician, Jurist, Author |
| Significance | Signed the United States Constitution, served as Attorney General of Pennsylvania |
| Birthplace | New Haven, Connecticut |
| Education | Yale College |
| Father | Jared Ingersoll Sr. |
| Year of Signing | September 17, 1787 |
| Location of Signing | Independence Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
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What You'll Learn
Jared Ingersoll's life and career
Jared Ingersoll, born on October 24, 1749, in New Haven, Connecticut, was an American Founding Father, lawyer, jurist, author, and statesman. He was the son of Jared Ingersoll Sr., a prominent British colonial official and Loyalist. Ingersoll Jr. received an excellent education, graduating from Yale College in 1766 and then studying law in Philadelphia, where he was admitted to the Pennsylvania bar in 1773.
In the midst of the growing political conflict between Britain and the Thirteen Colonies, Ingersoll travelled to Europe from 1773 to 1776, returning to Philadelphia in 1778 as a confirmed Patriot and supporter of American independence. That same year, he began his political career, winning election to the Continental Congress, where he advocated for a stronger centralized government. Ingersoll also served as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention in 1787, where he represented Pennsylvania and played a role in debating, drafting, and signing the United States Constitution.
Ingersoll's legal career was distinguished and lengthy, seeing him handle the affairs of prominent individuals like Stephen Girard, one of the nation's leading businessmen. He was involved in several notable cases, including Chisholm v. Georgia (1792/1793) and Hylton v. United States (1796), where he represented the losing side but helped clarify complex constitutional issues. Ingersoll also served as counsel in cases that defined the principles of constitutional government and federal court jurisdiction. He took part in the first legal challenge to the constitutionality of an act of Congress in Hylton v. US, where the Supreme Court upheld the government's right to impose a tax on carriages.
Ingersoll's public career included various political positions. He served as the attorney general of Pennsylvania (1790-1799 or 1791-1800 and 1811-1816 or 1817), Philadelphia's city solicitor (1798-1801), and the U.S. district attorney for Pennsylvania (1800-1801). He was also a member of the Common Council of Philadelphia in 1789 and ran unsuccessfully for vice president on the Federalist ticket in 1812 with DeWitt Clinton, losing to James Madison and Elbridge Gerry. Ingersoll's career came to an end with his death in Philadelphia on October 31, 1822, at the age of 73. He was survived by several children and was buried in the First Presbyterian Church cemetery.
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Ingersoll's role in the Continental Congress
Jared Ingersoll Jr. (October 24, 1749–October 31, 1822) was an American Founding Father, lawyer, jurist, author, and statesman from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was a delegate to the Continental Congress and a signer of the United States Constitution.
Ingersoll was born in New Haven, Connecticut, and was the son of Jared Ingersoll Sr., a prominent British colonial official. Ingersoll studied law in London and Philadelphia, and was admitted to the Pennsylvania bar in 1773. He initially held Loyalist views like his father, but after living in Europe from 1773 to 1776 to avoid the growing political conflict between Britain and the Thirteen Colonies, he renounced his family's views and committed himself to the cause of American independence.
In 1778, Ingersoll returned to Philadelphia and won election to the Continental Congress. He served as a delegate to the Continental Congress from 1780 to 1781, and during this time, he advocated for a stronger centralized government than what was provided by the Articles of Confederation. He believed that the problems of the newly independent states were caused by the inadequacy of the Articles and became an early and ardent proponent of constitutional reform. However, he initially thought that this reform could be achieved through a simple revision of the Articles, and it was only after weeks of debate that he came to see the need for a new document.
In addition to his role in the Continental Congress, Ingersoll also had a distinguished legal career. He was involved in several landmark cases that helped clarify constitutional issues and define many of the principles of the new nation. Ingersoll also served as the state attorney general of Pennsylvania from 1791 to 1800 and as the U.S. lawyer for Pennsylvania from 1800 to 1801. He died in Philadelphia in 1822 at the age of 73.
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Ingersoll's involvement in the Constitutional Convention
Jared Ingersoll was a Founding Father, lawyer, and statesman from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was a delegate to the Continental Congress and a signer of the United States Constitution.
Ingersoll was born on October 24, 1749, in New Haven, Connecticut. He graduated from Yale College and then moved to Philadelphia, where he began his legal career. He was a strong supporter of American independence and was elected to the Continental Congress in 1778. Ingersoll became convinced of the need for a stronger national government than what was provided by the Articles of Confederation, and he became an early and ardent proponent of constitutional reform.
At the Constitutional Convention, Ingersoll represented Pennsylvania and helped to debate, draft, and sign the United States Constitution. While he regularly attended the sessions, Ingersoll rarely participated in debates. Initially, he sought to achieve constitutional reform by revising the existing Articles of Confederation. However, after weeks of debate, he came to support the creation of a new federal government and a new constitution.
Ingersoll's major contribution to the cause of constitutional government came not during the convention but later during his lengthy and distinguished legal career. He served as the Pennsylvania Attorney General from 1791 to 1800 and from 1811 to 1816. He also served as the United States Attorney for Pennsylvania and as the city solicitor for Philadelphia. He argued several important cases before the United States Supreme Court, including Chisholm v. Georgia and Hylton v. United States, which helped clarify constitutional issues concerning the jurisdiction of federal courts and relations with other sovereign nations.
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Ingersoll's legal career and notable cases
Jared Ingersoll Jr. (October 24, 1749–October 31, 1822) was an American Founding Father, lawyer, and statesman from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He established a legal career in Philadelphia after graduating from Yale College. Ingersoll was a supporter of the Revolutionary cause, and his training as a lawyer convinced him that the problems of the newly independent states were caused by the inadequacy of the Articles of Confederation. He became an early and ardent proponent of constitutional reform.
Ingersoll's major contribution to the cause of constitutional government came during a lengthy and distinguished legal career when he helped define many of the principles enunciated at Philadelphia. He was a delegate to the Continental Congress and a signer of the United States Constitution. He served as DeWitt Clinton's running mate in the 1812 election but was defeated by James Madison and Elbridge Gerry.
Ingersoll was involved in several notable cases during his legal career. In 1796, he represented Hylton in Hylton v. US, the first legal challenge to the constitutionality of an act of Congress. The Supreme Court upheld the government's right to impose a tax on carriages. Ingersoll also served as counsel in various cases that clarified constitutional issues concerning the jurisdiction of federal courts and U.S. relations with other sovereign nations. He defended Senator William Blount of Tennessee against impeachment and represented Georgia during Chisholm v. Georgia in 1793, a landmark case in state's rights. Ingersoll also served as the first attorney general of Pennsylvania from 1790 to 1799 and again from 1811 to 1817. He was the United States district attorney for the eastern district of Pennsylvania and a presiding judge of the district court of Philadelphia County.
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Ingersoll's political beliefs and legacy
Jared Ingersoll was a Founding Father, lawyer, and statesman from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was a delegate to the Continental Congress and a signer of the United States Constitution. Ingersoll's political beliefs were shaped by his training as a lawyer and his experience living in Europe during the political conflict between Britain and the Thirteen Colonies. He was a strong supporter of American independence and a leading agitator for reforming the national government, advocating for a stronger central authority and the need for a stronger national government than what was provided by the Articles of Confederation.
Ingersoll's major contribution to the cause of constitutional government came during his lengthy and distinguished legal career, when he helped define many of the principles enunciated at Philadelphia. He served as the Pennsylvania Attorney General from 1791 to 1800 and from 1811 to 1816, and as the U.S. lawyer for Pennsylvania from 1800 to 1801. He also served as Philadelphia's city solicitor from 1798 to 1801 and as a presiding judge at the Philadelphia district court from 1821 to 1822.
Ingersoll was involved in several notable legal cases that clarified constitutional issues, including Chisholm v. Georgia and Hylton v. United States. In the latter case, Ingersoll was involved in the first legal challenge to the constitutionality of an act of Congress, with the Supreme Court upholding the government's right to impose a tax on carriages. Ingersoll also served as counsel in various cases that helped clarify constitutional issues concerning the jurisdiction of federal courts and U.S. relations with other sovereign nations, including defending Senator William Blount of Tennessee against impeachment.
Ingersoll was affiliated with the Federalist Party and ran unsuccessfully for vice president on the Federalist ticket in 1812, as DeWitt Clinton's running mate. He considered the election of Thomas Jefferson in 1800 as a "great subversion". Ingersoll's legacy includes his contributions to the creation of the United States Constitution and his role in defining the principles of constitutional government during his legal career. He died in 1822 at the age of 73 and was buried in Philadelphia.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Jared Ingersoll signed the United States Constitution on September 17, 1787, at the age of 37.
Jared Ingersoll was a delegate to the Continental Congress and a member of the Constitutional Convention, which was responsible for drafting the Constitution. He represented Pennsylvania and helped debate, draft, and sign the document.
Jared Ingersoll was a lawyer, jurist, author, and politician. He also served as the state attorney general of Philadelphia from 1791 to 1800 and as the U.S. lawyer for Pennsylvania from 1800 to 1801.
