Eleanor Finch
Jacob Broom was an American Founding Father, businessman, and politician who was one of the youngest delegates at the Constitutional Convention of 1787. He represented the State of Delaware and was a signer of the United States Constitution. Broom advocated for a strong national government, with state legislatures paying their representatives in Congress. He also supported term limits for members of the Senate and believed that the president should hold office for life. Broom was also involved in business ventures, including a cotton mill and a machine shop, and contributed to religious and philanthropic activities in his community.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | October 17, 1752 |
| Place of Birth | Wilmington, Delaware |
| Education | Old Academy in Wilmington, Delaware |
| Profession | Farmer, Surveyor, Businessman, Politician |
| Political Affiliation | Delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention of 1787, Signer of the U.S. Constitution, Delegate to the Annapolis Convention (1786) |
| Political Views | Supported a strong central government, favored a nine-year term limit for Senators, wanted state legislatures to pay their representatives in Congress |
| Personal Life | Married to Rachel Pierce, Father of eight children including Congressman James M. Broom, Grandfather of Congressman Jacob Broom |
| Death | April 25, 1810, in Philadelphia |
| Legacy | Remembered as a signer of the U.S. Constitution, Jacob Broom House declared a National Historic Landmark in 1974 |
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What You'll Learn
Jacob Broom was a signer of the US Constitution
Broom's business success brought him prominence in Wilmington, propelling him into a political career. In 1776, at just 24 years old, he was elected Second Burgess (mayor) of Wilmington. He served in this role multiple times and also held the position of Chief Burgess for four terms. Broom contributed to the Patriot Cause during the Revolution by preparing maps for George Washington before the Battle of Brandywine.
As a delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention of 1787, Jacob Broom represented the state of Delaware and signed the United States Constitution. He was a dedicated supporter of a strong central government. Broom advocated for state legislatures to pay their representatives in Congress, and he wanted the president to hold office for life. While he spoke out on issues he considered crucial, he left most of the speech-making to more experienced delegates.
Following the Constitutional Convention, Broom continued to serve in local government. He was Wilmington's first postmaster and sat on the Board of Directors for Delaware Bank. He also pursued various business ventures, including a cotton mill and a machine shop. Jacob Broom died in 1810 at the age of 57 or 58 while on a business trip to Philadelphia. He is remembered not only as a signer of the Constitution but also for his contributions to business and politics in early America.
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Broom represented Delaware at the Constitutional Convention
Jacob Broom was an American Founding Father, businessman, and politician from Wilmington, Delaware. He was born on October 17, 1752, and was one of the youngest delegates at the Constitutional Convention in his mid-thirties. He represented the state of Delaware at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 and was a signer of the United States Constitution. Broom was also a delegate to the Annapolis Convention in 1786 but did not attend. He consistently voted for measures that would ensure a powerful government responsive to the states' needs. He favoured a nine-year term limit for members of the Senate, with equal state representation. Broom wanted state legislatures to pay their representatives in Congress, and for Congress to have the power to veto state laws. He also wanted the state legislatures to select presidential electors and for the president to hold office for life.
Broom was a dedicated supporter of a strong central government. He attended the sessions of the Convention in Philadelphia and spoke out on issues that were important to him, although he left most of the speech-making to more influential delegates. Broom contributed to the Patriot Cause during the Revolution by preparing maps for George Washington before the Battle of Brandywine. He also drew some of the maps used by Washington in 1777 at the Battle of the Brandywine, and a few of his other maps are housed in various museums.
Broom's stature in the business community gradually led to his involvement in politics. In 1776, at just 24 years old, he was elected Second Burgess of Wilmington and served several terms in this role. He went on to become Chief Burgess, a position he held for four terms. Broom was also involved in an unsuccessful scheme to mine bog iron ore. He had a long-standing affiliation with the Old Academy, which later became the College of Wilmington, and he served on its first Board of Trustees. Broom was also deeply involved in his community's religious affairs as a lay leader of the Old Swedes Church.
Broom was the father of Congressman James M. Broom and the grandfather of Congressman Jacob Broom. He died in 1810 at the age of 57 or 58 while on a business trip to Philadelphia. His home near the Brandywine, the Jacob Broom House, was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1974.
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He was one of the youngest delegates at the convention
Jacob Broom, born on October 17, 1752, was in his mid-thirties when he attended the Constitutional Convention, making him one of the youngest delegates present. Broom's career began at a young age; in 1773, at the age of 21, he married Rachel Pierce, with whom he had eight children. Three years later, in 1776, at the young age of 24, he was elected Second Burgess of Wilmington, serving in this role several times over the years before becoming Chief Burgess, a position he held for four terms. During this period, he drew maps used by George Washington at the Battle of the Brandywine in 1777.
Broom's prominence in Wilmington's thriving business community propelled him into a political career. He was an accomplished businessman and politician, and his stature in the business community gradually led him to politics. He was also a dedicated supporter of a strong central government. Broom carried these opinions to Philadelphia, where he consistently voted for measures that assured a powerful government responsive to the states' needs. He advocated for a nine-year term limit for senators, with equal representation for the states. He also believed that state legislatures should pay their representatives in Congress, which would have the power to veto state laws.
Despite his young age, Broom actively participated in the Constitutional Convention. He was selected to represent Delaware at the Annapolis Convention in 1786 but did not attend. He faithfully attended the sessions of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia and spoke out on issues he considered crucial. Broom favoured a strong national government, urging George Washington to promote harmony and union among the infant governments to ensure freedom, happiness, and prosperity. While he did speak out, he left most of the speech-making to more influential and experienced delegates. Georgia delegate William Pierce described him as "a plain good Man, with some abilities, but nothing to render him conspicuous. He is silent in public, but cheerful and conversable in private."
Following the Convention, Broom continued to serve in local government. He held various positions, including Wilmington's first postmaster and chair of the Board of Directors for Delaware Bank in Wilmington. He also pursued business ventures, such as running a cotton mill and a machine shop, and remained involved in philanthropic and religious activities. Jacob Broom died in 1810 at the age of 57 or 58 while on a business trip to Philadelphia. He is remembered as one of the signers of the US Constitution and for his contributions to both business and politics.
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Broom was a dedicated supporter of a strong central government
Jacob Broom was an American Founding Father, businessman, and politician from Wilmington, Delaware. Broom was a delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention of 1787 and a signer of the United States Constitution. Broom was a dedicated supporter of a strong central government, and his beliefs were reflected in his voting record and the positions he advocated for.
Broom consistently voted for measures that would assure a powerful government responsive to the needs of the states. He favoured a nine-year term limit for members of the Senate, with equal representation for the states. Broom wanted to empower state legislatures to pay their representatives in Congress, and he believed that Congress should have the power to veto state laws. He also sought to vest state legislatures with the power to select presidential electors and supported the idea of a president holding office for life.
Broom's support for a strong central government was also evident in his belief in the importance of harmony and union among the states. He advised George Washington, saying:
> [...] promote that harmony and union of our infant governments which are so essential to the permanent establishment of our freedom, happiness and prosperity.
Broom's dedication to a strong central government was likely influenced by his background in business and politics. He was involved in various business endeavours, including surveying, farming, and running a cotton mill and machine shop. Broom's prominence in Wilmington's business community propelled him into a political career, where he served as assistant burgess (mayor) and chief burgess of Wilmington, and represented Delaware at the Constitutional Convention.
Overall, Jacob Broom's actions and beliefs demonstrated his commitment to a strong central government, which he believed was crucial for ensuring the freedom, happiness, and prosperity of the nation.
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He was a businessman and politician from Wilmington, Delaware
Jacob Broom was an American Founding Father, businessman, and politician from Wilmington, Delaware. Born on October 17, 1752, he was one of the youngest delegates at the Constitutional Convention in his mid-thirties. Broom's political career was propelled by his prominence in Wilmington's thriving business community. He was elected Second Burgess (assistant mayor) of Wilmington in 1776 at the young age of 24 and went on to serve several terms as Chief Burgess (mayor).
As a delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention of 1787, Broom represented the state of Delaware and was a signer of the United States Constitution. He was also appointed as a delegate to the Annapolis Convention in 1786 but did not attend. Broom consistently voted for measures that assured a powerful and responsive government, and he supported a strong national government. He favored a nine-year term limit for senators, with equal representation for the states. Broom wanted state legislatures to pay their representatives in Congress, which would have the power to veto state laws. He also sought to give state legislatures the power to select presidential electors and desired the president to hold office for life.
Broom was a dedicated supporter of ensuring that smaller, wealthier states had a voice in the federal government. He attended the sessions of the Convention in Philadelphia and spoke out on issues he considered crucial, although he left most of the speech-making to more experienced delegates. Broom's contributions to the Constitution are remembered, along with his roles in business and politics.
Following the Constitutional Convention, Broom continued to serve in local government. He was Wilmington's first postmaster from 1790 to 1792 and sat as chair on the Board of Directors for Delaware Bank in Wilmington. He also remained involved in business, running a cotton mill and a machine shop that manufactured and repaired mill machinery. Broom died in 1810 at the age of 57 or 58 while on a business trip to Philadelphia. His home near the Brandywine, the Jacob Broom House, was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1974.
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Frequently asked questions
Jacob Broom was an American Founding Father, businessman, and politician from Wilmington, Delaware. He was born on October 17, 1752, and died on April 25, 1810, at the age of 58.
Jacob Broom was a signer of the US Constitution and represented the State of Delaware at the Constitutional Convention of 1787. He was also appointed as a delegate to the Annapolis Convention in 1786 but did not attend. Broom advocated for a strong national government and believed that state legislatures should pay their representatives in Congress. He also supported a nine-year term limit for members of the Senate and wanted the president to hold office for life.
Jacob Broom was elected Second Burgess of Wilmington in 1776 at the age of 24 and served several terms as Chief Burgess. He was also a delegate to the US Constitutional Convention and the Delaware General Assembly. Broom was Wilmington's first postmaster from 1790 to 1792 and served on the Board of Directors for Delaware Bank. He was the father of Congressman James M. Broom and the grandfather of Congressman Jacob Broom.
Jacob Broom was also known for his business pursuits, including his involvement in toll roads, canals, and bridges. He contributed to religious and philanthropic activities, serving as a lay leader of the Old Swedes Church and helping to reorganize the Old Academy into the College of Wilmington. He also drew maps used by George Washington at the Battle of the Brandywine.
