Jonah Patel
William Few Jr. (1748-1828) was an American Founding Father, lawyer, politician, and jurist. Before the drafting of the US Constitution, Few joined the Richmond County Regiment, a volunteer militia, and instructed his friends and neighbours in the military skills he had acquired in the North Carolina militia. He also associated himself with the Regulators, a group of frontiersmen who opposed the royal governor, and later moved to Georgia, where he opened a law office and joined the House of Representatives in the late 1770s. He was appointed as a representative of Georgia in the Continental Congress in 1780 and served in Georgia's provincial congress during the war.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 8 June 1748 |
| Place of Birth | Near Baltimore, Maryland |
| Family Background | Poor yeoman farming family |
| Education | Minimal schooling |
| Political Affiliation | Opposition to royal governor in North Carolina |
| Military Service | Richmond County Regiment, North Carolina Militia |
| Law Career | Admitted to the bar and practised law in Augusta, Georgia |
| Political Career | Served in Georgia's provincial congress, appointed to Continental Congress, represented Georgia at the Constitutional Convention, served as U.S. Senator from Georgia |
| Death | 16 July 1828, aged 80 |
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William Few was a member of the Richmond County Regiment
William Few was a prominent figure in the early history of the United States, particularly in the state of Georgia, where he played a significant role in the state's military and political affairs before and after the drafting of the US Constitution. Few was born in 1748 near Baltimore, Maryland, and moved with his family to North Carolina at the age of ten. In North Carolina, Few and his family became associated with the "Regulators," a group of frontiersmen who opposed the royal governor. This association had dire consequences, as Few's brother was hanged, and the family farm was destroyed, forcing the family to relocate to Georgia.
Few joined the Richmond County Regiment, a military unit organised by Georgia on a geographical basis, with companies formed into regiments in each county. Few's older brother, Benjamin, commanded the regiment, and Few's military duties involved instructing his friends and neighbours in the skills he had acquired during his time in the North Carolina militia. Few's active duty began in 1778 when Georgia faced the threat of invasion by British and Loyalist troops based in Florida.
Few's experience in the American Revolutionary War brought out his inherent leadership and organisational skills, as well as his sense of public service. He was elected to serve in Georgia's provincial congress during the war and attended the state's constitutional convention in 1777. In the late 1770s, Few joined the House of Representatives, marking the beginning of his political career. He was appointed as the representative of Georgia in the Continental Congress in 1780 and played a crucial role in the state's government reassembly.
Few's involvement in the Richmond County Regiment and his subsequent political and military endeavours showcased his dedication to Georgia and the young nation. His experience and leadership qualities were instrumental in shaping the state's and the country's early history, particularly in the lead-up to the drafting of the US Constitution. Few's military and political careers were intertwined, and his contributions to the Richmond County Regiment were a vital stepping stone in his journey towards becoming one of Georgia's Founding Fathers.
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He was a lawyer and politician
William Few (1748-1828) was an American Founding Father, lawyer, politician and jurist. Born into a poor yeoman farming family, Few achieved social prominence and political power later in life. He was self-educated and had minimal schooling. His inherent gifts for leadership and organization, as well as his sense of public service, were brought out by his experience in the American Revolutionary War.
Few's political career began in the late 1770s when he joined the House of Representatives. He was then appointed as the representative of Georgia in the Continental Congress in 1780 for six months. In 1782, Few returned to Congress, where he served for most of the decade. During this time, he served as one of Georgia's delegates to the convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which drafted the United States Constitution in 1787. He was one of two Georgia delegates to sign the Constitution, along with Abraham Baldwin.
Few contributed nationalist votes at critical times during the Constitutional Convention. He played an important role in securing Congress's approval of the new Constitution by casting his vote in favor and lobbying other congressmen before it was sent to the states for ratification. He also took part in Georgia's special convention to ratify the United States Constitution in 1788.
Few went on to serve in various other political and legal roles. He served four years in the legislature (1802-1805) and then as inspector of prisons (1802-1810), alderman (1813-1814), and US commissioner of loans (1804). He also held a directorship at the Manhattan Bank and later the presidency of City Bank. In 1796, he was appointed as a federal judge for the Georgia circuit, a role he resigned from in 1799.
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Few was a member of the Continental Congress
William Few (1748-1828) was an American Founding Father, lawyer, politician and jurist. He was born into a poor yeoman farming family in Maryland and moved to North Carolina as a child. As a young man, Few associated with the "Regulators", a group of frontiersmen who opposed the royal governor. This led to his brother's execution, the ransacking of the family farm, and the family's subsequent move to Georgia. Few remained in North Carolina to settle the family's affairs and qualified as a lawyer before joining his family in Georgia in 1776.
Few joined the Richmond County Regiment and played an important role in Georgia's military strategy. He was elected to serve in Georgia's provincial congress and attended the state's constitutional convention in 1777. In the 1780s, Few was appointed to the Continental Congress by the state legislature. He served as one of Georgia's delegates to the convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which drafted the United States Constitution in 1787.
As a delegate to the Continental Congress, Few played a crucial role in securing the approval of the new Constitution by Congress. He contributed nationalist votes at critical times and lobbied other congressmen before the Constitution was sent to the states for ratification. Few also took part in Georgia's special convention to ratify the United States Constitution in 1788.
Despite missing large segments of the Constitutional Convention due to his concurrent congressional duties, Few firmly supported the creation of a strong national government. He became one of Georgia's first US senators in 1789 and served until 1793. After his term ended, he returned home and served in the assembly. In 1796, he was appointed as a federal judge for the Georgia circuit but resigned in 1799 for unknown reasons and moved to New York City.
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He helped reassemble Georgia's government
William Few (1748-1828) was an American Founding Father, lawyer, politician and jurist. He was born into a poor yeoman farming family in Maryland and moved to North Carolina as a child. There, he, his father, and one of his brothers associated themselves with the "Regulators", a group of frontiersmen who opposed the royal governor. This led to the hanging of Few's brother, the ransacking of the family farm, and the family's subsequent move to Georgia.
Few served in the Richmond County Regiment, where he instructed his friends and neighbours in the military skills he had acquired in the North Carolina militia. He was called to active duty in 1778 when Georgia faced the threat of invasion by British and Loyalist troops based in Florida.
During the war, Few was elected to serve in Georgia's provincial congress and attended the state's constitutional convention in 1777. In the 1780s, he was appointed to the Continental Congress, where he served as one of Georgia's delegates to the convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which drafted the United States Constitution in 1787.
Before this, however, Few had been sent home from Congress to help reassemble Georgia's scattered government following the successful effort to drive the British out of most of Georgia. He accomplished this task and returned to Congress in 1782.
Few's inherent gifts for leadership and organisation, as well as his sense of public service, were brought out by his experience in the American Revolutionary War. He went on to become one of Georgia's first US senators (1789-93) and was appointed a federal judge for the Georgia circuit in 1796.
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Few was a delegate at the Constitutional Convention
William Few (1748-1828) was an American Founding Father, lawyer, politician and jurist. Born into a poor yeoman farming family, Few became a prominent member of the nation's political and military elite. He was also a delegate at the Constitutional Convention.
Few was appointed as one of six state delegates to the Constitutional Convention, two of whom never attended and two others who did not stay for the duration. He missed large segments of the proceedings due to his concurrent congressional service, and never made a speech. However, he contributed important nationalist votes at critical times.
As a delegate to the final sessions of the Continental Congress, Few played a crucial role in securing Congress' approval of the new Constitution. He voted in favour of the document and lobbied other congressmen before it was sent to the states for ratification. He also attended the state ratifying convention in Georgia in 1788.
Few's political career began when he was elected to serve in Georgia's provincial congress during the American Revolutionary War. He also joined the Richmond County Regiment, which played an important role in the Southern strategy. In the 1780s, Few was appointed to the Continental Congress, where he served as one of Georgia's delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1787.
After the Constitutional Convention, Few went on to become one of Georgia's first US senators, serving from 1789 to 1793. He then returned home and served in the assembly. In 1796, he was appointed as a federal judge for the Georgia circuit, but he resigned from this position in 1799 for unknown reasons and moved to New York City.
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Frequently asked questions
William Few associated himself with the Regulators, a group of frontiersmen who opposed the royal governor. He also joined the Richmond County Regiment, where he instructed his friends and neighbours in the skills he had acquired in the North Carolina militia.
William Few was elected to serve in Georgia's provincial congress and attended the state's constitutional convention in 1777. He also opened a law office and served in the House of Representatives in the late 1770s.
William Few's inherent gifts for leadership and organisation, as well as his sense of public service, were brought out by his experience in the American Revolutionary War. He joined the citizen-soldiers of Georgia and played an important role in the latest Southern strategy.
