Important People In New Hampshire Colony by Gavin
John Paul Jones (1747-1792)
Scottish born naval captain John Paul Jones visited New Hampshire twice. In 1777 he took Portsmouth-built RANGER with a Piscataquis crew to France. There he worried the British in a series of guerilla raids before his famous battle in the BON HOMME RICHARD. Later, a hero decorated by the King of France, he returned to Portsmouth to fit out the AMERICA, largest ship of war ever built in the nation to that day. Jones stayed at the Purcell House, today the Paul Jones Museum.
Tobias Lear (1762-1816)
Tobias Lear was George Washington's secretary and good friend. He was born in Portsmouth NH. Lear began work for General Washington prior to his terms as President. Lear was accounant for Washington's farm at Mount Vernon and a tutor to his step children. Lear recorded the details of Washngton's death and later fell in and out of luck, eventually committing suicide. His childhood home is a local museum.
Captain John Manson
New Hampshire was a planned colony. The land in the new world was granted to Captain John Mason who lived in New Hampshire which was then a part of England. He was in charge of sending settlers to the New World to creat a fishing colony. However, he died before ever seeing where he spent a considerable amount of money building towns and defenses.
