Cornelius Harnett

Harnett was born on April 10, 1723, to Cornelius and Elizabeth Harnett in Chowan County, North Carolina. Soon after he was born, his parents moved to Wilmington. As an adult, he obtained a plantation in Wilmington. He became a leading merchant there and was interested in farming, milling, and mercantile ventures. Harnett was an Episcopalian but has also been identified as a deist.{{cite web|url=http://www.adherents.com/people/ph/Cornelius_Harnett.html|title=Cornelius Harnet|accessdate=October 22, 2019|website=Adherents.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170624135716/http://www.adherents.com/people/ph/Cornelius_Harnett.html|archive-date=June 24, 2017|url-status=usurped}}{{cite book|title=Dictionary of North Carolina Biography: H–K|volume=3|page=37|editor=Powell, William Stevens|year=1988}} Though he was an intelligent man, there is little known about his educational background. His intelligence served him well in his passion for politics.{{Cite web|title = The Education of Harnett {{!}} Cornelius Harnett|url = http://www.corneliusharnett.com/index.php/personal-2/the-education-of-harnett/|website = www.corneliusharnett.com|accessdate = 2015-10-02}}

Harnett married Mary Holt where they lived on his second plantation, Poplar Grove, located in Scotts Hill, which is north of Wilmington.{{Cite web|title = Harnett, Cornelius, Jr. {{!}} NCpedia|url = http://ncpedia.org/biography/harnett-cornelius-jr|website = ncpedia.org|accessdate = 2015-10-02|author=Lennon, Donald R.|year=1988}} During Harnett's political career, he maintained his relationship with his wife through letters.{{Cite web|title = His Relationship with Mrs. Harnett {{!}} Cornelius Harnett|url = http://www.corneliusharnett.com/index.php/personal-2/relationship-to-mrs-harnett/|website = www.corneliusharnett.com|accessdate = 2015-10-02}}

Harnett's death came about after being captured and "thrown across a horse like a sack of meal". He was captured by the British upon their occupation of Wilmington in January 1781. His health steadily declined while imprisoned. He died April 20, 1781, shortly after being released on parole.

In 1750 Harnett became involved in public affairs when he was elected Wilmington town commissioner. He was appointed a justice of the peace for New Hanover County by Governor Gabriel Johnston. Harnett was elected to represent Wilmington in the Province of North Carolina House of Burgesses in 1754 and 1775.{{cite web|url=https://www.carolana.com/NC/Royal_Colony/House_of_Burgesses/royal_27th_house_of_burgesses.html|author=Lewis, J.D.|title=Royal Colony of North Carolina, 27th House of Burgesses|website=Carolana.com|accessdate=October 24, 2019}}

In 1765, Harnett became the chairman of the Sons of Liberty and was a leader in the resistance to the Stamp Act. In 1775–1776, he served as the first president of the North Carolina Provincial Council, or Council of safety, essentially the chief executive of the revolutionary state, although with limited powers. In 1776, he was excepted by Sir Henry Clinton from his proclamation of general amnesty. He was a member of the Continental Congress for 1777–1779. He is a signatory to the Articles of Confederation.

Harnett was delegate from Wilmington to the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th North Carolina Provincial Congress. He was a delegate from Brunswick County and Vice President of the Fifth North Carolina Provincial Congress.{{cite web|url=http://www.carolana.com/NC/Revolution/nc_revolution_2nd_provincial_congress_members.html|author=Lewis, J.D.|title=2nd North Carolina Provincial Congress|website=The American Revolution in North Carolina|accessdate=April 16, 2019}}{{cite web|url=http://www.carolana.com/NC/Revolution/nc_revolution_3rd_provincial_congress_members.html|author=Lewis, J.D.|title=3rd North Carolina Provincial Congress|website=The American Revolution in North Carolina|accessdate=April 16, 2019}}{{cite book |last=Lossing |first=Benson John |title=Our Countrymen: or, Brief Memoirs of Eminent Americans |year=1855 |url=https://archive.org/details/ourcountrymenor01lossgoog |publisher=Lippincott, Grambo & Co. |location=Philadelphia |ref=Lossing|page=[https://archive.org/details/ourcountrymenor01lossgoog/page/n89 83]}}

• Founding Fathers of the United States

{{Reflist}}

• Connor, Robert D. W. Cornelius Harnett;: An essay in North Carolina history, 1971, Books for Libraries Press ({{ISBN|0-8369-5647-8}}).
• Connor, Robert D. W. Revolutionary Leaders of North Carolina, reprinted 1971 from 1916 edition. ({{ISBN|0-87152-063-X}}) Chapter 3: pp. 49–78.
• {{CongBio|H000218}}

• [http://www.harnett.org/library/harnettc.htm Excerpt from "Dictionary of North Carolina Biography"] ({{ISBN|0-8078-1918-2}})
• [http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/inv/h/Harnett,Cornelius.html Cornelius Harnett Letters, #311-z] at the Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7189423/cornelius-harnett

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{{s-ttl | title=President of the North Carolina Provincial Congress| years = 1776}}

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Category:1723 births

Category:1781 deaths

Category:American deists

Category:Continental Congressmen from North Carolina

Category:Signers of the Articles of Confederation

Category:North Carolina patriots in the American Revolution

Category:People from Chowan County, North Carolina

Category:Politicians from Wilmington, North Carolina

Category:American slave owners

Category:Members of the North Carolina Provincial Congresses

Category:American justices of the peace

Category:North Carolina Council of State

Category:Members of the North Carolina House of Burgesses

Category:Founding Fathers of the United States

Category:18th-century American merchants