james august november american political intellectual leader boston massachusetts american revolution following decade initially gained fame influence wealthy merchant served branches initially supportive royal governors opposed british colonial policy eventually influential advocate independence authored highly political report boston massacre described historian influential pieces writing shaped public opinion colonies served president executive council facto head massachusetts government elected president constitutional convention drafted state constitution ran unsuccessfully governor losing following resignation elected governor large debts massachusetts incurred revolutionary war ran platform fiscal responsibility years office combination poor economic conditions harsh fiscal policy laid government led uprising known rebellion personally funded militia forces instrumental putting uprising high handed treatment rebels contributed loss election populist returned office addition political activities active scientific pursuits collaborating pioneering research electricity elected fellow founder president bequeathed library maine named honor son early life born boston wealthy boston merchant grandfather refugee france took family ireland eastern massachusetts present day maine finally settling boston modest inheritance parents greatly expanded father merchant business land holdings wealthiest men province young james attended graduated father died inherited considerable fortune married daughter harvard roommate children year went harvard receive master degree scientific pursuits met early frequent collaborators scientific subjects harvard years educated sciences developed interest electricity astronomy traveled philadelphia meet franklin interested franklin experiments electricity franklin advice papers prepared submission offices franklin letters read society instrumental gaining support provincial assembly expedition newfoundland observe transit venus sun year published treatise suggesting improvements published series memoirs arguing theory light transmitted citing natural observations scripture maintained lifelong interest sciences founders served president death left society library published scientific papers poetry english latin awarded honorary doctorate fellow harvard election honor bestowed american independence extensive business interests characterized merchant engaged atlantic trade principal interest land inheritance included major tracts land kept present day maine rich state south coast expanded holdings eventually acquiring property new_england states rhode_island managing large territory frequently involved legal proceedings land competing land interests dealings particular left dislike lower classes massachusetts society affected politics inheritance included sold apparently time consuming manage despite revolution careful manage financial affairs supported cause independence financially damaging business interests unlike business suffered neglect later years served president president organization initially devoted rescuing survivors water based disasters governor council opposition british rule elected provincial assembly served named governor council supportive royal governor politics radical british colonial policy increasingly unpopular believed policies negative effect new_england economy personal factors played role shift views local customs commissioner son law embroiled nasty disputes governor principal opposition governor council year bernard rejected renewed election council instrumental causing bernard downfall office private letters critical provincial government bernard written published great outrage charges claims bernard letters published highly pamphlet arguing bernard removal sent colonial secretary lord won reelection assembly promptly reelected council year soon bernard left province acting governor return council reasoning dangerous outspoken critic lower house seat vacated assembly taken leading political opponent royal governors faced prospect opposition fronts march chosen boston town meeting serve committee investigated affair committee took produced report describing event published short narrative massacre work highly critical governor behavior british_army troops stationed boston characterized historian major propaganda pieces influencing public opinion colonies opposition british policies continued administration letters published outrage similar bernard letters affair penned works highly critical governor calling removal successor general vetoed reelection council citing express orders majesty excluded body government massachusetts named delegate attend citing poor health wife bout poor health probably caused tuberculosis time affected ill american revolutionary war broke family relocated british occupied boston siege area militia eventually resided beacon street mansion occupied general despite kept events occurring boston elected president executive council position held facto head massachusetts government citing ongoing poor health resigned post withdrew public view continued correspond revolutionaries enjoyed confidence absence war effort lead later political difficulties began return public life massachusetts wrote constitution president convention called create chairman committee drafted committee member generally credited major author new constitution likely significant contributions gubernatorial election held ran office absence formal party politics contest personality popularity patriotism immensely popular patriotic given personal sacrifices leadership cast supporters citing things refusal serve illness supporters principally commercial interests massachusetts coastal communities cast populace won election easily receiving vote offered lieutenant governorship seat state senate declined account poor health election appointed commission revise consolidate state laws ran subsequent elections able overcome enormous popularity contest men element long running rivalry encompassed business politics religion apparently deeply personal men involved administration harvard feud ugly example simultaneously treasurer harvard president committee headed decided physically held risk war delegation sent philadelphia receive accounting physical custody papers responses refusal produce accounting college books dragged years result orchestrated harvard board matter reached peak sorts college issues read discussed open meeting presiding officer attended competed size quality improvements building location new funded captured differences men don feelings sting like disappointed succeed hurt modest pride rivalry men bitter founding named honor delayed died apparently sensitive rising unrest western massachusetts poor economy offered resign expecting asked stay office legislature request eventually resign pleading poor health gubernatorial race year dominated lieutenant governor widely viewed lacked charisma revolutionary war general campaign times nasty went faction seizing recently established locally controversial social club known card play dancing took place activities previously banned socially conservative boston sign moral decay took place term supporters accused war insulting people refusing lieutenant governorship electorate gave candidate majority ended choosing divisive voting rebellion governor time office refused vigorously act collect taxes seeking payments state owed nation foreign debt raised taxes stepped collection taxes actions combined general post war economic depression credit squeeze caused shortage hard currency wrought havoc rural parts state conventions organized rural parts state submitted letters protest state legislature dominated conservative wholesale merchants coastal portions state legislature august addressing complaints rural massachusetts organized direct action began protest marches shut state court system enforced tax civil focus discontent issued proclamation early september denouncing actions took overt steps immediately organize militia response unlike governors neighboring connecticut new_hampshire court worcester shut similar action september county militia composed mainly men sympathetic refused turn protests court continued correspondent writing october state bordering civil war leadership legislature enacted suspended corpus passed bill unsuccessfully attempted address financial reasons protests january protests began demands reform grown direct attack government massachusetts particular included rebellion leaders like luke day beginning organize attack government institutions federal government unable raise significant number troops longer trust local militias western counties proposed early january creation private militia funded eastern merchants revolutionary war general raised funds men effort men worcester january springfield january resulted death rebels lincoln broke main rebel force february ending large scale resistance day lincoln arrived state legislature passed bills authorizing state martial law giving governor broad powers act rebels authorized state payments lincoln merchants funded army authorized recruitment additional militia february legislature passed disqualification act seeking prevent legislative response rebel bill forbade acknowledged rebels holding variety elected appointed offices crushing rebellion harsh terms reconciliation imposed disqualification act worked governor politically election held april received votes rural parts state served member massachusetts convention ratified united_states_constitution strong supporter worked hard ratification bringing skeptical supporters fold inviting dinner pro ratification delegates offering support future elections supporters backed election stood election remained active charitable scientific pursuits later years continuing leadership continued engage new business ventures buying interest american merchant ships sail china death legacy died boston november fever funeral largest time boston people lining streets view funeral procession interred boston gift awards known son donated lands family estate maine funds books establish honor constructed harvard science department includes bronze figures supposedly cast responsible having device rescued pope house caught fire landmarks bearing boston include square station maine incorporated named neighboring maine incorporated named grandfather brother william
James Bowdoin