Thomas Westbrook Waldron

Thomas Westbrook Waldron, a captain in the 1745 expedition against the Fortress of Louisbourg, afterwards a commissioner at Albany, New York, a Royal councillor in 1782^[2] and later described as a Colonel,^[3] abandoned a close friendship with the last royal governor of colonial New Hampshire, John Wentworth (governor), for the role of a cautious patriot of the new United States.

Residence and property

"He was born and died in Dover"^[4] New Hampshire.

"He inherited the homestead, mill privileges, etc., purchasing the rights of his brother George. ... He lived on the old property, and in the Waldron house ..." ^[5] This house, which he had built in 1763, was for a time "by far the best in Dover; its joiner work was ornate and elaborate, in every apartment; the furnishings were the best that period afforded.".^[6] "... [S]tood in Revolutionary times the mansion of Thomas Westbrook Waldrone, the soldier of Louisberg.".^[7]

Career summary

"Thomas Westbrook Waldron.... was a man of large property and extensive influence, although not so much in public office as father, grandfather, or great-grandfather.... "The town records show him to have been frequently moderator of Dover town meetings... a selectman... townclerk... representative....^[8] Described as "a representative at Exeter in 1768 and a councilor in 1773....".^[9] "Thomas Westbrook Waldron (1721-85) was a Recorder of Deeds, Strafford County, 1776.^[10] He was the Dover, New Hampshire, town clerk from 30 March 1772 until his death in 1785 ^[11]

In 1748 Waldron's father complained that though Thomas Westbrook Waldron had done much at the siege of Louisburg, he couldn't receive a significant militia commission: "and for which he has been very illy requited by Mr. W--ntw--th" ^[12] However this situation improved when a different Wentworth became Governor. In later life he was described as a colonel.^[13]

Louisburg

He has been described as the first volunteer in the 1745 invasion of the French Fortress of Louisbourg in Cape Breton Island, now part of Canada. "I have engaged for 1,000 men," writes William Vaughan, a prominent early proponent for the invasion. "When I was in New Hampshire, in a ludicrous manner talking of these affairs, your son Thomas desired a Lieut'y and if it go and I shall have a great hand in the nomination of the officers and if it may be that he may go, and be thought equal to a higher part, he may have it, if he can get 50 men. 'Tis proposed that the government find vessels, provisions and ammunition, &c--the men only find themselves and arms, without pay from the province, all to be volunteers. ... Your Kinsman, friend and Humble Servant, W. Vaughan" ^[14]

Ultimately he became a Captain of militia in the 1745 invasion.

Looking back, his father referred to "...his services at the siege of Louisbourg, he commanding one of the whale boats which first landed in Chepeau-rouga Bay, and being one of the Captains that commanded a Company in sustaining the advance Battery the first day it pla'd on the City, when the Trench was hardly knee deep, and not 200 yards from the City walls, upon which the Enemy kept a continual Fire all the day both with Cannon and Muskets, and the volleys of small shot were like showers of hale...." ^[15]

His letters to his father describe with some bitterness that the spoils of war did not go to New Englanders and rightly predicted that the men would be "Lul'd along" into occupying Louisbourg through the winter.^[16]

Young Captain Waldron can perhaps be forgiven for his uncharitable view of Massachusetts Brigadier General Samuel Waldo, who was also part of the Louisbourg campaign and was probably the "Duke Trinkelo" he described unflatteringly to his father. Waldo, his grandfather Colonel Thomas Westbrook's former business associate, was believed responsible for all his grandfather's financial reverses just a couple of years earlier. Bower, perhaps not understanding the Brigadier's connection to Thomas' family, dismissed his comments as a love of "idle talk".^[17]

Looked to for encouragement of the first history of New Hampshire

Waldron's high regard for the future historian of New Hampshire, Jeremy Belknap, led him to loan a horse to him and to not hold him responsible for the death of the horse thereafter.^[18] He asked Belknap give a sermon to mustered troops ^[19] and to educate one of his sons at his home.^[20] In turn, Belknap asked Captain Waldron if Belknap should compile a history "because I have such a value for your judgement, and must depend so much on your favor and assistance in the prosecution of such a work...." Belknap states he would abandon the whole project at this point without Captain Waldron's approval.^[21]

From friend of the last New Hampshire royal governor to revolutionary

To the last Royal Governor of New Hampshire he was a "friend who predicted the rebellion".^[22] "Ten days after [Governor Wentworth's] commission was read [13 June 1767], he nominated Peter Gilman, John Sherburne, and Thomas Westbrook Waldron for a vacant position on the council. These three men represented families long inveterate enemies of the Wentworths and their interests in New Hampshire. Out of personal inclination, and for obvious political reasons, Wentworth felt it was time to mend broken fences ....".^[23] "....Thomas Westbrook Waldron in the years to come became one of Wentworth's close friends and confidents.".^[24] He was also one of the Governor's councillors called from his Dover home to sit in council during what might be termed the Portsmouth Tea Party of Sep 1774.^[25]

We don't know which of his sons Waldron offered to stay with the approximately seven-year-old Governor's nephew at Belknap's home to receive an education. Perhaps it was Richard, christened 11 Aug 1765. In January 1770 Belknap politely declined to take students from either family.^[26]

Despite this friendship with the Governor he threw his lot in with the rebels as the American Revolution approached, and was "named in a list of inhabitants of Dover, New Hampshire who took the Oath of Allegiance to the United States and Continental Congress, 1776, published in the Dover Enquirer."

Chosen as a counsellor for Strafford County by the NH House of Representatives on Sat 6 Jan 1776 (See Stan Klos website), Waldron declined in a letter to the New Hampshire Committee of Safety January 15 for health reasons, and at the same time suggested a revolutionary council was unnecessary as "friends of America in England" would assist the revolutionary cause.^[27] On Wednesday, January 17, 1776 an "Hon. John Wentworth, Esq., of Somersworth, [was chosen] one of the Counsellors for the County of Strafford, in the room of Thomas Westbrook Waldron, Esq., who was chosen, but did not accept." ^[28] Governor Wentworth's biographer, Paul Wilderson, suggests Wentworth hoped the American Revolution was temporary and unnecessary and that eventually wiser and more level heads would work together with more flexible leaders in Britain to restore the colonial allegiance to the crown.^[29] Colonel Waldron's looking for "friends of America in England" shows he initially shared this view.^[30]

Even as he came to accept the revolution as appropriate and necessary, he expressed reservations at how some were treated. By August 19, 1776, as chairman of a revolutionary committee charged with inventorying a Loyalist's property,^[31] he wrote to the chief political figure in post-colonial New Hampshire, Meshech Weare, deploring that those who disagreed with the revolution had their property confiscated and expressing the hope that "politeness, justice, and lenity [be] among the shining characteristicks of the American States...." ^[32]

Family

Waldron's great grandfather was Richard Waldron. He married Constance Davis of Durham, New Hampshire, about 1755. Of their children, two sons and three daughters had descendants.^[33] His name was reused by ensuing generations, including two grandsons, one who as consul died in Macao, the other in Canada.

Death and burial

"[He] died there [the TW Waldron house] April 3, 1785. He was buried in the burial ground west of the Methodist church. After his death, the children were carried to Portsmouth, where they remained for several years.^[34]

Globe Tavern^[35][36] on the Plains in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, originally belonged to Waldron's grandfather Thomas Westbrook

Estate

"[He] made his will Aug 7, 1779. He owned large quantities of land. In addition to the Dover property he owned lands in Rochester, Barrington, Gilmanton, Grafton County, Lebanon, Chichester, Canaan, Kilkenny and the Globe Tavern, The Square and the Training field in Portsmouth, two mill privileges in Portsmouth, and part of the lower falls.

"These quantities of real estate were divided among his children, Charles and Daniel inheriting the Dover property. Daniel was the last owner of the extensive Waldron real estate in Dover. It probably came into the family in 1642 when the mill privilege in the center of Dover was granted to Major Richard Waldron. Upon January 31, 1820, an uninterrupted family ownership of 178 years terminated." ^[37]

The youngest son Daniel, not yet four years old when his father's will was written, inherited the majority of the family's land in Dover.^[38]

Portrait

His portrait is owned by Historic New England.^[39] A copy previously hung in the "council chamber" of the Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion^[40] That copy is also owned by Historic New England and is in somewhat less pristine condition than the original.^[41] This and other works at the Wentworth-Coolidge house suffered at the hands of the grandchildren of later residents, who admitted they "mischievously touched up the [portraits] with fence paint!".^[42]

References

External links

• His portrait http://www.historicnewengland.org/collections-archives-exhibitions/collections-access/collection-object/capobject?gusn=GUSN-175713&searchterm=waldron