Benjamin Pierce, Governor of New Hampshire

Gen. Benjamin Pierce, 2x Governor of New Hampshire, Father of President Franklin Pierce

A Patriot of the American Revolution for Massachusetts, DAR Ancestor #: A091217 During the Revolutionary War, he served under General George Washington and participated in the Battle of Bunker Hill.
U.S. Democratic-Republican politician, and Governor
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Pierce_(governor)_

Pierce Homestead
The Pierce Homestead was built in 1804 by Benjamin Pierce, a general in the American Revolution, twice Governor of New Hampshire (1827-28, 1829-30), and father of Franklin Pierce, the 14th President of the United States (1853-1857). Franklin Pierce was born in Hillsboro November 23, 1804 and the family occupied this dwelling shortly thereafter.

Source:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_New_Hampshire_Historical_Marke...
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_Pierce_Homestead

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Buried in the town's Pine Hill Cemetery.
Benjamin Pierce (December 25, 1757-April 1, 1839), U.S. Democratic-Republican Party politician, He served as Governor of New Hampshire from 1827 to 1828 and from 1829 to 1830.
He was born in Chelmsford, Massachusetts. He was a distinguished veteran of the Revolutionary War, serving under General George Washington. He was an original member of the Society of the Cincinnati. Following the war, he moved to Hillsborough, New Hampshire, and was assigned the task of forming the Hillsborough County, New Hampshire militia. In 1805, he was promoted to Brigadier General and assigned command of the New Hampshire state militia. Prior to becoming governor, he served twice as Sheriff of Hillsborough County from 1809 to 1812 and later from 1818 to 1827, and in the New Hampshire state legislature from 1789 to 1802.

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Governor of New Hampshire Benjamin Pierce (1827-1828, 1829-1830).
Pierce (1757-1839) was born at Chelmsford (MA). While ploughing in his father's field Pierce heard the news of the Battle of Lexington (April 18, 1775), and like many others he went immediately to Cambridge (MA) to join the Revolutionary forces massing against the British at Boston. He served with distinction throughout the American Revolution, returning to Chelmsford with $500 in almost worthless "Continental" paper currency in 1784, ten years after he had first set out.
In 1785 Pierce secured work exploring lands belonging to Colonel Stoddard in southwestern New Hampshire. Pierce was on his way back to Chelmsford when he passed through Hillsborough (NH), saw land and a farmhouse he liked, and bought them from a farmer. He returned with a fellow war veteran in 1786, and the two men cleared the fifty acres Pierce had bought. Over time Pierce added lands to his original tract.
As a Revolutionary War Brigade Major, Pierce was immediately (1786) asked to organize the Hillsborough County (NH) Militia. Pierce maintained a strong interest in the militia all his life, and in 1805 he was made Brigadier General of the State Militia. He married in 1787 (first wife Elizabeth Andrews; second wife Anna Kendrick, 1790), and began a political career when he was elected a State Representative (served 1789-1802). Pierce was a delegate to the 1791 state Constitutional Convention, a member of Governor's Council (1803-1809, 1814) and Sheriff of Hillsborough County (1809-1812, 1818-1827), before becoming Governor. He was a close friend of Andrew Jackson( President of the United States, 1827-1839), and one of Pierce's own nine children, Franklin, later became President (served 1853-1857). The Pierce Homestead is maintained by the State and Hillsborough Historical Society.
In the History of the Town of Hillsboro by George Waldo Browne he was described as striking in his personal appearance. He had a rugged,honest looking face. He was of a lively temperament, fearless,frank-hearted, and free from all aristocratical pride and was naturally fitted to please the great body of people. He was fond of hunting and fishing, and constructed a pond in his dooryard which he kept well stocked with trout.

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He was born in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, the son of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Merrill) Pierce as well as a direct descendant of Thomas Pierce (1623-1683) [1] who was born in Norwich, Norfolk, England and settled in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Benjamin Pierce was a distinguished veteran of the Revolutionary War, serving at first in the 16th Continental Regiment and later in the 8th Massachusetts Regiment. He was promoted to Ensign in the 1st Massachusetts Regiment for bravery at Saratoga. He was an original member of the Society of the Cincinnati. Following the war, he moved to Hillsborough, New Hampshire, and was assigned the task of forming the Hillsborough County militia. In 1805, he was promoted to Brigadier General and assigned command of the New Hampshire state militia. Prior to becoming governor, he served in the New Hampshire state legislature from 1789 to 1802 and twice as Sheriff of Hillsborough County, from 1809 to 1812 and later from 1818 to 1827. He was a delegate to the state Constitutional Convention in September 1791 and a member of the Governor's Council from 1803 to 1809 and again in 1814.

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