Posted on 10/27/2015 1:48:04 PM PDT by ConfusedSwede
My favorites are Thomas Jefferson and Thomas Paine.
Thomas Jefferson by a mile.
Godzilla.
Madison
They’re all part of the team and a wonderful conjoined force for humanity, but my favorite didn’t live to see it: George Whitefield.
George Washington, first in war first peace first in the hearts of his countrymen 4 a reason
Right now Patrick Henry is looking pretty prescient.
Depends if you want a rowdy hothead like Sam Adams or Patrick Henry or a level-headed responsible type like James Madison or John Jay.
George Washington, through his sacrifices, his faith, his courage...he held it ALL together.
In all positions, he served honorably with humility and graciousness.
You got 2 of my favorites...
Ben.
So many.
James Madison might be the first to come to mind.
George Washington who had the heart of a true America - would rather be on his beautiful farm than in politics.
BTW, one of my least favorite is Alexander Hamilton who seemed to trust bigger government.
George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin.
William Whipple, signer of the Declration or Independence.
I’m descended from him on my paternal grandmother’s side.
One neglected hero of the Revolution is Philip Schuyler of New York (1733-1904), one of the four major generals selected by Congress right after they picked George Washington as Commander-in-Chief. (His surname is pronounced "Skyler.")
He was not popular with the New Englanders and Congress transferred command to Horatio Gates in Aug. 1777, so Gates got the glory of the victory at Saratoga, but Schuyler went and congratulated him in person on the victory. Burgoyne stayed at Schuyler's country mansion (8 miles from Saratoga battlefield) and then burned it down...but after the surrender Schuyler let Burgoyne stay in his Albany mansion.
His daughter Elizabeth married Alexander Hamilton. Their oldest son Philip was killed in a duel in Weehauken, NJ, in 1801, at the age of 18. In July 1804, Alexander Hamilton was mortally wounded in a duel in Weehauken. His father-in-law died a few months later.
Daniel Webster wrote of Schuyler: "I was brought up with New England prejudices against him, but I consider him second only to Washington in the services he rendered to the country in the war of the revolution."
His descendant Gen. Cortlandt Van Rensselaer Schuyler (1900-1993) had a distinguished career in the US Army. When the famous military historian John Keegan met him in 1979, he was the last surviving pre-Pearl Harbor general.
They were all staunch protectionist so therefore they were all great. They all believed in tariffs as a primary revenue source for FedGov™. What’s not to like?
Something is afoot.
That should be Weehawken, not Weehauken.
Obviously Philip Schuyler’s dates are 1733-1804, not 1733-1904.
Thomas Jefferson for me, followed by George Washington as a close second.
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