Arthur St. Clair

Arthur St. Clair (March 23, 1734-1736?–August 31 1818) was the ninth President of the Continental Congress under the Articles of Confederation, holding office from February 2, 1787 to October 29, 1787. He was preceded in office by Nathaniel Gorham and succeeded by Cyrus Griffin. He was also a general in the Continental Army during the American Revolution, and the only territorial governor of Ohio.

Northwest Territory

Under the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 which created the Northwest Territory, General St. Clair was appointed governor of what is now Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, along with parts of Wisconsin and Minnesota. He named Cincinnati, Ohio after the Society of the Cincinnati, and it was there that he made his seat. When the territory was divided in 1800, he served as governor of the Ohio Territory.

Related Topics:
Northwest Ordinance - 1787 - Northwest Territory - Ohio - Indiana - Illinois - Michigan - Wisconsin - Minnesota - Cincinnati, Ohio - Society of the Cincinnati - 1800 - Ohio Territory

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

As Governor he formulated Maxwell's Code, the first laws of the territory. He also sought to end Native American claims to Ohio land and clear the way for white settlement. In 1789 he succeeded in getting certain Indians to sign the Treaty of Fort Harmar, but many Native leaders had not been invited to participate in the negotiations, or had refused to do so. Rather than settling the Indian's claims, the treaty provoked them to further resistance in what is sometimes known as the "Northwest Indian War" (or "Little Turtle's War"). Mutual hostilites led to a campaign by General Josiah Harmar, whose 1,500 militiamen were defeated by the Indians in October 1790.

Related Topics:
1789 - Treaty of Fort Harmar - Northwest Indian War - Josiah Harmar - 1790

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1791, St. Clair personally led a punitive expedition comprised of militia and two Regular Army regiments. This force advanced to the location of Indian settlements on the Wabash River, but on November 4 they were routed in battle by a tribal confederation led by Miami Chief Little Turtle and Shawnee chief Blue Jacket. More than 600 soldiers and scores of women and children were killed in the battle, called St. Clair's Defeat, the "Columbia Massacre," or the "Battle of the Wabash." It was the greatest defeat of the American army by Native Americans in history. After this debacle, he resigned from the Army at the demand of President George Washington, but he continued to serve as Governor of the Northwest Territory.

Related Topics:
1791 - Wabash River - November 4 - Miami - Little Turtle - Blue Jacket - St. Clair's Defeat

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A Federalist, he hoped to see two states made of the Ohio Territory in order to increase Federalist power in Congress. In 1802, his partisan opposition to plans for Ohio statehood led President Thomas Jefferson to remove him from office as territorial governor. He thus played no part in the organizing of the state of Ohio in 1803.

Related Topics:
Federalist - 1802 - 1803

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

St. Clair died in Greensburg, Pennsylvania on August 31, 1818, in poverty, his vast wealth dissipated by liberal gifts and loans, and by business reverses.

Related Topics:
Greensburg, Pennsylvania - August 31 - 1818

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A portion of the Hermitage, St. Clair's home in Youngstown, Pennsylvania was later moved to Ligonier, Pennsylvania where it is now preserved as a museum. St. Clair County, Missouri is named in his honor.

Related Topics:
Youngstown, Pennsylvania - Ligonier, Pennsylvania - St. Clair County, Missouri

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~