Thomas Fitzsimons, who was born in Ireland, was a nationalist at the Constitutional Convention and was one of only two Catholics to sign the Constitution.
Fitzsimons was born in Ireland
in 1740. His family emigrated to Philadelphia around 1760, where Fitzsimons
became a clerk in a mercantile business thanks to his former education. By
1761, he had married and formed a business partnership with George Meade, his brother-in-law.
After the French and Indian War, Parliament implemented new
revenues, which disturbed Fitzsimons and Meade’s business. This led Fitzsimons
to become an activist, organizing other Irish immigrants to protest the Coercive
Acts in 1774.
When independence was declared, Fitzsimons also led a
militia company that guarded Philadelphia. His efforts also included serving on
Philadelphia’s committee of correspondence and its council of safety. He served
on Philadelphia’s navy board, and his firm gave supplies to the military.
Fitzsimons entered politics in 1782 when he became a
delegate of the Confederation Congress. In 1783, he served in the legislature
and was appointed to the Pennsylvania Council of Censors. Throughout his
political career, he was a strong nationalist who advocated for a strong
central government, Congress’s power to impose tariffs, and the abolition of
slavery.
Fitzsimons was one of eight delegates from Pennsylvania who
joined as delegates for the Constitutional Convention. Despite his efforts, he was
only mentioned in one line in William Pierce’s sketches of the delegates.
Pierce wrote that Fitzsimon was a “Merchant of considerable talents” and had a
reputation as a good speaker. Fitzsimons and Daniel Carroll were the only two
Catholics who signed the Constitution.
Fitzsimons’ political career continued after the
ratification of the Constitution. He served as a Federalist in the first three
sessions of the House of Representatives. He is responsible for drafting the
1794 that authorized the original six frigates of the U.S. Navy. He joined
eight other representatives to vote against the 11th Amendment,
which provided immunity to states, meaning that states were protected from lawsuits
from citizens of other states or foreign countries.
As Federalist popularity decreased, Fitzsimons lost his bid
for his fourth term in the House of Representatives and never held political
office after that. He remained a supporter of Federalist beliefs. He opposed
British and French interference in American shipping. He also opposed
Jefferson’s embargo of 1807.
Not only is he known for his business and political affairs,
but he is also remembered as a philanthropist. He founded the Bank of North
America and helped organize the Insurance Company of North America. He served
several terms as President of the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce. He was a
generous supporter of Philadelphia’s St. Augustine’s Roman Catholic Church, and
advocated for the enhancement of Philadelphia’s public education.
Fitzsimons was elected as a trustee to the Academy and College of Philadelphia. When the College
merged with the University of the State of Pennsylvania in 1791, the new
organization became the University of Pennsylvania, and Fitzsimons became a
trustee of the new institution.
Fitzsimons died in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, on August 26, 1811. He is buried in St. Mary's Roman Catholic
Churchyard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.