Captain Peter Dickerson First Provincial Congress
Posted by: Old Navy
N 40° 47.834 W 074° 28.724
18T E 543973 N 4516379
Captain Peter Dickerson was a member of the First Provincial Congress of 1776, and was captain of the 5th company of the 3d battalion first establishment continental army, and of the 1st company 3d battalion second establishment
Waymark Code: WM3FR
Location: New Jersey, United States
Date Posted: 11/06/2005
Views: 70
Peter Dickerson, son of Thomas Dickerson, was born at Southold, Long Island, in 1724, and came to New Jersey about 1741 and settled in Morris county. He was an ardent patriot and his house in Morristown was from the beginning of the difficulties with Great Britain a gathering place of those of kindred mind. He was a member of the Provincial Congress of 1776, and was captain of the 5th company of the 3d battalion first establishment continental army, and of the 1st company 3d battalion second establishment, his men re-enlisting in a body. It is said that he paid all the expense of the equipment of this company out of his own pocket, and that the money he so advanced stands to his credit today in Washington, unpaid.
Peter Dickerson was a carpenter by trade,and operated Dickerson's Tavern at the corner of Spring and Water Streets, Morristown NJ. It was at this tavern that a group a patriots met in the first days of May 1775 and decided to recruit a militia to help defend Morris County. This tavern was leased to John Norris during the was and was also know as the Norris Tavern. This tavern later served as the site of the trial of Benedict Arnold.
On May 2, 1775, at a meeting of the delegates held at the house of Captain Peter Dickerson in Morristown, it was decided to raise 300 volunteers, to be divided into five companies, each company to have a Captain, the Captains to discipline their men at the rate of one day each week; and it was further decided that the privates should be paid three shillings a day and found with provisions, ammunition and arms; it was also decided that 500 pounds of powder and a ton of lead be purchased by Wiliam DeHart for the use of these companies. It was further recommended that all the inhabitants of the county provide themselves with arms and ammunition to defend the county in case of an invasion.
Peter died May 10th 1780, in the 56th year of his age, and is buried in the First Church burying ground in Morristown. By his first wife, Ruth COE, he had eight children, one of whom--Jonathan--was the father of Governor Mahlon Dickerson, and another--Esther--married first George King, of Morristown, and afterward Colonel Jacob Drake.
Location type: Single Grave
Date of Birth: 1724
Date of Death: 1780
Cause of death: Died Later
Grave Marker Text: Member of the First Provincial Congress
Ranks: Captain
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