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ARMSTRONG, John

1717–1795

Biography

ARMSTRONG, John, (father of James Armstrong and John Armstrong, Jr. [1758–1843]), a Delegate from Pennsylvania; born in Brookbor, County Fermanagh, Ireland, October 13, 1717; attended school in Ireland, and became a civil engineer; immigrated to the United States and settled in Carlisle, Cumberland County, Pa.; was presented a medal by the city of Philadelphia for destroying the Kittanning Indian towns, September 8, 1756; rendered distinguished service in the Continental Army, was commissioned a brigadier general in 1776, and served until April 4, 1777; appointed a major general of the Pennsylvania State Militia and served throughout the Revolutionary War, with the exception of the term of his congressional service; Member of the Continental Congress 1779-1780; died in Carlisle, Pa., March 9, 1795; interment in Old Carlisle Cemetery.

View Record in the Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress

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External Research Collections

Historical Society of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA
Papers: 1759-1761, 47 items. Includes surveys of islands in the Susquehanna River and the Schuylkill River done by several people, including John Armstrong.

Indiana Historical Society

Indianapolis, IN
Papers: In the Northwest Territory Collection, 1721-1838, 4 boxes. Includes letters and papers of John Armstrong. A finding aid is available in the repository.

Library of Congress
Manuscript Division

Washington, DC
Papers: 1754, 1 item. Report of John Armstrong, 1754.

The Morgan Library
Department of Literary and Historical Manuscripts

New York, NY
Papers: 1780, 1 item. A letter from John Armstrong to Joseph Reed written on May 12, 1780. In the letter, John Armstrong writes about the difficulty of collecting taxes, the danger from Indian incursions, and introduces Richard Butler.
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Bibliography / Further Reading

Crist, Robert G. "John Armstrong, Sr.: Proprietary Man." Ph.D. diss., Pennsylvania State University, 1981.

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