Benjamin Mooers (April 1, 1758 – February 20, 1838) was a military veteran of both the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, and a politician, serving in the

New York State Legislature The New York State Legislature consists of the Bicameralism, two houses that act as the State legislature (United States), state legislature of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York: the New York State Senate and the New York State Assem ...

. He also served as the sheriff of

Clinton County, New York Clinton County is the northeasternmost county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 79,843. Its county seat is the city of Plattsburgh. The county lies just south of the border with the Cana ...

in between the wars.

Early life

Benjamin Mooers was born in

Haverhill, Massachusetts Haverhill ( ) is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. Haverhill is located north of Boston on the New Hampshire border and about from the Atlantic Ocean. The population was 67,787 at the 2020 United States census. Located o ...

to Abigail and Benjamin Mooers on April 1, 1758. In 1773, Mooers started an apprenticeship under John White, a merchant and importer in Haverhill. He worked with White until the Revolutionary War began, when Mooers enlisted as a volunteer in the Continental Army.

Later life

In 1783, he settled in the vicinity of

Plattsburgh, New York Plattsburgh is a city in and the county seat of Clinton County, New York, United States, situated on the north-western shore of Lake Champlain. The population was 19,841 at the United States Census, 2020, 2020 census. The population of the sur ...

, a frontier settlement at the time. Mooers was the sheriff of Clinton County and a

presidential elector In the United States, the Electoral College is the group of presidential electors that is formed every four years for the sole purpose of voting for the president and vice president in the presidential election. This process is described in ...

1808 Events January–March * January 1 ** The importation of slaves into the United States is formally banned, as the 1807 Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves takes effect. However Americans still continue the slave trade by transpor ...

. During the War of 1812, Mooers returned to military service. He was commissioned as a general in the New York Militia, commanding troops at the Battle of Plattsburgh, on September 11, 1814. After the war, he was elected and served as a member of the New York legislature. Mooers died on February 20, 1838, and was buried at Riverside Cemetery.

Occupations

"Chief Purchaser"

In addition to his high-status among military operations, Benjamin Mooers was a landowner in the areas surrounding the Champlain Valley. To the extent that he became known as the Chief Purchaser in the late 1780s. According to accounts of refugees who met with Mooers, he owned large masses of land for which he paid little. A large amount of the land owned by Mooers was part of the Canadian and Nova Scotia Refugee Tract.

Lieutenant

Mooers served as a lieutenant in the New York militia and the 2nd Canadian Regiment under his maternal uncle, Moses Hazen, during the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

Power of attorney

Based on his status in the Champlain Valley, Mooers was given powers of attorney by many Canadian refugees. These powers were delegated to him due to his ownership of nearly 40% of the refugee tract.

War general

Benjamin Mooers served as a major general in the War of 1812. During this time, he directed troops to defend the United States against Britain.

Presidential elector

He served on the board of individuals who were designed to elect the president during the election of 1808.

References

1812 In The North Country
ref> {{DEFAULTSORT:Mooers, Benjamin 1758 births 1838 deaths American militia generals People from Haverhill, Massachusetts Members of the New York State Assembly 1808 United States presidential electors New York (state) Democratic-Republicans Military personnel from Massachusetts 19th-century members of the New York State Legislature