Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

Theodore Atkinson (December 20, 1697 – September 22, 1779) was an American politician, lawyer and militia officer who served as the secretary of New Hampshire from 1741 to 1762.

Early life

Theodore Atkinson was born in

New Castle, New Hampshire New Castle is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,000 at the 2020 census. It is the easternmost town in New Hampshire and the smallest by area, and it is the only town in the state located entirely on i ...

on December 20, 1697. His parents were

Theodore Atkinson III and his wife Mary. Atkinson was sent to study at

Harvard College Harvard College is the undergraduate education, undergraduate college of Harvard University, a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Part of the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Scienc ...

, graduating from the institution in 1718. A year later, his father died, and by the mid-1730's, Atkinson had moved to

Portsmouth, New Hampshire Portsmouth is a city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census it had a population of 21,956. A historic seaport and popular summer tourist destination on ...

, where he worked as a lawyer.

Political and military career

In 1741, Atkinson was appointed as the secretary of New Hampshire, serving in the office until 1762, when he passed it to his son Theodore. However, after Theodore died in 1769, Atkinson once again served in the office until 1775. Atkins also served in the

New Hampshire Militia The New Hampshire Militia was a militia of what is now the U.S. state of New Hampshire. First organized in 1631, it was redesignated as the New Hampshire National Guard in 1879. History The Militia was first organized within the Province of Ne ...

at the rank of

colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

Later life and death

Atkinson died in Portsmouth on September 22, 1779.https://www.nhhistory.org/object/252024/atkinson-theodore-1697-1779

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Atkinson, Theodore 1697 births 1779 deaths 18th-century American politicians American militia officers British colonial governors and administrators in the Americas Harvard College alumni 18th-century American lawyers Military and militia personnel of the Thirteen Colonies New Hampshire politicians