John Broome Guides New York City's Post-War Economy
John Broome was Chairman of New York City’s Chamber of Commerce for a decade after the Revolutionary War ended.
John Broome
As a young man, John Broome studied law but was soon persuaded by his brother, Samuel, to join a merchant business.
This decision worked out swimmingly, as the young man became extremely wealthy and a leader in New York City.
Furthermore, he had one of the earliest operations connecting North America to goods in East Asia.
Lieutenant Colonel
When the Revolutionary War began, Broome joined the militia as a Lieutenant Colonel and assisted in the defense of NYC.
Furthermore, John was a member of the Committee of One Hundred which took control of the State Government from the Royal Governor and created the New York Provincial Congress.
Specifically, Broome was a member of the committee that drafted New York’s first constitution.
Chamber of Commerce
After the conclusion of the war, Broome became president of the NYC Chamber of Commerce.
He sat in this position for almost a decade, helping the city transition from a post-war (and post-occupation) stalemate to a booming metropolis.
John also played a leading role in the yellow fever epidemic that broke out in the city in 1795, although he has been accused of downplaying the severity of the outbreak in an effort to maintain order.
Lieutenant Governor
Broome attempted to run for the US House of Representatives on three occasions, though he lost each time.
However, though NYC did not support his Democratic-Republican ideology, the State did.
He was elected to serve as Lieutenant Governor for the final six years of his life.
Do you want to read about New York City during the American Founding?
You might like some of these stories:
Richard Bayley Survives the NYC Doctors Riots
James Duane and Post-War New York City
Today’s book recommendation is actually a walking guide.
Gerard R. Wolfe’s book contributed a bunch of information to this article and is really interesting if you’d like to learn more about NYC.
Pick up a copy through the Amazon affiliate link below (you’ll support this site, but don’t worry, Amazon pays me while your price stays the same).
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