Joshua Bennett
While more than 90% of the Founding Fathers of America were Protestant, there were a few Catholic Founding Fathers, including Thomas Fitzsimons, Daniel Carroll, and Charles Carroll of Carrollton. Charles Carroll, born in 1737, was the only Catholic signatory of the Declaration of Independence and the longest surviving, dying 56 years after its signing. He was also the wealthiest and most highly educated of the signers, with a 17-year Jesuit education in France that enabled him to speak five languages fluently. Thomas Fitzsimons, on the other hand, fought on the front lines against the British army and later became involved in politics, serving as a delegate at the Continental Congress and as a Pennsylvania state legislator. These Catholic Founding Fathers navigated a landscape where Catholics were often barred from holding political offices and faced legal restrictions in some states.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Catholic Founding Fathers | 2 |
| Names of the Catholic Founding Fathers | Charles Carroll, Thomas Fitzsimons |
| Other notable Catholics of the time | Bishop John Carroll, Col. John Nixon, Charles Carroll of Annapolis |
| Percentage of Founding Fathers who were Protestant | More than 90% |
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What You'll Learn
Thomas Fitzsimmons: A Catholic Founding Father
Thomas Fitzsimmons was a Catholic Founding Father of America, a name that is often omitted from U.S. history classes. He was a resident of Philadelphia and represented Pennsylvania in the Continental Congress in 1782, 1783, and 1787. He was also a delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention in 1787, where he was one of two Catholic signers of the United States Constitution, the other being Daniel Carroll of Maryland.
Fitzsimmons was born in Ireland in 1741 and immigrated to Philadelphia with his family in 1760. He married Catherine Meade, the daughter of a prominent local merchant, in 1761 or 1763, and formed a business partnership with her brother George. Their firm, George Meade and Company, specialized in the West India trade and was one of the leading commercial houses in the city. Fitzsimmons was also a slave owner, but he was an early proponent of abolishing the slave trade in the newly formed nation.
During the American Revolution, Fitzsimmons served as a captain in the Continental Army, commanding a company of militia from 1776 to 1778. He also sat on the Philadelphia committee of correspondence, council of safety, and navy board. His firm provided supplies and ships to the military forces and donated £5,000 to the Continental Army. After the war, Fitzsimmons continued his involvement in politics at the state level. He was elected as a Pennsylvania state legislator in 1786 and served for three terms until 1789.
In addition to his political and military endeavours, Fitzsimmons was also involved in business and civic affairs. He helped found the Bank of North America, the United States' first de facto central bank, and served as its director from 1781 to 1803. He also served as president of Philadelphia's Chamber of Commerce and supported efforts to found the College of Georgetown. Fitzsimmons maintained a consistent interest in public affairs throughout his life and was a diligent philanthropist. He died in 1811 and was buried in the graveyard of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Philadelphia.
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Charles Carroll: Catholic Signatory of the Declaration of Independence
Charles Carroll, also known as Charles Carroll of Carrollton, was the only Catholic signatory of the Declaration of Independence. Carroll was born on September 19, 1737, into a wealthy Roman Catholic family of Irish origin in Annapolis, Maryland. He was the wealthiest man in America at the time and had received an extensive Jesuit education in France, graduating at the age of 17. He was fluent in five languages.
Carroll was an agricultural mogul and planter, and despite not being a "framer" of the Constitution, he played an active role in the American Revolution. He participated in the 1774 tea party protests and the sinking of the British tea-carrying ship, the Peggy Stewart. Carroll was also a powerful voice for independence, engaging in debates through anonymous newspaper letters in 1772, maintaining the right of the colonies to control their own taxation. He wrote in the Maryland Gazette under the pseudonym "First Citizen", criticising the royal governor's proclamation that increased the special fees paid by colonists to state officials and Protestant clergy.
In 1776, Carroll was enlisted in a diplomatic mission to Quebec, Canada, along with Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Chase, and his cousin John Carroll. The mission aimed to seek assistance from French Canadians in the confrontation with Great Britain. Carroll was an excellent choice for this endeavour due to his fluency in French and his Catholic faith, which suited negotiations with the French-speaking Catholics of Quebec. Although he was too late to vote for the Declaration of Independence, he signed the document in Philadelphia on August 2, 1776, providing the sole Catholic signature.
Carroll's signature on the Declaration of Independence was distinctive, and its uniqueness generated much speculation. Mid-20th-century journalist John Hix suggested that Carroll's distinctive signature arose from his hesitancy in adding "of Carrollton" to his name. Carroll knew that his signature would identify him as a criminal, guilty of sedition against the British monarch, King George III. Therefore, he may have hoped that his commonplace name would make it more challenging for the King to order his arrest without clear proof of his identity.
Carroll served in the Continental Congress from 1776 to 1778 and later in the Maryland state Senate. He was the last surviving member of those who signed the Declaration, passing away at his daughter's house in Baltimore in 1832 at the age of 95. He is honoured throughout the United States as a Founding Father, an intellectual, and a patriot. He broke down barriers for Catholics and other religious minorities during a period of widespread anti-Catholic sentiment among American colonists.
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Catholics Barred from Politics
While the United States was founded on principles rooted in Christianity, the Founding Fathers were predominantly Protestant. In fact, only two of the Founding Fathers, Charles Carroll and Thomas Fitzsimons, were Catholic.
Charles Carroll, an agricultural mogul of Irish descent, was the wealthiest man in America at the time. He was also highly educated, with a Jesuit education in France that made him fluent in five languages. Carroll was an American revolutionary who participated in the 1774 tea party protests and the sinking of the British tea-carrying ship, the Peggy Stewart. He also signed the Declaration of Independence, adding a distinctive signature that has generated much speculation. Despite his wealth, education, and contributions to the founding of the nation, Carroll was barred from holding political office, practicing law, and even voting due to his Catholic faith. These restrictions were a result of a 1704 act meant to "prevent the growth of Popery in this Province."
Thomas Fitzsimons, on the other hand, was a businessman and politician who immigrated to America with his family in 1760 and settled in Philadelphia. He joined the Continental Army and fought on the front lines against the British, ascending to the rank of Captain. Fitzsimons served as a delegate at the Continental Congress in 1782 and was elected as a Pennsylvania state legislator in 1786, serving for three terms. In 1787, he represented Pennsylvania at the Constitutional Congress, where the United States Constitution was written and ratified.
The stories of Carroll and Fitzsimons highlight the role of Catholics in the founding of America, despite their minority status among the Founding Fathers. However, it is important to note that Catholics have historically faced barriers to political participation and have been subject to discrimination and anti-Catholic sentiment in the United States.
In the 19th century, the arrival of a large number of Irish and German Catholic immigrants led to the growth of the Catholic Church in America. The sudden influx of Catholics, combined with charges of political corruption and fears of papal interference, fueled anti-Catholic sentiment. This resulted in the emergence of short-lived political parties like the Know Nothings in the 1850s, which sought to "purify" elections and statutes. Despite these challenges, Catholics built their own network of parochial schools and colleges, and by the late 19th century, a distinct Catholic vote had emerged, with 75% of Irish and German Catholics voting for Democratic presidential candidates.
In more recent times, the Catholic Church in the United States has been involved in political debates around abortion. The Church has taken a strong stance against abortion, with bishops counseling Catholic public officials who support abortion rights and, in some cases, even withholding communion or suggesting excommunication. The University of Notre Dame, a Catholic institution, faced criticism for inviting President Barack Obama as a commencement speaker in 2009 due to his policies in favor of promoting and funding abortion.
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Catholics in the Continental Army
While the Founding Fathers were meeting and deliberating about the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Fitzsimons, a Catholic Founding Father, joined the Continental Army and fought on the front lines against the British army. Fitzsimons, a native Irishman, ascended to the rank of Captain and commanded his company of militia until 1778 when France entered the war. He distinguished himself as a soldier and leader during the Revolution and continued to serve his country as a soldier and patriot.
The American Revolution saw an alliance with France in 1778, which brought the French navy to Philadelphia and Boston, each unit with its Catholic chaplain. By 1780, the French army had landed in Rhode Island. The presence of these allies and the first French minister, Conrad Alexandre Gérard, in Philadelphia, accelerated mutual respect between Catholics and non-Catholics during the war years and made public slights to the Roman Church unthinkable.
The Catholic Church lacked enough priests to both serve in the army and minister to the congregations at home. Nevertheless, Catholic priests heard confessions, comforted the men, and celebrated Mass before battles. Various Catholic orders of nuns served the soldiers during the war, providing nursing services to all soldiers, regardless of their religious affiliation. The unity of the Catholic Church proved unique among American Christianity during the war.
Polish captain Tadeusz Kosciuszko fought in Washington's army as a colonel and made important contributions at Ticonderoga and Saratoga. Another Pole, Casismir Pulaski, led Washington's cavalry and died in the battle for Savannah. Marquis de Lafayette, a staunch French supporter of the American cause, is another notable Catholic figure who contributed to the Continental Army.
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Catholics and the US Constitution
The United States of America was founded on principles rooted in Christianity, with over 90% of the Founding Fathers being Protestant. However, only two of the Founding Fathers were Catholic: Charles Carroll and Thomas Fitzsimons.
Charles Carroll, born in 1737, was an agricultural mogul of Irish descent, and became the wealthiest man in America. He was highly educated, with a Jesuit education in France that left him fluent in five languages. Carroll participated in the 1774 tea party protests and the sinking of the British tea-carrying ship, the Peggy Stewart. In 1776, he signed the Declaration of Independence, adding a distinctive signature that has generated much speculation. Carroll was the only Catholic to sign the Declaration of Independence. Despite his wealth and status, Carroll was barred from holding political office, practising law, and even voting due to his Catholic faith.
Thomas Fitzsimons, on the other hand, fought on the front lines against the British army as a captain in the Continental Army. In 1781, he helped found the Bank of North America, the United States' first de facto central bank, and served as its director until 1803. Fitzsimons was also involved in politics, serving as a delegate at the Continental Congress in 1782 and as a Pennsylvania state legislator for three terms from 1786 to 1789. In 1787, he represented Pennsylvania at the Constitutional Congress, where the United States Constitution was written and ratified.
The contributions of Carroll and Fitzsimons to the founding of the United States demonstrate that Catholics played a role in shaping the nation's history, despite being a minority among the Founding Fathers.
The question of whether one can be a faithful Catholic and a devoted citizen of the United States has been a topic of discussion for American Catholics. The First Amendment to the US Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, which includes the right of Catholics to practice their faith and evangelize. The Establishment Clause states that the government cannot interfere in religious matters, while the Free Exercise Clause protects the right to worship and behave according to one's beliefs. These freedoms allow Catholics to pursue religious truth and participate in the civic order of the nation.
While the pre-conciliar popes may have had differing views on democracy and religious freedom, the Catholic Church does not teach that democracy is always required or that it is the best form of government. However, democracy is seen as giving expression to the principle of equal human dignity that the Church proclaims. Therefore, Catholics can value the US Constitution and its protections while also being patriotic Americans.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, there were. Charles Carroll of Carrollton, Thomas Fitzsimons, and Daniel Carroll were the only Catholics to sign the Constitution. Charles Carroll was the only Catholic signatory of the Declaration of Independence.
Charles Carroll was one of the few prominent Catholics in America at the time. He was an agricultural mogul of Irish descent and became the wealthiest man in America. He was also the most educated of the signers, having received a 17-year Jesuit education in France and speaking five languages fluently.
While not considered one of the Founding Fathers, John Nixon, the grandson of a Catholic, is worth mentioning. He served as a soldier and fought on the front lines against the British army, ascending to the rank of Captain. He also had a successful career in politics and business.
