George Partridge

George Partridge (February 8, 1740 – July 7, 1828) was an American teacher and politician. He represented Massachusetts as a delegate to the Continental Congress and as a Representative in the U.S. House. Background Partridge was born in Duxbury in the Province of Massachusetts Bay, and attended Harvard College, graduating in 1762 and obtaining a master's degree in 1765. He studied theology but never entered the active ministry. Instead, he became a school teacher in Kingston. Political career In 1774, Partridge was elected as a delegate to the Massachusetts Provincial Congress, a provisional government formed to replace the Massachusetts General Court which had been suspended by Royal Governor Gen. Thomas Gage. Of the first meeting of the Provincial Congress, Partridge wrote: Gen. Gage said he had come over with his troops and proclamations to frighten us rebels into submission! We soon had his mandate, dissolving the General Court ... So we met [in Salem]. And in a short time we began to ask one another, What can we do? The worst must come to the worst! ... Shall we submit to Great Britain? ... Or shall we resist her encroachments to the point of the sword? ... The gulf is passed. We will have a Congress at Concord. We will send letters to all the colonies and urge them to send delegates to meet at Philadelphia ... We will go to our homes and wake everyone that sleeps!