William Floyd

William Floyd
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 1st district
In office
March 4, 1789 – March 3, 1791
Preceded byNew district
Succeeded byThomas Tredwell
Personal details
Born(1734-12-17)December 17, 1734
Brookhaven, Province of New York, British America
DiedAugust 4, 1821(1821-08-04) (aged 86)
Westernville, New York, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic-Republican
Spouses
Hannah Jones
(m. 1760; died 1781)
Joanna Strong
(before 1821)
ResidenceWilliam Floyd House
Signature

William Floyd (December 17, 1734 – August 4, 1821) was an American Founding Father, wealthy farmer, and political leader from New York.[1] Floyd served as a delegate to the Continental Congress and was a signer of the Continental Association and Declaration of Independence.[2] In August 1776, a few weeks after the Declaration was signed, British forces defeated an American army at the battle of Long Island and confiscated Floyd's house and estate, using the property as a base for their cavalry units over the next seven years.[3] Floyd remained active in politics throughout the Revolutionary Era, served as a major general in the New York State militia, and was elected to the first U.S. Congress in 1789.[4]

  1. ^ Bernstein, Richard B. (2011) [2009]. "Appendix: The Founding Fathers: A Partial List". The Founding Fathers Reconsidered. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0199832576.
  2. ^ "The Signers". harvard.edu. Declaration Resources Project, Harvard University. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
  3. ^ "William Floyd". dsdi1776.com. Descendants of Signers of the Declaration of Independence. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
  4. ^ "Floyd, William". history.house.gov. U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved September 22, 2022.