It would not be unfair to say that David Brearley, a member of the Brearley family that was among the earliest settlers of Lawrence Township, is one of the least known “founding fathers” of the United States of America.
Amateur historian Thomas Pyle hopes to change that, at least for those who attend his talk about David Brearley at The Lawrenceville School on Sept. 14 at 7 p.m. in the Heely Room at Woods Memorial Hall on the school’s campus.
Pyle’s talk is being sponsored by the Stephan Archives at The Lawrenceville School in partnership with the Lawrence Historical Society.
During his talk, Pyle will shed light on the role Brearley played in the formation of the United States, from this time on the Electoral College to the impact of some of his rulings from the New Jersey Supreme Court bench.
Pyle, who majored in history at Princeton University, said he has visited most of the graves of the signers of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, which includes Brearley. He visited Brearley’s grave in the cemetery at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church in Trenton.
Pyle became intrigued by Brearley because while they lived two centuries apart, they had a common bond. Brearley, like Pyle, was a Freemason – members of a fraternal organization known as Masons. Other Masons who played a role in the Revolutionary War include George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock and Paul Revere.
But back to Brearley, who was born in 1745 at Spring Grove, the family’s farm off Lewisville Road that now belongs to The Lawrenceville School. He settled in Allentown and set up a law practice. He joined the Monmouth County militia and served in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War.
Brearley was appointed to become chief justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court in 1779, and was also a delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention when it met in Philadelphia in 1787. He is a signer of the U.S. Constitution.
As a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, Brearley was named chairman of the Committee on Postponed Parts – matters that had been delayed. The committee defined Congress’ power to tax and wage war, established the four-year term for president and invented the Electoral College.
Brearley died of an infection in 1790. He was 45 years old.