Samuel Vaughan (428)

Samuel Vaughan (1720–1802) was a merchant, slaveholder, and a member of the American Philosophical Society, elected in 1784. Born in Ireland, Vaughan relocated to Jamaica in 1737 where he purchased land and enslaved people with which he established a plantation. He remained in Jamaica until 1752, when he returned to London to open a banking house, and became involved in radical Whig politics in the process: he became a founding member of the Bill of Rights Society, and developed a close relationship with Benjamin Franklin. After being involved in a bribery scandal over a public office in Jamaica, Vaughan saw America as a refuge of freedom, and moved there from Jamaica after the Revolutionary War. Arriving in Philadelphia in 1783, Vaughan did not let his case of gout prevent him from becoming a prominent member of society in his new home: he joined Benjamin Franklin’s coffeehouse club, “The Club of Honest Whigs,” became close with and frequently sent extravagant gifts to George Washington, and he became a member of the American Philosophical Society alongside his son, John Vaughan. The senior Vaughan became a mainstay in the operations of the Society: he served as its secretary for many years, presented scientific instruments in meetings, served on many committees as well as serving as its Vice-President, raised funds and procured materials for the construction of Philosophical Hall, and planned the garden and ornamentation of the State House Yard. He also lent his landscaping skills to the grounds at Gray’s Ferry and sent George Washington plans for his garden at Mount Vernon. Towards the end of his life, he fell ill and returned to England, as many of his associates in America had died and his children were fully established. Vaughan managed a visit to France in support of the revolution before dying back in England.