Biography
Philip Freneau, a prominent figure influenced by his rich Huguenot lineage and a fervent revolutionary spirit, was a poet who played a significant role in early American literature. He came from a family deeply rooted in the metropolitan and commercial life of New York, yet his life’s journey took him through experiences of hardship, adventure, and advocacy for independence. Through his writings and actions, Freneau left an indelible mark on the cultural and political landscape of his time.
Early Life and Heritage
Philip Freneau was born into a French Huguenot family, whose ancestors had fled to New York in 1705, becoming an integral part of the city's esteemed Huguenot community. His father, Pierre Fresneau, engaged in a thriving business, importing wines from Bordeaux and Madeira. Upon marrying Agnes Watson, Pierre shifted his focus to the dry goods trade. Philip Morin Fresneau, who later altered the spelling of his surname, was born on January 2, 1752, in New York. He was the eldest of five siblings. During the same year of his birth, the family relocated to Mount Pleasant, New Jersey, a locale that would later become a pivotal site during the Revolutionary War.
Education and Influences
The untimely death of Philip's father when he was just fifteen left the family with financial burdens. Despite these challenges, Philip's education continued unabated. He attended a Latin school in Penelope, New Jersey, overseen by the Reverend Alexander Mitchell, who was closely affiliated with John Witherspoon. Witherspoon, later a signer of the Declaration of Independence, had recently assumed the presidency of the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University). Though initially intended for a clerical career, the influences Philip encountered at Princeton diverted him from this path.
Princeton and Revolutionary Ideas
At Princeton, Freneau's worldview broadened significantly. He shared a room with James Madison and forged a deep friendship with Hugh Brackenridge, who would become a notable novelist. Freneau also sat under the teachings of John Witherspoon, a prominent theologian and ardent supporter of the Revolution. Together with Brackenridge, Freneau co-authored “The Rising Glory of America,” reflecting the burgeoning nationalistic sentiments of the era, and delivered it at their graduation in 1771.
Writing, Privateering, and Responses to Conflict
After leaving Princeton, Freneau's life took various turns. He briefly taught, considered a career in the ministry, and experimented with Deism. His early satirical works criticized British customs and governance. In 1776, he ventured to the West Indies and briefly served as a privateer. His poem, “A Political Litany,” though simplistic in style, passionately called upon divine intervention against various British figures and institutions. His experiences in the Caribbean inspired more mature works like “The Beauties of Santa Cruz,” revealing his evolving literary prowess.
Return to New Jersey and Military Service
Freneau returned to New Jersey in July 1778, shortly after the Battle of Monmouth, likely motivated by a sense of duty to participate in the revolutionary struggle. He enlisted in the militia as a private and was eventually promoted to sergeant, though he saw little combat. After sustaining a knee injury, he concluded his military service in 1780.
Imprisonment and Poetic Response
While sailing on the privateer Aurora towards the West Indies, Freneau was captured by the British and detained on a prison ship, HMS Scorpion, later transferred to a hospital ship in New York Harbor. Following his release, he returned to Mount Pleasant and documented his harrowing experience in “The British Prison-Ship,” composed of six hundred lines of heroic couplets. This work vividly depicted the grim conditions aboard the vessels, earning Freneau a reputation as a fervent anti-British propagandist.
Career in Journalism and...
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Printing
Post-recovery, Freneau relocated to Philadelphia, where he became an active contributor to The Freeman’s Journal as a printer and assistant editor. His literary contributions were prolific, and in 1786, Francis Bailey published The Poems of Philip Freneau. He also worked as a clerk at the Philadelphia post office and translated a French travelogue. His maritime adventures continued with positions on trading vessels before his retirement from the sea in 1789.
Political Engagement and Later Life
In 1790, Freneau began working for the Daily Advertiser in New York. He married Eleanor Forman and soon took a government position under Thomas Jefferson, contributing to the launch of the National Gazette, which supported Thomas Paine’s and revolutionary ideals. This led to a public conflict with Alexander Hamilton, who accused Freneau of being Jefferson's puppet. Freneau's fervent editorial work during this time earned him both praise and ire from prominent figures, including George Washington.
Final Years and Enduring Legacy
With the outbreak of yellow fever in Philadelphia, Freneau left his government post and returned to New Jersey. There, he briefly edited the Jersey Chronicle and published several collections of poems. His ventures at sea resumed briefly but ceased with the Embargo Act. Settling in New Jersey, Freneau continued to write, contributing to local publications under a pseudonym, and released further poetry collections. After his house burned down in 1818, he moved to a farm near Freehold, where he lived until his death in a snowstorm on December 18, 1832. Freneau’s body of work and dedication to revolutionary ideals cemented his place in the annals of American history.