John Hambright
Elected to the Supreme Council of Pennsylvania
Captain Hambright achieved great acclaim as a frontier fighter versus the French and Indians, a successful businessman, a member of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania, and he established the first bank to help finance the American Revolution.
Johannes Hambrecht was born on June 3, 1717 in Germany. As a youth, Johannes received his military training. In 1738 he was a passenger on the ship St. Andrew which brought the Hambrecht family to Philadelphia. He Anglicized his name to John Hambright. In March 1745 England declared war against France and John was commissioned an Ensign in a regiment commanded by British Colonel William Moore.
In 1778 Hambright was elected to a three year term as a member of the Supreme Executive Council of the Pennsylvania Assembly. The Council sat in the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia, now known as "Independence Hall". The President of the Council served as Commander in Chief of Pennsylvania. Benjamin Franklin was the most famous person to serve as President of the Council during this turbulent period.
On June 17th, 1780 nine men, including John Hambright, of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania, announced that they each had committed considerable sums of money to establish a bank to supply provisions and weapons for the armies of the United States in the Revolutionary War. The announcement was printed in the Pennsylvania Gazette on July 7, 1780.
At 60+ years of age John Hambright served as a Captain during the Revolution and was in charge of British prisoners. John and his wife Elizabeth , who were married in 1744, had 4 children: Margaretta, Ensign John, General Henry, and Joseph. He passed away five days after his 65th birthday on July 7, 1782.