Robert Morris Award

The Welsh Society of Philadelphia has annually sought to award recognition of a Wlesh-American who, through his or her effort and accomplishments has brought pride and acknowledgement of the contrubutions of Welsh-Americans to the United States. The award is consisten with the original purposes of the Society, i.e., the support, education, and recognition of Welsh-Americans.

Of the plethora of Welsh-American who have made major contributions to our country, why Robert Morris? Robert Morris was a Philadelphian who contributed to the progress and sucess of the city, the state, and the country.

Born in 1734, Robert Morris was an American merchant and patriot credited with financing the War for American Independance. He was one of only two people to sign the Declaration of Independence, The Articles of Confederation, and the United States Constitution.

Morris came to America at the age of fourteen, joined his father's firm, then became a partner at Willing, Morris and Company, a mercantile firm.

He served as a delegate to teh Continental Congress and chaired secret committees on trade and correspondence leading to the acquisition of military supplies for the War of Independance.Called by a bankrupt Congress in 1781, he was tasked to finance General Washington's troop movement to Yorktown where Lord Cornwallis surrendered in the decisive battle of the war. Following the war, he issued "Morris Notes" backed by is personal wealth, then paid all debts he had contracted. Morris founded the nations's first bank and raised funds to establish a national currency to replace the individual states' paper money.

Morris contributed to teh revidion o fthe Pennsylvania Constition and was a deledgate both to the state and as a U.S. Senator from 1789 to 1795

Morris Died on May 8, 1806 and is burried in Christ Church Graveyard in Philadelphia.

Sources:

Encyclopaedia Americana and Britanica: Robert Morris
U.S. History.Org: Robert Morris