Caleb Strong Collection

or

A collection of correspondence and documents associated with the Honorable Caleb Strong of Northampton (1745-1819). These historic documents were donated to the Seth Pomeroy Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution by Rev. Stephen C. Strong of Wellesley in 1906 and immediately given to the Forbes Library for preservation. Caleb Strong, was a lawyer, politician, and Founding Father who served as the sixth and tenth governor of Massachusetts. Strong played an influential role in the development of the United States Constitution, helped draft the Massachusetts State Constitution and establish the Federal Court System, and represented Quock Walker in a landmark case that is credited with helping to abolish slavery in Massachusetts. His collection includes correspondence with such luminaries as Samuel Adams, John Hancock, James Otis, and George Washington, as well as a post-rebellion petition for pension or back pay signed by Daniel Shays.