Contributions To The American Revolution
William’s success in Newport meant he was well known to the British. Samuel and William were both early supporters of the revolution; Samuel was even one of the ringleaders responsible for the Stamp Act Riots of 1765. Their other sibling, Thomas was a Loyalist or Tory sent into a brief exile in Glocester, Rhode Island, but Thomas remained friendly with the brothers throughout the war. As a result of his well known political beliefs, William was forced to flee Newport prior to the British occupation of Newport. Vernon fled to Rehoboth, Massachusetts, hoping to protect his family. His nephew remained at the Vernon House to protect it during this time. The Vernon House, located on Clarke Street in Newport, was the headquarters of the Comte de Rochambeau during the revolution, General George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette both were guests at the Vernon House.
The elegant formal style of life introduced by the French during the Revolutionary War was quickly taken up by the populace, chief among them William Vernon Jr. (1759-1833), the son of William Vernon. A francophile, Vernon frequented the court of Louis XVI in Paris (where he was an aide to Benjamin Franklin) and on the death of his father spent his entire eighty-thousand-dollar inheritance on a collection of fifty-two Old Master paintings, thereby forming one of the first important collections of such works in this country. They hung for many years at Vernon House (which still stands on the corner of Clarke and Mary Streets) and undoubtedly enticed other Newport residents to collect within the same parameters.
After moving closer to the heart of revolutionary activity, Vernon was appointed by the Continental Congress as the president of the Eastern Naval Board on May 6, 1777. This position was effectively the precursor to the Department of the Navy (effectively making Vernon the first Secretary of the Navy, before the position was officially established in the 1790s). In this position, Vernon was responsible for building and outfitting the ships of the colonial Navy for the duration of the American Revolution.
Vernon was extremely dedicated to his duties; on several occasions, he actually contributed some of his own personal wealth to the cause with little chance of collecting interest or even repayment. After the Revolution, Vernon became involved in the Board of the Admiralty before returning to Newport.
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