Happy birthday, Henry!

Henry was an influential statesman, wealthy and connected merchant, planter, and slave trader from South Carolina. He was born into a Huguenot family of modest but growing means.

He amassed a considerable fortune as a slave trader, planter, and merchant and was undoubtedly colonial South Carolina’s most successful merchant.

His mercantile business, service in various social and political leadership roles in Charles Town, and calm and reasoned demeanor made him a natural selection as leader of the revolutionary movement emanating from Charles Town.

He did not let them down, and they chose him as a delegate to the Second Continental Congress, which then elected him its president. During his time on the national stage, he was a constant and loyal supporter of George Washington and played a crucial role in the passage of the Articles of Confederation.

After resigning as president, Congress sent him on a diplomatic mission to the Netherlands on August 13, 1780. That voyage was cut short when the British captured his ship on September 3. He landed in the Tower of London on October 6 of that year and remained imprisoned until December 31, 1781, when he was exchanged for General Charles Cornwallis.

He mostly retired from public life following his return to South Carolina and died there in 1792.

Although he might be best known for being the father of John Laurens (of Hamilton fame), earlier generations of Americans have long-admired his prominent though understudied role in the American Revolution.His legacy includes his contributions to American independence and early American governance. It also includes his significant role in the growth of chattel slavery in the South Carolina lowcountry.