Deane, Silas
Silas Deane was born in Groton, Connecticut on December 24, 1737. He was
one of the earliest advocates of Revolutionary methods to secure the rights
of the colonists, and was a delegate from Connecticut to the Continental
Congress, 1774-76. In 1776 he was sent by congress to France as special
ambassador on a secret mission, which resulted in his securing substantial
loans from French capitalists and in inducing Lafayette, De Kalb and other
trained military officers of the French army, personally to take service in
the Continental army in the war against Great Britain. With Franklin and Lee
he negotiated the treaties of amity and commerce between the United
Colonies and France, as signed at Paris, Feb. 6. 1778. He was required by
congress to make a detailed statement of his financial transactions and in
order to do so was obliged to return to France in 1782 to obtain the
vouchers of his receipts and disbursements. In consequence of the
unauthorized publication of certain of his private letters and dispatches to
his brother which had been intercepted, the French government would not
receive him and he was obliged to seek refuge in Holland.
He then went to England where he died in poverty.
Silas Deane Online http://www.silasdeaneonline.org/class_bio.htm
Silas Deane House http://webb-deane-stevens.org/historic-houses-barns/silas-deane-house/
ConnecticutHistory.org: People http://connecticuthistory.org/people/silas-deane/
Historic Buildings of CT http://historicbuildingsct.com/?p=24