John Cleves Symmes

John Cleves Symmes (July 21, 1742February 26, 1814) was a delegate to the Continental Congress from New Jersey, and later a pioneer in the Northwest Territory. He was also the father-in-law of President William Henry Harrison and, thereby, the great-grandfather of President Benjamin Harrison. Early life He was the son of the Rev. Timothy Symmes (1715–1756) and Mary Cleves (died ) of Suffolk County on Long Island. John was born in Riverhead in what was then the Province of New York, a part of British America, on July 21, 1742. Symmes was educated as a lawyer. Career Symmes supported the revolution, becoming chairman of the Sussex County, New Jersey Committee of Safety in 1774. When the Revolutionary war began in earnest, he served as Colonel of the 3rd Regiment of the Sussex County militia from 1777 to 1780. The unit was called into service with the Continental Army on several actions.