London Coffee House , commonly referred to as the Old London Coffee House , was a coffee house in Philadelphia in the colonial-era Province of Pennsylvania , located on the southwest corner of Market (formerly High Street) and Front Streets. It was the scene of political and commercial activity, and also served as a place to inspect black slaves recently arrived from Africa and to bid for their purchase at public auction.
18-534: Opened by William Bradford in 1754, the London Coffee House was built with funds provided by more than 200 Philadelphia merchants, and it soon became their meeting place. At the London Coffee Shop, merchants, ship masters, and others talked business and made deals that they often sealed with nothing more than a simple handshake. The governor of Pennsylvania and other colonial officials also frequented
36-447: A captain and company commander in the 11th Pennsylvania Regiment commanded by Richard Hampton . By the end of the year, he saw action in the Battle of Trenton . While at Morristown, New Jersey , he was named a deputy to the muster master-general on April 10, 1777, and he was promoted to lieutenant colonel. During the encampment at Valley Forge in late 1777 and early 1778, his headquarters
54-532: A member of the American Philosophical Society . On August 2, 1791 Bradford represented General William West and argued the first recorded case before the U.S. Supreme Court , West v. Barnes losing the decision. On August 22, 1791, Bradford was appointed to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania , and served for three years. In 1793, Governor Thomas Mifflin asked his help to reduce the use of
72-684: A publisher and writer, he attacked many policies of the British government, and was especially vocal in his opposition to the Stamp Act in 1765. The first Continental Congress met in Philadelphia in 1774, and Bradford was named as the official printer for the Congress. In this role, he printed the formal resolutions, broadsides, and documents such as the Declaration of Rights , that the Congress issued. When
90-649: The American Revolutionary War started, Bradford left his business in his son's hands and, despite being middle aged, went into active military service with the Pennsylvania militia . He was made a major, and later promoted to colonel. He saw action at Trenton and Princeton , at Fort Billingsport , and at Fort Mifflin . Because the wound he received at the Battle of Princeton continued to trouble him, when British forces withdrew from Philadelphia he resigned from
108-583: The Pennsylvania Supreme Court and U. S. Attorney General. Thomas's son Samuel Fisher Bradford continued the family tradition and is noted for the American printing of Rees's Cyclopædia . The following obituary of Bradford was published in The Maryland Herald on October 11, 1791: PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 29. Died, on Sunday morning in the 73d year of his age, Mr. William Bradford, many years
126-463: The Pennsylvania militia was called out, William volunteered as a private. Later that year, the militia was organized into a " flying camp " with Daniel Roberdeau as the first brigadier general in the states forces. General Roberdeau chose the young man as an aide, and later promoted him to brigade major on his headquarters staff. When his militia term expired, he joined the Continental Army as
144-666: The death penalty . His report to the legislature was in the form of an essay, "An Inquiry how far the Punishment of Death is Necessary in Pennsylvania". In the next reorganization of Pennsylvania's penal code, the use of capital punishment was substantially reduced. Other states followed the Pennsylvania example. On January 8, 1794, George Washington named him Attorney General for the United States to replace Edmund Randolph . He died while in office as US Attorney General in 1795. He
162-521: The American revolution—Fear had no place in his breast ; nor did he ever in a single instance, betray or even disappoint the confidence which his fellow citizens placed in him—whether in the secret enterprizes of the cabinet, or in the open dangers of the field. His remains was interred on Monday afternoon in the Presbyterian grave-yard in Arch-street, attended by a large concourse of the inhabitants of
180-619: The Editor of the Pennsylvania Journal, and Colonel of a regiment of militia during the late war. He was descended from one of the first settlers in Pennsylvania; and was one of four generations of printers, who have uniformly distinguished themselves, by devoting to the Press to the preservation and extension of the liberties of our country. This venerable Patriot took an early and active part in every scene of difficulty and danger which occurred during
198-637: The aftermath of the British occupation of Philadelphia in 1777 and 1778, the London Coffee House reopened in 1783. But the 1780s were a difficult time in which to establish or revive a business in the city. In 1791, unable to weather the economic hardship, the London Coffee House was converted into a residence and general store. In 1883, the building was demolished. 39°56′58″N 75°08′32″W / 39.94945°N 75.14223°W / 39.94945; -75.14223 William Bradford (printer, born 1719) William Bradford (1719 – September 25, 1791)
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#1732848347441216-450: The city, and particularly by the early and steady friends of the revolution, who can never recollect the important events of the year 1774, 1775, and 1776, without connecting them with the name of this Patriotic Citizen. William Bradford (Attorney General) William Bradford (September 14, 1755 – August 23, 1795) was a lawyer and judge from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania , and the second United States Attorney General in 1794–1795. He
234-575: The coffee house, where they held court in their own private booths. It was named the London coffee house, the second house in Philadelphia to bear that title. The building had stood since 1702, when Charles Reed, later mayor of Philadelphia , put it up on land which he bought from Letitia Penn, daughter of William Penn . Bradford was the first to use the structure for coffee house purposes. Many real estate lots were offered over pots of coffee . Shuttered in
252-410: The militia and returned to the city. His son Thomas had continued The Pennsylvania Journal during his absence. Now they became partners, and over the years expanded their publishing house. After William's death on September 25, 1791, Thomas continued their enterprise. A second son, William (sometimes called William, Jr.), joined the Continental Army , became a lawyer and was later Chief Justice of
270-559: Was a printer, soldier, and leader during the American Revolution from Philadelphia . Bradford was born in New York City in 1719, and was the grandson of the printer William Bradford . He was apprenticed to and was later a partner of his uncle Andrew Bradford in Philadelphia . This relationship ended in 1741. He visited England that year, returning in 1742 with equipment to open his own printing firm and library. Bradford
288-586: Was at the David Havard House . He resigned after two years due to ill health and returned home in early 1779. Bradford joined the bar before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in September 1779. He was named as the state's Attorney General in 1780, and served until 1791. In 1784, he married Susan Vergereau Boudinot, the only daughter of Elias Boudinot . The following year, 1785, Bradford was elected
306-539: Was the publisher of The Pennsylvania Journal , the first issue of which appeared on December 2, 1742. In later years, each issue had the still-recognized image of the snake chopped into segments with the motto " Unite or Die ". Variations of this logo were also used by Paul Revere , Benjamin Franklin , and others. In 1754, he opened the London Coffee House in Philadelphia and began to write marine insurance . As
324-465: Was the son of the printer William Bradford and was born in Philadelphia. He began his education at the Academy of Philadelphia , then attended Princeton University , where he formed a lifelong friendship with Virginian James Madison , before graduating in 1772. When he returned to Philadelphia he read law with Edward Shippen . His progress was delayed by the American Revolutionary War . In 1776, when
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