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Who was the first person born a citizen of the United States, and when did he or she die?

Question #59688. Asked by Arpeggionist.
Last updated Jun 13 2021.

Related Trivia Topics: USA  
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McGruff
Answer has 8 votes
McGruff
24 year member
3694 replies avatar

Answer has 8 votes.
Even if you were to find the first child born to colonists, one might argue the citizenship of Native Americans. Then there's the question of whether or not slaves would be considered citizens or property, and do such records even exist? Very often the only record of births at this time was an entry in the family Bible. News didn't travel very fast, and I sort of doubt that upon hearing they were now United States citizens, a recent mother and father would rush to the nearest seat of government claiming their child was the first US citizen.

Oct 02 2005, 4:46 AM
Arpeggionist
Answer has 7 votes
Arpeggionist
20 year member
2173 replies

Answer has 7 votes.
Okay. There would still, I'm sure, somewhere in someone's family bible, be a record of a child born on July 4th or 5th, 1776. Town halls or churches across the colonies would have records of the dates on which children were baptized, so any of those baptized after the 10th of July that year would have been a likely candidate. The Native Americans were not granted citizenship at all during the Union's early history. But it is possible that a slave owner did make some note of his maid giving birth or someone in his home. While there may not be a name for the very first child born on American soil, there is an earliest record of birth. That's what I'm looking for.

Oct 02 2005, 6:01 AM
glady2
Answer has 24 votes
glady2

Answer has 24 votes.
Perhaps the first person born a natural US citizen was Ethan Allen Brown. He was born on July 4, 1776 in Darien, CT.

He served on the Ohio Supreme Court (1810), was elected as Ohio State Governor (1818) and US Senator (1822). He died February 24, 1852, in Indianapolis, IN.

Reference: link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethan_Allen_Brown.

Jul 09 2012, 8:27 AM
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gtho4 star
Answer has 25 votes
Currently Best Answer
gtho4 star
Moderator
24 year member
2377 replies avatar

Answer has 25 votes.

Currently voted the best answer.
Also born on July 4th 1776:

Jacob Davis - born July 4, 1776
Lancaster Co. Pa.
(Parents) Owen Davies and Anna Mary Weber

link http://www.argenweb.net/vanburen/family/davis-felix-g.htm

Philippa Cropley, wife of the late Richard Cropley. She was born July 4, 1776.
(National Intelligencer, June 3, 1861)

link http://gloverparkhistory.com/estates-and-farms/normanstone/robert-barnard/

AMERICA3 MIDYETT (CHARLES2, MARICAY1) was born July 4, 1776 in Hyde, C.o. N.C., and died 1849 in Hyde, C.o. N.C.. He married HETTY MIDYETT Abt 1800 in Hyde, C.o. N.C.. She was born Abt 1782 in Hyde, C.o. N.C., and died Aft. 1880 in Hyde, C.o. N.C..
Notes for AMERICA MIDYETT: America Midyett was born on the 4 of July 1776, the same day that this country declared it's independance from England.

link http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/s/m/i/Bill-Smith-NC/BOOK-0001/0008-0003.html


Response last updated by gtho4 on Jun 13 2021.
Aug 13 2012, 10:57 PM
MR-Q
Answer has 6 votes
MR-Q

Answer has 6 votes.
Point of Order:

First, to be a citizen of a country, that country has to exist. On July 4, 1776, thirteen British colonies declared their independence from the British Empire. Although they did this as a single act among them, such action only severed ties. The action did not create a unified country but thirteen independent states. subsequent agreements provided for a unified army, but did not create a country.

The United States, in its current form, did not come into existence until its constitution was ratified (June 21, 1788). However, it could be argued that the U.S. was created by the earlier Articles of Confederation (March 1, 1781). The Constitution has no retroactive definition of citizenship - merely recognizing the citizens of the member states (the former colonies) as its citizens. The Articles more closely represent a treaty between states than a unified governing state.

Therefore, I question the claim of the date of July 4, 1776 as being a birthday for a person being BORN a U.S. citizen (as opposed to becoming a citizen later in life when a document forming government was ratified). Perhaps June 21, 1788 is the proper LEGAL date?

I shall agree that July 4, 1776 is the first date where a person born in the colonies may not be born a British subject. Persons born between 1776 and 1788 are more likely citizens of their respective colony-states than that of a unified government.

The OP suggested that citizenship of the independent colonies may have started with the treaty which ended the conflict and led to recognition of the colonies of independent states (the Treaty of Paris). Again, that's not an event that creates a unified government out of the colony-states.

My take on this is that persons born prior to July 4, 1776 were born British. Persons born between 1776 and 1788 are citizens of their respective colonies. Only persons born [on or] after June 21, 1788 were born U.S. citizens (and also citizens of their respective states).

NB: Having two levels of citizenship (member state and national) is not unheard of. Switzerland has a three level system (federal, cantonal, and village).

Jan 14 2017, 4:18 PM
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