John Lewis Gervais (1741–1798) was an

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

planter and statesman from

South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

. He served as a delegate to the

Continental Congress The Continental Congress was a series of legislative bodies, with some executive function, for thirteen of Britain's colonies in North America, and the newly declared United States just before, during, and after the American Revolutionary War. ...

in 1782 and 1783.

Life and career

John was born in

Hanover Hanover (; german: Hannover ; nds, Hannober) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Lower Saxony. Its 535,932 (2021) inhabitants make it the 13th-largest city in Germany as well as the fourth-largest city in Northern Germany ...

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where his parents were French

Huguenot The Huguenots ( , also , ) were a religious group of French Protestants who held to the Reformed, or Calvinist, tradition of Protestantism. The term, which may be derived from the name of a Swiss political leader, the Genevan burgomaster Be ...

refugees in 1741. He emigrated to South Carolina, arriving in

Charleston Charleston most commonly refers to: * Charleston, South Carolina * Charleston, West Virginia, the state capital * Charleston (dance) Charleston may also refer to: Places Australia * Charleston, South Australia Canada * Charleston, Newfoundlan ...

in 1764. He started in the mercantile business, but soon expanded his interests to include a plantation. Gervais first served in the revolutionary Provincial Congress in 1775. He was a member of the state's ''Committee of Safety'' from 1775 to 1781. Under the new state government, he was elected to South Carolina's Senate in 1781 and 1782. The legislature sent him as a delegate to the Continental Congress in

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

in 1782 and 1783. On 10 September 1782, he voted for a motion that the secretary for foreign affairs be directed to obtain returns of slaves and property carried off by the enemy during the war, such information to be used in negotiating a peace. In April 1783, he was a member of a committee to which were referred letters from U.S. representatives abroad, and on 15 April of that year favored instructing the commander-in-chief to arrange with the commander of the British forces for receiving possession of the posts in the United States that were occupied by British troops. He came home in 1784, and was returned to the State Senate. In 1786, Senator Gervais led the efforts in the legislature to establish a new state capital. The result was the founding of

Columbia, South Carolina Columbia is the capital of the U.S. state of South Carolina. With a population of 136,632 at the 2020 census, it is the second-largest city in South Carolina. The city serves as the county seat of Richland County, and a portion of the city ...

. He died in Charleston on 18 August 1798 and is buried in St. Phillip's Churchyard there.

References

Gervais’ biographic note at US Congress website
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Gervais, John Lewis 1741 births 1798 deaths Emigrants from the Kingdom of Hanover to the United States Huguenot participants in the American Revolution Continental Congressmen from South Carolina 18th-century American politicians American planters