Menu
  • Abous us
  • Search database
  • Resources
  • Donate
  • Faq

Deane Silas

Name:
Silas  Deane
Rank:
Diplomat
Serial Number:
Unit:
Date of Death:
1789-09-23
State:
Cemetery:
St Leonard Churchyard, Deal, Dover District, Kent, England
Plot:
Row:
Grave:
Decoration:
Comments:

Silas Deane was born on December 24, 1737, in Groton, New London County, Connecticut. He married Elizabeth Saltonstall Deane after the death of his first wife. He obtained a full scholarship to Yale and graduated in 1758. In April 1759, he began tutoring Edward Bancroft. By 1761, he was admitted to the bar and practiced law briefly before relocating to Wethersfield, where he built a successful merchant business.

Silas served as a delegate to the Continental Congress and became the first U.S. diplomat to France. In Paris, he secured French aid and negotiated the 1778 Treaty of Alliance, which allied France with the U.S. during the war. Deane also recruited notable figures like Marquis de Lafayette and Baron von Steuben.

Later, Deane faced accusations of financial misconduct and treason, fueled by intercepted letters suggesting the American cause was hopeless. Unable to defend himself effectively due to missing records, he struggled financially and moved to Europe, where he lived in poverty. In 1789, Deane planned to return to North America in an attempt to recoup his lost fortune and reputation. After boarding the ship Boston Packet, he became ill and died on September 23 while the ship was awaiting repairs after turning back following damage from fierce winds. Deane's contributions were later recognized, and his family received compensation in 1841. His legacy endures through landmarks like the Silas Deane House in Connecticut, now a National Historic Landmark.

Source of information: en.wikipedia.org