Wentworth Cheswell, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death

Wentworth Cheswell

American politician

Date of Birth: 11-Apr-1746

Place of Birth: Newmarket, New Hampshire, United States

Date of Death: 08-Mar-1817

Profession: public office, assessor, soldier

Nationality: United States

Zodiac Sign: Aries

Wentworth Cheswell (11 April 1746 – 8 March 1817) was an American assessor, auditor, Justice of the Peace, teacher and Revolutionary War veteran in Newmarket, New Hampshire.
He was of mixed race (one-quarter African and three-quarters European) and was listed in the census as white.
Elected as town constable in 1768, he was elected to other positions, serving in local government every year but one until his death. Cheswell is considered by George Mason University to be the first African American elected to public office in the history of the United States.
Around the time of his marriage, Wentworth purchased a plot of land from his father Hopestill.
His grandfather Richard is believed to be the first African American in New Hampshire to own land.
A deed shows that Richard purchased 20 acres (8.1 ha) from the Hilton grant in 1717.
In 1801, Wentworth was among the founders of the first library in the town and provided in his will for public access to his personal library.