User:Paine Ellsworth/George Claghorn

George Claghorn

George Claghorn (July 17, 1748 [O.S. July 6, 1748]^{[Note 1]}^{[Note 2]} – February 3, 1824), was an American patriot who served in the War of the American Revolution.^[1] After the war, he was awarded the rank of colonel in his Massachusetts regiment. Claghorn was the builder of the USS Constitution, "Old Ironsides", in 1794 – 1797, the oldest US Navy vessel that is still commissioned and operational.^{[Note 3]}^[1]

Early life[edit]

^ Contemporary records, which used the Julian calendar and the Annunciation Style of enumerating years, recorded his birth as July 6, 1748. The provisions of the British Calendar (New Style) Act 1750, implemented in 1752, altered the official British dating method to the Gregorian calendar with the start of the year on January 1 (it had been March 25). These changes resulted in dates being moved forward 11 days, and for those between January 1 and March 25, an advance of one year. For a further explanation, see: Old Style and New Style dates.
^ Engber, Daniel (January 18, 2006). "What's Benjamin Franklin's Birthday?". Slate. Retrieved May 21, 2011. (Both Franklin's and Claghorn's confusing birth dates are clearly explained.)
^ HMS Victory is the oldest commissioned vessel by three decades; however, Victory has been in dry dock since 1922.^[2]

^ ^a ^b Wheeler, O. Keith (30 January 2002). "Individual Summary for COL. GEORGE CLAGHORN". Retrieved 2012-10-10.
^ "HMS Victory Service Life". HMS Victory website. Archived from the original on 28 August 2012.