Benjamin Tupper
A steadfast Continental Army officer who helped secure the American frontier as a co-founder of the first Ohio settlement.
1738–1792 (age 54)·American soldier and pioneer·Birthday: March 11
Biography
Benjamin Tupper's life was one of continuous service, from the battlefields of the Revolution to the wilderness of the Ohio Country. A Massachusetts native, he saw early action in the French and Indian War before becoming a dedicated officer in Washington's Continental Army, serving through pivotal conflicts like Saratoga and enduring the brutal winter at Valley Forge. After the war, he returned to Massachusetts, where he served in the state legislature and helped suppress Shays' Rebellion. But his most enduring legacy began in 1786 when he co-founded the Ohio Company of Associates. In 1788, he was among the first pioneers to establish Marietta, the inaugural permanent American settlement in the Northwest Territory, trading his sword for an axe to help build a new nation's first western foothold.
#1 When Benjamin Was Born
The biggest hits of 1738
Benjamin's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1738Born
1743Started school
1751Became a teenager
1754Could drive
1756Could vote
1759Turned 21
1768Turned 30
1778Turned 40
1788Turned 50
1792Died at 54
Key Achievements
- Co-founded the Ohio Company of Associates, which secured rights to settle lands in the Ohio Country.
- Was a key pioneer in establishing Marietta, Ohio, the first permanent U.S. settlement in the Northwest Territory.
- Served as an officer in the Continental Army throughout the American Revolutionary War, achieving the rank of brevet brigadier general.
- Served as a Massachusetts legislator and aided in suppressing Shays' Rebellion in 1787.
Did You Know?
He kept a detailed diary during the Revolutionary War that provides a valuable account of military life.
His son, Major Anselm Tupper, was also an early Ohio pioneer and soldier.
He was originally a surveyor by trade.
Fort Frye, an early defensive stockade in Ohio, was named for his co-pioneer, but Tupper helped build it.
“I have surveyed the Ohio lands for our veterans' rightful bounty.”
