Salvador, Francis

Prominent patriot in the American Revolution; a member of the Salvador family of London, the name of which was originally Jessurum Rodriguez; died Aug. 1, 1776. Francis was the son of Jacob Salvador, and nephew of Joseph Jessurum Rodriguez, known as Joseph Salvador, who had been president of the Portuguese Jewish congregation in London. When about two years of age young Salvador lost his father. He inherited immense wealth, which was subsequently increased by the dowry he received on his marriage with the daughter of the above-mentioned Joseph Salvador. He had been educated suitably to his station in life, and had also enjoyed the advantages of extensive travel. The wealth of the Salvador family was, however, swept away by great losses sustained in connection with the earthquake at Lisbon, and more particularly by the failure of the Dutch East India Company.

As a result of these misfortunes Salvador emigrated to South Carolina in America about the end of the year 1773, leaving his wife and four children in England. Despite his heavy losses, he seems to have brought some wealth with him; for in 1774, within a year of his arrival, he purchased considerable lands in the colony.

During the Revolutionary War.

The differences between England and the colonies were then approaching a crisis, and Salvador at once entered heart and soul into the American cause, soon becoming the intimate friend in the South of the leaders of the Revolution, particularly of Pinckney, Rutledge, Drayton, Laurens, and Hammond.

Salvador was elected a member of the first Provincial Congress of South Carolina, which met at Charleston Jan. 11, 1775, and he served therein for the Ninety-sixth District. He was an active member of that distinguished body, and rendered valuable assistance also in connection with the efforts made by the patriots to induce the Tories to join the American cause. Salvador was likewise a member of the second Provincial Congress, held in Charleston in Nov., 1775, serving on several important committees. The members of the Provincial Congress acted in a similar capacity in the General Assembly of South Carolina; and as a member of the latter body his name is frequently associated with those of Middleton, De Saussure, Horry, and Raply.

His Death.

Early in 1776 the British had induced the Indians to attack the South Carolina frontier to create a diversion in favor of British operations on the sea-coast; and on July 1, 1776, the Indians began a general massacre. Salvador mounted his horse and galloped to Major Williamson, twenty-eight miles away, and gave the alarm. Accompanying Williamson on his expedition against the Indians, Salvador took part in the engagements which followed. In this expedition he lost his life. On the morning of Aug. 1, 1776, the Tories and Indians opened fire near Esseneka and Salvador was shot. Falling among the bushes, he was discovered by the Indians and scalped.

The correspondence of the leading men of the South shows their intimate relations with Salvador.

Bibliography:

  * Leon Hühner, Francis Salvador, a Prominent Patriot of the Revolutionary War;
  * idem, in Publ. Am. Jew. Hist. Soc. ix.;
  * John Drayton, Memoirs of the American Revolution, ii. 340-341, 346-348, 350, 362-365, 370, 399, 403, Charleston, 1821;
  * James Picciotto, Sketches of Anglo-Jewish History, pp. 93, 116, 117, 161-162, 163, 167, London, 1875;
  * Peter Force, American Archives, 4th series, i. 1110, 1114; iv. 27, 39, 55; v. 564 et passim; 5th series, i. 489, 749, 780, Washington, 1837-48;
  * John A. Chapman, History of Edgefield County, p. 150, Newberry, S. C., 1897;
  * Robert Wilson Gibbes, Documentary, History of the American Revolution, 1764-1776, p. 232; 1776-1782, pp. 22, 24, 28, 29, New York, 1855-1857;
  * William Moultrie, Memoirs of the American Revolution, i. 16, 18, 44, New York, 1802.



A. L. Hü.