American Minute with Bill Federer

 February 28

 His grandson, Robert, was the U.S. Navy Commodore who helped freed
 slaves found Liberia, West Africa, and in 1846, captured California,
 resulting in the city of Stockton being named for him.

 His brother-in-law, Elias Boudinot, was a Continental Congress
 President and founder of the American Bible Society.

 His daughter married Declaration signer Benjamin Rush.

 His name was Richard Stockton.

 After Richard Stockton signed the Declaration of Independence, the
 British invaded New Jersey, forcing him to move his family for safety.


 Richard was betrayed, dragged from his bed at night and imprisoned in
 New York.

 His farm was pillaged and his library, one of the best in the
 country, was burned.

 With his health broken from over a year in the British prison,
 Richard Stockton died bankrupt at age 51 on FEBRUARY 28, 1781.

 New Jersey placed statue of him in the U.S. Capitol Statuary Hall.

 Richard Stockton wrote in his Will:

 "As my children...may be peculiarly impressed with the last words of
 their father, I think proper here, not only to subscribe to the entire
 belief of the great leading doctrine of the Christian religion...but
 also in the heart of a father's affection, to exhort them to remember
 'that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.'"