Samuel Nicholson

Samuel Nicholson (1743 – December 28, 1811) was an officer in the Continental Navy during the American Revolutionary War and later in the United States Navy.

The son of Joseph and Hannah Scott Nicholson, Samuel Nicholson was born in Chestertown, Maryland. He married Mary Dowse, the sister of Edward Dowse, on February 9, 1780, and had "a large family of children." They lived in Dedham, Massachusetts, and at least three of their daughters were baptized in the Episcopal Church there.

Nicholson was a captain in the Continental Navy. He served as a Lieutenant on the USS Bonhomme Richard under John Paul Jones who at the time was commander of the Deane, which was used to capture three British sloops-of-war. Nicholson also commanded the Dolphin in 1776.

By the time the American Revolution was finally won there were few ships to speak of in the young American Navy. The navy, like the army, was largely disbanded, with many naval vessels being sold or turned into merchantman vessels. Now that America had won its independence it no longer had the protection of the British navy and had to defend its own interests abroad. The idea of an American Navy was the subject of much debate between the Federalists who favored a strong navy and the anti-federalists who felt the money required for a navy would be better spent elsewhere. However the repeated threats from France and the Barbary states of North Africa had given cause to now consider resorting to more forceful measures to procure the security of American shipping interests.

The USS Constitution was one of six frigates authorized by act of Congress which was approved on March 27, 1794. Nicholson was commissioned as one of the first six captains in the reborn United States Navy on June 10, 1794.

The vessel was designed by Joshua Humphreys, and built at Hartt's Shipyard, Boston, Massachusetts, under the supervision of master shipwright George Claghorn. Nicholson was the naval inspector who also oversaw her construction.

...
Wikipedia