author

Jacob Duché

1738–1798

An early American clergyman who opened the first Continental Congress with prayer, he became a strikingly complicated figure in the Revolutionary era. His life moved from public prominence in Philadelphia to controversy, exile, and a difficult return.

1 Audiobook

Discourses on Various Subjects, Vol. 1 (of 2)

Discourses on Various Subjects, Vol. 1 (of 2)

by Jacob Duché

About the author

Born in Philadelphia on January 31, 1738, Jacob Duché was an Anglican minister educated at the College of Philadelphia and later ordained in England. He became known as an eloquent preacher and served at Christ Church and St. Peter's in Philadelphia, where he rose to prominence in the years leading up to the American Revolution.

Duché is best remembered for delivering a famous prayer at the opening of the Continental Congress in 1774, a moment that gave him a lasting place in early American history. He also served briefly as chaplain to Congress in 1776. But his story took a dramatic turn during the war: after first supporting the patriot cause, he urged George Washington to seek peace with Britain, which led to fierce backlash and eventually drove him into exile in England.

He returned to Philadelphia after the war and spent his final years there, dying on January 3, 1798. His life is often remembered not just for one historic prayer, but for the way it reflects the personal and political strains of the Revolutionary period.