Damien Cregeau on "James Swan: Patriot Soldier, Forgotten Financier and International Man of Mystery"

Lunch & Learn Series

Damien Cregeau on \

Thursday, March 21, 2019 | 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM

Event Location:
48 Wall Street, 5th Floor*
New York City

How does one man single-handedly bail out the entire US debt to France following the American Revolution? Who is this forgotten financier who fought at Bunker Hill, and years later died in Paris after decades in debtor’s prison? How does someone the 1790s build a mansion in Boston, then another in Maine, move to France and then travel between New England and France?

Not only were Colonel James Swan and his socialite wife painted by Gilbert Stuart, so were their friends and family, and all on his wife’s account. Swan has so many amazing stories and newly-rediscovered publications that Mr. Cregeau, an independent historian who lectures widely on 18th-century American history, including twice at the grave of Alexander Hamilton, plans on publishing a second part feature on Swan and his international adventures that involved Aaron Burr, the Marquis de Lafayette and Marie Antionette.

About the Speaker
Mr. Cregeau earned his BA in History from Hillsdale College and his MA in European History from Colorado State University. He has been published nationally in seven journals, including Financial History, American Spirit, Leatherneck and The Journal of the American Revolution. He is a nationally-recognized scholar of the era of the American Revolution, including presentations from Washington, DC to Boston and Vermont. He has spoken at the FBI’s New York Office and the Fraunces Tavern Museum, as well as SUNY-Maritime College. His specialties are espionage in the American Revolution and architectural history. He last spoke at the MoAF in the summer of 2015 on early 20th-century architectural landmarks of Manhattan.

Presentation followed by Q&A. General admission $5; MoAF members, students and press FREE. 

*Please note: The Museum gallery remains closed. MoAF staff members will be on hand at the entrance to 48 Wall Street to direct attendees to the 5th floor event space.