John Haring

Who was John Haring?

John Haring was an American lawyer from New York City. He was a delegate for New York to the Continental Congress.

John was born to a large Dutch family at Tappan, New York which was then part of Orange County. He was the fourth of eight children. His parents were Colonel Abraham and Martyntje Haring, and he was christened "Jan" at the Dutch Reformed Church of Tappan. He remained a member of that church throughout his life. Haring attended school and read law in New York City and was admitted to the bar. He practiced both in the city and in Orange County. He married a cousin, Maria Haring on October 3, 1773. The couple would have eight children: Maria, Samuel, Elbert, Martyntje, Elisabeth, Margaret, John, and Nicholas.

John took his place in a family that was locally prominent. He served as a county judge. As the revolution neared he became a member, and then head of Orange County’s Committee of Correspondence. In 1774, the county established their own form of self-government, by adopting the Orangetown Resolutions, which had been drafted by John and his brother Peter. One point in these resolutions was a non-importation agreement which embargoed British goods.