Willing, Thomas, 1731–1821, American merchant and financier, b. Philadelphia. He studied law in London. Returning to Philadelphia in 1749, he entered his father's business and later established with Robert Morris (1734–1806) a prominent importing and exporting firm in Philadelphia. He was elected mayor of Philadelphia in 1763 and was (1767–77) a justice of the Pennsylvania court. As a member (1775–76) of the Continental Congress, he voted against the Declaration of Independence. In 1780, Willing was active in raising money for the Continental army. He was one of the founders of the Bank of North America and its first president (1781–1792). He was also (1791–1811) first president of the Bank of the United States.
See B. A. Konkle, Thomas Willing and the First American Financial System (1937).
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