Im writing a historical fiction novel and my character is an immortal alchemist. Im working him into history by having him assume the identity of many real-life mysterious figures. For the last 400 years he has been between England and America and i want to work him into a character that had an influence or at least met the American founding fathers. I was looking into Ben Franklin and the Hellfire clubs when i saw something about a person known only as "the Professor" who was present during the signing of the Declaration of the independence, I've also read into the idea that many believe that this was the Comte de Saint Germain who i know from previous research was not only a freemason but also a man who was extremely mysterious and also known as an Alchemist, can someone shed some light on this and if I'm totally wrong could you possibly inform me of another associate of the founding fathers who is mysterious enough to have my character assume his identity for a couple of decades (doesn't need a connection to alchemy, just any random dude that i can incorporate)?
I'm not convinced this "Professor" character actually existed, if I'm right in who you're referring to. In chapter 15 of Manly P. Hall's The Secret Destiny of America he recounts the tale (sourcing from a book called Our Flag, or The Evolution of the Stars and Stripes by Robert Allen Campbell) of a mysterious stranger known only as "the Professor" whom he credits with suggesting the design of the colonial flag to Washington, Franklin, and others at a dinner. Here's a passage from the chapter that describes the Professor:
Nothing is known about the mysterious old man except that he was referred to as the "Professor"; his name is not preserved. He was beyond seventy years of age but apparently in the prime of his life. He ate no flesh, fish, nor fowl, or any green things, and drank no liquor, wine, or ale. His diet consisted of cereals, well ripened fruit, nuts, tea, and such sweets as honey and molasses. He was well educated, highly cultured, of extensive as well as varied information, and very studious. He spent most of his time pondering over rare books and ancient manuscripts, which he seemed to be deciphering, translating, or rewriting. These he kept carefully locked up in a heavy iron-bound chest and never showed them to any person.
He was liberal but in no ways lavish with his money, but was well supplied with all that he needed. The Professor was a staunch advocate of democracy and his favorite statement was, "We demand no more than our just due; we will accept and be satisfied with nothing less than we demand."
As for this character being present at the signing of the Declaration, that comes, again, from Manly P. Hall's book, this time in chapter 17. Basically, this chapter gives an account of a supposed mysterious speaker who gives a rousing speech that inspires the delegates to sign the Declaration and then promptly vanishes. Hall says of his source for this story that "the incident is preserved only in a rare old book, the very existence of which it is difficult to prove.
There doesn't seem, to me, any compelling reason to accept these stories as true. Manly P. Hall, while certainly a brilliant and interesting man, was a ultimately a mystic. The Secret Destiny of America, along with a related work by Hall, America's Assignment with Destiny, are less concerned with providing accurate historical information than with creating an esoteric mythos for the founding of America, connecting it with everything from ancient secret societies to the prophecies of Nostradomus. Fun material for occultists and conspiracy theorists, but certainly not historically accurate.
can confirm, am very mysterious. you have my permission to use me as a character.
Here's the History of Alchemy episode on the Count of St. Germain. http://historyofalchemy.com/podcast/episode-52-count-of-st-germain/
The navigation pane on the right has the alchemists in chronological order... so that should be a help with putting him in the right time relative to other alchemists. Arnold of Villanova was also reputed as having lived for centuries, and was earlier... so they could be the same people in your story.