The Signers of The Declaration of Independence – They pledged their lives and their fortunes in order to create a new nation.
|
Name
|
State Rep.
|
Date of Birth
|
Birthplace
|
Age in 1776
|
Occupation
|
Number of Marriages
|
Number of Children
|
Date of Death
|
Age at Death
|
|
Adams, John
|
MA
|
10/30/1735
|
Quincy, MA
|
40
|
Lawyer
|
1
|
5
|
7/4/1826
|
90
|
|
Adams, Samuel
|
MA
|
9/27/1722
|
Boston, MA
|
53
|
Merchant
|
2
|
2
|
10/2/1803
|
81
|
|
Bartlett, Josiah
|
NH
|
11/21/1729
|
Amesbury,MA
|
46
|
Physician
|
1
|
12
|
5/19/1795
|
65
|
|
Braxton, Carter
|
VA
|
9/10/1736
|
Newington, VA
|
39
|
Plantation Owner
|
2
|
18
|
10/10/1797
|
61
|
|
Carroll, Charles of Carrollton
|
MD
|
9/19/1737
|
Annapolis, MD
|
38
|
Merchant, Plantation Owner
|
1
|
7
|
11/14/1832
|
95
|
|
Chase, Samuel
|
MD
|
4/17/1741
|
Somerset Co., MD
|
35
|
Lawyer
|
2
|
4
|
6/19/1811
|
70
|
|
Clark, Abraham
|
NJ
|
2/15/1726
|
Elizabethtown, NJ
|
50
|
Lawyer, Surveyer
|
1
|
10
|
9/15/1794
|
68
|
|
Clymer, George
|
PA
|
3/16/1739
|
Philadelphia, PA
|
37
|
Merchant
|
1
|
8
|
1/24/1813
|
73
|
|
Ellery, William
|
RI
|
12/22/1727
|
Newport, RI
|
48
|
Lawyer, Merchant
|
2
|
16
|
2/15/1820
|
92
|
|
Floyd, William
|
NJ
|
12/17/1734
|
Brookhaven, NY
|
41
|
Land Speculator
|
2
|
3
|
8/4/1821
|
86
|
|
Franklin, Benjamin
|
PA
|
1/17/1706
|
Boston, MA
|
70
|
Scientist, Printer
|
1
|
3
|
4/17/1790
|
84
|
|
Gerry, Elbridge
|
MA
|
7/17/1744
|
Marblehead, MA
|
32
|
Merchant
|
1
|
7
|
11/23/1814
|
70
|
|
Gwinnett, Button
|
GA
|
c. 1735
|
Gloucester, England
|
41
|
Merchant, Plantation Owner
|
1
|
3
|
5/15/1777
|
42
|
|
Hall, Lyman
|
GA
|
4/12/1724
|
Wallingford, CT
|
52
|
Physician, Minister
|
2
|
1
|
10/19/1790
|
66
|
|
Hancock, John
|
MA
|
1/12/1737
|
Quincy, MA
|
40
|
Merchant
|
1
|
2
|
10/8/1793
|
56
|
|
Harrison, Benjamin
|
VA
|
4/7/1726
|
Charles City Co., VA
|
50
|
Plantation Owner, Farmer
|
1
|
7
|
4/24/1791
|
65
|
|
Hart, John
|
NJ
|
c. 1711
|
Hunterdon Co., NJ
|
65
|
Land owner
|
1
|
13
|
5/11/1779
|
68
|
|
Hewes, Joseph
|
NC
|
1/23/1730
|
Kingston, NJ
|
46
|
Merchant
|
–
|
–
|
10/10/1779
|
49
|
|
Heyward Jr., Thomas
|
SC
|
7/28/1746
|
St. Helena Parish, SC
|
30
|
Lawyer, Plantation Owner
|
2
|
8
|
3/6/1809
|
62
|
|
Hooper, William
|
NC
|
6/17/1742
|
Boston, MA
|
34
|
Lawyer
|
1
|
3
|
10/14/1790
|
48
|
|
Hopkins, Stephen
|
RI
|
3/7/1707
|
Providence, RI
|
69
|
Merchant
|
2
|
7
|
4/13/1785
|
78
|
|
Hopkinson, Francis
|
NJ
|
10/2/1737
|
Philadelphia, PA
|
38
|
Lawyer, Musician
|
1
|
5
|
5/9/1791
|
53
|
|
Huntington, Samuel
|
CT
|
7/3/1731
|
Windham, CT
|
45
|
Lawyer
|
1
|
2
|
1/5/1796
|
64
|
|
Jefferson, Thomas
|
VA
|
4/13/1743
|
Albemarle Co., VA
|
33
|
Lawyer, Plantation Owner, Scientist
|
1
|
6
|
7/4/1826
|
83
|
|
Lee, Francis Lightfoot
|
VA
|
10/14/1734
|
Mt. Pleasant, VA
|
41
|
Plantation Owner
|
1
|
0
|
c. 1724
|
Ridley Township, PA
|
50
|
|
1
|
3
|
9/14/1788
|
48
|
|
Read, George
|
DE
|
9/18/1733
|
Northeast MD
|
42
|
Lawyer
|
1
|
5
|
9/21/1798
|
65
|
|
Rodney, Caesar
|
DE
|
10/7/1728
|
Dover, DE
|
47
|
Plantation Owner, Military Officer
|
0
|
0
|
6/29/1784
|
55
|
|
Ross, George
|
PA
|
5/10/1730
|
New Castle, DE
|
46
|
Lawyer
|
1
|
3
|
7/14/1779
|
49
|
|
Rush, Benjamin Dr.
|
PA
|
1/4/1746
|
Philadelphia, PA
|
30
|
Physician
|
1
|
13
|
4/19/1813
|
67
|
|
Rutledge, Edward
|
SC
|
11/23/1749
|
Christ Church Parish, SC
|
26
|
Lawyer, Plantation Owner
|
2
|
3
|
1/23/1800
|
50
|
|
Sherman, Roger
|
CT
|
4/19/1721
|
Newton, MA
|
55
|
Lawyer
|
2
|
15
|
7/23/1793
|
72
|
|
Smith, James
|
PA
|
c. 1719
|
Northern Ireland
|
57
|
Lawyer
|
1
|
5
|
7/11/1806
|
87
|
|
Stockton, Richard
|
NJ
|
10/1/1730
|
Princeton, NJ
|
45
|
Lawyer
|
1
|
6
|
2/28/1781
|
50
|
|
Stone, Thomas
|
MD
|
c. 1743
|
Charles Co., MD
|
33
|
Lawyer
|
1
|
3
|
10/5/1787
|
44
|
|
Taylor, George
|
PA
|
c. 1716
|
Ireland
|
60
|
Merchant
|
1
|
2
|
2/23/1781
|
65
|
|
Thornton, Matthew
|
NH
|
c. 1714
|
Ireland
|
62
|
Physician
|
1
|
5
|
6/24/1803
|
89
|
|
Walton, George
|
GA
|
c. 1741
|
Cumberland Co., VA
|
35
|
Lawyer
|
1
|
2
|
2/2/1804
|
63
|
|
Whipple, William
|
NH
|
1/14/1730
|
Kittery, ME
|
46
|
Merchant
|
1
|
0
|
11/28/1785
|
55
|
|
Williams, William
|
CT
|
4/18/1731
|
Lebannon, CT
|
45
|
Merchant
|
1
|
3
|
8/2/1811
|
80
|
|
Wilson, James
|
PA
|
9/14/1742
|
Carskerdo, Scotland
|
33
|
Lawyer
|
2
|
7
|
8/21/1798
|
55
|
|
Witherspoon, John
|
NJ
|
2/5/1723
|
Gifford, Scotland
|
53
|
Minister
|
2
|
12
|
11/15/1794
|
71
|
|
Wolcott, Oliver
|
CT
|
11/20/1726
|
Windsor, CT
|
49
|
Lawyer
|
1
|
4
|
12/1/1797
|
71
|
|
Wythe, George
|
VA
|
c. 1726
|
Elizabeth City Co., VA
|
50
|
Lawyer
|
2
|
1
|
6/8/1806
|
80
|
The Declaration of Independence wasn’t signed on July 4, 1776 – On July 1, 1776, the Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia, and on the following day 12 of the 13 colonies voted in favor of Richard Henry Lee’s motion for independence. The delegates then spent the next two days debating and revising the language of a statement drafted by Thomas Jefferson. On July 4, Congress officially adopted the Declaration of Independence, and as a result the date is celebrated as Independence Day.
Nearly a month would go by, however, before the actual signing of the document took place. First, New York’s delegates didn’t officially give their support until July 9 because their home assembly hadn’t yet authorized them to vote in favor of independence. Next, it took two weeks for the Declaration to be “engrossed”—written on parchment in a clear hand. Most of the delegates signed on August 2, but several—Elbridge Gerry, Oliver Wolcott, Lewis Morris, Thomas McKean and Matthew Thornton—signed on a later date. (Two others, John Dickinson and Robert R. Livingston, never signed at all.) The signed parchment copy now resides at the National Archives in the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom, alongside the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
The founders believed the Declaration of Independence would be just a footnote in history, the most memorable document would be Richard Lee’s resolution and motion to form a new nation. Lee was asked to write the declaration, but he was already busy lobbying his resolution, so he deferred this task to his friend Thomas Jefferson.
Lee’s resolution was just three short lines, but it set in motion a series of events that would change the course of world history:
“Resolved, That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.
That it is expedient forthwith to take the most effectual measures for forming foreign Alliances.
That a plan of confederation be prepared and transmitted to the respective Colonies for their consideration and approbation.”
~Enjoy your 4th of July~
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“And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.”
http://www.constitution.org/bio/fate_of_signers.htm
Branco does it again! https://flagandcross.com/winning-again1/
Basking in our ancestry, are we? I think Richard may be revolving in his grave.
Just a little commentary:
“He [Our Dear Leader] has delivered State of the Union speeches without describing Democrats in the House chamber as treasonous, or the media in the press sections as enemies of the people.
“What remains unsettling, however, is the thoroughly reasonable conviction that when the president delivers such homilies, he has no real connection to those words. At any moment, it’s plausible to expect that the id will drive the superego from the podium, and the explosion of grievance, self-pity and rage will erupt—dominating a day that has in recent times been free of political division.
“To be fair, however, that would not be the worst result of a presidential Fourth. Back in 1845, President James Polk presided over a fireworks display at the White House. During the festivities, 12 rockets were accidentally fired into the crowd, and two people were killed. If the worst thing that happens tomorrow is just a speech, we can be thankful for small favors.”
I’m looking forward to gloating over the paltry turnout. The child of a friend of my sister’s is doing an internship in DC. On the streets, on the transit … glumness abides. She says the whole town is just miserable. If you’re not humiliated by the politics, you’re disgusted with the corruption and incompetence. So unless The Donald has spent tax dollars to import a couple hundred thousand from the hinterlands … it’s looking to be a very expensive squib.
And then you can depress yourself thinking about these founders’ posterity. My Granny used to work for a descendant of Benjamin Rush, who maintains his old money by cultivating tax breaks, that’s it … not carrots, not cauliflower … tax breaks.
I’m telling ya … a political class with any sense would keep it’s snout out of our Holiday.
“…who maintains his old money by cultivating tax breaks, that’s it … not carrots, not cauliflower … tax breaks.”
Well then, I’m sure you will agree that when it comes time to pay reparations you should pay double.
Lippy, did you have a nice gloat? 😀 The rest of us had a wonderful time listening to the President’s salute to the US military. It was inspiring and well deserved. No doubt you were spewing venom at someone somewhere.
Hmmm, the “political class” should keep their “snouts” out of “our” holiday??? You come up with some pretty damn stupid comments Lippy and that is no less stupid than most. Just in case you didn’t realize it, politicians are also citizens and it is their holiday too. (Well, at least for now, your “class” are working on that no doubt.)
Independence Day certainly isn’t your holiday, Lippy. May Day (as celebrated by Communists) is more your speed.
Ah, to be so comfortably credulous. Pie, the “suspension of disbelief” … this you are supposed to use during movie watching, not during speeches by your President. The man didn’t even understand what he was reading.
Note signatory George Walton.
Bask on, sir.