Signers of the Declaration of Independence

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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9 Responses to Signers of the Declaration of Independence

  1. RHT447 says:

    “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

  2. Libby says:

    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.

  3. Libby says:

    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.

    • Joe says:

      “…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.

  4. Pie Guevara says:

    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.

    • Libby says:

      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.

  5. Pie Guevara says:

    Note signatory George Walton.

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