Getting to know signers of famous document

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Editor’s note: This is part three of a three-part series on the Declaration of Independence. This week’s column highlights the signers of the final text of the Declaration of Independence as adopted on July 4, 1776.

Signatures on the Declaration of Independence: John Hancock, President; (New Hampshire): Josian Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton; (Massachusetts-Bay): Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry; (Rhode Island): Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery; (Connecticut): Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott; (Georgia): Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton; (Maryland): Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton; (Virginia): George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton; (New York): William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris; (Pennsylvania): Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross; (Delaware): Caesar Rodney. George Read, Thomas McKean; (North Carolina): William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn; (South Carolina): Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward Jr., Thomas Lynch Jr., Arthur Middleton; (New Jersey): Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkins, John Hart, Abraham Clark

Basic information on signers of the Declaration of Independence is: Name; State Representation; Date of Birth; Birthplace; Age in 1776; Occupation; Number of Marriages; Number of Children; Date of Death; Age at Death. They are listed in alphabetical sequence.

• John Adams; Massachusetts; 10/30/1735; Quincy, Massachusetts; 40; Lawyer; 1; 5; 7/4/1826; 90.

• Samuel Adams; Massachusetts; 9/27/1722; Boston, Massachusetts; 53; Merchant; 2; 2; 10/2/1803; 81.

• Josiah Bartlett; New Hampshire; 11/21/1729; Amesbury, Massachusetts; 46; Physician; 1; 12; 5/19/1795; 65.

• Carter Braxton; Virginia; 9/10/1736; Newington, Virginia; 39; Plantation Owner; 2; 18; 10/10/1797; 61.

• Charles Carroll of Carrollton; Maryland; 9/19/1737; Annapolis, Maryland; 38; Merchant, Plantation Owner; 1; 7; 11/14/1832; 95.

• Samuel Chase; Maryland; 4/17/1741; Somerset County, Maryland; 35; Lawyer; 2; 4; 6/19/1811; 70.

• Abraham Clark; New Jersey; 2/15/1726; Elizabethtown, New Jersey; 50; Lawyer, Surveyor; 1; 10; 9/15/1794; 68.

• George Clymer; Pennsylvania; 3/16/1739; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; 37; Merchant; 1; 8; 1/24/1813; 73.

• William Ellery; Rhode Island; 12/22/1727; Newport, Rhode Island; 48; Lawyer, Merchant; 2; 16; 2/15/1820; 92.

• William Floyd; New York; 12/17/1734; Brookhaven, New York; 41; Land Speculator; 2; 3; 8/4/1821; 86.

• Benjamin Franklin; Pennsylvania; 1/17/1706; Boston, Massachusetts; 70; Scientist, Printer; 1; 3; 4/17/1790; 84.

• Elbridge Gerry; Massachusetts; 7/17/1744; Marblehead, Massachusetts; 32; Merchant; 1; 7; 11/23/1814; 70.

• Button Gwinnett; Georgia; c. 1735; Gloucester, England; 41; Merchant, Plantation Owner; 1; 3; 5/15/1777; 42.

• Lyman Hall; Georgia; 4/12/1724; Wallingford, Connecticut; 52; Physician, Minister; 2; 1; 10/19/1790; 66.

• John Hancock; Massachusetts; 1/12/1737; Quincy, Massachusetts; 40; Merchant; 1; 2; 10/8/1793; 56.

• Benjamin Harrison; Virginia; 4/7/1726; Charles City County, Virginia; 50; Plantation Owner, Farmer; 1; 7; 4/24/1791; 65.

• John Hart; New Jersey; c. 1711; Hunterdon County, New Jersey; 65; Land owner; 1; 13; 5/11/1779; 68.

• Joseph Hewes; North Carolina; 1/23/1730; Kingston, New Jersey; 4; Merchant; 0; 0; 10/10/1779; 49.

• Thomas Heyward Jr.; South Carolina; 7/28/1746; St. Helena Parish, South Carolina; 30; Lawyer, Plantation Owner; 2; 8; 3/6/1809; 62.

• William Hooper; North Carolina; 6/17/1742; Boston, Massachusetts; 34; Lawyer; 1; 3; 10/14/1790; 48.

• Stephen Hopkins; Rhode Island; 3/7/1707; Providence, Rhode Island; 69; Merchant; 2; 7; 4/13/1785; 78.

• Francis Hopkinson; New Jersey; 10/2/1737; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; 38; Lawyer, Musician; 1; 5; 5/9/1791; 53.

• Samuel Huntington; Connecticut; 7/3/1731; Windham, Connecticut; 45; Lawyer; 1; 2; 1/5/1796; 64.

• Thomas Jefferson; Virginia; 4/13/1743; Albemarle County, Virginia; 33; Lawyer, Plantation Owner, Scientist; 1; 6; 7/4/1826; 83.

• Francis Lightfoot Lee; Virginia; 10/14/1734; Mt. Pleasant, Virginia; 41; Plantation Owner; 1; 0; 1/11/1797; 62.

• Richard Henry Lee; Virginia; 1/20/1732; Stratford, Virginia; 44; Plantation Owner, Merchant; 2; 6; 6/19/1794; 62.

• Francis Lewis; New York; 3/21/1713; Llandaff, Wales; 63; Merchant; 1; 7; 12/30/1802; 89.

• Philip Livingston; New York; 1/15/1716; Albany, New York; 60; Merchant; 1; 9; 6/12/1778; 62.

• Thomas Lynch Jr.; South Carolina; 8/5/1749 Prince George’s Parrish, South Carolina; 26; Lawyer; 1; 0; c. 1779; 30.

• Thomas McKean; Delaware; 3/19/1735; Chester County, Pennsylvania; 42; Lawyer; 2; 11; 6/24/1817; 83.

• Arthur Middleton; South Carolina; 6/26/1742; Charleston, South Carolina; 34; Plantation Owner; 1; 9; 1/1/1787; 44.

• Lewis Morris; New York; 4/8/1726; West Chester County, NewYork; 50; Plantation Owner; 1; 10; 1/22/1798; 71.

• Robert Morris; Pennsylvania; 1/31/1734; Liverpool, England; 42; Merchant, Land Speculator; 1; 7; 5/8/1806; 72.

• John Morton; Pennsylvania; c. 1724; Ridley Township, Pennsylvania; 52; Farmer; 1; 8; c. 1777; 53.

• Thomas Nelson Jr.; Virginia; 12/26/1738; Yorktown, Virginia; 37; Merchant, Plantation Owner; 1; 13; 1/4/1789; 50.

• William Paca; Maryland; 10/31/1740; Abington, Maryland; 35; Lawyer, Plantation Owner; 2; 5; 10/13/1799; 58.

• Robert Treat Paine; Massachusetts; 3/11/1731; Boston, Massachusetts; 45; Lawyer, Scientist; 1; 8; 5/12/1814; 83.

• John Penn; North Carolina; 5/6/1740; Carolina County, Virginia; 36; Lawyer; 1; 3; 9/14/1788; 48.

• George Read; Delaware; 9/18/1733; Northeast Maryland; 42; Lawyer; 1; 5; 9/21/1798; 65.

• Caesar Rodney; Delaware; 10/7/1728; Dover, Delaware; 47; Plantation Owner, Military Officer; 0; 0; 6/29/1784; 55.

• George Ross; Pennsylvania; 5/10/1730; New Castle, Delaware; 46; Lawyer; 1; 3; 7/14/1779; 49.

• Dr. Benjamin Rush; Pennsylvania; 1/4/1746; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; 30; Physician; 1; 13; 4/19/1813; 67.

• Edward Rutledge; South Carolina; 11/23/1749; Christ Church Parish, South Carolina; 26; Lawyer, Plantation Owner; 2; 3; 1/23/1800; 50.

• Roger Sherman; Connecticut; 4/19/1721; Newton, Massachusetts; 55; Lawyer; 2; 15; 7/23/1793; 72.

• James Smith; Pennsylvania; c. 1719; Northern Ireland; 57; Lawyer; 1; 5; 7/11/1806; 87

• Richard Stockton; New Jersey; 10/1/1730; Princeton, New Jersey; 45; Lawyer; 1; 6; 2/28/1781; 50.

• Thomas Stone; Maryland; c. 1743; Charles County, Maryland; 33; Lawyer; 1; 3; 10/5/1787; 44.

• George Taylor; Pennsylvania; c. 1716; Ireland; 60; Merchant; 1; 2; 2/23/1781; 65.

• Matthew Thornton; New Hampshire; c. 1714; Ireland; 62; Physician; 1; 5; 6/24/1803; 89.

• George Walton; Georgia; c. 1741; Cumberland County, Virginia; 35; Lawyer; 1; 2; 2/2/1804; 63.

• William Whipple; New Hampshire; 1/14/1730; Kittery, Maine; 46; Merchant; 1; 0; 11/28/1785; 55.

• William Williams; Connecticut; 4/18/1731; Lebanon, Connecticut; 45; Merchant; 1; 3; 8/2/1811; 80.

• James Wilson; Pennsylvania; 9/14/1742; Carskerdo, Scotland; 33; Lawyer; 2; 7; 8/21/1798; 55.

• John Witherspoon; New Jersey; 2/5/1723; Gifford, Scotland; 53; Minister; 2; 12; 11/15/1794; 71.

• Oliver Wolcott; Connecticut; 11/20/1726; Windsor, Connecticut; 49; Lawyer; 1; 4; 12/1/1797; 71.

• George Wythe; Virginia; c. 1726; Elizabeth City County, Virginia; 50; Lawyer; 2; 1; 6/8/1806; 80.

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By Harold B. Wolford

Veterans Corner

Harold B. Wolford is president of the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 1095. He served in the United States Army from 1970 to 1973.

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