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The Signers of the Declaration of Independence
On 10 June 1776, the Second Continental Congress appointed the Committee of Five, a group of men who were to draft a statement of independence for the colonies. The committee consisted of two northerners—John Adams of Massachusetts and Roger Sherman of Connecticut; two men from the Middle Colonies—Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania and Robert R. Livingston of New York; and one southerner—Thomas Jefferson of Virginia. Jefferson drafted the statement between the 11th and 28th of June and submitted drafts to Adams and Franklin, who offered a few changes. The five men then presented the draft to the Congress on the 2nd of July. After two days of congressional revision, the Declaration was adopted on the afternoon of 4 July 1776.
On the 19th of July, Congress ordered that the Declaration be engrossed on parchment with a new title, "The Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America" and "that the same, when engrossed, be signed by every member of Congress." On 2 August 1776, John Hancock, the President of the Congress, endorsed the finished copy with his bold signature. The other delegates, following custom, signed beginning on the right with the signatures arranged by states from northern-most New Hampshire to southern-most Georgia. Although all delegates were not present that date, fifty-six delegates eventually signed the document.
If you were a member of the Second Continental Congress in 1776, you were a rebel and considered a traitor by the King of England. Reward was posted for the capture of certain prominent rebel leaders and signing your name to the Declaration meant that you pledged your life, your fortune, and your sacred honor to the cause of freedom.
Here's a list of the signers of the Declaration of Independence as found in the U.S. Census Images and Indexes Collection:
Georgia:
Button Gwinnett - Button Gwinnett in OneWorldTree
Lyman Hall - Lyman Hall in OneWorldTree
Note: The 1790 U.S. census records for Georgia were destroyed in 1812.
North Carolina:
William Hooper - 1790 Federal Census
South Carolina:
Edward Rutledge - 1790 Federal Census
Massachusetts:
John Adams - 1790 Federal Census
Samuel Adams - 1790 Federal Census
John Hancock - 1790 Federal Census
Robert Treat Paine - 1790 Federal Census
Elbridge Gerry - 1810 Federal Census (indexed as: "Elbridge Garvey")
Maryland:
Samuel Chase - 1790 and 1810 Federal Censuses
William Paca - 1790 Federal Census
Charles Carroll of Carrollton - 1790, 1800, 1810, 1820 and 1830 Federal Censuses (In 1830, indexed as "Charles Crroll of crooblten".)
Note:When he passed away in 1832, Charles Carroll was the last surviving signer of the Declaration of Independence.
Virginia:
George Wythe - Virginia Census, 1800-1890
Thomas Jefferson - 1790, 1810, and 1820 Federal Censuses
Benjamin Harrison - Virginia Census, 1800-1890
Thomas Nelson, Jr. - Virginia Census, 1800-1890
Francis Lightfoot Lee - Virginia Census, 1800-1890
Carter Braxton - Virginia Census, 1800-1890
Note: Most of the 1790 U.S. census records for Virginia were destroyed in 1812.
Pennsylvania:
Robert Morris - 1790 and 1800 Federal Censuses
Benjamin Rush - 1790, 1800, and 1810 Federal Censuses
Benjamin Franklin - Benjamin Franklin in OneWorldTree
John Morton - Pennsylvania Census, 1772-1890
George Clymer - 1790 and 1810 Federal Censuses
James Smith - 1800 Federal Censuses
George Taylor - Pennsylvania Census, 1772-1890
James Wilson - 1790 Federal Census
George Ross - George Ross in OneWorldTree
Delaware:
Caesar Rodney - Caesar Rodney in OneWorldTree
George Read - George Read in OneWorldTree
Thomas McKean - 1800, and 1810 Federal Censuses
Note: The 1790 U.S. census records for Delaware were destroyed in 1812.
New York:
William Floyd - 1790, 1800, and 1810 Federal Censuses
Francis Lewis - 1790 and 1800 Federal Censuses
Lewis Morris - 1790 Federal Census
New Jersey:
Richard Stockton - New Jersey Census, 1790-1890
John Witherspoon - New Jersey Census, 1790-1890 (indexed as John 'The Rev' Wetherspoon)
John Hart - New Jersey Census, 1790-1890
Abraham Clark - New Jersey Census, 1790-1890
Note: The 1790 U.S. census records for New Jersey were destroyed in 1812.
New Hampshire:
Josiah Bartlett - New Hampshire Census, 1790-1890; 1790 Federal Census
William Whipple - William Whipple in OneWorldTree
Matthew Thornton - 1790 Federal Censuses
Rhode Island:
William Ellery - 1790, 1800, 1810, and 1820 Federal Censuses
Connecticut:
Roger Sherman - 1790 Federal Censuses
Samuel Huntington - 1790 Federal Censuses
William Williams - 1790, 1800, and 1810 Federal Censuses
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