---------- > From: peg <mrschreiber@dmv.com> > To: NJSOMER-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: Fw: Happy 4th of July > Date: Friday, July 02, 1999 4:31 PM > > > > ---------- > > > > The Declaration of Independence > > > > > > Few Americans are aware of the tremendous sacrifices made by the > brave and > > > selfless men who signed the Declaration of Independence. Have you > ever > > > wondered what happened to those men who signed the Declaration of > > > Independence? > > > > > > Five signers were captured by British as traitors and were tortured > before > > > they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked or burned. Two lost > their > > > sons in the Revolutionary army. Another had two sons captured. > Nine of > > > the 56 fought and died from wounds or the hardships of war. > > > > > > What kind of men were they? Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. > Eleven > > > were merchants. Nine were farmers and large plantation owners-men > of means > > > and well educated. But they signed the Declaration of Independence, > > > knowing full well the penalty would be death if they were captured. > They > > > signed and pledged their lives, their fortunes and their sacred > honor. > > > > > > Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his > ships > > > swept from the seas by British navy. He sold his home and > properties to > > > pay his debts and died in rags. > > > > > > Thomas McKean was so hounded by the British that he was forced to > move his > > > family almost constantly. He served in Congress without pay and > his > > > family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken and poverty > was his > > > reward. > > > > > > Vandals or soldiers or both looted the properties of Ellery, > Clymer, Hall, > > > Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Rutledge and Middleton. > > > > > > Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy > jailed his > > > wife, after which she died within a few months. > > > > > > At the Battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that British > > > General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his > headquarters. > > > The owner quickly urged General Washington to open fire on the > dwelling. > > > The home was destroyed. Nelson died a bankrupt man. > > > > > > John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. > Their 13 > > > children fled for their lives. His fields and grist mill were laid > > > waste. For more than a year, he lived in the forests and in caves, > > > returning home after the war to find his wife dead and his children > > > vanished. A few weeks later, he died from exhaustion and a broken > heart. > > > > > > Morris and Livingston suffered similar fates. > > > > > > Such were the stories and sacrifices of the American Revolution. > These > > > were not wild-eyed, rabble-rousing ruffians; they were soft-spoken > men > > > of means and education. They had security, but they valued liberty > more. > > > They pledged: "For the support of this Declaration, with a firm > reliance > > > on the protection of the Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to > each > > > other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor." > > > > > > Fifty-six members of the Continental Congress signed the > Declaration. Most > > > members signed it on Aug. 2, 1776; the remainder on later dates. > > > > > > Connecticut > > Huntington, Samuel > > Sherman, Roger > > > Williams, William > > > Wolcott, Oliver > > > > > > Delaware > > > McKean, Thomas > > > Read, George > > > Rodney, Caesar > > > > > > Georgia > > > Gwinnett, Button > > > Hall, Lyman > > > Walton, George > > > > > > Maryland > > > Carroll, Charles > > > Chase, Samuel > > > Paca, William > > > Stone, Thomas > > > > > > Massachusetts > > > Adams, John > > > Adams, Samuel > > > Gerry, Elbridge > > > Hancock, John > > > Paine, Robert T. > > > > > > New Hampshire > > > Bartlett, Josiah > > > Thornton, Matthew > > > Whipple, William > > > > > > New Jersey > > > Clark, Abraham > > > Hart, John > > > Hopkinson, Francis > > > Stockton, Richard > > > Witherspoon, John > > > > > > New York > > > Floyd, William > > > Lewis, Francis > > > Livingston, Philip > > > Morris, Lewis > > > > > > North Carolina > > > Hewes, Joseph > > > Hooper, William > > > Penn, John > > > > > > Pennsylvania > > Clymer, George > > > Franklin, Benjamin > > > Morris, Robert > > > Morton, John > > > Ross, George > > > Rush, Benjamin > > > Smith, James > > > Taylor, George > > > Wilson, James > > > > > > Rhode Island > > > Ellery, William > > > Hopkins, Stephen > > > > > > South Carolina > > > Heyward, Thomas, Jr. > > > Lynch, Thomas, Jr. > > > Middleton, Arthur > > > Rutledge, Edward > > > > > > Virginia > > > Braxton, Carter > > > Harrison, Benjamin > > > Jefferson, Thomas > > > Lee, Francis Lightfoot > > > Lee, Richard Henry > > > Nelson, Thomas, Jr. > > > Wythe, George > > > > > > Taken from Veteran of Foreign Wars Magazine dated June/July 1999 > > > > > > We should be truly grateful for men such these and hope that only > > > those such as these will be our leaders in the future. This Fourth > of July > > > tell someone you know about one of these men. > > >