what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence?

[Warph]

Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who
signed the Declaration of Independence?

Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured
before they died.

Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons serving
in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured.

Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the
Revolutionary War.

They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their
sacred honor.

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, well educated, but
they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the
penalty would be death if they were captured. Carter Braxton of
Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the
seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his
debts, and died in rags.

Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move
his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and
his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and
poverty was his reward.

Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer,
Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.

At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that the British
General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters.
He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was
destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.

Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed
his wife, and she died within a few months.

John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13
children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to
waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning
home to find his wife dead and his children vanished. Some of us take
these liberties so much for granted, but we shouldn't.

So, take a few minutes and silently thank these patriots. It's not much
to ask for the price they paid.

Remember: freedom is never free!

[Diane Amberg]

I'd have to research this a bit further, but there is no "Thomas Mc Keam" that I know of, just our Thomas McKean, who was born right up the road from me, lived in New Castle and is buried in Philadelphia. There is a Carter Braxton, who might be Thomas, and a John Hart. Looks like that tiger has been at it again.

[W. Gray]

Diane,

If you were to ask me who John Hart was, I would tell you that he was Television's Lone Ranger during the 1950s.

How could that be if Clayton Moore was the Lone Ranger?

Clayton Moore went on strike in 1952 for a higher salary. The studio fired him.

John Hart took his place.

Two years later, the studio got the point the public wanted Clayton Moore back so they rehired him at a higher salary.

John Hart was not very good at being the Lone Ranger.

Neither was Clayton Moore. But it was kind of like he was so bad, he was good.

[Ding-Dong]

Edward Rutledge was ia prisoner in Florida nearly a year and was then exchanged and set at liberty. After the British evacuated Charleston in 1781, Rutledge then resumed the practice of his profession and served in the legislature of his state.  In 1794, he was elected to the U.S. Senate and in 1798 was elected Governor of his native state, but did not live to serve out his official  term, dying at the age of 50.  He is in my family history.

By the way Wilma, I am Ding-y and Don is Don-g.

[Diane Amberg]

 Waldo. I doubt your John Hart is the same guy. He'd be a little creaky.    Ding, that is very interesting. Isn't old history great?

[Warph]

I'd have to research this a bit further, but there is no "Thomas Mc Keam" that I know of, just our Thomas McKean, who was born right up the road from me, lived in New Castle and is buried in Philadelphia. There is a Carter Braxton, who might be Thomas, and a John Hart. Looks like that tiger has been at it again.

Sorry, Diane... it should read Thomas McKean instead of McKeam.... I hit the 'm' instead of 'n'

Here are short biographies of all 56 signers of the Declaration:

http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/signers/index.htm

[Catwoman]

Just goes to show ya...it has always been extremely risky to stick your neck out...it could end up in a noose!  Extreme gain has always been preceeded by extreme risk...nothing worth having comes easy.

[sixdogsmom]

Wasn't it Ben Franklin who said "We must all hang toegther or we shall all surely hang seperately" ?

[W. Gray]

Franklin said that or something very close as the Declaration of Independence was being signed.