TanyaL

Have you ever wondered about the fate of the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence ? In many cases it was not good!
·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 honor.
What kind of men were they?Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation owners who were men of means and well educated, but who nevertheless signed the document knowing full well the penalty was death if 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 plight.
·Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Rutledge, 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.
While enjoying this 4th of July holiday consider a silent thanks to these patriots, none of whom we knew and most of whom we’d never heard of without inspecting the signatures on the document.

redkimba

http://www.snopes.com/history/american/pricepaid.asp

TanyaL

I bow to your superior use of computer research.

TanyaL

My position is that we should be grateful and remember the men who penned our historistic declaration. We have profited greatly from all those who have had a part in the building of our United States.Today is more important than fireworks and parades.

EllieGirl

I am related to one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Stone from Maryland. I am in awe of what these men did. One year we were in Boston for the 4th of July. That is awesome!! Another year we where in Williamsburg, VA and that was really great too.

Pam B

Wow! That is certainly something to think about! Sometimes I wonder about what our founding fathers would think, if they could see some of the things that go on in our country today! Thank you for sharing.

IrishNY

Whether all the information you listed was completely accurate or not, the fact remains that the founding fathers took great risks to conceive this nation and sacrificed a great deal during their lifetimes that we may live in freedom. We now know that it all turned out ok but they didn't know that then. We owe them all a great deal and today is a wonderful day to remember that.

P.S. Did you know that Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died on the same day - July 4, 1826 - 50 years to the day after they signed the Declaration of Independence? Interesting tidbit.

AuntieD

The founders of the great nation were truly selfless people. I am amazed at their sacrifices. And am thankful to be a citizen of what I consider the best country.