The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1854-08-03

his reward-I defy hin" !" His grateful
country is, and ever will be proud Of him.
At no great distance from the name Of
Hancock, we meet with the zigzag sigma
ture of " STEPHEN HOPKINS" Notwith-
standing Mr. Hopkins belonged to the
eminently peaceful society of " Friends" "
we believe, had circumstances required IT.,
he would not have been slow to unsheathe
the sword in defense of the liberties Of
his beloved country. The venerable pa
triot seized the pen with a palsied hand
but with a dauntIcss spirit, Some one
near him at the time, pointing to the ir
regularly traced autograph, rem arked-
'You write with tcmbliHg hand -
"Ah y it was instantly replied, "but Jno
Bull will find haven't got trembling
heart"
Further along the list we meet with
CHARLES carroll, of Carrolton. At this
time there were to be found in this Sec
ton of the country quite number Of
! Carols, and more than one of these zeal
Gus in the struggles Of the day bore the
Christian name of Charles. When Cor
rol had simply written CHARLES Carol, y
a member near him remarked, "There is
not much danger for you, seeing there
are others who bear the same name. -
as there mott" he replied, and immedi-
ately added, {" of Carrolton,' thus dis
tinctly designating where might be found
If King George had any special desire
to see him-the Charles Carol, who had
the audicity to shake his clenched fist in
the face of the growing lion.
Such were the men of the time; but
where did these heroes hail from! Which
of the several bright stars of our grand
constellation claims the honor of their
nativity? We have entered upon this in
oury with some care The following is
the result of our Investigation " Nirginia
stands foremost. She gave nine. Next
comes Massachusetts with eight Mary
land is next in the train with five. South
Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and
Connecticut, each contributed four Del
aware, New York, and Ireland, each gave
three Rhode Island, England and Scot
land two each. Maine, New Hampshire,
and South Wales, each one.
A few other facts connected with this
pare hmcnt may not he entirely devoid of
interest At the time it was signed
Benjamin Franklin was the Oldest man;
his age was seventy; he having been born
in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1906. Ed
ward RutIedge, of South Carolina, was
the youngest; his age was twenty seven.
He was junior to Thomas Lynch, of S.
Carolina, by but three months.
Whether John Morton of Delaware, or
Butler Gwinnct of England, first descend
ed to the tomb, We cannot now speak CON
fdcutly: both died in I777-Mr. Gwin-
net May p; the day or month of Mr..
Morton's death cannot now be correctly
ascertaned. Charles Carol stands forth
with marked popularity on this list
Not only is he the only one who gives his
place of residence, but be was the last
survivor Of the illustrious band, and also
attained to a greater age than any of the
rest he being, at the time of his death
November I4th, 1889, ninety five. Thos
Lynch, one of the two youngest at the
time Of signing, was also the youngest in
death: he died about 1850, aged thirty
one. Thomas jefferson and John Adams
both died on the fou/lh of J"iy, Of the
same year, 1926; the former at the age
of eighty three, the latter nincty-onc.
We have been able to ascertain the
several ages of ffty-tbree of these dis
tinguished men at the time they signed
the Declaration. Their united ages pre-
sent an aggregate of two thousand threc
hundred and thirty-six years, giving al
average to each of forty-four years TWEEN
ty-seyen days. The aggregate years a
death of ffty-two of this number, (the a
ges of the other four we have no mean
of correctly ascertaining,) is three thous
, and three hundred and ninety one; aver
age sixty five. Three Of these lived t,
be more than ninety; twelve more thar
= eighty; twenty one attained to more thar
seventy Where else shall we look fo
such Instances of longevity? 1t will b'
q seen at once that the daring deed the,
q had committed did not brighten them t.
death"
Most of them lived to see some of th,
! results of this first decisive blow for tn
! complete redemption of their country
a Some Of them lived many years to enjo.
civil and religious blessings, such as tn
J universal Creator never Jet youchsafed t
any other people he has made.
. How Roman Family Lived.