Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1897-07-01
STOOD FOR LIBERTY.
PATRIOTS OF 1875 WHO SIGNED THE
DECLARATION.


tion of Life of Each Immortal signer.
Popular knowledge of the birthplace
| education, pursuits and conditions of life
of those who stood sponsors at liberty's
cradle and there pledged to each other their
| lives, their fortunes and their sacred hon
or cannot but be interesting and instruc-
| tive. With the exception of eight who had
come in youth or early manhood, they
were native Americans.
John Hancock, whose bold signature as
president of the continental congress
stood alone with that Of Charles Thomson,
its secretary at the foot of its first publi-
cation, was born in Massachusetts in 1887
He began life as a clerk in the counting
house of his uncle. At the age of 81 he
inherited a fortune which placed him in
aff1uence. Josiah Bartlett was born in
Massachusetts in 1929 and was success
ful medical practitioner before he entered
public life. William Whipple was born at
Kittery, now in Maine, in 1880. In his
youth he followed the sea and later be-
came merchant at Portsmouth, n H.
Matthew Thornton was born in Ireland
in 1714 He was prominent physician
John Adams, the champion of freedom,
was born in Massachusetts in 1885, He
was distinguished lawyer. Samuel Adams
was born in Boston in 1872 Intended for
the bar by his father, he began life, how
ever, as merchants clerk Robert Treat
Paine, born in Massachusetts, in 1881, be-
gan life as a minister of the gospel, but
soon left it for the legal profession El-
bridge Gerry, born at Marblehead, Mass,
TIA, was educated at Harvard, where he
graduated with credit. Entering into
mercantile business, he acquired both rep
utation and property. Stephen Hopkins
was born at Scituate, R. l., in 1907 His
early years were passed in agricultural pur-
suits. Later he engaged in mercantile
business IN Providence, and almost imme-
diately entered into political life.
William Ellery was born at Newport in
1897, graduated at Harvard and practiced
law with distinction. Roger Sherman was
born at Newton, Mass, in 1891 He began
life as a shoemaker's apprentice and, find
ing himself at his fathers death charged
with the support of large family, he
nobly performed his task by following his
humble trade. Struggling against diff
culties and the want of early education,
he mastered all and placed himself high
among the trainers of the constitutional
perfect type of an American, a noble ex-
ample of our country's best production,
self made man.
Samuel Huntington was born at Had
dam, Conn.,, 1882, and practiced law at
Norwich when first known in public life
William Williams, born at Lebanon, Conn,
in 1881, graduated at Harvard and COM
menced the study of divinity with his ia
ther. He subsequently embraced mercan-
tile career, in which he was most success
ful. Oliver Wolcott born at Windsor
Conn.,, in 1876, graduated at Yale and be-
gan life as a captain in the French and In
dian war. AT the peace he studied nedi-
cine, but soon after entered public life
William Floyd, born at Setauket N Y,
was prosperous farmer.
Philip Livingston, born at Albany, 1916,
/ graduated at Yale, and, In atf1uent circuln-
stances, Immediately took an active part in
politics. Lewis Morris was born in 1716a
the manor in Morrisania, which he Inherit
ed on the decease of his father He grad
uated at Yale and became active in poll
tics Although enjoying competency, he
was a practical farmer Francis Lewis was
born at Llandaff, Wales, in 1713. He was
educated at Westminster, apprentieed to a
London merchant, and when of age emf.
grated to this country and entered into
gaaercantile business
Richard Stockton was born at Princeton,
N. J., $780, graduated at Princeton col
lege, was prominent judge, and from the
position of his family and fortune was
freed from the early struggle to which
many of his colleagues were subjected
Francis Hopkinson was born in Philadei-
phia In 1887 of an influential and wealthy
family. He was a lawyer, an admiralty
judge of reputation and a man of letters
John Witherspoon, born at Tester, SCOT
land, in 1922, was descendant of John
Knox. He graduated au the University of
Edinburgh. He was a distinguished and
popular preacher. John Hart, thrifty
farmer of Hopewell, N. j., who, though not
so well educated as others of the New Jersey
delegation, stepped forward and filed his
place as firmly and as consistently as did
more scholarly and Influential men,
Abraham Clark was born at Elizabeth, N
J., in 1926. Too feeble to labor he turned
his attention to surveying and the study
of the law, but his fellow provincials early
selected him as an object of their conf
dence in public life Robert Morris, the
fnancier of the Revolution, was born at
41duCttSlilTS, H4tRldHu, III 400. I6 1ttu 6Q6
advantage of liberal education, and, en-
tering into mercantile life, he became the
boldest and most prominent operator in
the country in goods, stocks and lands. 1t
was to his financial skill and expedients
as financial agent and the linking of his
own wealth, credit and destiny to that of
his country that the success of the war of
the Revolution was largely due
Benjamin Rush. born at Berberry, Pa,
in 1745, was graduated at Princeton, and
after studying medicine in Philadelphia
took his degree of doctor of medicine at
Edinburgh. He was one of the most widely
known physicians of his day. Benjamin
Franklin, born at Boston in 1906, was an
errand boy, printer, editor of a newspaper,
of almanacs and books, author, compiler,
inventor, philosopher, economist and en-
bassador. He stands easily ahead, in the
opinion of the world generally, as the fore
most and most widely known American
of his day.
George Clymer born in Philadelphia in
1889, was merchant, soldier and states
man. John Morton, born in Ridley, Pa,
In 1924, was OF Swedish descent and an
intelligent and well educated surveyor
James Smith was born in Ireland in 1870,
In 1880 emigrated with his parents to this
country and was a lawyer and active in
military matters George Taylor was born
also in Ireland In 1916. An emigrant at
30, he was an apprentice in iron works at
Durham, Pa, and subsequently erected
large iron works at Lehigh. James Will
son, born in Scotland in 1742, emigrated
to this country ut a. He began life as
teacher and lawyer. George Ross was born
at New Castle, DEL, in 1870. Literally
educated, he established himself in the
practice of law at the age of 21. Caesar
Rodney was born at Dover, Del, in 1880, of
English descent. George Read, born in
Maryland III 1884 of family Of Irish or
igin, possessed wealth and position and
was prominent as a lawyer. Thomas
McKean, born in Pennsylvania in 1734,
lawyer and soldier, was distinguished, it
is said, as the only man who served in
the continental congress without intermis-
sion during the whole period of the war.
Samuel Chase, born in Maryland in 1741,
read law at Annapolis and was admitted
to practice at 20 years of age Charles
Carroll of Carrollton was born in 1877 of
family of Irish origin. He was educated
in France and pursued the study Of law at
Bruges, London and Paris. Thomas Stone
was born in Maryland in 1743. He read
law and entered into practice at Annapolis.
William Paca, born in Maryland in 1880,
graduated at Philadelphia collegeand was
lawyer. Richard Henry Lee, born in Vir-
ginia in 1889, received his education at
Wakefield in Yorkshire. George Wythe was
born in Virginia in 1895. Fully prepared
by previous education, he entered the prac-
tice of law and from the first showed