Happy Indepence Day,
Along the lines of your comment, I received the following Email.
I, corrected a few things and sent it back. I am constantly amazed
at the capacity of the right to manipulate everything.
Lew
(Me)The American Declaration of Independence and the resulting American Constitution are wonderful achievements that have
benefited all of Humankind and stand as Iconic Beacons for people all over the world-- in the past, in the present and in the future. Why some "conservative" web sites make a practice out of re writing history, even a history as simple and straight forward as the lives of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, is to say the least, symptomatic of their continuous twisting
of facts. So, take a second see see what ushistory.org
has to say about some of the "facts" in this account of the lives of the signers. And, as yourself, what would be the reaction of these
Giants of Men, to the continuous manipulation of the historical facts and current events that have become commonplace in our
world.
Happy Independence Day,
Lew
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.
Hmmm, Well.... this was cut and pasted from: ushistory.org
Thomas McKean
1734-1817
Representing Delaware at the Continental Congress
Born: March. 19, 1734
Birthplace: New London, Pennsylvania
Education: Studied under Francis Allison (Lawyer)
Work: Deputy Attorney General to County Sussex 1756; Admitted to Bar of Pennsylvania Supreme Court, appointed Clerk of the Assembly of Delaware, 1757; Member of Delaware Assembly, 1762-79; Delegate to the Stamp Act Congress, 1765; Collector of Customs & Commissioner of Revenue at New Castle, 1771; Delegate to the Continental Congress, 1774-81; US Senator for Delaware, 1781-1783; President of Delaware, 1776; Chief Justice of Pennsylvania, 1777-97; Governor of Pennsylvania, 1799-1812.
Died: June 24, 1817
Thomas McKean might just represent an ideal study of how far political engagement can be carried by one man. One can scarcely believe the number of concurrent offices and duties this man performed during the course of his long career. He served three states* and many more cities and county governments, often performing duties in two or more jurisdictions, even while engaged in federal office.
Born in New London, Pennsylvania, he studied law with his cousin David Finney, and then under the eminent Francis Allison. As a student he served as the clerk of the prothonotory Court of Common Pleas for the county of New Castle, Delaware. He was admitted to the bar in Delaware before the age of twenty one. In 1756 he was commissioned to his first political office, that of deputy Attorney General to county Sussex, in Pennsylvania. The following year he was admitted to the Bar of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, and at the same time appointed clerk of the Assembly of Delaware. In 1762 the Assembly appointed him a colleague, along with Caesar Rodney, charged with revising and printing the laws of the province of Delaware. Later that year he was elected a delegate to the Assembly, and was re-elected for seventeen years despite a six year residence outside the commonwealth, in Philadelphia. At the behest of the Assembly he served as a trustee of the provincial loan office from 1764 to 1772. In 1775 he was the delegate for Delaware at the Stamp Act Congress in New York. In 1771 he was appointed collector of customs and commissioner of revenue at New Castle. In 1772 to was chosen Speaker of the Assembly of Delaware. Beginning in 1774 he attended the Continental Congress where he served on the national council throughout the Revolutionary War. He also served on the committee to draw up the Articles of Confederation, was commissioned a colonel in the New Jersey militia, and served as President of the newly independent Delaware. In 1777, still serving in the Congress under the articles of Confederation, he was appointed Chief Justice of Pennsylvania, an office that he held for nearly twenty years. He was elected President of Congress in 1781. In 1787 he attended the ratifying convention for the new Federal Constitution in Pennsylvania. In 1789 he played a role in amending the constitution of Pennsylvania. He was elected Governor of Pennsylvania on the Federalist ticket in 1799. Political enemies tried to impeach him, but were unable to prove any wrong-doing. He filled that office by popular re-election for nine years, retiring in 1812. He died on June 24, 1817 at the age of eighty three.
Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinett, 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.
Alas, here's the actual History of Nelson:
ushistory.org
Thomas Nelson Jr.
1738-1789
Virginia House of Burgesses, Representing Virginia at the Continental Congress
Born: December 26, 1738
Birthplace: Yorktown, Virginia
Education: Private, in England. Graduate of Cambridge. (Farmer)
Work: Member of the House of Burgesses, 1774; Virginia provincial Convention, 1775; Officer & Commander of the Virginia Militia, 1775...; Delegate to the Continental Congress, 1775-77, 1779; Elected Governor of Virginia, 1781.
Died: January 4, 1789
Thomas Nelson Jr. was born into the aristocratic society of Virginia in December of 1738. Like most of the southern Gentleman of his day, he gained a private education in England, culminating in a degree from Cambridge. He returned in 1761 and soon became involved in service to his colony and his country. Elected to the House of Burgesses in 1774, he was one of eighty nine who convened at the Raleigh tavern when that house was dissolved by the royal Governor. He was a member of the Virginia provincial convention in 1775, and there he undertook the creation of the Virginia Militia. He then assumed duty as its first Commander. Shortly thereafter he was elected to the Continental Congress. Nelson began suffering health problems in 1777 and thought best to retire to his native state. He resumed his military service, much to the benefit of both Virginia and his health. He was reelected to Congress in 1779 but his health again declined and he returned to Virginia several months later.
Once again he resumed service, as commanding General of the Lower Virginia Militia, at a time when British forces began aggressive campaigns against the southern colonies. In 1781, Thomas Jefferson declined reelection as Governor due to his inability to serve the needs of a state under siege. General Nelson succeeded Jefferson and served as both Civil Governor and Commander in chief of the Virginia Militia. Under his command Virginia, both civil and Military, became a force to contend with. Both the Continental Army and French forces utilized the skills of the Virginia units in the Siege of Yorktown in the autumn of 1781.
Finally overcome by illness in October of that year, General Nelson retired from public service. He died at one of his estates, in Hanover County, in 1789 at the age of fifty.
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 to find his wife dead and his children vanished. A few weeks later he died from exhaustion and a broken heart. Norris and Livingston suffered similar fates.
There is no mention of Francis Lewis's wife being jailed, but he did die broke.
As for John Hart, his wife died some weeks before the British over ran the area:
ushistory.org
John Hart
1711-1779
Representing New Jersey at the Continental Congress
Born: 1713
Birthplace: Hopewell, New Jersey
Education: (Farmer)
Work: Member of the New Jersey Assembly, 1761-1771; Served on the Committee of Safety, Committee of Correspondence, 1775; Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, Member of Provincial Assembly 1775; Elected to the Continental Congress, 1776.
Died: May 11, 1779
John Hart was a New Jersey farmer. His exact date of birth is not known. His father had moved from Connecticut to a farm near Hopewell New Jersey. He helped to build, and later inherited, that very successful farm and was a leading member of his community. His first public service was a justice of the peace. In 1761 he was elected the New Jersey Assembly, there annually reelected until the assembly was dissolved in 1771. In 1775 he was appointed to the local Committee of Safety, the Committee of Correspondence, and a judge to the Court of Common Pleas. He was elected to the newly formed Provincial Congress of New Jersey in 1776, and sent as a delegate for New Jersey to the Continental Congress that year. Hart's property was looted in the course of the war. His Wife died on Oct 8th, 1776. When the area was overrun by the British in November of that year, he was forced to hide for a time. He was enguaged in public service throughout the war, twice reelected to the Congress and also serving the Commitee of Safety and as Speaker of the New Jersey assembly. On June 22nd 1778 he invited the American army to encamp on his farm. Washington had lunch with him, then had his famous Council of War at the nearby Hunt House. Twelve thousand men camped on his fields-during the growing season. After resting and preparing for battle the troops left on the 24th. On Tuesday, May 11th 1779, he died at the age of 66.
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. Standing tall and straight, and unwavering, they pledged: "For the support of the declaration, with firm reliance on the protection of the divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor."
They gave you and me a free and independent America. The history books told you a lot of what happened in the Revolutionary War. We didn't fight just the British. We were British subjects at that time and we fought our own government!
Some of us take these liberties so much for granted, but we shouldn't. So take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of July holiday and silently thank these patriots. It's not much to ask for the price they paid.
Remember: Freedom is never free! I hope you show your support by sharing this with as many people as you can. It's time we get the word out that Patriotism is NOT a sin, and the Fourth of July has more to it than beer, picnics, and baseball games.
~Author Unknown~
Contributed by: Harry Updegraff, Jr.
Pass this patriotic message to your friends and family |
