The surprising ages of the Founding Fathers on July 4, 1776

kottke.org ^ | August 13, 2013 | Todd Andrlik

[sinsofsolarempirefan]

Interestingly, he was English, and didn’t even arrive in the colonies until he was already in his 50s as a Captain of Dragoons.

[Marcella]

“A role model I can look up to.”

I think Whittemore’s fortitude to live was like yours when you fell off the mountain - neither of you gave up.

In the time of Whittemore, I’m surprised he didn’t die from infection from so many wounds.

[JRandomFreeper]

Just too mean to die, I suppose. ;)

/johnny

[cripplecreek]

I’m also finding that the puritans were a pretty rowdy and fun loving bunch who were very interested in the sciences. My uncle has some notes taken by an ancestor at a public hearing where Cotton Mather was discussing the possibility that God might not oppose the process of Variolation against smallpox (An early form of vaccination).

From what I’m reading I’m finding that anyone who has a family going back 6 or 7 generations very likely has a fair amount of indian blood.

[WellyP]

None that we can identify in our direct family tree and we got here in 1620 and 1632.

[Dave W]

My you know everything. How special you are. I loathe arrogant people.

[Oztrich Boy]

“old dead white men”

[jacob allen]

My ggg-grandfather Jacob Allen was captured during the Battle of Long Island and was held a prisoner at “The Old Sugar House” in New York. They said he was so hungry that he ate his leather shoes. I think Nathan Hale also was at that prison.

[Dead Corpse]

Get off my lawn...

[If You Want It Fixed - Fix It]

I’m related to all these guys, especially that old man. I’m an American. My grandpa came here after WWI and sent for a bride from his area.

I don’t think he came with papers.

Did any of these guys come here with papers? I mean American papers, not British. They were illegals regardless, fighting for something far better.

[BerryDingle]

bfr

[Tau Food]

Andrew Jackson was 9 years old.

(As a future president, he was invited even though he was just a kid.)

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks NYer! And George III could be heard complaining, "I'd have gotten away with it if it hadn't been for those kids!"

And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

[RoosterRedux]

My great, great...great grandfather (and namesake) was 100 when he died in 1676 (link). He was the great, great step-grandfather to John Adams, the 2nd President of the U.S. and the great...great, plus step grandfather of John Quincy Adams.

[saminfl]

One of my ancestors was Ethan Allen. My great grandmother’s maiden name was Allen.

I would not be surprised if ninety-five percent of high schoolers today could not quote Ethan Allen.

[saminfl]

How stupid of me. I was reading Ethan Allen and thinking Nathan Hale. I hope I can live this down.

[Graybeard58]

One of my great/ grandfathers, (several generations back), served in the infantry in the American revolution at age 12.

If I can show proof, will that get me an invite to join the D.A.R.?

[ApplegateRanch]

He was found alive, trying to load his musket to fight again.

They hadn't yet learned that the only way to deal with geezers is to nuke us from orbit....maybe.

[Tallguy]

The US Army was greatly expanded in both world wars. Basically you had company grade officers serving in field grade slots while field grade officers filled out the flag ranks (temporary).

20-something colonels were still relatively rare and mostly limited to the Army Airforce where the casualty rates were heavy.

[Textide]

Yep, and Major General Curtis Lemay was crossing off fire-bombed Japanese cities from his list as commander of all strategic air forces against Japan in 1944 at the ripe old age of 37!