Interesting how young they all were. Even Adams, who was one of the older ones (and the most fervent proponent of independence.)
My great-great-great grandfather was born in 1760 and joined Gen Washington when he was still 15 in 1776. He was captured by the British while trying to rescue one of the American soldiers, was put on a prison ship and contracted small-pox. But he lived and raised a family and died in 1841 at the age of 81.