Charles Carroll was one of the people who tried to help George Washington when he was at Valley Forge. When the Continental Congress was slow to act, Carroll stepped up and helped out as much as he was able. They remained good friends and Washington frequently sought out his legal advice.
Charles Carroll of Carrollton was by all accounts an honorable man. He took no small amount of risk in being signatory to a document guaranteeing religious freedom as his church hierarchy opposed it, and it was indeed opposed officially up to Vatican II in 1965.
Mentions Bishop John Carroll but not John’s brother Daniel Carroll, who signed the US Constitution; one of five men to sign both the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution.
HOORAY Charles Carroll of Carrollton
ping
God Bless America.
“...However, it would not actually come until two days later that the Declaration of Independence was drawn up, revised by the Continental Congress, and officially signed....”
Author Billy Ryan has made errors in telling readers who signed and when.
4 July 1776 was not “official signing day” except for John Hancock, who was the first to sign - befitting his status as president of the Continental Congress at the time. Supposedly, he remarked that he signed in large, bold script so that George III would have no difficulty making out his name.
For some weeks, Hancock’s signature stood as the only one on the original document. At various dates from late July into early August, the other delegates signed - near as can be determined today.