Posted on 07/04/2005 12:43:26 PM PDT by bubman
THE 4TH OF JULY 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.
Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, 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.
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 home to find his wife dead and his children vanished. 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 will show your support by sending this to as many people as you can, please. 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
This response partly confirms and partly contradicts the piece:
http://www.snopes.com/history/american/pricepaid.asp
Of course, there's no denying that the signers risked life and limb when they signed the Declaration.
Partly true, partly false:
http://www.snopes.com/history/american/pricepaid.asp
Yeah, I agree. I've read the snopes.com article several times. I love all the detailed information they've provided, but the tone of their article seems to minimize the real risks to the men who signed the Declaration.
Republicans believe every day is 4th of July, but Democrats believe every day is April 15.
An inspiring story. Why don't they mention this in history classes?
It's amazing there have been so many times in our history that people put it all on the line, truly incredible.
Because it's not true. At least, a lot of it isn't. Even so, we should all be thankful that these guys signed it.
Snopes has a liberal spin.
The idea is to get the story from the sources, not just copy and paste things flying around the Net.
Queens College, as it was known then, was housed in a tavern with the students living upstairs and classes held in the tavern proper. When news of the Battle of Monmouth arrived, classes were suspended and the students took up arms and joined the ranks, along with Molly Pitcher!
After the war, General Henry Rutgers bequeathed his fortune to the school and thsu the name change was made to commemorate this war hero.
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