Remembering the signers of the
Declaration of Independence

July 2024

This month, we had our writers write about a signers of the
Declaration of Independence

Richard Henry Lee
 
Gracie Smith
MSMU Class of 2027

"To say that a bad government must be established for fear of anarchy is really saying that we should kill ourselves for fear of dying."

This was said by a man named Richard Henry Lee, a forgotten signer of the Declaration of Independence. Best known as a planter, merchant, and politician, Lee was a prominent member of the Lee family of Virginia. Perhaps you’ve heard of another prominent member of the Lee family - Robert E Lee.

Richard, continuing his father Thomas’ legacy, had desires for westward expansion and was a key political figure during the American Revolution. For instance, it was Richard Lee who made the motion to declare independence from Britain at the Second Continental Congress in 1776; this became known as the Lee Resolution. While Lee is viewed as a very controversial historical figure, his influence on the state of Virginia and how it is today cannot be ignored. For this, it places him high on the list of America’s forgotten signers.

The Lee Resolution was quite possibly the one thing that made America the way that it is today. That is to say, a free nation. Without Lee’s proposal of this idea to the Continental Congress, Johns Adams, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and many others would not have had a basis for even writing our world-renowned Declaration of Independence.

On June 7, 1776, Richard Henry Lee introduced the resolution "that these united colonies are and of right ought to be free and independent states," acting under the instruction of the Virginia Convention. The Lee Resolution contained three parts: a declaration of independence, a call to form foreign alliances, and "a plan for confederation". All of this coming from the National Archives.

A few days after Lee’s proposal, Congress appointed three concurrent committees in response to the Lee Resolution: one to draft a declaration of independence, a second to draw up a plan "for forming foreign alliances," and a third to "prepare and digest the form of a confederation."

Since many members of Congress believed the actions that Lee proposed to be premature or wanted instructions from their colonies before voting, approval was deferred until July 2. On that day, Congress adopted the first part (the declaration). The words of the Lee Resolution are echoed in the Declaration of Independence.

Not only was Lee a huge part of the creation of the declaration, but his brother Francis Lightfoot Lee was also one of the signers. Richard and Francis are the only siblings to have been in attendance during the establishment of our declaration, and the only siblings to be documented signers.

All of this said, what did Richard Lee do? Yes, he is responsible for the Lee Resolution… but who was he? Born to an aristocratic family in Stratford, VA, Lee set sail on a very academically oriented path. He attended a private in England, later returning to his home in Virginia in 1751. After forming a militia troop of young men from his town, Lee was appointed Justice of the Peace in 1757. During this time, Justices of the Peace were commissioned to handle minor civil and criminal cases. Shortly thereafter, Lee was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses. Years following, in 1774, he was elected to attend the first Continental Congress. Noted for his oratory skills, this was where he offered the Resolutions for Independence to the committee of the whole in 1776. He served in Congress through the course of the Revolutionary War while also serving in the House of Burgesses. In 1783 he was selected as president of Congress.

Lee opposed the federal constitution, as he favored strong state rights. This was not an uncommon point of view for someone from the South to have, especially Virginia. He was, however, elected the first State Senator from Virginia under the new federal government. He retired from that office to his home in Chantilly due to illness, and soon after died at the age of 62.

It is safe to say that Richard Lee was a very well-rounded character when it came to politics. That is to say, he had experience on top of the courage to voice his desires and ideas. This was something that made Richard Lee different from the other forgotten signers. Not only did Lee have the courage to speak his mind, he had the courage to suggest independence from Britain. If Lee had not done this, there is no guarantee that our declaration would be the way it is today, or if there would even be a declaration.

As a History Major, this idea is very jarring to entertain. I can’t help but contemplate our nation under British rule, or perhaps a free nation without a declaration. Is it possible that our founding fathers and the forgotten signers would have chosen a different government structure? Perhaps the New Jersey Plan and the Virginia Plan would have had more of a profound effect on our nation. If the Virginia Plan was chosen wouldn’t it be reasonable to assume that the Civil War wouldn’t have occurred? That is to say, if everything is left to the states, the idea of the "Union" wouldn’t exist. Now the New Jersey Plan is the opposite. Wouldn’t it be reasonable to assume that our nation would be dangerously close to a socialist or communist nation as time went on and we continued to grow? The idea of equal representation would continue to become more and more impossible, leaving a rather significant amount of power to each state representative.

I suppose this brings me back to Richard Lee, who is responsible for proposing the idea of our freedom. After analyzing the significance of the Lee Resolution we, Americans, can better appreciate Lee’s courage and desires for our nation. This Fourth of July let us remember the sacrifices people have made for our prosperous nation. This Fourth of July let us celebrate those responsible for what we have today.

Read other articles by Gracie Smith

Carter Braxton

Devin Owen
MSMU Class of 2026

More often than not, we associate the Independence Day holiday with cookouts, beer, partying, red/white/blue color schemes, and days at the pool. I myself am not innocent in this either; the Fourth of July holiday has always been celebrated with water slides, outdoor games, big get-togethers and barbeques in the front yard of my childhood home or that of a friend’s. There are so many fond memories I have of spending the holiday partying with family and friends since childhood. Unfortunately, it seems that I haven’t put enough focus on the true meaning of this holiday. The ‘Fourth of July’ is the day in which America gained its independence is it not? When did the day become the National Day of Summer drinking and at-home festivals? We all celebrate in different ways; however, we must not forget the importance of this day and what it means for our nation!

In line with the forgotten, the motivation for this month’s article is to remind us of those who signed the Declaration of Independence, whose names we might not know. Contrary to popular belief, there was more signers than just Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, John Hancock, and Benjamin Franklin. Let us give the credit where it is due!

Let’s set the scene: 1736 in Newington Plantation Virginia, a baby boy by the name of Carter Braxton was born into immense wealth and a family that would quickly be broken apart as death targeted his parents in the earlier years of his life. Even without their parents by their side, the Braxton boys lived very lavishly in their youth—leading to the large debts that they would each carry through adulthood. Although their spending habits led to debt, it is not to say that the Braxton brothers were uneducated, especially Carter. In his early adult years, Carter attended the College of William and Mary, a prestigious institution located in Williamsburg, Virginia.

While in university, Carter was married to Judith Robinson in July 1755, at the age of nineteen. The couple would go on to have two daughters together by December 1757. Unfortunately, Judith passed during childbirth with their second daughter at this time, leaving Carter absolutely devastated. So overcome with grief from the loss of his love, he traveled to Europe for two years, unable to spend the time in the home which they shared. Upon his return, Carter went on to marry Elizabeth Corbin on May 15th, 1760. This union brought forth an additional sixteen children to the Braxton family: ten sons and six daughters, leading to a total of eighteen children sired by Carter Braxton.

Now that we have some knowledge of his personal life, let’s move on to his career and his role in the gaining of independence for America. Carter Braxton was a cultivator and trader of tobacco—a popular option for trade during the time—and was also considered a merchant given the nature of his occupation. Come the year 1761, he was the representative of King William County in the House of Burgess. Most notably though, Braxton was a member of the Continental Congress, having been elected on December 15th, 1775.

Ironically, Braxton was not originally a supporter of independence for the colonies. In fact, he was entirely against it for a time. He even goes so far as to say: "Independence is in truth an elusive bait which men inconsiderably catch at, without knowing the hook to which it is attached" in a pamphlet he wrote and published in 1776 (DSDI). It was not until late in the spring of 1776 that Braxton began his advocacy for independence; thus, leading to his signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 2nd of the same year.

As mentioned earlier, Braxton and his brother lived lavishly in their youth. Although he played part in America’s gaining of Independence from Britan, Carter Braxton was not perfect by any means. This lavish and wealthy lifestyle spoken of having led to the debt in which he faced in his adulthood. Encyclopedia Virginia emphasized that "even after selling land to satisfy some of his many creditors, he owned more than 12,000 acres and about 165 slaves during the 1770’s." However, Braxton was said to have lost nearly all of his wealth during the American Revolution through his support of the Union and the attack by the British forces. In addition to this, it was said that Braxton considered investing in the Slave Trade during the 1760’s—prior to his attempts to pay off his debts—but the Brown Brothers chose to proceed on their own, without the financial investments of Carter Braxton.

Here comes the irony into play yet again! Come the spring of the year 1776, when his support and advocacy of independence begins, Braxton invests a great deal of his remaining wealth into the American Revolution, now in favor of America gaining its freedom and liberty for all. I must say, that may have been his best investment thus far into his life. With the result of the revolution being what it was, Braxton’s money seemed to be well spent!

Carter Braxton was much more than just a signer of the Declaration of Independence, he was also a merchant, a member of the Continental Congress, a scholar, a William and Mary graduate, a representative in the House of Burgess, a slave-owner, an orphan, a husband, a father, a son, and so much more! His life seems to be so incredibly filled with adventure and the ups-and-downs which we would expect reality to bring. Survived by his children, Braxton’s time on Earth came to an end at just sixty-one years of age on October 10th, 1797, in Richmond, Virginia. While he may be gone, let us all hope that he is never forgotten.

The purpose of this month’s article in Four Years at The Mount was to give a story back to the name; to both remember and reintroduce the forgotten. While not much has been said about the Declaration of Independence in this article, a forgotten signer of said document is invited to be remembered throughout it.

Read other articles by Devin Owen

William Williams

Dolores Hans
MSMU class of 2025

The autumn breeze drifts through the cracks in the floorboards and the whistle of the wind signals all who listen that the seasons have changed. A young man sits in a sacred room, gazing out the window at a tree beneath an overcast sky, wondering what will become of him throughout all the seasons yet unchanged. This young man doesn’t know it yet, but he will soon be a man of vast knowledge and unwavering faith, the son of a minister, a Harvard-law graduate at 20 years old, but what happens after could not have been something conceived, let alone planned for young William Williams.

William comes from a line of men in ministry, so he studied theology and law and planned to become a minister as well. However, after he successfully embarks from Harvard, William finds himself unable to pursue his plans of becoming a minister, as the French and Indian War takes head.

In order to be beside his beloved uncle, William signs up to engage in the fight near Lake George. This fight wearied and consumed him, his thoughts and emotions flooded by devastation and torment. As a man of faith, it must’ve been hard to fight for his country by killing others.

William, in the midst of battle, sparks of gunpowder soaring and stinging the crisp air and shouts of men overcoming the howl of the wind, glances over to witness the moment a bayonet meets his uncle’s chest, and he falls to the ground in surrender of his soul over to God. From this moment on, William’s detest of the British officers grew stronger like a fueled flame.

William eventually returned to Lebanon and opened a store, putting away plans to be a pastor. He is truly reaping the blessings of the Lord when he meets and marries his wife, Mary Trumbull. Mary was twenty-five years of age. Her beloved father was close to Sam Adams and an advisor to George Washington. It pleased William that his wife was as educated and accomplished as he. Their love results in the lives of three children.

As far from he wanted to be from war, he took up a political position as town clerk in Lebanon. Here he served for 44 years. This position began his involvement in the State House of Representatives, and as House Speaker. During this time, his brother-in-law becomes a famous painter of the American Revolution. William published writings in the press on behalf of the colonists. He housed patriots who were fighting in the war. He raised money to support the cause.

William received news that the delegate to the Continental Congress, Oliver Walcott, was growing ill and could not continue his role. He was asked to carry on this role in Walcott’s place. William’s arrival at congress was past the time of voting for independence, but he had the opportunity to sign the Declaration of Independence. As he stood over the document, looking over the other signatures of those who were founding the independence of our country, William thought of his uncle, of the men who he had seen die, and knew that they had sacrificed something worth it. William knew what it meant to sign the declaration. It meant he would have a target on his back if somehow, they weren’t pardoned. But his passion for patriotism, and the memory of those who fought and died for this cause, allowed him to face the prospect of the noose with certainty and serenity.

"In 1779 Williams accepted worthless paper money in exchange for $2,000 in coin for military supplies. He was said to have remarked that if independence were established, he would get his money back; if not, the loss would be of no account to him. Some had criticized Williams for resigning his colonelcy of the 12th Militia Regiment at the outbreak of the Revolution in order to accept the election to the Continental Congress. His courage, however, was evidenced in 1781, when word arrived in Lebanon of the traitor Benedict Arnold’s raid upon New London" (Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence).

When the traitor Benedict Arnold made an attack, Williams without hesitation rode twenty-three miles on horseback to the site in heroic efforts to aid the town. Tired and afraid, Williams approached the town only to discover he was too late. The picket fences were torched, the screams of families subsided, and the black smoke replaced the view of the clouds in the sky.

From this significant moment until the end of the war, William served on the committee which validated the Articles of Confederation.

In 1810, yet another tragedy befell William. He has faced many challenges and losses, but none so significant and painful than the loss of his own child. Williams’ son Solomon died. William was so shocked and distraught by this tragedy, that he never fully recovered. Because of the immense loss he felt, his emotional, as well as physical wellbeing, changed. His health deteriorated. His voice, which once made independence possible, was lost. He eventually went into a coma, and after four days he mustered enough strength to cry out for his son Solomon to care for him in the house of the Lord, and then, on August 2, 1811, William died.

How amazing William’s character was, that he faced so much tragedy and loss, and yet was honorable in deed and firm in his faith until the very end. It is easy to celebrate my independence when I had never been the one to sacrifice or fight for it, but nevertheless I am always grateful for those who made my freedom possible. Because my country is so important to me, I always love learning more about our history. Learning about those who are forgotten, but who did so much for the sake of our happiness, has been a great experience. William inspires me. As someone who is spending time in university, and doesn’t know what the future holds for me, I am confident that God has a plan for me, and as long as I am honorable and courageous, my life will amount to something beautiful as well.

Read other articles by Dolores Hans

Roger Sherman

Claire Doll
MSMU Class of 2024

It is a challenge to research an individual you know nothing about. It is even harder when history is not your thing at all (shoutout FYATM writer Gracie, our history superstar!). So, when tasked for the third year in a row to choose a forgotten signer of the Declaration of Independence, I found myself sitting in a café in my town, struggling.

"Why do we keep doing this prompt every single year?" I think to myself. But I already know the reason why, a message ingrained in my mind constantly. It’s so we don’t forget. Or, rather, to revive those who have been forgotten and give them credit hundreds of years later. These are the men who have secured our country, our freedoms. Who are they? Why do they matter?

This year, I decided to go about a different process researching signers. It is very public knowledge that such well-known signers such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison owned slaves. According to The Hill, while you may have seen quotes of the men speaking against slavery, "they never truly ended the practice of slavery in their personal lives" (Austin). While I can acknowledge that these were "the times" of owning slaves, and that the context of the 1700s is vastly different to the context of today, I still firmly desired to write about a signer of the Declaration of Independence that truly understood "independence" in all its capacity. A signer who not only refused to own slaves, but also actively advocated to end slavery. A signer who is forgotten—lost in history—but must be remembered by his beliefs and efforts.

Roger Sherman was born in Newtown, Massachusetts in April 1721 and was a lawyer. Before signing the document that would essentially create our country, Sherman studied law and became a justice of the peace in Litchfield County, eventually becoming a judge of the superior court. He supported American independence from Britain long before signing the Declaration of Independence, and he even helped draft the Articles of Confederation. In fact, according to Connecticut History, he "is the only person to have signed all four of the most significant documents in our nation’s early history: the Continental Congress, the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the United States Constitution" (Mangan). Thomas Jefferson even said that Sherman was "a man who never said a foolish thing in his life."

Sherman married his wife, Elizabeth Hartwell, in November 1749 and had seven children, three of whom would serve as officers in the Continental army. However, Sherman’s wife soon died in October 1760. Sherman decided to resign and moved to New Haven, where he decided to settle into the life of a merchant. On his way back from a visit to his brother, Sherman passed by Rebecca Prescott, his brother’s wife’s niece, and began a second courtship, resulting in eight more children. Soon after, Sherman dove back into politics, elected to the General Assembly and appointed justice of peace for New Haven County. Sherman even served as the treasurer of Yale College until 1776.

Sherman is also most remembered for his large part in the Connecticut Compromise, which "gave each state an equal vote in the Senate and assigned seats based on population in the House" (Stoehr, The Editorial Board). Sherman played an integral role in ensuring that the United States would be a two-house law-making body.

Unlike many other signers of the Declaration of Independence, Sherman never owned a slave. In fact, he called the slave trade "iniquitous" and opposes a tax on slaves. He even contributed to fighting slavery in Connecticut and "eventually eliminated slavery in his home state of Connecticut" (Austin). Biographer Mark David Hall says, that "Sherman consistently opposed slavery because he believed all humans were made in the image of God and must be treated with dignity."

Discovering that someone from the eighteenth century held these beliefs and very much fought for human dignity to its fullest extent is fascinating. It’s these progressive efforts that drive our nation throughout history and eventually allow all people, regardless of their race, to achieve true freedom.

So, why did plenty other slaveowners sign the Declaration of Independence? Although Roger Sherman’s beliefs were not enough to abolish slavery altogether, he still exists as an opposing opinion to the other men who signed the document. Why was the concept of equality so skewed? How did the Declaration of Independence, which stated that "all men are created equal," defend human freedom without really defending it?

This would be asked again and again throughout history: as America faces the Civil War, the Civil Rights movement, the Black Lives Matter movement. How did this document truly enforce liberty?

Maybe it did, and it didn’t. Although the document allowed colonists independence from Great Britain, it did not grant slaves rights. It did not acknowledge their freedom, their equality as people. It also did not acknowledge women, or Native Americans, or those belonging to different religions. The rights of everyone would be fought for—not granted by a document—all throughout history, and still, today.

But Roger Sherman is important. He carries the legacy as a progressive, and because of his name on the document, we know that someone who took part in our nation’s early history did speak out against slavery.

To conclude my last time writing about forgotten signers of the Declaration of Independence (for now), I want to emphasize how important it is to truly reflect on forgotten heroes of our nation’s history. Independence Day is honestly one of my favorite holidays; I love the parades, the flying flags, the cookouts. But I also love that we are all able to come together to not only criticize and acknowledge our nation’s rocky history, but also celebrate our progression as a country. I am happy to write about a signer who was actively against slavery, and I am even happier that now, more people know about him.

Read other articles by Claire Doll

Read July 2021 article of signers of the Declaration of Independence

Read July 2022 article of signers of the Declaration of Independence

Read July 2023 article of signers of the Declaration of Independence

Read Past Editions of Four Years at the Mount