Biographical Sketches of the Signers of the Declaration of American Independence

We all are familiar with John Hancock and his bold signature on the Declaration of Independence – big enough so that King George could see it without his spectacles, according to legend. But how many of the other 55 signers can you name? This 1857 book provides profiles of each signer from the original thirteen colonies, along with reproductions of their signatures and engraved portraits where possible. The list includes many of our well-known Founding Fathers, such as Thomas Jefferson, principal author of the Declaration; John Adams, second President of the United States; and Benjamin Franklin, politician, inventor, author, and scientist. But it also includes some less familiar but no less colorful personages, like Oliver Wolcott of Connecticut, who served as a major general under George Washington during the Revolution, and Button Gwinnett of Georgia, who was killed in a duel with a political rival.