http://mysierramountaintimes.com/2008/07/the-56-who-signed-the-declaration-of-independence/ 180,000 hits a month, 8,000 new & unique visitors a month! Fri, 18 May 2012 01:02:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 http://mysierramountaintimes.com/2008/07/the-56-who-signed-the-declaration-of-independence/#comment-1099 Rick Hoag Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:47:03 +0000 http://mysierramountaintimes.com/2008/07/the-56-who-signed-the-declaration-of-independence/#comment-1099 When do you plan to 'post' the July 11th column: Tough Questions by Craig Andrus? That was an excellant explaination of the Iraq situtation. When do you plan to ‘post’ the July 11th column: Tough Questions by Craig Andrus?
That was an excellant explaination of the Iraq situtation.

]]> http://mysierramountaintimes.com/2008/07/the-56-who-signed-the-declaration-of-independence/#comment-1061 John Kearney Wed, 09 Jul 2008 21:38:43 +0000 http://mysierramountaintimes.com/2008/07/the-56-who-signed-the-declaration-of-independence/#comment-1061 Hello, Wayne. Just a follow-up on your article regarding the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence.....Of the 56, 5 were captured by the British as traitors and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes burned. Two lost their sons in the Revolutionary army. Another had two sons captured. Nine of the fifty six fought and died from wounds or hardships. Also of note, Twenty-four were lawyers (back then they had some honor) and jurists. Eleven were merchants. Nine were farmers and plantation owners. All were men of means and well educated, but they signed the Declaration of Independence, knowing 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 debt, and died in rags. Thomas McKean was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family constantly. He served in the Congress WITHOUT pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken, and poverty was his reward. Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Ellery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnet, Heyward, Rutledge, and Middleton. At the Battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson Jr. noted that the British Gen. Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly urged Gen. Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt. The home of Francis Lewis was destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months. John Hart was driven from the bedside of his dying wife. Their thirteen children fled for their lives. His fields and 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 gone. He died shrtly thereafter, heartbroken. Morris and Livingston suffered similar fates. These were not wild-eyed, rabble-rousing ruffians. They were soft-spoken men of means and education. They had security, but they valued liberty more. (unfortunately, a turn around from most Americans today) Standing tall, straight and unwavering, they pledged " for the support of this Declaration, with a firm Reliance on the Protection of the Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor." Freedom is never free. The price of that freedom is eternal vigilance. It is indeed unfortunate that most Americans today prefer the government to take care of us "from the womb to the tomb." Most Americans prefer security to Liberty. "Those who sacrifice Liberty for security deserve neither" -Benjamin Franklin. Hello, Wayne. Just a follow-up on your article regarding the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence…..Of the 56, 5 were captured by the British as traitors and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes burned. Two lost their sons in the Revolutionary army. Another had two sons captured. Nine of the fifty six fought and died from wounds or hardships.
Also of note, Twenty-four were lawyers (back then they had some honor) and jurists. Eleven were merchants. Nine were farmers and plantation owners. All were men of means and well educated, but they signed the Declaration of Independence, knowing 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 debt, and died in rags.
Thomas McKean was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family constantly. He served in the Congress WITHOUT pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken, and poverty was his reward.
Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Ellery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnet, Heyward, Rutledge, and Middleton.
At the Battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson Jr. noted that the British Gen. Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly urged Gen. Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.
The home of Francis Lewis was destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.
John Hart was driven from the bedside of his dying wife. Their thirteen children fled for their lives. His fields and 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 gone. He died shrtly thereafter, heartbroken. Morris and Livingston suffered similar fates.
These were not wild-eyed, rabble-rousing ruffians. They were soft-spoken men of means and education. They had security, but they valued liberty more. (unfortunately, a turn around from most Americans today) Standing tall, straight and unwavering, they pledged ” for the support of this Declaration, with a firm Reliance on the Protection of the Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.”
Freedom is never free. The price of that freedom is eternal vigilance. It is indeed unfortunate that most Americans today prefer the government to take care of us “from the womb to the tomb.” Most Americans prefer security to Liberty. “Those who sacrifice Liberty for security deserve neither” -Benjamin Franklin.

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