Did you know that, of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence, Pennsylvania had more delegates sign the document than those of any other of the original thirteen colonies? In addition, Pennsylvania gave our nation the eldest signer, the first signer to die, the signer who was the financial brains behind the funding of the Revolution, the signer who was named as one of the first justices of the Supreme Court, and the signer who introduced George Washington to flag maker Betsy Ross. In honor of the celebration of the birth of America, here are the signers of our nation’s most revered document from the Keystone State:

1. Benjamin Franklin, a Bostonian turned Pennsylvanian, was undoubtedly the most famous and colorful of the signers, as well as the oldest, being 70 years old when he signed the Declaration of Independence. Already a well respected inventor, printer, author, scholar, statesman, and a keen observer of humanity, Mr. Franklin was the voice of reason amid other voices less flexible or willing to listen to the concerns of others. Fortunately, many colonial delegates listened to him. Franklin served on the committee which helped to write the Declaration – giving main writer Thomas Jefferson advice on wording and semantics. The phrase “We hold these truths to be self-evident” was one of Franklin’s offerings, a demonstration of his keen and logical mind. Eleven years later, in 1787, 81-year-old Ben signed another document – the Constitution. Overcome with gratitude and thrilled at the prospect of self-government, he wept when he signed it. When asked by one of the crowd in Philadelphia at the end of the Constitutional Convention what kind of nation we had, Franklin answered, “A republic, if you can keep it.”

2. Robert Morris was born in England, and came to America with his father, settling in Philadelphia. Orphaned as a youth of sixteen, Morris quickly learned to fend for himself. Soon he became adept in the business world, and by the time he was elected as a member of the Pennsylvania legislature, Robert was considered a financial genius. Opposing the push for independence at first, as he was by birth an Englishman, Morris eventually voted to sign the Declaration. He helped the Revolution on the financial front, using his own funds and convincing other wealthy citizens to do the same. (One of these was fellow Pennsylvanian Samuel Gettys, father of James Gettys, who established the Borough of Gettysburg.) Times grew difficult for Robert Morris. The British burned his estate in Philadelphia and he died penniless as the young nation was unable to pay him back. He never regretted his poverty, proud that he had used his personal wealth to build a nation.

3. George Clymer, orphaned at an earlier age than Robert Morris, loved to read. He was a wealthy merchant and respected Philadelphia judge when elected to the Pennsylvania legislature. He served as a captain in the Revolution and fervently wished for independence from Britain. In addition to signing the Declaration of Independence, Clymer also helped in the fashioning of the Constitution. He, like Ben Franklin, also put his signature on that document. Clymer died in 1813.

4. George Ross was born in Delaware, but moved to Lancaster, Pennsylvania as a young man and studied law. He was elected to the Continental Congress after the Declaration was signed, on July 20, 1776. On August 2, he, along with five other Pennsylvania delegates, signed the document. He was related, by marriage, to a young seamstress named Betsy Ross, and introduced her to George Washington. Mr. Ross and General Washington told Betsy that they wanted her to fashion a flag for the new nation. Sadly, George Ross did not live to see the birth of the nation he helped to form. He died of illness in 1779.

5. Benjamin Rush was almost as well respected as the esteemed Benjamin Franklin in the early years of the American nation. A doctor, statesman, and author, Dr. Rush was one of the first and leading proponents against slavery. He served as a surgeon in the Continental Army, putting his life and safety in jeopardy many times on the field of battle. After the war, he was instrumental in the establishment of two Pennsylvania colleges – Dickinson College near Carlisle and Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster. He also taught medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and served as the Treasurer of the U.S. Mint before he died in 1813.

6. John Morton was a legislator and friend to many who wanted to remain loyal to England when the issue of independence was debated. An elder statesman with twenty years experience in the Pennsylvania Legislature, Morton agonized over his decision as to whether or not to vote for independence in early July of 1776. He personally wanted independence, but the majority of the people he represented did not want it. He voted for independence, which he stated was the “most glorious service” he ever rendered his country. He never survived to see the America he envisioned, as he was the first of the signers to die, on April 1, 1777.

7. James Smith was born in Ireland, and because of those Irish roots, grew up antagonistic to King George III. A surveyor and lawyer who lived in the fledgling town of York, Pennsylvania, James was so ready for the Revolution that he helped to raise the first local militia. When the British invaded Philadelphia in the fall of 1777, York, Pennsylvania served as the capital city of the colonies for a short time. Delegates met in the home of James Smith during that time to continue the war effort. He died in 1806, at the age of 84, in his home town of York.

8. George Taylor was also born in Ireland. He came to America as an indentured servant and worked to gain his liberty. He became a clerk in an iron foundry, and in 1764 was elected to the Pennsylvania Legislature. He was a true Irishman, detesting the upper echelons of aristocracy. He was a fighter, ready for any conflict; and even berated Benjamin Franklin for not being more opposed to the British when Franklin went to England as an ambassador. Like John Morton, George Taylor did not survive to see the fruits of his labor. He died before the war ended in 1781.

9. James Wilson was born in Scotland, and had never intended to live in the American colonies. While studying for the ministry in Edinburgh, Wilson’s career plans came to an abrupt halt at the death of his father. Now penniless, James decided to board a ship for America. Well educated and a fine speaker, James found work at the University of Pennsylvania teaching Latin. He became a lawyer, married, and settled in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. An excellent writer and defender of liberty, Mr. Wilson published a pamphlet that urged the cause of independence. He signed both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, like fellow signers Benjamin Franklin and Benjamin Rush. He was nominated by President George Washington as one of the first justices on the United States Supreme Court. It was a fortunate thing that he had, so many years before, boarded a ship for America. He died in 1798, one of the most revered and respected men of the new nation.

It is easy now to take for granted the creation of the great document that declared man’s right to govern himself. In the early summer of 1776, however, the future nation was, for some, only a pipe dream. One member of the Continental Congress from Pennsylvania, John Dickinson, voted against adopting the Declaration of Independence because he felt that words were useless without a well-equipped army and people to back it up. He didn’t realize the mettle of the American people.

Sources: The Betsy Ross House, Philadelphia. The Constitutional Center, Philadelphia. Allison, Andrew M. Benjamin Franklin: Printer, Philosopher, Patriot (A History of His Life). Washington, D.C.: The National Center for Constitutional Studies, 1987. Fradin, Dennis Brindell. The Signers: The 56 Stories Behind the Declaration of Independence. New York: Walker & Company, 2005. Franklin, Ben. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin and Other Writings. Edited by L. Jesse Lemisch. New York: Penguin Books, 1961. McCullogh, David. 1776. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2005. James Gettys File, Adams County Historical Society, Gettysburg, PA.