Lesser-Known Signers of the Declaration of Independence: Francis Lightfoot Lee of Virginia

Did you know that there was a set of brothers who both signed the Declaration of Independence? Francis Lightfoot Lee was one of a pair. Francis Lightfoot Lee was born on October 14, 1734, at Stratford Hall Plantation, Virginia, into the prominent Lee family, a political dynasty with roots in America dating back to the …

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Lesser-Known Signers of the Declaration of Independence: Lewis Morris of New York

Lewis Morris of New York was one of two Morrises who signed the Declaration (stay tuned for the other one). Born in Westchester County, New York, Lewis Morris attended Yale College. He married Mary Walton and they had ten children together. As the eldest son, Morris acquired his father’s estate at Morrisania, New York. Having …

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Lesser-known Signers of the Declaration of Independence: William Paca of Maryland

I can honestly say that I have never heard of this Maryland gentleman who signed the Declaration. He was an interesting fellow, see if you don't agree! A respected lawyer, jurist, and public servant, William Paca was known for his quiet, razor-sharp logic and strategy—and his impact on Maryland politics before, during, and after the …

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Less-known Signers of the Declaration of Independence: Joseph Hewes of North Carolina, by way of New Jersey and Pennsylvania

For this installment in my 250th-anniversary series, I chose a signer whom I had never heard of. This gentleman had a circuitous life in the Colonies-born in one state and resident of two others. He earned wealth as a merchant, and served his country in the Continental Congress. It's a shame that he didn't live …

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