"And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives our fortunes and our Sacred Honor."

John ADAMS, MA - born 30 Oct 1735, Braintree, MA,; died 4 Jul 1826 [age 40 at time of signing; lawyer; Vice President of US 1789-1797; President 1797-1800; died age 90]

Samuel ADAMS, MA - born 27 Sep 1722, Boston, MA; died 2 Oct 1803 [age 46 at time of signing; one of instigators of Boston Tea Party / Governor of Massachusetts 1794-1797; died age 81]

Josiah BARTLETT, NH - born 21 Nov 1729, Amesbury, MA; died 19 May 1795 [age 46 at time of signing; physician; Governor of New Hampshire 1793-1794; died age 65]

Carter BRAXTON, VA - born 10 Sep 1736, Newington, VA; died 10 Oct 1797 [age 39 at time of signing; planter; Member of Virginia State Legislature 1776-1794-1797; died age 61]

Charles CARROLL, MD - born 19 Sep 1737, Annapolis, MD; died 14 Nov 1832 [age 38 at time of signing; lawyer & planter; US Senator from MD 1789-1792; died age 95]

Samuel CHASE, MD - born 17 April 1741, Princess Anne, MD; died 19 June 1811 [age 35 at time of signing; lawyer; Associate Justice of US Supreme Court 1796-1811; died age 70]

Abraham CLARK, NJ - born 15 February 1726, Roselle, NJ; died 15 Sep 1794 [age 50 at time of signing; politician; US Representative from NJ 1791-1794; died age 68]

George CLYMER, PA - born 16 March 1739, Philadelphia, PA; died 23 January 1813 [age 37 at time of signing; banker; US Representative from PA 1789-1791 & signer of US Constitution; died age 73]

William ELLERY, RI - born 22 December 1727, Newport, Rhode Island; died 15 February 1820 [age 48 at time of signing; lawyer; Customs Collector, Newport, RI 1790-1820; died age 92]

William FLOYD, NY - born 17 December 1734, Brookhaven, NY; died 4 August 1821 [age 41 at time of signing; farmer; US Representative from NY 1789-1791; died age 86]

Benjamin FRANKLIN, PA - born 17 January 1706, Boston, MA; died 17 April 1790 [age 70 at time of signing; publisher; oldest signer of Declaration & also signed US Constitution; died age 84]

Elbridge GERRY, MA - born 17 Jul 1744, Marblehead, MA died 23 Nov 1814 [age 31 at time of signing; merchant; Vice President of US 1813-1814 & died in office; died age 70]

Button GWINNETT, GA - born circa 1735, Down Hatherly, England; died 19 May 1777 [age 41 at time of signing; merchant; Acting President of GA 1777; died age 42 in duel]

Lyman HALL, GA - born 12 April 1724, Wallingford, CT; died 19 Oct 1790 [age 52 at time of signing; Physician; Governor of Georgia 1783; died age 66]

John HANCOCK, MA - born 12 January 1737, Braintree, MA; died 8 Oct 1793 [age 39 at time of signing; Merchant; Governor of Massachusetts 1780-1785, 1787-1793; died age 56]

Benjamin HARRISON, VA - born 5 April 1726, Berkeley, VA; died 24 April 1791 [age 50 at time of signing; Planter; Governor of Virginia 1781-1784; died age 65]

John HART, NJ - born circa 1711, Stonington, CT; died 11 May 1779 [age 65 at time of signing; farmer; died before end of Revolution, possibly as a result of signing; died age 68]

Joseph HEWES, NC - born 23 January 1730, Princeton, NJ; died 10 Nov 1779 [age 46 at time of signing; merchant; died age 49]

Thomas HEYWARD Jr., SC - born 28 Jul 1746, St. Luke's Parish, SC; died 6 March 1809 [age 29 at time of signing; lawyer; Artillery Officer in Revolution/was captured & imprisoned by British; died age 62]

William HOOPER, NC - born 28 June 1742, Boston, MA; died 14 Oct 1790 [age 34 at time of signing; lawyer; North Carolina State legislator 1777-1782; died age 48]

Stephen HOPKINS, Rhode Island - born 7 March 1707, Providence, Rhode Island; died 13 Jul 1785 [age 69 at time of signing; merchant; Delegate to Continental Congress 1778; died age 78]

Francis HOPKINSON, NJ - born 21 Sep 1737, Philadelphia, PA; died 9 May 1791 [age 38 at time of signing; lawyer; US District Court judge 1789-91/may have designed the first US flag; died age 53]

Samuel HUNTINGTON, CT - born 3 Jul 1731, Windham Co, CT; died 5 January 1796 [age 45 at time of signing; lawyer; President of Continental Congress 1779-1781 / Governor of Connecticut 1786-1796; died age 64]

Thomas JEFFERSON, VA - born 13 April 1743, Shadwell, VA; died 4 Jul 1826 [age 33 at time of signing; lawyer & planter; US Sec. of State 1789-1793/ US Vice President 1797-1801/ President of US 1801-1809; died age 83]

Francis Lightfoot LEE, VA - born 14 Oct 1734, Westmoreland Co, VA; died 11 January 1797 [age 41 at time of signing; planter; Delegate to Continental Congress 1775-1779; died age 62]

Richard Henry LEE, VA - born 20 January 1732, Westmoreland Co, VA; died 19 June 1794 [age 44 at time of signing; planter; President of continental congress 1784 / US Senator of VA 1789-1792; died age 62]

Francis LEWIS, NY - born March 1713, Llandaff, Wales; died 31 December 1802 [age 63 at time of signing; retired merchant / family suffered as result of his signing; died age 89]

Philip LIVINGSTON, NY - born 15 January 1716, Albany, NY; died 12 June 1778 [age 60 at time of signing; merchant; died 268 at time of signing; lawyer; Customs Collector, Newport, RI 1790-1820; died age 92]

Thomas LYNCH, Jr, SC - born 5 Aug 1749 Pr. George's Parish, SC; d. 1779 at sea [age 26 at time of signing; lawyer/planter; delegate to Continental Congress from SC / lost at sea on way to West Indies; died age 30]

Thomas McKEAN, DE - born 19 March 1734, New London, PA; died 24 June 1817 [age 42 at time of signing; lawyer; Governor of Pennsylvania 1799-1808; died age 83]

Arthur MIDDLETON, SC - born 26 June 1742, Charleston, SC; died 1 January 1787 [age 34 at time of signing; lawyer / planter; Militia Officer in Revolution/ captured & imprisoned by British; died age 44]

Lewis MORRIS, NY - born 8 April 1726, Morrisania, NY; died 22 January 1798 [age 50 at time of signing; landowner; General in NY state militia during Revolution; died age 71]

Robert MORRIS, PA - born 20 January 1734, Liverpool, England; died 9 May 1806 [age 42 at time of signing; financier; signed US Constitution / US Senator from PA 1789-1795; died age 72]

John MORTON, PA - born 1724, Ridley, PA; died April 1777 [age 52 at time of signing; farmer; Delegate to Continental Congress 1774-1777; died age 53]

Thomas NELSON Jr., VA - born 26 December 1738, Yorktown, VA; died 4 January 1789 [age 37 at time of signing; merchant / planter; Commander of VA Militia in Revolution & Governor of Virginia 1781; died age 50]

William PACA, MD - born 31 Oct 1740, Abingdon, MD; died 23 Oct 1799 [age 35 at time of signing; lawyer; Governor of Maryland 1782-1785 / US District Court judge 178901799; died age 58]

Robert Treat PAINE, MA - born 11 March 1731, Boston, MA; died 12 May 1814 [age 45 at time of signing; lawyer; Massachusetts Supreme Court Justice 1790-1804; died age 83]

John PENN, NC - born 17 May 1741, near Port Royal, VA; died 14 Sep 1788 [age 36 at time of signing; lawyer; died age 47]

George READ, DE - born 18 Sep 1733, near North East, MD; died 21 Sep 1798 [age 42 at time of signing; lawyer; signed US Constitution / US Senator 1789-1793; died age 65]

Caesar RODNEY, DE - born 7 Oct 1728, Dover, DE; died 29 June 1784 [age 47 at time of signing; planter; commanded Delaware State Militia in Revolution / President of Delaware 1778-1781; died age 55]

George ROSS, PA - born 10 May 1730, New Castle, DE; died 14 Jul 1779 [age 46 at time of signing; lawyer; Admiralty judge of Pennsylvania 1779; died age 49]

Benjamin RUSH, PA - born 24 December 1745, Byberry, PA; died 19 April 1813 [age 30 at time of signing; physician; Treasurer of US Mint 1797-1813; died age 67]

Edward RUTLEDGE, SC - born 23 Nov 1749, Charleston, SC; died 23 January 1800 [age 26 at time of signing; lawyer / planter; Governor of SC 1798-1800 / youngest signer; died age 50]

Roger SHERMAN, CT - born 19 April 1721, Newton, MA; died 23 Jul 1793 [age 55 at time of signing; lawyer / merchant; signed US Constitution / US Senator from Connecticut 1791-1793; died age 72]

James SMITH, PA - born circa 1719, Dublin, Ireland; died 11 Jul 1806 [age 57 at time of signing; lawyer; Judge, Pennsylvania Court of Appeals; died age 87]

Richard STOCKTON, NJ - born 1 Oct 1730, near Princeton, NJ; died 28 February 1781 [age 45 at time of signing; lawyer; imprisoned & family suffered as result of signing Declaration; died age 50]

Thomas STONE, MD - born 1743, Charles Co, MD; died 5 Oct 1787 [age 33 at time of signing; lawyer; helped frame Articles of Confederation; died age 44]

George TAYLOR, PA - born 1716, Ireland; died 23 February 1781 [age 60 at time of signing; ironmaker; served in Pennsylvania Executive Council; died age 65]

Matthew THORNTON, NH - born 1714, Ireland; died 24 June 1803 [age 62 at time of signing; physician; Associate justice of New Hampshire Superior Court; died age 89]

George WALTON, GA - born 1741, Prince Edward Co, VA; died 2 February 1804 [age 35 at time of signing; lawyer; US Senator from Georgia 1795-1796; died age 63]

William WHIPPLE, NH - born 14 January 1730, Kittery, ME; died 28 Nov 1785 [age 46 at time of signing; merchant; served as General in Revolution; died age 55]

William WILLIAMS, CT - born 23 April 1731, Lebanon, CT; died 2 August 1811 [age 45 at time of signing; merchant; helped frame the Article of Confederation; died age 80]

James WILSON, PA - born 14 Sep 1742, Carskerdo, Scotland; died 28 August 1798 [age 33 at time of signing; lawyer; signed US Constitution / Associate Justice of US Supreme Court 1789-1798; died age 55]

John WITHERSPOON, NJ - born 5 February 1723, Gifford, Scotland; died 15 Nov 1794 [age 53 at time of signing; clergyman; President, College of New Jersey (now Princeton); died age 71]

Oliver WOLCOTT, CT - born 1 December 1726, Windsor, CT; died 1 December 1797 [age 49 at time of signing; politician / soldier; Governor of Connecticut 1796-1797; died age 71]

George WYTHE, VA - born 1726, Elizabeth City, VA; died 8 June 1806 [age 50 at time of signing; lawyer; first professor of law in America, Chancellor of Virginia 1786-1806; died age 80]

For more information on the signers of the Declaration of Independence:

Lossing, Benson John. Biographical Sketches of the Signers of the Declaration of American Independence, 1848 Reprint: Benchmark Pub. Co., 1970. [973.313 Los ]

Fehrenbach, T. R. Greatness to spare; the heroic sacrifices of the men who signed the Declaration of Independence Princeton, N.J., Van Nostrand, 1968, [923.2 Feh]

Neagles, James C. and Lila L. Locating your Revolutionary War ancestor: a guide to the military records, c1983. [929.1 Nea]

Schweitzer, George Keene. Revolutionary War Genealogy, c1984. [929.1 Sch ]

Whitney, David C. Founders of Freedom in America. Ferguson Publishing, 1964 [923.2 Whi]

For biographies of each of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence, check out:

Colonial Hall - A Look At America's Founders:
<http://www.colonialhall.com/index.asp>

Signers of the Declaration of Independence at:
http://sites.netscape.net/victaylor01/ SignersofDofIsketch.htm

The Political Graveyard at:
<http://polygon.intranet.org/tpg/>.

There are also individual genealogies and/or biographies on most of these men. Many can be found in libraries or bookstores.

Compiled by Betty Jo Stockton - All the above named sources were used in putting this together. Sources of information did not always agree, so I have elected to use that which was printed most consistently .