Price paid for signing the Declaration of Independence

[al_2ndWolfhounds]

I copied this off of the Steel Soldiers Forum. (Military Vehicle Owners/Collectors)

Price paid for signing the Declaration of Independence

Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence?

Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured. Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War. They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.

What kind of men were they? Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists, eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation owners; men of means, well educated, but they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well 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 debts, and died in rags.

Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward.

Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.

At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.

Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.

John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his 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 vanished.

So, take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of July holiday and silently thank these patriots. It's not much to ask for the price they paid.

[IEDmagnet]

Our entire Governing body should be forced to read that daily.


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[Jim]

John Dickinson lost several homes. He commanded a Regiment in the Pennsylvania Associaters.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Dicki ... _Delaware)

[cams]

Thank you for posting that. Brings life into perspective and reminds me just how much those men sacrificed for the future and freedom of this country.

Very humbling.

[rgrokelley]

Hate to be Captain Buzzkill, but most of that is wrong. Out here in the historian world that whole article has been myth busted repeatedly. Some folks attribute it to Paul Harvey and Rush Limbaugh swears his dad wrote it. I know most of you don't trust snopes, but this article on snopes was written by J.L. Bell and taken from his blog. He is a pretty extensive historian of the Revolutionary War.

http://www.snopes.com/history/american/pricepaid.asp

The Founders did put their nuts on the line, but that bit of myth that comes out every year at this time embellishes the hell out of what really happened.

[rangertough]

Hate to be Captain Buzzkill, but most of that is wrong. Out here in the historian world that whole article has been myth busted repeatedly. Some folks attribute it to Paul Harvey and Rush Limbaugh swears his dad wrote it. I know most of you don't trust snopes, but this article on snopes was written by J.L. Bell and taken from his blog. He is a pretty extensive historian of the Revolutionary War.

http://www.snopes.com/history/american/pricepaid.asp

The Founders did put their nuts on the line, but that bit of myth that comes out every year at this time embellishes the hell out of what really happened.

Buzzkill. [emoji12]

[al_2ndWolfhounds]

Hate to be Captain Buzzkill, but most of that is wrong. Out here in the historian world that whole article has been myth busted repeatedly.

I should have known it sounded to good. And I would rather know the truth than not. But they all did have balls the size of Gibraltar all the same.

[cams]

Hate to be Captain Buzzkill, but most of that is wrong. Out here in the historian world that whole article has been myth busted repeatedly. Some folks attribute it to Paul Harvey and Rush Limbaugh swears his dad wrote it. I know most of you don't trust snopes, but this article on snopes was written by J.L. Bell and taken from his blog. He is a pretty extensive historian of the Revolutionary War.

http://www.snopes.com/history/american/pricepaid.asp

The Founders did put their nuts on the line, but that bit of myth that comes out every year at this time embellishes the hell out of what really happened.

Motherjumper......figures.