The Lives and Times of Our Founding Fathers - 14
In this post: George Clymer, Carter Braxton, Matthew Thornton
Founding Fathers Series
Step into history like never before.
Starting today and on a daily basis (Mon thru Fri), we will be posting 2 to 3 videos, about 5 minutes worth of videos, presenting the signers of the Declaration of Independence and the ladies of the American Revolution come alive through vivid, first-person storytelling.
This Series will be tagged on the right column of our blog as Founding Father Series
You may not know some, that does not devalue the contributions they provided in the founding of our country.
Their courage, sacrifice, and triumph unfold in gripping moments that shaped America’s founding.
George Clymer
George Clymer was a Founding Father of the United States, born in Philadelphia on March 16, 1739, and passing away on January 23 or 24, 1813. He holds the distinction of being one of only six founders who signed both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.
Clymer was an early advocate for complete independence from Britain. Orphaned at a young age, he was raised by his wealthy uncle, William Coleman, a merchant and friend of Benjamin Franklin. Clymer received an informal education and became a successful merchant himself. He provided financial support to the war effort during the American Revolution and served in the Continental Congress, where he rarely spoke in debates but was influential in committee work related to commerce, finance, and military affairs. When Congress fled Philadelphia during the war, Clymer remained behind with George Walton and Robert Morris to continue congressional business.
After the Constitution went into effect, Clymer was elected as one of Pennsylvania’s first Congressmen, serving one term. He later held various government positions, including collector of excise taxes on alcoholic beverages in Pennsylvania and a member of a presidential commission that negotiated a treaty with the Cherokee and Creek Indians in Georgia. He also rejoined the private sector, becoming the first president of the Philadelphia Bank.
Carter Braxton
Carter Braxton was a Founding Father of the United States, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, a merchant, and a Virginia planter. Born on September 10, 1736, at Newington Plantation in King and Queen County, Virginia, he was the son of George Braxton, Jr., a wealthy farmer, and Mary Carter. His mother passed away shortly after his birth, and his father died when Braxton was 13. He was raised by family friends and came from a prominent and wealthy family in Virginia, arguably the wealthiest at the time of his birth. His maternal grandfather was Robert “King” Carter, a significant landowner and slaveholder in Virginia, and his paternal grandfather, George Braxton, Sr., was also an influential politician and one of the top one hundred largest landowners in the Northern Neck of Virginia.
Braxton received a liberal education at the College of William and Mary. He followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather by becoming a prominent political figure in Colonial Virginia, serving in the Virginia House of Burgesses from 1761 to 1775. In October 1775, he replaced Peyton Randolph as a delegate to the Second Continental Congress, where he signed the Declaration of Independence. During his time in public affairs, he supported the ratification of the United States Constitution and participated in Virginia’s legislature for over 25 years. Braxton was considered a moderate during the American Revolution, cautious about a rapid break from Britain, but remained loyal to Virginia. He helped to resolve the “Gunpowder Incident” in 1775, preventing a military confrontation by arranging for payment for gunpowder seized by the Crown.
A biographer has speculated that Carter Braxton may have the most descendants among the Founding Fathers, as he and his second wife may have had as many as sixteen children, in addition to his two daughters from his first wife. Braxton lost most of his wealth during the Revolution and died in Richmond on October 10, 1797.
Matthew Thornton
Matthew Thornton was an Irish-born Founding Father of the United States who signed the United States Declaration of Independence as a representative of New Hampshire. He was one of eight immigrants to sign the Declaration of Independence. Born in 1714 to James and Elizabeth (née Jenkins) Thornton, his birthplace has been suggested as Clare County, Londonderry, Lisburn, or Limerick, Ireland. In 1716, when he was three years old, his family immigrated to North America, initially settling in Wiscasset, Maine. In 1722, following an attack by Native Americans on their community, the family moved to Worcester, Massachusetts. He died on June 24, 1803, at the age of 89 in Newburyport, Massachusetts, while visiting his daughter. His epitaph reads, “An Honest Man.”
Matthew Thornton pursued a career in medicine, studying in Leicester, Massachusetts. He became a prosperous physician and surgeon, establishing a successful medical practice in Londonderry, New Hampshire, around 1740. In 1745, he served as a surgeon for the New Hampshire troops during the expedition against Louisburg. Thornton became a leading community member and held various local offices, including representing Londonderry in the Provincial Assembly. In 1775, he became President of the New Hampshire Provincial Congress, helping New Hampshire establish a new government after the Revolutionary War began. He was named to the Second Continental Congress in November 1776, after the vote for independence, allowing him to sign the Declaration of Independence. Thornton also served as the first President of the New Hampshire House of Representatives and as an associate justice of the Superior Court under the new constitution.
Thornton was a suspected Loyalist and faced treason charges related to actions just before the Battle of Bennington in 1777. Ebenezer Webster, father of Daniel Webster, investigated the allegations. During his trial, Captain Thornton pleaded not guilty, and after evidence was presented, the jury found him not guilty, leading to his discharge