The Lives and Times of Our Founding Fathers - 7

In this post: Edward Rutledge, Button Gwinnett, Joseph Hewes

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.

Edward Rutledge

Edward Rutledge was an American Founding Father who was born in Charleston, South Carolina, on November 23, 1749, and died there on January 23, 1800. He was the youngest of seven children born to Dr. John Rutledge and Sarah Hext. His father was a physician of Scots-Irish descent, and his mother was of English descent, born in South Carolina. Rutledge studied law at the Middle Temple in London and returned to Charleston in 1773 to begin his law practice. In 1774, he was appointed as a delegate to the Continental Congress. Edward Rutledge was the youngest signer of the Declaration of Independence at the age of 26.

During the American Revolution, Rutledge served as a captain of artillery in the South Carolina militia and fought at the Battle of Beaufort in 1779. He also represented South Carolina in the Continental Congress from 1774 to 1776, alongside his brother John. During his time in Congress, he advocated for the expulsion of African Americans from the Continental Army. In May 1780, Rutledge was captured during the British invasion of Charleston. After his release, he returned to the General Assembly, serving until 1796. He was known for being an active legislator and an advocate for the confiscation of Loyalist property. Edward Rutledge later served as the 39th governor of South Carolina from 1798 until his death in 1800.

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Button Gwinnett

Button Gwinnett was a British-born American Founding Father, a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence, and briefly the provisional president of Georgia in 1777. Born in Gloucestershire, England, around 1735 to the Reverend Samuel Gwinnett and Anne, he received his education at King’s School in Gloucester. Gwinnett emigrated to the North American colonies in 1765 and became a merchant and planter in Georgia. He married Ann Bourn in Staffordshire, England, in 1757, and they had three daughters.

Gwinnett represented Georgia in the Second Continental Congress, served in Georgia’s colonial legislature, and was president of Georgia’s Revolutionary Council of Safety. He is recognized as one of the three Georgia signers of the Declaration of Independence. Gwinnett was killed in a duel on May 19, 1777, following a dispute with his political rival, Lachlan McIntosh. Both men sustained serious wounds, but only Gwinnett’s injury proved fatal, leading to his death three days later. His grave is believed to be in Colonial Park Cemetery in Savannah, Georgia, though its exact location is unknown and unmarked. His signature is considered rare and valuable.

Gwinnett County, a major suburb of metropolitan Atlanta, was named in his honor in 1818. The SS Button Gwinnett, a Liberty ship, was launched in 1943 and later scrapped in 1968. In 2277, a Protectron robot in the National Archives was named Button Gwinnett and believed itself to be the historical figure, tasked with guarding the Declaration of Independence.

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Joseph Hewes

Joseph Hewes, an American Founding Father and a signer of the Continental Association and the U.S. Declaration of Independence, was born on July 9, 1730, in Princeton, New Jersey. His parents, Aaron Hewes and Providence Worth, were members of the Society of Friends, commonly known as Quakers. Hewes was raised on his family’s 400-acre plantation, Mayberry Hill, near Kingston, West Jersey. He likely attended the grammar school set up by the Stonybrook Quaker Meeting near Princeton, the Kingston Friends’ Grammar School. He did not pursue farming like his father, instead choosing to become a merchant. Around 1749 or 1750, he moved to Philadelphia and apprenticed with Joseph Ogden’s mercantile business, a relative and successful merchant-importer. His business experience, education, and honorable character contributed to his financial success.

After living in New Jersey, New York, and Philadelphia, Hewes moved to Edenton, North Carolina, in 1763, where he became a prosperous and influential merchant. Despite being a stranger in town, he quickly gained a reputation as an honorable man. This led to his election and service as a representative to the North Carolina legislature. Hewes was one of three North Carolinians to sign the Declaration of Independence. He was elected to the Continental Congress in 1774 and became a member of the Marine Committee in 1775. He played a significant role in the creation of the U.S. Navy and was instrumental in securing ships and supplies for the American cause during the Revolution. Hewes continued to be active in the independence movement in North Carolina and participated in discussions leading to the Declaration of Independence. He was initially in favor of the Olive Branch Petition to King George III before ultimately supporting independence.

Joseph Hewes never married; his fiancée, Isabella Johnston, died shortly before their wedding. He remained a steadfast friend to the Johnston family after her death. Hewes became bedridden in October 1779 due to a continuous headache and stupor. He died on November 10, 1779, at the age of 49, in Philadelphia, with many believing his death was due to overwork. His funeral was attended by Congress, the Pennsylvania Assembly, the Minister of France, and numerous citizens, and Congress resolved to wear crape for him. He is interred in Christ’s Church, Philadelphia. Several ships have been named in his honor, including the USS Joseph Hewes (AP-50), a World War II transport ship, and the USS Joseph Hewes (DE/FF/FFT-1078), a frigate.