The Signers of Massachusetts

The Revolutionary War began right here in Massachusetts in 1774. Although the British left the Bay State in 1775 and no further battles were fought here, residents of this great Commonwealth were still an important part of the fight for independence. Massachusetts contributed soldiers, supplies, and a few politicians to the effort. Let’s meet the nine signers of the Declaration of Independence that were fortunate to have been born here, presented in the order in which they signed.

John Hancock

Born in Braintree (now Quincy) in 1737, John Hancock served as the President of the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia, where the Declaration was agreed upon and signed. He was one of the wealthiest people present, having inherited a successful merchant operation from an uncle.

He is perhaps best known for the large size of his signature compared to the other signers, the legend being that he wanted King George III to be able to see it without his spectacles. This story is unfortunately probably not true. In any case, he is the only signer to have his name become synonymous with signatures.

Hancock would serve two terms as Governor of Massachusetts after the war ended and was the first to hold the position. He passed away in 1793 at age 56 and is buried at the Granary Burying Ground in Boston.

Josiah Bartlett

Born in Amesbury in 1729, Josiah Bartlett moved to New Hampshire as a young man to open his own medical practice. In addition to serving as a delegate, he served as a member of the New Hampshire militia and earned the rank of Colonel.

After the war, Bartlett devoted himself to serving New Hampshire’s best interests. He held office as the Chief Justice of the state’s superior court and as the fourth Governor of New Hampshire. In the latter position, he enacted several improvements to the state’s infrastructure, economy, and legal system.

Bartlett passed away in 1795 at age 65 and is buried at the Plains Cemetery in Kingston, New Hampshire.

Samuel Adams

Born in Boston in 1722, Samuel Adams was one of the most ardent revolutionaries in the room. He was previously mostly known for being very bad at business and was, in fact, bad with money in general, because he cared more about politics than anything else. He spent much of his time during the pre-war years spreading anti-British propaganda and was one of the more visible members of the Sons of Liberty.

After the war, Adams would continue to devote himself to politics. He served as Lieutenant Governor to John Hancock during his second term and became acting Governor after Hancock died in office. He was elected in his own right in 1794 and became the fourth Governor of Massachusetts.

Adams passed away in 1803 at age 81 and is buried at the Granary Burying Ground in Boston.

John Adams

Born in Braintree (now Quincy) in 1735, John Adams was one of the more well-known members of the Continental Congress. He also served on the Committee of Five that drafted the Declaration. He was well known as a lawyer prior to the Revolution, one of his biggest cases being the defense of the British soldiers put on trial after the Boston Massacre in 1770.

John Adams was one of two future U.S. Presidents to sign the Declaration, the other being Thomas Jefferson. He was also the first Vice President, serving under George Washington. As the second U.S. President, Adams would be the first to occupy what would eventually become known as the White House. His term was otherwise unremarkable, and he served only one term, losing his bid for reelection to Thomas Jefferson.

Adams passed away in 1826 at age 90 and is buried in the Adams Family Crypt at the United First Parish Church in Quincy.

Robert Treat Paine

Born in Boston in 1731, Robert Treat Paine was one of the many lawyers in the room. He first worked as a teacher and a merchant before deciding to become a lawyer. Like John Adams, he worked on the Boston Massacre trial, only he was on the prosecution’s side.

After the war, Paine continued his legal career, serving as the first Attorney General of Massachusetts and as a justice on the state’s supreme court. As Attorney General, he was responsible for prosecuting the men charged with treason after Shay’s Rebellion in 1787, which resulted in eighteen convictions and two executions.

Paine passed away in 1814 at age 83 and is buried at Granary Burying Ground in Boston.

Elbridge Gerry

Born in Marblehead in 1744, Elbridge Gerry was a successful merchant and one of the wealthier people present at the signing. When Boston Harbor was shut down in 1774, Marblehead became an alternate port to receive supplies, and Gerry played a large part in making sure they got to Boston.

After the war, Gerry continued a career in politics. He was the first Member of the U.S. House of Representatives to represent Massachusetts's 3rd district and was the ninth Governor of Massachusetts. It was during his second term as Governor that the term “gerrymander” first became popular. One of the newly drawn, weirdly shaped state senate election districts supposedly resembled a mythical salamander, and an enterprising cartoonist combined Gerry’s name with the word. Gerry himself was, ironically, opposed to the idea of redrawing voting districts to benefit a single political party. Nevertheless, his name became forever tied to the concept, and he lost his bid for re-election.

Elbridge Gerry’s last political office would be as Vice President under President James Madison. He was in poor health at the start of his term and passed away less than two years later in 1814, at age 70. He is buried at the Congressional Cemetery in Washington, D.C., and is the only signer to be buried in the nation’s capital.

Roger Sherman

Born in Newton in 1721, Roger Sherman moved to Connecticut as a young man to live with an older brother. As an adult, he became a self-taught lawyer after first working as a shoemaker and surveyor. He served on the Committee of Five that drafted the Declaration.

He is the only person to sign all four of the great state documents establishing the United States: the Articles of Association, the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution. After the war, he was a major player at the Constitutional Convention, making the most motions and speaking more than anyone else present. He also served as Mayor of New Haven and represented Connecticut in the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.

Sherman passed away in 1793 at age 72 and is buried at the Grove Street Cemetery in New Haven.

Benjamin Franklin

Born in Boston in 1706, Benjamin Franklin famously fled to Philadelphia as a teenager to escape an apprenticeship with his older brother. At age 70, he was the oldest signer, and also served on the Committee of Five that drafted the Declaration.

Franklin was probably the most famous of the signers at the time, already well-known throughout the colonies and Europe. He was a printer, an author, a publisher, a diplomat, an inventor, a scientist, and basically an all-around Renaissance man. His previous position as Postmaster General of British America made him especially important among the founding fathers, because of his connections in and extensive knowledge of all the existing colonies.

After the war, Franklin served as the first Postmaster General of the U.S., the U.S. Minister to France and Sweden, and the President of the Pennsylvania Abolition Society, which was the first abolition society in the U.S. He remains one of the most well-known signers and founding fathers, with many places and institutions named after him all over the country.

Franklin passed away in 1790 at age 84 and is buried in Christ Church Burial Ground in Philadelphia.

William Hooper

Born in Boston in 1742, William Hooper moved to North Carolina to establish his own law practice in an area with fewer lawyers around than in Boston. He had studied law under James Otis, who was an early and ardent adopter of the patriot cause. Otis’ mental illness unfortunately prevented him from taking part in any revolutionary activities beginning in the early 1770s.

Hooper was forced to leave the Continental Congress due to financial concerns in 1777 and returned to North Carolina to resume his law practice. He spent the rest of the war avoiding capture by the British, who also destroyed his property. After the war, Hooper mostly stayed out of politics and continued to work as a lawyer.

William Hooper passed away in 1790 at age 48. He was first buried at the Old Town Cemetery in Hillsborough, North Carolina. He was reinterred at the Guilford Courthouse National Military Park in Greensboro, North Carolina in 1894 after a memorial to him was built there.

Learn More

John Hancock

Massachusetts Gov. John Hancock – from the National Governors Association
John Hancock, 1737–1793, Massachusetts – from the National Constitution Center
King Hancock: The Radical Influence of a Moderate Founding Father, with Brooke Barbier (episode 286) – from Hub History
John Hancock – from History.com

Josiah Bartlett

New Hampshire Gov. Josiah Bartlett – from the National Governors Association
Josiah Bartlett, 1729–1795, New Hampshire – from the National Constitution Center
Dr. Josiah Bartlett – from the New Hampshire Medical Society
Doctor Josiah Bartlett: Physician, Patriot, and Founding Father – from the Amesbury Historical Society

Samuel Adams

Massachusetts Gov. Samuel Adams – from the National Governors Association
Samuel Adams, 1722–1803, Massachusetts – from the National Constitution Center
11 Things You Might Not Have Known About Samuel Adams – from Mental Floss
Samuel Adams (1722-1803) – from the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum

John Adams

John Adams – from the White House Historical Association
John Adams, 1735–1826, Massachusetts – from the National Constitution Center
John Adams, Architect of American Government – from Mass.gov
John Adams (1735 - 1826) – from the Adams National Historical Park

Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin FAQ – from the Franklin Institute
Benjamin Franklin, 1706–1790, Pennsylvania – from the National Constitution Center
Fun Facts About Benjamin Franklin – from the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum
Benjamin Franklin recalls Boston, the place of his birth – from the Massachusetts Historical Society

William Hooper

William Hooper, 1742–1790, North Carolina – from the National Constitution Center
William Hooper (1742 – 1790) – from the North Carolina History Project
William Hooper 1742-1790 – from the North Carolina Department of Natural & Cultural Resources
Guilford Courthouse National Military Park's monuments – from the National Park Service

Resources at the BPL

Massachusetts Signers of Declaration of Independence – Books about and related to the Massachusetts Signers of Declaration of Independence
American Revolution in Massachusetts – Research guide
Declarations: Printing a New Nation – Exhibition at the Leventhal Map & Education Center
John Adams Papers – held by Special Collections, consists of letters and items removed from Adams' books
John Adams Library – held by Special Collections, consists of books previously owned by John Adams

Other Resources

Signers of the Declaration of Independence – from the National Archives
Signers of the Declaration of Independence – from Smithsonian Magazine
Signers' Biographies – from the National Constitution Center
Pledging Their Fortunes: The Professions of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence – from History Now: The Journal
Who were the Signers of The Declaration of Independence? – video from the American Battlefield Trust
Signers of the Declaration of Independence – from the Daughters of the American Revolution