- March 6, 1809, 217 years ago — Death of Thomas Heyward Jr..
- March 6, 1724, 302 years ago — Birth of Henry Laurens, President of the Continental Congress.
- March 7, 1707, 319 years ago — Birth of Stephen Hopkins, signer of the Declaration of Independence.
- March 7, 1699, 327 years ago — Birth of Susanna Boylston Adams, mother of John Adams.
The Lives of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence
Published in 1855, The Lives of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence by Benson J. Lossing offers one of the earliest comprehensive biographical collections of the fifty-six men who pledged “their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor” to the cause of American liberty. Drawing from family records, state archives, and personal correspondence, Lossing presents vivid portraits of each signer’s life before, during, and after the Revolution.
The volume is notable for its regional organization, grouping signers by state delegation and emphasizing their local contributions and sacrifices. Lossing’s prose blends historical narrative with moral reflection, aiming to preserve the memory of these patriots for future generations.
Each biography is presented in full, with original 19th-century language preserved. Entries are formatted in Markdown with YAML headers for archival ingestion and cross-referenced with other foundational texts such as McCabe’s Centennial Book of American Biography.
Source: Lossing, Benson J. The Lives of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence. New York: A.S. Barnes & Co., 1855. Patriot Echoes Archive