At age 70, Franklin was the oldest signer. Franklin is the only founding father to have signed all four of the key documents establishing the United States — the Declaration of Independence Benjamin Franklin primarily served as the editor of the Declaration of Independence. His changes were believed to have been minimal, but, when the document went before the entire Continental Congress, the draft was more thoroughly changed by the larger body from Jefferson’s original text. Benjamin Franklin: Businessman, Writer, Publisher, Scientist, Diplomat, Legislator, and Social activist, was one of the earliest and strongest advocates for the abolition of Slavery, and for the protection of the rights of American aboriginal peoples. At 70 years old, Benjamin Franklin was the oldest signer of the Declaration of Independence; 11 years later, at 81, he was the oldest signer of the Constitution. George Wythe signed the Declaration of Independence and was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, but resigned in June 1787 because his wife was ill. Of the men who signed both On July 2, 1776, the Congress voted to declare independence from British colonial rule. Two days later, on July 4, the group ratified the Declaration of Independence. The document was signed by Franklin was back in America in May 1775 shortly after the Concord and Lexington Battles in Massachusetts. Colonies joined forces and met at the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia in June 1776 to manage war efforts and set the stage for independence. Find out what these soon-to-be signers of the Declaration of Independence thought about Common Sense, which signer took credit for giving the pamphlet its name, and how John Adams responded to the "Disastrous Meteor", Thomas Paine. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, James Madison, Patrick Henry, Benjamin Franklin. Nearly every schoolchild recognizes them as the Founding Fathers signers of the Declaration of Independence, framers of the Constitution, heroes of the Revolutionary War. Benjamin Franklin, signer of the Declaration of Independence from Pennsylvania, was born in Boston, Massachusetts, 17 January 1706. He married Mrs. Deborah Read Rogers (d. 1744), widow of John Rogers, and daughter of John and Sarah Read. They had a son that died as a child and a daughter, Sarah, who married Richard Bache. Benjamin Franklin is one of the best known of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, and one of our most celebrated Founding Fathers. Most of his life is well-documented, and there is much to tell, as it was one of achievement and adventure. How old were the Founding Fathers when the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776? Some were older, like Thomas Jefferson who was 33, John Hancock who was 39, or Benjamin Franklin who was Benjamin Franklin was the oldest Signer at 70 years old. He was born on January 17, 1706 in Boston, Massachusetts. Signers of the Declaration of Independence. Christ Church Burial Ground opened in 1719 and remains active today. This is the final resting place of some of our nation's most prominent founders, including five signers of the Declaration of Independence: Benjamin Franklin, Francis Hopkinson, Benjamin Rush, Joseph Hewes and George Ross. Edward Rutledge (age 26) was the youngest signer and Benjamin Franklin (age 70) the oldest. John Hancock's now-iconic signature on the Declaration is nearly 5 inches (13 cm) long. Benjamin Franklin, born in Boston, Massachusetts, on January 17, 1706, may by his life alone be the most profound statement of what an American strives to be. With no formal education beyond the age of 10 years, Franklin was celebrated throughout Europe, welcomed in any Royal Court, sought out by every prestigious society. At 70, Franklin was the oldest delegate to the Second Continental Congress and served on the Committee of Five that drafted the Declaration of Independence. On August 2, 56 men signed the Declaration of Independence, pledging their lives, fortunes, and honor to the cause of liberty and independence. Among these signers was Benjamin Franklin, one of the most influential and well-known Americans of his time. Benjamin Franklin, elder statesman of the Revolution and oldest signer of both the Declaration and the Constitution, sat on the committee that drafted the Declaration, attended the Constitutional Convention, and distinguished himself as a diplomat. Lawmakers approved and adopted the document on July 4, 1776. John Hancock, President of the Continental Congress, was first to sign the copy of the Declaration of Independence known as the Dunlap Broadside. Once an official copy was available, all 56 members of the Second Continental Congress, including Benjamin Franklin, signed. Information obtained from: American Council of Learned Societies. American National Biography. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999. Who Was Who in America: Historical Volume 1607-1896. Chicago: The A.N. Marquis Company, 1963. Back to The Signer's Gallery
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