Five signers were captured by the British as traitors,
and tortured before they died.
Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned.
Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army;
another had two sons captured.
Nine of the 56, fought and died from wounds,
or hardships of the Revolutionary War.
They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes,
and their sacred honor. What kind of men were they?
Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists.
Eleven were merchants,
Nine were farmers and large plantation owners;
men of means, well educated,
but they signed the Declaration of Independence
knowing full well that the penalty would be death if
they were captured.
Carter Braxton, of Virginia, a wealthy planter and
trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the
British Navy. He sold his home and properties to
pay his debts, and died in rags.
Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British
that he was forced to move his family almost constantly.
He served in the Congress without pay, and his family
was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him,
and poverty was his reward.
Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer,
Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.
At the battle of Yorktown , Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that
the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson
home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General
George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed,
and Nelson died bankrupt.
Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed.
The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.
John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying.
Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill
were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests
and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his
children vanished.
So, take a few minutes while enjoying your day of FREEDOM and
silently thank GOD for these patriots. It's not much to ask for the price
they paid. Remember: 'FREEDOM IS NEVER FREE' !
I hope you will show your support by sending this to as many
people as you can. Will you please? It's time we get the word out that
~ patriotism is NOT a sin, no it's not, it is very costly and can
be deadly!
It would be wonderful if all of our citizens, and all of our government
officials, really know their history of our nation and the reality of the
sacrifice that our “founding Father's”,and many other of our patriot's
have believed that we all deserved to have this FREEDOM to enjoy.
And they stood on GOD's WORD and HIS Principle's; too many of
them giving all their LOVE, and ultimately their lives. We owe them
an eternal debt. It is time for us all to humble ourselves and pray
according to 2 Chronicles 7:14, “Asking GOD to hear our prayers
and heal our land in Jesus Christ Name. May GOD Bless the
United States of America!
~ Rev. Jerry L. Robertson
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