Caesar Rodney was also afflicted with a painful and unsightly facial cancer. Tyranny, like Hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.". Richard Stockton (October 1, 1730 February 28, 1781) was an American lawyer, jurist, legislator, and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. On his visit to Scotland he was entertained by the Earl of Levin and other noblemen at Edinburgh Castle and the freedom of the city was conferred on him. Some of the courses he taught personally were Eloquence or Belles Lettres, Chronology (history), and Divinity. This address, from a person of your refined taste and elegance of expression, affords a pleasure beyond my powers of utterance, and I have only to lament that the hero of your pastoral is not more deserving of your pen; but the circumstance shall be placed among the happiest events of my life. Like his father, John Stockton a founder of the College and trustee, Richard served as a trustee of the College of New Jersey for 24 years, as would his eldest son Richard. The main building, Nassau Hall, was badly damaged and his papers and personal notes were lost. Died: November 15, 1794 at 71. As the member appointed for New Jersey, I laid the resolution before our Legislature then sitting at Princeton, and recommended to them the great importance of their approaching persons in every county. He is co-editor of the. Rodney knew very well that, now unable to go to England for treatment of his terrible cancer, he would die an early and horrible death. Princeton University is considering a petition, signed by nearly 300 members of the campus community, to remove a statue of John Witherspoon. In March 1777, only two months after Stocktons release, in a letter to British Parliament General Howe wrote at no time had a leading rebel sought pardon. The book His Sacred Honor comes to Stocktons defense against these revisionist writers using rumors and innuendo to spread this false claim against a founding father. At once he began fund-raising, added three hundred of his own books to the library, and began the purchase of scientific equipment, including the Rittenhouse orrery, many maps and a "terrestial" globe. He opposed slavery, advocated free public schools, and sought improved education for women and a more enlightened penal system. This painting by artist John Trumbull depicts the moment on June 28, 1776, when the first draft of the Declaration of Independence was presented to the Second Continental Congress. He was awarded a Doctorate of Divinity from the University of St Andrews, Fife. He first took a moderate stance in the troubles between the colonies and England. The New York signers - William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, and Lewis Morris - were particularly vulnerable to British retaliation. He registered for military service in 1780. Witherspoon instituted a number of reforms, including modeling the syllabus and university structure after that used at the University of St. Andrews and other Scottish universities. As president of the College of New Jersey (1768-94; now Princeton University), he trained many leaders of the early nation and was the only active clergyman and the only college president to sign the Declaration. A statue of Richard Stockton by Henry Kirke Brown was dedicated by congressional proceedings in 1888 and placed in Statuary Hall in the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. Stockton is one of only six signers to be so honored. Previously offered for $12M. When he was finally freed, in a prisoner exchange, he was an invalid who died a short time later at the age of 51. The revisions were completed on the evening of July 4th, the document was adopted without dissent, and the Declaration of Independence was ordered proclaimed throughout the United States. Rush and Stockton's recruiting letters can be found in Butterfield, L. H., "John Witherspoon Comes to America", Princeton University Library, Princeton, New Jersey. John Penn - John Penn was a self-taught lawyer whose main duty during the Revolutionary War was to keep the North Carolina militia supported with supplies. Richard Stockton (1730-1781)Signer of the Declaration of Independence. Witherspoon has claimed descent from Scottish-born John Witherspoon, who signed the United States Declaration of Independence; however, this claim has not been verified by the Society of the Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence genealogists. . Although he was released unharmed a few days later, he later had trouble sleeping, and would often faint in broad-daylight. Once he was satisfied, the New Jersey delegates voted for Independence. Morven is now a State owned Museum, a magnificent home which stands today as a testimonial to the Stockton family. Few with a knowledge of history would have predicted anything but disaster and ruin for those gathered in Philadelphia during the first week of August in 1776. [15] Thus, Witherspoon and his family emigrated to New Jersey in 1768. In November 1777, as British forces neared, Witherspoon closed and evacuated the College of New Jersey. When other members of Congress heard of the plight of the Clark sons, they ordered George Washington to take a British prisoner, preferably an officer, and starve him to death in a dark hole. John Witherspoon, (born Feb. 15, 1723, [Feb. 5, 1722, old style], Gifford, East Lothian, Scot.died Nov. 15, 1794, Tusculum, N.J., U.S.), Scottish-American Presbyterian minister and president of the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University); he was the only clergyman to sign the Declaration of Independence. Husband of Annis Boudinot Stockton [28][n 5] She worked . A Signer of the Declaration of Independence Under Attack. The Witherspoon Society is a body of laypeople within the Presbyterian Church (USA), in existence since 1979, that is activist in liberal and progressive causes. He said that the task should fall to his rival Jefferson on three counts: "Reason first, you are a Virginian, and Virginia ought to appear at the head of this business. In 1776, Stockton was elected to the Second Continental Congress, where he took a very active role. In the months that followed, impassioned speeches were delivered from New Hampshire to Georgia, and the political tension became almost unbearable. When the General had seated himself, Boudinot proceeded to read an address of welcome. Delaware was called next by Charles Thompson, the clerk of the Congress, and Caesar Rodney, in a tired but clear voice, responded: "As I believe the voice of my constituents and of all sensible and honest men is in favor of independence, and my own judgment concurs with them, I vote for independence.". Stockton's oldest son Richard was an eminent lawyer and later a Senator from New Jersey. He suggested, however, that the state might enact a law that all slaves born after its passage should be free at a certain agee.g., 28 years, as in Pennsylvania, although in his optimistic opinion the state of society in America and the progress of the idea of universal liberty gave little reason to believe that there would be any slaves at all in America in 28 years time, and precipitation therefore might do more harm than good. ", Steven Hopkins of Rhode Island, the second-oldest signer, was afflicted with palsy. See more ideas about john witherspoon, declaration of independence, stone barns. Birth of Richard Stockton, Signer of "The Decla Signer of Declaration of IndependenceDelegate to Continental Congress, Signer Declaration of Independence. John Witherspoon was born into a ministerial family near Edinburgh on Feb. 5, 1723. From "Witherspoon Family History" by Evelyn Potter Park: John migrated [from Scotland] to Ireland at an early age and from there came to America in 1790. "My country is entitled to my services, and I shall not shrink from the cause, even though it should cost me my life," he declared. Worthy to note: John Witherspoon, the only clergyman to sign our Declaration of Independence was the nephew of both Margaret and Janette Witherspoon. There was no place to acquire these items and unfortunately no money to purchase them with if they were to be found. The practice of ancient nations, of making their prisoners of war slaves, was altogether unjust and barbarous; for though we could suppose that those who were the causes of an unjust war deserved to be made slaves; yet this could not be the case of all who fought on their side; besides the doing so in one instance would authorize the doing it in any other; and those who fought in defense of their country, when unjustly invaded, might be taken as well as others. Elias Boudinot was married to Stockton's sister Hannah Stockton (17361808). Stockton and his wife had six children, four daughters and two sons: Julia Stockton (married to Benjamin Rush, also a signer of the Declaration), Mary, Susan, Richard, Lucius and Abigail. Paintings of Richard Stockton, George Washington and Elias Boudinot hang in Nassau Hall to this day. Witherspoon was opposed to the Jacobite rising of 1745-46. When the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America met in 1789, 52 of the 188 delegates had studied under Witherspoon. There is not a single shoe or stocking to be had in this part of the world, or I would ride a hundred miles thought the woods, and purchase them with my own moneyfor youll consider that the weather here must be different from that in New Jersey; it is very cold now I assure you. The College of New Jersey needed a first rate scholar to serve as its first president. Stone was the engraver. He attended grammar school at the neighboring town of Haddington. John Witherspoon was always aware that many in England (even King George) saw the Revolution as more than a war for the independence of the American Colonies. Witherspoon's mother's name has alternatively been spelled as "Anna Walker". Later, he signed the Articles of Confederation and supported ratification of the Constitution. He lived in poverty for years before he was able to restore his property. 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