BACK TO THE DECLARATION

Those of you who have been following  my blog have learned that what you knew of the signers of the Declaration of Independence you have mostly forgotten. You should not feel bad, I did the same thing. That is why I have been writing small snippits on the lives of the signers.  Most of them lived unremarkable lives.  Just did their duty as they saw it.  That is the case with today's subject; Francis Hopkinson was born into a rich family in Philadelphia in 1737, and had a good education.  When he was 14 years of age his father died leaving the care of the large family of children on his mother and him.  He studied hard and was admitted to the bar in 1765.  That same year he went to England to visit relatives and returned in 1768.  Soon after he married Ann Borden of New Jersey.   Francis gained a lucrative job in the state of New Jersey which did not last long because of his Republican principles were too much for the British state.
The people of New Jersey held him in high esteem though and elected him to the General Congress in 1776 where he joyfully placed his signature to the Declaration of Independence.  Francis served through the war as Secretary of the Admiralty of New Jersey and held that office until 1790 when Washington made him District Judge of New Jersey.
Hopkinson was a mild, modest and quiet man and seldom took part in debates although ardent in his patriotism, his public life was not filled with demonstration and speeches.
Francis Hopkinson died in May of 1791 of stroke....Medicineman!