CAESAR RODNEY 1730-1783 PATRIOT

This signer is one of my favorites and may be yours as well after you read his story.
Caesar was born in 1730, first born and named for his father Caesar.  The senior Rodney had settled in Dover Delaware on a plantation and was quite successful and became very prosperous.  When he died Caesar, the eldest son, became master of the plantation.
We do not know when he came to public life until he appeared to be a leader in the Legislature of that Province in 1762 so it is probable that he had been active in that body for some time.
When the Stamp Act was forced on the Colonies Rodney spoke boldly against it.  When the "Stamp Act Congress" met in New York Rodney and two others were chosen to represent Delaware in 1765.
Mr. Rodney became Speaker of hi Provincial Congress in 1769 and served in that capacity until 1774 when he was elected to the General Congress.  Thomas McKean and Mr. Rollock were also chosen to represent their Province.
Mr. Rodney was a member of the committee to draw up a Declaration of Rights to address the complaints of the colonies.  He was reelected in 1775 and while attending those duties he was appointed Brigadier General of his province and as such had to divide his time between the two.
Mr. Rodney was in Delaware when the final debate was taking place on the proposition for a Declaration of Independence in 1776.  Mr. McKean sent word that he was need to add his signature to the proposition.  Now, this is what makes this man one of my favorite signers;  Caesar Rodney mounted his horse, on a rainy and stormy night and rode that muddy highway to Philadelphia in time to enjoy the high privilege of adding his signature to the Declaration of Independence.
Did I mention that Rodney had a cancer on his face that develped from his early years and as a result he always wore a scarf around his face to conceal it.  Because he added his name to that Document Rodney surrendered any chance he may have had of medical treatment in England!..Medicineman!

NO JOY IN "SWAMPVILLE" TONIGHT-----

The long awaited Special Prosecutor Report is in and not at all what Nancy & crowd expected. 
Mueller and his army of prowlers, after almost two years of digging have come up with a lot of dishonest and scheming  people (imagine that) working in Washington.  He has put some of them in jail while causing more grief and financial loss.  Yes I find a little sympathy for some but they know that when you play in the mud you get dirty.
The findings of the hearings that President Trump did not ask Putin for help in our election and did not suggest he "Go after Hillary".  The thing is, Mueller knew this months ago but the people have been left holding our collective breaths for all this time while the liberal press spewes out the same old news day after day.
Did the investigation have an effect on the Mid-term elections?  I leave that for you to answer....Medicineman! 

THIRTEEN DAYS IN MARCH

On March the 6th in 1836, 189 Americans defied the 4,000 man army of Santa Anna to keep the land they felt was lawfully theirs and could not be taken from them without a fight.

For thirteen days these brave and determined men defended the Alamo, an abandoned Mission, and gave up their lives for what they felt was valuable--Freedom and the Republic of Texas!  They had every opportunity to give up the fight and live.  How foolish they must look to today's populace?

Who were these men?  They were men led by men like Will Travis (only 26 with two small children at home).  Davey Crockett ( frontiersman and former U.S. Congressman).  Jim Bowie (a wealthy landowner on both sides  of the Rio Grande) married to a Mexican woman.  And Almaron Dickinson, 36 years old, blacksmith and artillery captain.  He was one of the very last to die at the Alamo.  His wife and daughter were two of the only three survivors of the Alamo.

Early in the siege Travis wrote these words to the people of Texas:

"Fellow Citizens & Compatriots: I am besieged by a thousand or more of the Mexicans under  Santa Anna....The enemy has demanded a surrender at discretion, otherwise, the garrison will be put to the sword....I have answered the demand with a cannon shot & our flag still waves proudly from the walls.  I shall never surrender or retreat....VICTORY OR DEATH! P.S. The Lord is on our side."

 We must remember that these men did not have the press bombarding them with statements from the "talking heads" on TV and news reporters (so called) telling them how foolish they were for dying for "That broken down old Mission".

Yes, we have men like that today.  Few are in Washington but on the battle grounds around the globe wearing cammos and dungarees and flight gear and eating MRES.  Just too bad that we only hear about them when one gets shot!......Medicineman!

JAMES WILSON 1742-1798

James Wilson was born in Scotland and emigrated to America in 1766 after obtaining an outstanding education in Edinburgh.  He came well recommended and was able to study law under the outstanding legal mind of John Dickinson, a most prominent of men in Pennsylvania and writer of the popular publication " Letters of a Pennsylvania farmer".  Dickinson was very outspoken against separation from England and Wilson moved on after two years establishing himself in business, first in Reading and then Carlisle.
Jame Wilson was very early on the side of independence even forming a military force in 1774 and was elected Col. of the force.  With his popularity he was elected to the Provincial Congress of Pennsylvania in 1774.  In May of 1775 he was elected to the General Congress along with Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Willing and reelected for the 1776 session where he warmly supported the motion of Richard Henry Lee for absolute Independence.  He voted for and signed the Declaration of Independence and remained in office until 1777 when he was defeated because of a strong faction in Pennsylvania of Tory sentiment.
Wilson remained active in the business of government, serving on committees and was instrumental in gaining the French fleet assistance through his friendship with Mr. Gerard, the French Minister.
James Wilson became the first Professor of Law at the College of Pennsylvania in 1790 and the President Washington appointed him to the Supreme Court in 1792.
James Wilson died on one of his court trips in 1798.....Medicineman!

THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER, OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM!

Those of you reading this probably studied in school how our National Anthem came to be; and you may have forgotten.
Francis Scott Key wrote this poem in 1814 while watching the bombardment of Fort McHenry from the deck of a British prison ship.  It goes like this:
Oh say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming'
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh say, does that star spangled banner yet wave
 O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
There is where we normally stop singing and sit down, but there are three more verses;

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream;
'Tis the star-spangled banner--O long may it wave
O'er the home of the free and the land of the brave!

And where is that band, who so flauntingly swore,
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion.
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wash'd out their foul footstep's pollution;
No refuge could save the hireling or slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave,
And the star spangled banner in triumph dougth wave 
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

O, thus may it ever when free men shall stand
Between their lov'd homes and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the power that hath made and preserved us a nation
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner  in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave. 

When set to music by John Stafford, this poem was recognized as our nation's national anthem on March 3, 1931,  Most Americans today are proud to stand up and properly salute our flag when the occasion occurs.  Those who chose to show their disrespect should look for a home they CAN respect!..Medicineman!

GEORGE TAYLOR- 1716-1781

We are about half way through these little vignettes on our founders.  Some would say, "How boring is this guy!".  That is they would say thus if they were reading them.  Only the faithful few who take the time to read these words will realize how much they do not know---as I did!  Oh yes, we know all about the Declaration of Independence and the importance of it and the results that led to the greatest Republic ever but now have learned a little about the stalwarts who actually put it in motion.  Read on.
George Taylor was born in Ireland in 1716 to a clergyman and came to America when he was about twenty years of age.  He arrived a poor man (well educated) and had to perform menial labor to get by (young people take note).  After a time he took the job of clerk in an iron works in Durham, Pennsylvania.  The owner of the business died and after a period of time George married the widow of the owner.  Being a good businessman he soon became wealthy. He then bought an estate on the Lehigh and built an Iron works in Northumberland County.
Because of his wealth, education and business abilities he was elected to the Colonial Assembly in 1764 and became an important player in decision making.  When Massachusetts proposed a General Colonial Congress be formed in 1765 in New York, Mr. Taylor was one of the delegates from Pennsylvania and on the committee to write the rules.
Finding his business interests suffering from his absence he left the Assembly after five years.  He was called back in 1775 and helped draw up the instructions for the delegates to the Colonial Congress meeting in November, instructions that forbade any proposition for independence.  However that changed in the spring of 1776.  when some of the members from Pennsylvania resigned from the Assembly and stayed loyal to the crown Taylor took a seat and made it in time to sign the Declaration of Independence on August 2, 1776....Medicineman!

JAMES SMITH-17__-1806

Born in Ireland, second son in a large family, and brought to this country as a small child, James Smith never revealed the date of his birth (if he knew it) thought to be about 1720.  His father settled in Pennsylvania.  His father was determined to give James a good education and put him the custody of Reverend Doctor Allison. There he learned Latin and Greek and also the practical art of Surveyor. His father died about the year 1761 and James moved farther west into the wilderness where he used his surveyor skills and his study of law in the prosperous town of Shippensburg.
After a short stay there he moved to the busy town of York where he did very well in business for several years.  James married Miss Elanor Amor of Newcastle Delaware and they became permanent residents of York.
James early on became an ardent spokesman for resistance of the British presence and the taxes being imposed.  He was so ardent in his beliefs that he joined with the Patriots of Massachusetts and Virginia.  He was vigorous in support of the Non Import provisions and in the formation of the General Congress, where he became a delegate from County York.
Smith's belief that war was so inevitable that he formed the first body of Militia in York which led to the formation other militias in other counties.  When enough body was formed he was elected Colonel although his age kept him from active duty.  It is estimated that the body of troops raised amounted to twenty thousand before the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Due to the reluctance of several elected members off the General Congress to vote for the declaration  James was honored to place his name on the document on August 2, 1776.
James Smith went back to his business and stayed out of active participation until he was called upon from time to time to perform some duty to further the aims of the Revolution. Perhaps his most valuable service came when he was called to join the committee of advisers to aid Washington in the movement of troops against Howe.late in 1776.  The committee included. along with Smith, James Wilson, Samuel Chew, George Clymer and Richard Stockton, all stalwart Patriots.  By the grace of God this United States has always been able to find such as these when needed!..Mediocineman!