By signing the Declaration of Independence in 1776, 56 men essentially signed their death warrant. Today, you can visit the gravesites of nearly all of them—though for some, the exact burial location is unknown, and one signer was even lost at sea. In this article, I highlight notable dates and facts related to the Declaration, along with tips and interesting details about some of the signers. At the end, you’ll find a link to an interactive Google map showing the precise burial locations (or commemorative markers) of all the signers.
One of my goals is to visit all of these locations and to date, I have visited 39 of the 56!
July 4th has been observed as America’s Independence Day since at least 1777—and officially recognized as a federal holiday in 1870. Interestingly, it was not the day the Declaration of Independence was actually signed. The Continental Congress approved the text of the Declaration on July 4th, which is why that date appears on the document and is celebrated today. Here are some key dates related to the Declaration of Independence during the summer of 1776:
- June 7: Virginian Richard Henry Lee proposes resolution for independence
- June 11: Committee of Five (Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston, & Thomas Jefferson) appointed to write the declaration
- July 2: Congress votes and adopts the resolution
- July 4: Congress approves actual text of the Declaration of Independence
- August 2: Many delegates sign the Declaration of Independence
Not every delegate present at the Continental Congress believed declaring independence was the right choice at the time—most famously, John Dickinson, who ultimately did not sign the Declaration. Still, 56 men from 13 colonies (later states) put their names to a document that would resonate through history. Given the significance of this moment—especially in hindsight—one might expect each signer to have a grand, well-preserved gravesite for Americans to visit and honor. In reality, many of their graves are simple and unassuming, perhaps reflecting the humble ideals of the liberty they championed. Moreover, some signers’ final resting places remain unknown, or are marked by other intriguing stories.
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Interesting Details About the Signers
- A few signers are buried on private property or at former family estates, which are generally not open to the public:
- Charles Carroll (MD)
- Francis Lightfoot Lee (VA)
- A few signers exact burial location are unknown, though they may have a monument or grave marker:
- Button Gwinnett (GA) has a monument in Savannah’s Colonial Park Cemetery, though his burial location is unknown (he was killed by General Lachlan McIntosh in a duel in May 1777)
- Carter Braxton (VA) – originally buried at his family estate of Chericoke, his remains may have been moved with other family members to Richmond’s Hollywood Cemetery in 1910 (there is a memorial marker dedicated to him there)
- Francis Lightfoot Lee (VA) – buried in the Tayloe Family Cemetery, exact plot unknown
- Richard Henry Lee (VA) – buried in Burnt House Field Cemetery, exact plot unknown
- Thomas Nelson Jr. (VA) – buried at Yorktown’s Grace Church in an unmarked grave (he died in debt and they didn’t want creditors to find and hold his body as collateral)
- Thomas Lynch Jr. of South Carolina was lost at sea aboard the brigantine Polly. He & his wife were traveling to St. Eustatius in the West Indies in search of a different atmosphere to help with Thomas’ health. They are considered lost at sea. Thomas was only 30-years-old- the youngest of the signers to die.
- William Hooper and John Penn of North Carolina were both re-interred under a monument at Guilford Courthouse Battlefield in 1894
- Lyman Hall and George Walton of Georgia were both re-interred under the Signers’ Monument on Greene Street in Augusta, Georgia in 1848
- Overall, many of the signers have been re-interred or have a grave marker in the general area where they are buried, not exactly where they lie
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Here is an interactive map showing the burial locations (or location of monuments) dedicated to the signers of the Declaration of Independence. If you notice anything that is incorrect, please let me know so I can correct! Map link is below:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1kx_sAB2ZcCUdrOg6D9VmSHhS61dp7Qw&usp=sharing