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We often cover stories in
this column that are timely and relevant, so we celebrate our
nation's freedom by taking a look at two signers of the Declaration
of Independence who were also known as inventors in their day. As
regular readers of this column know, Ben Franklin and Thomas
Jefferson -- two of the most famous among the 56 signers -- were
inventors. Two others who signed the document were also inventors
but are unknown to most Americans. Those two are introduced to you
here.
Francis Hopkinson
Francis Hopkinson (1737-1791) was born in Philadelphia. His
father was one of the first trustees of the College of Philadelphia,
now called the University of Pennsylvania, as well as its first
graduate. Francis Hopkinson went on to become a judge.
The only "inventions" that Judge Hopkinson created were the
American flag and the Great Seal of the United States. While history
credits Betsy Ross with designing the flag, it was probably
Hopkinson who played the larger role in its design. Betsy Ross had
sewn the flag together, and this may be why she is regarded as the
person who designed the flag. The journals of the Continental
Congress indicate that Hopkinson designed the flag, though. In 2000,
the U.S. Postal Service issued a stamp in honor of Hopkinson's flag
design.
In addition to being an inventor, Hopkinson was the author of a
ballad called "The Battle of the Kegs," written in 1778. The ballad
was loosely based on a battle in which gunpowder kegs floated down
the Delaware River toward the British at Philadelphia, and the
British returned the favor by firing back. Hopkinson was also a
chemist, a physicist, a musician, a composer and an artist.
George Clymer
Like Hopkinson, George Clymer (1739-1813) was born in
Pennsylvania. He was an orphan who was raised by his uncle, and his
paternal ancestors were among the earliest settlers of the state.
Clymer invented the Colombian printing press, which was an
improvement over Ben Franklin's printing press. But the Columbian,
with all its bells and whistles, never caught on in the United
States.
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You may have heard the story of how the signers of the
Declaration of Independence were hunted by the British for treason.
The 56 signers literally risked everything fighting for our
nation's freedom. Each one became a marked man. Some were captured,
while others, like Thomas Jefferson, escaped.
Nine of the signers died as a result of the war, but all were
driven from their homes at one time or another. Five were captured,
imprisoned and abused. Seventeen signers lost everything they owned,
including 12 who had their homes completely burned. Several lost
their wives and families. One lost all 13 of his children.
George Clymer and Francis Hopkinson both escaped with their
families, but their properties were completely destroyed. Clymer was
the only signer who returned to England. His reason for returning
was that England presented him with a better opportunity for his
Colombian printing press.
Thomas Jefferson died on the Fourth of July in 1826, exactly 50
years after the Declaration of Independence was adopted.
Coincidentally, it was the same day that another signer, John Adams,
died.
In the end, the 56 signers kept their word to "mutually pledge to
each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor."
[Paul Niemann]
Paul Niemann may be reached at niemann7@aol.com. You can learn
more about Invention Mysteries by visiting the official
Invention Mysteries website.
Copyright Paul Niemann 2006
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