Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence?
Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died.
Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned.
Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army.
Another had two sons captured.
Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War.
They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.
What kind of men were they?
Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists.
Eleven were merchants.
Nine were farmers and large plantation owners; men of means and well educated.
But they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death, if they were captured.
Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. Braxton sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags.
Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly.
McKeam served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward.
Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Rutledge and Middleton.
At the battle of Yorktown , Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.
Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed.
The enemy jailed Lewis’ wife, and she died within a few months.
John Hart was driven from his wife’s bedside and as she was dying; their 13 children fled for their lives.
Hart’s fields and his gristmill were laid to waste.
For more than a year, he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished.
So, take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of July holiday and silently thank these patriots.
It’s not too much to ask for the price they paid.
Remember: Freedom is never free!
Yes, we have freedom, but often we allow ourselves to do things that take away that freedom. We know these things are morally wrong, which then causes scars of guilt, stress and discontent to our mental thoughts.
I encourage you to start believing that you don’t need to keep up with the Jones, so to speak. Just be true to yourself.
It is also time we get the word out that patriotism is not a sin. We need to start thinking about the true meaning of the Fourth of July. The 4th of July is more than parades, picnics, beer and baseball games.
Freedom doesn’t mean you encroach on others freedom. The person who does something they shouldn’t, suffers mental freedom because he knows it.
Freedom of contentment means living our own lives in a way so that we don’t take away from others freedom.
“A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have.” - Thomas Jefferson
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• Thursday, July 14th: Kallen Reed Rasmussen, Gavin Cole Halverson, Sharon Richards Lucas, Annette Hove, Madison Larkin, Dana Simonson, Jeff Kitzer, Jerry Langlie, Lee Cummins, Shane Davis, Peter Kasper, Roger Swearingen, Bethany & Ashley Ashton.
• Friday, July 15th: Nathan Daniel Wayne, Nathan Joseph Bauers, Levi Peterson, McCoy LaVerne Schwierjohann, Bob Long, Thad Aaseth, Judd Aaseth, Stacy Seath Tempel, Lacinda Jensen, Vicki Utpadel Knudson, David & Kim Killian.
• Saturday, July 16th: Sue Stieglbauer, Hudson Mrotz, Kyle Ladlie, Marjorie Bartness, Jeff Helmers, Nancy Wilder, Kenny & Sarah Price, Dave & Deb Oeltjenbruns.
• Sunday, July 17th: Kaylee Christine Hanson, Rudy Janka, Merton Nelson, Ralph Diaz, Sandi Vangen, Victor Christenson, Larry Molenaar, Leslie Schwartz, Lisa & Bob Wayne, Kristine (Simon) & David Freitas.
• Monday, July 18th: Anika Christine McDonald, Nancy Anderson, Matthew DeShane, Katie Dobberstein, Michael Graif, Luke Rye, Roger & Betty Davies, Markj & Mandy Boehme.
• Tuesday, July 19th: Charlie Glenn Fuller, Cheryl Dunlap, Natasha Marie Peterson, Nicholas Pete Johnson, Carolyn Plunkett, Alyssa Mumm, Travis Jensen, Michael Beckman, Ryan Schmidt, Warren Farr, David Cooper, Angie & Michael Kath.
• Wednesday, July 20th: Pam Muri, Paul Marcus, Wayne Sommers, Brad Eder, Richard Nelson, Cody McCartney, Howard Gallentine, Elvern & Jeanne Holland, Cory & Colette Bauers, Mark & Teri Ravenhorst.
• Thursday, July 21st: Julie Langlie, Violet Elise Aronson, Lindsay Smith, Marilyn Sullivan, Trudy Abel Holm, Marcia DeVriendt, Randy Anderson, Michele Granowski Domeier, Mike Collins, Nicholas Miller, Micki Heimer, Ed & Nancy Ver Hey, Katie & Paul Troe, Mike & Amy Glienke.
Wishing that each day is happier than the one before!
