Thomas Heyward Jr.
Thomas Heyward Jr. | |
|---|---|
Portrait of Heyward by Phillippe Abraham Peticolas, c. 1805 | |
| Born | July 28, 1746 |
| Died | March 6, 1809 (aged 62) |
| Resting place | Heyward Family Cemetery, Old House |
| Known for | signer of the United States Declaration of Independence |
| Signature | |
Thomas Heyward Jr. (July 28, 1746 – March 6, 1809) was an American Founding Father, lawyer, jurist, and politician. Heyward was active politically during the Revolutionary Era. As a member of the Continental Congress representing South Carolina, he signed the Declaration of Independence and Articles of Confederation. Heyward's imprisonment in Florida by the British for nearly a year and the loss of a considerable number of slaves led to his being proclaimed a martyr of the revolution.