Signing of the Declaration of Independence
Excellent for School or Private Libraries
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Review By Dean Dexter
Former New Hampshire Governor Meldrim Thomson's One Hundred Famous Founders
offers biographical sketches of all signers of both the Declaration of
Independence and US Constitution. Other heroes of the American Revolution are
also included, such as John Paul Jones, Thomas Paine, Patrick Henry, Joseph
Warren, Molly Pitcher, James Otis and New Hampshire's own hero of the Battle
of Bennington, Gen. John Stark of Manchester.
This is Thomson's second book*, and is a must for any home, office or school
library because it brings together in one easy-to-read work the key players of
probably the most critical time in our nation's history.
Home schooling parents will find it especially useful as an addition to existing
material on the Revolutionary period. Unlike some resources used by home
schoolers, which are reprints of 18th century works in which the copyrights have
expired, this book on the Founders is fresh and insightful, yet avoids the
blandness, political correctness and revisionism that is so prominent in many
contemporary historical works.
Thomson presents each patriot with a brief, yet comprehensive outline of his or
her life and the circumstances surrounding the events of the period. Because of
Thomson's deep love for the Constitution, and the whole process the colonies
went through to bring about both independence and a new nation, the reader can
easily get a "feel" for who those people were, the events swirling around them,
and the prices they paid -- or were willing to pay -- for what they believed.
Thomson, a lawyer, former law book publisher and newspaper columnist, took five
years to write the book, which is meticulously researched with illustrations of
every founder.
Although one sees portraits of the founders in gray hair and powdered wigs,
Thomson points out that those who "shaped and fashioned" our constitution were
relatively young.
"The youngest was Jonathan Dayton of New Jersey, for whom Dayton, Ohio, was
later named," writes Thomson, "He was only 26. Charles Pickney of South Carolina
was 29 and Alexander Hamilton of New York was 322 and Gouverneur Morris was 35
... Even James Madison, called in later years, 'The Father of the Constitution',
was only 36 at the time."
Some fought duels, others stole gun powder for the revolutionary cause. There
were heroes and scoundrels, rich ones and poor ones, doctors, ministers,
farmers, and soldiers. Some paid with their lives.
There was Caesar Rodney from Delaware, for instance, who, by signing the
Declaration of Independence, understood he would be unable to return to England
for treatment of the cancer that would later kill him. Writes Thomson: "By his
vote for Independence this great patriot also knew that he had literally signed
his own death warrant."
New Hampshire is well represented in the book by Matthew Thornton, Josiah
Bartlett, William Whipple, Nicholas Gilman, John Langdon, and Gen. Stark.
Langdon, a wealthy Portsmouth ship builder, was the first presiding officer of
the U.S. Senate and the one who offered the Presidential oath of office for the
first time, to George Washington in 1789.
While earlier serving as Speaker of the New Hampshire House, Langdon is shown
rallying the legislature to send troops to fight the British under General
Stark.
Writes Thomson: "Langdon rose before the Members of the Legislature and said in
a stirring talk, 'I have $3000 in hard money, I will pledge the plate in my
house for $3000 more, and I have 70 hogsheads of Tobago Rum which will be
disposed of for what it will bring ... if we defend our homes and our firesides
I may get my pay; if we do not defend them the property will be of no value to
me."
Such was the Spirit of '76, and Thomson brings it alive in a skillfully written,
convenient format that readers of all ages will enjoy.
One Hundred Famous Founders, by Meldrim Thomson, Jr. (Governor of NH,
1973-1979), published by Mt. Cube Farm, 406 pages, hardbound with photographs
and illustrations, with an introduction by U.S. Senator Bob Smith.
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*Thomson's first book, Live Free or Die, was published in
1979 (Equity-311 pages). "It consists of a melding of articles and speeches
given by the author before, during and immediately after his six years of
service as the 91st Governor of New Hampshire." -- From the Preface.
Posted August 8, 1997
Copyright © 1997 By NH Commentary
P.O. Box 706
Concord, NH 03302