History and Humor for the Fourth of July — Dave’s Diary

Historical Comedy 101   The Fourth of July is this weekend, and it’s a time of tradition and great celebration. Here are a few famous (?) Americans to keep in your thoughts as you light those bottle rockets. Can you guess why?

William Paca -- teamed up with his brother Al to form a touring South American animal act?

Carter Braxton -- brother to R & B singer Toni?

William Whipple -- son of the “please don’t Squeeze the Charmin” guy?

Gerry Button Gwinnett  -- inventor of the first little round shirt & pants fastener called the Gwinnett?

Roger Sherman & William Williams -- founders of the paint manufacturing company known as William Roger

Francis Lightfoot Lee -- owner and operator of America’s first “learn to dance” studio?

Nice try but NO to all. These men are all among the original 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence. Happy birthday, America!

Connecticut:

• Roger Sherman
• Samuel Huntington
• William Williams
• Oliver Wolcott

Delaware:

• Caesar Rodney
• George Read
• Thomas McKean

Georgia:

• Button Gwinnett
• Lyman Hall
• George Walton

Maryland:

• Samuel Chase
• William Paca
• Thomas Stone

Massachusetts:

• John Hancock
• Samual Adams
• John Adams
• Robert Treat Paine
• Elbridge Gerry

New Hampshire:

• Josiah Bartlett
• William Whipple
• Matthew Thornton

New Jersey:

• Richard Stockton
• John Witherspoon
• Francis Hopkinson
• John Hart
• Abraham Clark

New York:

• William Floyd
• Philip Livingston
• Francis Lewis
• Lewis Morris

North Carolina:

• William Hooper
• Joseph Hewes
• John Penn

Pennsylvania:

• Robert Morris
• Benjamin Rush
• Benjamin Franklin
• John Morton
• George Clymer
• James Smith
• George Taylor
• James Wilson
• George Ross
• Charles Carroll of Carrollton

Rhode Island:

• Stephen Hopkins
• William Ellery

South Carolina:

• Edward Rutledge
• Thomas Heyward, Jr.
• Thomas Lynch, Jr.
• Arthur Middleton

Virginia:

• George Wythe
• Richard Henry Lee
• Thomas Jefferson
• Benjamin Harrison
• Thomas Nelson, Jr.
• Francis Lightfoot Lee
• Carter Braxton