Today is the 4th of July, which for those of us who are Americans, we celebrate the founding of our country. It is a day of bbq’s, parties and filled with festive parades and fireworks, yet how many truly reflect upon the sacrifice of those fifty-six men who signed the Declaration of Independence?

Here is some information that I came across about the fates of those men:

1. Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died.

2. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned.

3. Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured.

4. 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?

1. Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists.

2. Eleven were merchants,

3. Nine were farmers and large plantation owners; men of means, well educated.

Still 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 and eventually sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags.

Thomas McKeam was forced to move his family almost constantly. He 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, Ruttledge, and Middleton.

Thomas Nelson, Jr., lost his home to the British General Cornwallis for his headquarters. Nelson died bankrupt.

Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.

John Hart was driven from his wife’s bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His 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.

Our liberties which we celebrate and cherish are indeed precious and so fragile as can be seen by many of the recent events taking place. Freedom is not free, we must be ever vigilant and work towards protecting our liberties. May God bless our independent nation, who is the source of all freedom!