On July 4, 1776, the United States Declaration of Independence, formally The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, was signed. A note, most signatories wouldn’t sign until August 2, but I digress. This paper would officially declare, in writing, the United States strove to become a sovereign nation, distinctly not under the British Crown of King George III. George was 38 at the time and had been King for nearly 16 years.
War had raged on the continent for nearly a year by this point, with the Battles of Concord and Lexington occurring over a year earlier (April 19, 1775). The signing would officially begin the American War for Independence, which would last another 5 years until the Battle of Yorktown in 1781. The war would officially end after 8 years of fighting with the signing of the Treaty of Paris on September 3, 1783.
Of the declaration’s signatories, nine had been born in Massachusetts with five serving as Massachusetts State Representatives (John Adams, Samual Adams, Elbridge Gerry, John Handcock, and Robert Treat Paine). The last surviving signatory was Charles Carroll of Carrollton, Maryland, who lived to the age of 95 in 1837, over 56 years after signing.
For Independence Day, the Town on Marion will not have fireworks. Marion will have a parade, however, beginning at 9:00 am near the Town House. The Mattapoisett Road Race will also begin at 9:00 pm at Shipyard Park where it will circle around town in a 4-mile circuit.
By Sam Bishop