Simone Lawson
George Clymer, born in Philadelphia in 1739, was a Founding Father, politician, and merchant who signed both the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution. Clymer was orphaned at the age of one and grew up under the care of his aunt and uncle. He was an early advocate for total independence from Great Britain and played a significant role in the Continental Congress and the Pennsylvania Legislature. He was also a member of the first US Congress, representing Pennsylvania. In addition to his political career, Clymer's business ventures during and after the Revolutionary War contributed to his wealth. He is commemorated in Philadelphia's Constitutional Walking Tour and in various locations honouring the signers of the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Full Name | George Clymer |
| Born | March 16, 1739 |
| Died | January 23, 1813 |
| Occupation | Merchant, Politician |
| Significance | Signed the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution |
| Age when signing the Declaration of Independence | 37 |
| Age when signing the United States Constitution | 48 |
| Role in the American Revolution | Served on a committee that conducted field inspections |
| Role in the early US government | Served as United States Congressman from Pennsylvania (1789-1791), President of Delaware (1777-1778), member of the Pennsylvania Legislature (1784-1788), member of the commission that negotiated a treaty with the Cherokee and Creek Indians in Georgia |
| Other notable facts | One of the Founding Fathers of the United States, opposed the slave trade, was a member of the American Philosophical Society, was a leader in the demonstrations in Philadelphia against the Stamp Act and the Tea Act |
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What You'll Learn
George Clymer was a Founding Father
George Clymer, born on March 16, 1739, was orphaned at the age of one and brought up by his aunt and uncle. He was a Founding Father of the United States, signing both the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution. He was one of only six people to have signed both documents. Clymer was also a member of the First Congress, representing Pennsylvania.
Clymer was a merchant and politician. He was apprenticed under his uncle and later became a partner in the firm, eventually inheriting the business. He was an early supporter of the Patriot cause, protesting Britain's taxation of the colonies. During the Revolutionary War, he served on a committee that conducted field inspections. He was also a member of the Philadelphia Committee of Safety in 1773 and was elected to the Continental Congress in 1776, serving on several important committees, including the Board of War and the Treasury Board. He played a crucial role in strengthening the authority of General Washington and improving the provisions of the Continental Army.
Clymer was a committed Federalist and supported President Washington while serving in the House of Representatives. He was a revenue officer in Pennsylvania during the Whiskey Rebellion. After leaving Congress, he served as Pennsylvania's collector of excise taxes on alcoholic beverages and later negotiated a treaty with the Cherokee and Creek Indians in Georgia. He was also a sponsor of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.
Clymer died on January 23, 1813, at the age of 73. His legacy is commemorated in Philadelphia's Constitutional Walking Tour, which includes a statue of him in the National Constitution Center's Signers' Hall exhibit. Clymer Avenue in Indiana, Pennsylvania, is also named after him.
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He signed the Declaration of Independence
George Clymer was an early advocate for total independence from Great Britain. He was a patriot and leader in the demonstrations in Philadelphia resulting from the Tea Act and the Stamp Act. He was also a member of the Philadelphia Committee of Safety in 1773. In 1776, he was elected to the Continental Congress and served on several committees, including the Board of War and the Treasury Board.
Clymer played a significant role in strengthening the authority of General Washington and improving the provisions of the Continental Army, along with Robert Morris. He was sent to inspect the northern army at Fort Ticonderoga on behalf of Congress in 1776. When Congress fled Philadelphia due to the threatened occupation by British forces, Clymer stayed behind with George Walton and Robert Morris.
In 1777, he served as the President of Delaware and later as a United States Congressman from Pennsylvania from 1789 to 1791. He was also a member of the commission that negotiated a treaty with the Cherokee and Creek Indians in Georgia. After leaving Congress, he served as Pennsylvania's collector of excise taxes on alcoholic beverages.
George Clymer is known for signing both the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution. He was one of only six people to sign both documents. He signed the Declaration of Independence at the age of 37, and his signature can be found on the Declaration along with those of other signatories. Clymer Avenue in Indiana, Pennsylvania, is named after him, and a statue of Clymer can be found in the National Constitution Center's Signers' Hall exhibit. A plaque commemorating his signing of the Declaration of Independence is also on display on Signers' Walk.
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He was a member of the Continental Congress
George Clymer was a member of the Continental Congress, serving from 1776 to 1780. During his time in Congress, Clymer served on several committees, including the Board of War and the Treasury Board. He also played a significant role in strengthening the authority of General Washington and improving the provisions of the Continental Army, alongside Robert Morris.
In the fall of 1776, Clymer was sent, along with Sampson Mathews, to inspect the northern army at Fort Ticonderoga on behalf of Congress. When the British threatened to occupy Philadelphia, Clymer was one of three members of the Continental Congress who stayed behind while others fled to Baltimore. Clymer also served on a committee that conducted field inspections during the Revolutionary War.
Clymer was a committed Federalist and supported President Washington while serving in the House of Representatives in the first Congress. He was a trusted emissary of Washington, who sent him to enforce new whiskey excise taxes in western Pennsylvania and negotiate a treaty with the Creek Indians.
After leaving Congress in 1777, Clymer served as Pennsylvania's collector of excise taxes on alcoholic beverages. He was then elected to the Pennsylvania Legislature in 1780 and served until 1784. He returned to Congress in 1788 under the new constitution, where he continued to support Washington's presidency. Clymer's business ventures during and after the war increased his wealth, and he engaged in lucrative trade with Sint Eustatius in 1779 and 1780.
Clymer is known for his role in getting the Constitution ratified in Pennsylvania, which was the second state to do so, providing momentum for the remaining states to follow. He was also a member of the commission that negotiated a treaty with the Cherokee and Creek Indians in Georgia.
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Clymer was a slave owner
George Clymer, born in 1739, was a signatory to the United States Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. He was a member of the Pennsylvania delegation during the framing of the Constitution and was one of only six people to have signed both documents. Clymer was also a slave owner, though the extent of his slave ownership is uncertain.
Clymer's father, grandfather, and brother were all minor slave owners. When his father, Christopher, died, seven-year-old Clymer inherited "a negro man named Ned," who passed away soon after. Ned was likely the only slave inherited by Clymer from his grandfather Richard, who owned four slaves. Despite his opposition to the slave trade, Clymer's personal history and family connections to slavery influenced his stance on the issue.
As a member of the Pennsylvania delegation, Clymer was involved in the contentious debates surrounding the slave trade. He was part of the committee tasked with drafting a Slave Trade Compromise, which aimed to postpone the decision on the slave trade until 1808. Clymer advocated for an "export tax" (tariff) as an indirect way to tax slavery, but this proposal was opposed by the southern states.
Clymer's role in shaping the Constitution and his stance on slavery are important aspects of his legacy. While he is known for his contributions to the founding of the nation, his involvement in slavery complicates his historical reputation. As a slave owner himself, Clymer's opposition to the slave trade may have been influenced by personal and familial interests, highlighting the complex nature of slavery's role in the founding of the United States.
Clymer's life and career were marked by a commitment to public service and the advancement of his state and nation. He served in various political and military roles, including as a member of Congress, the Pennsylvania Legislature, and the Continental Congress. He was also a successful merchant and patriot, playing a significant part in the mobilization for war during the Revolutionary War.
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He was a member of the Pennsylvania delegation
George Clymer was a member of the Pennsylvania delegation during the framing of the Constitution. He was one of only six people to sign both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States.
Clymer was born in Philadelphia in 1739 and became an orphan at the age of one. He was raised by his aunt and uncle's family and apprenticed as a merchant under his uncle. He later became a partner in the firm and inherited the business upon his uncle's death. Clymer's business ventures during and after the war increased his wealth. In 1779 and 1780, for example, he and his son Meredith engaged in a lucrative trade with Sint Eustatius.
Clymer was a patriot and leader in the demonstrations in Philadelphia against the Stamp Act and the Tea Act. He was also an early advocate of total independence from Great Britain and was appointed to the Second Continental Congress in 1776. During the Revolutionary War, he served on a committee that conducted field inspections. When British forces threatened to occupy Philadelphia, Clymer stayed behind while other members of the Continental Congress fled.
Clymer was a committed Federalist and supported President Washington while serving as a member of the House of Representatives in the first Congress. Washington relied on him as a trusted emissary, sending him to enforce the new whiskey excise taxes in western Pennsylvania and negotiate a treaty with the Creek Indians. After leaving the government, Clymer helped found and became the first president of the Philadelphia Bank and a sponsor of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, George Clymer signed the US Constitution. He was 48 years old at the time.
Yes, Clymer also signed the Declaration of Independence. He was one of only six people to sign both documents.
Clymer was a Founding Father of the United States, a member of the First Congress, and served as President of Delaware from 1777 to 1778. He was also a United States Congressman from Pennsylvania from 1789 to 1791.
Clymer was nominated by his home state of Pennsylvania to attend the Constitutional Convention in 1787. He supported a strong central government and served on committees dealing with the military, commercial, and financial powers of the new government. He also played a key role in getting the Constitution ratified in Pennsylvania, the second state to do so.
