William Few's Signature: A Founding Father's Legacy

William Few Jr. (1748-1828) was an American Founding Father, lawyer, politician, and jurist. He was one of Georgia's two delegates to the convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which drafted the United States Constitution in 1787. Few signed the Constitution and played a crucial role in securing Congress's approval of the new Constitution by voting in favor and lobbying other congressmen. He also participated in Georgia's special convention to ratify the document. Few's political career included serving as a U.S. senator, a state representative, and a judge in Georgia before he moved to New York in 1799, where he continued his political career.

Explore related products

The Constitution of the United States of America: The Declaration of Independence, The Bill of Rights

$9.99 $9.99

A Discourse on the Constitution and Government of the United States (Optimized for Kindle)

$0.99

John Adams's Republic: The One, the Few, and the Many

$62 $60

The Trillion-Dollar Conspiracy: How the New World Order, Man-Made Diseases, and Zombie Banks Are Destroying America

$13.86 $18.99

The Clinton Wars: The Constitution, Congress, and War Powers

$79.95

The Battles of Connecticut Farms and Springfield, 1780 (Small Battles)

$26

William Few Jr. was born in 1748 near Baltimore, Maryland

William Few Jr., born on June 8, 1748, was one of Georgia's two signers of the United States Constitution. He was born near Baltimore, Maryland, to Mary and William Few Sr. At the age of ten, Few moved with his family to North Carolina, where he, his father, and one of his brothers associated themselves with the "Regulators," a group of frontiersmen who opposed the royal governor. Few's brother was hanged for his involvement in an uprising against the North Carolina militia, and the family farm was destroyed, causing the family to flee to Georgia. Few remained in North Carolina to settle his father's affairs and joined his family in Georgia in 1776.

Despite limited formal education, Few won admittance to the bar and established a law practice in Augusta, Georgia. He joined a volunteer militia during the American Revolution and played a significant role in the Richmond County Regiment. Few's political career began when he was appointed as a representative of Georgia in the Continental Congress in the late 1770s. He was also elected to serve in Georgia's provincial congress and attended the state's constitutional convention in 1777.

In the 1780s, Few was appointed to the Continental Congress by the state legislature and served as one of Georgia's delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1787. He was one of two Georgia delegates to sign the Constitution, along with Abraham Baldwin. Few played a crucial role in securing Congress's approval of the new Constitution by voting in favour and lobbying other congressmen. He also participated in Georgia's special convention to ratify the United States Constitution.

Few went on to serve as one of Georgia's first United States senators from 1789 to 1793. He moved to New York in 1799 and continued his political career, serving in various elected positions. He became a reputable jurist and an important supporter of public education, contributing to the establishment of the University of Georgia in Athens in 1785. William Few Jr. died in 1828 at the age of 80, leaving behind his wife, Catherine Nicholson, and three daughters.

He was a delegate at the 1787 Philadelphia convention that drafted the US Constitution

William Few Jr. (1748-1828) was an American Founding Father, lawyer, politician, and jurist. He was born into a poor yeoman farming family near Baltimore, Maryland, and moved to North Carolina at the age of ten. In 1771, Few, his father, and one of his brothers associated themselves with the "Regulators", a group of frontiersmen who opposed the royal governor. This led to the hanging of Few's brother and the ransacking of the family farm, causing the family to flee to Georgia. Few remained behind to settle his family's affairs and joined them in 1776.

Few's political career began in the late 1770s when he joined the House of Representatives. In 1780, he was appointed as the representative of Georgia in the Continental Congress. During this time, he served as one of Georgia's delegates to the convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which drafted the United States Constitution in 1787. Few was one of two delegates from Georgia, along with Abraham Baldwin, to sign the Constitution. He played a crucial role in securing Congress's approval of the new Constitution by voting in favor of it and lobbying other congressmen before it was sent to the states for ratification.

In addition to his role in the drafting and signing of the Constitution, Few also participated in Georgia's special convention to ratify the document in 1788. He was then selected to serve as one of Georgia's first United States senators. Few's inherent leadership and organizational skills, as well as his sense of public service, were honed by his experiences in the American Revolutionary War. He firmly supported the creation of a strong national government and worked diligently to ensure the Continental Congress's approval of the new form of government.

Despite his initial plan to retire from politics in 1793, Few continued to serve in various capacities. He moved to New York in 1799 and remained active in public service, serving in the New York Assembly and other elected positions. Few's contributions to the formation of the United States were significant, and he is remembered as one of the key figures in the creation of the Constitution.

Few was one of two Georgia delegates to sign the Constitution

William Few Jr. was one of two Georgia delegates to sign the United States Constitution. Born on June 8, 1748, near Baltimore, Maryland, Few and his family moved to North Carolina when he was ten years old. In North Carolina, Few, his father, and one of his brothers associated themselves with the "Regulators", a group of frontiersmen who opposed the royal governor. In 1771, the Regulators planned an armed uprising against the North Carolina militia, which resulted in the hanging of Few's brother and the destruction of the family farm. This caused the family to flee to Wrightsboro, Georgia, while Few remained in North Carolina to settle his father's affairs, joining his family in Georgia in 1776.

Despite having little formal education, Few won admittance to the bar and set up his own law practice in Augusta, Georgia. He joined the House of Representatives in the late 1770s and was appointed as the representative of Georgia in the Continental Congress in 1780. In 1782, Few returned to Congress and served throughout most of that decade. He was also elected to serve in Georgia's provincial congress and attended the state's constitutional convention in 1777. During this time, he served as one of Georgia's delegates to the convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which drafted the United States Constitution in 1787.

As one of the two Georgia delegates, Few played a crucial role in securing Congress's approval of the new Constitution. He cast his vote in favor and lobbied other congressmen before it was sent to the states for ratification. Few also participated in Georgia's special convention to ratify the United States Constitution. After the Constitution was ratified, Georgia selected Few to serve as one of its original United States senators. He continued his political career in various roles, including serving as a state representative and a judge in Georgia. In 1799, Few moved to New York and remained active in politics, serving in the New York Assembly and other elected positions.

William Few Jr. died in 1828 at the age of 80, leaving behind his wife, Catherine Nicholson, and three daughters. His remains were initially buried in the yard of the Reformed Dutch Church in Fishkill Landing, New York. However, in 1973, at the request of the state of Georgia, his remains were reinterred at Saint Paul's Church in Augusta, Georgia. Few's contributions to the founding of the nation and his dedication to public service are honoured through places named after him, such as Few Street in Madison, Wisconsin, and the William Few Parkway in Columbia County, Georgia.

Explore related products

John, Paul, George & Ben

$15.2 $18.99

Common Sense (Books of American Wisdom)

$10 $12.95

Game of Thorns: The Inside Story of Hillary Clinton's Failed Campaign and Donald Trump's Winning Strategy

$34.99 $14.95

Founding Fathers: The Essential Guide to the Men Who Made America

$14.77 $19.99

Founding Fathers

$18.19 $19.98

Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation

$9.92 $19

He played a key role in securing Congress' approval of the Constitution

William Few Jr. (1748-1828) was an American Founding Father, lawyer, politician and jurist. He played a key role in securing Congress's approval of the Constitution, representing the U.S. state of Georgia at the Constitutional Convention in 1787. Few was one of two delegates from Georgia to sign the Constitution, along with Abraham Baldwin.

Few was born near Baltimore, Maryland, and moved to North Carolina as a child. He later settled in Georgia, where he established a law practice in Augusta and became involved in politics. He was appointed as a representative of Georgia in the Continental Congress in 1780 and served in the state's provincial congress during the Revolutionary War.

As a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, Few firmly supported the creation of a strong national government. He contributed important votes at critical times, including casting his vote in favour of the Constitution and lobbying other congressmen before it was sent to the states for ratification. He also attended the Georgia convention in 1788 that ratified the document.

Few's dedication to the common good and his natural leadership and organisational abilities quickly brought him to the attention of Patriot leaders, who invested him with important political responsibilities. His experience in the American Revolutionary War brought out his inherent gifts for leadership and organisation, as well as his sense of public service.

Few went on to serve as one of Georgia's first U.S. senators from 1789 to 1793. He also served as a state representative and as a judge in Georgia before moving to New York in 1799, where he continued his political career.

Few was a US Senator, state representative, and judge in Georgia

William Few Jr. (1748-1828) was an American Founding Father, lawyer, politician, and jurist. Born into a poor yeoman farming family near Baltimore, Maryland, Few moved to North Carolina with his family when he was ten years old. In North Carolina, Few and his family associated with the "Regulators", a group of frontiersmen who opposed the royal governor. After the Regulators' armed uprising against the North Carolina militia in 1771, Few's brother was hanged, and the family farm was destroyed, prompting the family to flee to Georgia. Few remained in North Carolina to settle his father's affairs and joined his family in Georgia in 1776.

Few's political career began in the late 1770s when he joined the House of Representatives. In 1780, he was appointed as the representative of Georgia in the Continental Congress. Few was also elected to serve in Georgia's provincial congress and attended the state's constitutional convention in 1777. In the 1780s, he served as one of Georgia's delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, which drafted the United States Constitution. Along with Abraham Baldwin, Few was one of two Georgia delegates to sign the Constitution. He played a crucial role in securing Congress's approval of the new Constitution by voting in favor and lobbying other congressmen. He also participated in Georgia's special convention to ratify the United States Constitution.

Few went on to hold various political positions, including serving as one of Georgia's first United States senators from 1789 to 1793. Despite planning to retire at the end of his term, he was appointed as a circuit court judge in Georgia in 1796. Few moved to New York in 1799, where he continued his political career, serving in the New York Assembly and other elected positions. He died in 1828 at the age of 80 and was buried in a local Reformed Dutch Church cemetery in New York. In 1976, his remains were reinterred at St. Paul's Church in Augusta, Georgia.

Frequently asked questions