# November Highlight: Election Connections November 04, 2016 ![Research Highlights](/sites/g/files/omnuum10521/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/declaration/files/research_highlights-01.jpg?itok=BEubc7QQ) John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were the only signers of the Declaration of Independence to become President of the United States, but they certainly weren't the only signers elected to public office in the new federal government. In fact, seven signers were part of the 1st United States Congress (1789-1791), eight including President of the Congress, John Adams. This month, with Election Day fast approaching, we highlight the signers of the Declaration of Independence who became congressmen, vice presidents, and presidents in the new United States. ![Reproduction of Engraving by Charles Willson Peale](/sites/g/files/omnuum10521/files/styles/hwp_1_1__720x720_scale/public/declaration/files/lossing1876_p018_the_state_house_in_philadelphia_1778.jpg?itok=f6wvfzjg) A fun fact to start: The first and second sessions of the 1st US Congress were held in Federal Hall in New York City. From December 1790 through May 1800, Congress met in Congress Hall, adjacent to Independence Hall (then known as the State House), where the Declaration of Independence was signed. In this reproduction of an engraving by Charles Willson Peale, Congress Hall is the building just to the right of the clock on Independence Hall.## **Members of the United States House of Representatives** ![Elbridge Gerry](/sites/g/files/omnuum10521/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/declaration/files/gerry.jpg?itok=l7c_YS5o) **Elbridge Gerry** Massachusetts 3rd District 1789-1793 ![Roger Sherman](/sites/g/files/omnuum10521/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/declaration/files/sherman.jpg?itok=bFxzWEPX) **Roger Sherman** Connecticut At-Large District 1789-1791 ![William Floyd](/sites/g/files/omnuum10521/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/declaration/files/floyd.jpg?itok=q4XWJjx5) **William Floyd** New York 1st District 1789-1791 ![Clark](/sites/g/files/omnuum10521/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/declaration/files/clark_01.jpg?itok=CM-70UQu) **Abraham Clark** New Jersey At-Large District 1791-1794 ![George Clymer](/sites/g/files/omnuum10521/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/declaration/files/clymer_01.jpg?itok=INlSyXoY) **George Clymer** Pennsylvania At-Large District 1789-1791 ## **United States Senators** ![Roger Sherman](/sites/g/files/omnuum10521/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/declaration/files/sherman.jpg?itok=bFxzWEPX) **Roger Sherman** Senator from Connecticut 1791-1793 ![Robert Morris](/sites/g/files/omnuum10521/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/declaration/files/morris.jpg?itok=_vcra9Va) **Robert Morris** Senator from Pennsylvania 1789-1795 ![George Read](/sites/g/files/omnuum10521/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/declaration/files/read.jpg?itok=8oemOD0X) **George Read** Senator from Delaware 1789-1793 ![Charles Carroll of Carrollton](/sites/g/files/omnuum10521/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/declaration/files/carroll_01.jpg?itok=j8PRn9TK) **Charles Carroll of Carrollton** Senator from Maryland 1789-1792 ![Richard Henry Lee](/sites/g/files/omnuum10521/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/declaration/files/lee.jpg?itok=BzYDT9CM) **Richard Henry Lee** Senator from Virginia 1789-1792 President pro tempore, 1792 ![George Walton](/sites/g/files/omnuum10521/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/declaration/files/walton_01.jpg?itok=racxzxiY) **George Walton** Senator from Georgia 1795-1796 ## **Vice President of the United States** ![John Adams](/sites/g/files/omnuum10521/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/declaration/files/jadams.jpg?itok=6ixDwvS6) **John Adams** 2nd Vice President of the United States President: George Washington 1789-1797 ![Thomas Jefferson](/sites/g/files/omnuum10521/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/declaration/files/jefferson.jpg?itok=lfOw6MTa) **Thomas Jefferson** 3rd Vice President of the United States President: John Adams 1797-1801 ![Elbridge Gerry](/sites/g/files/omnuum10521/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/declaration/files/gerry.jpg?itok=l7c_YS5o) **Elbridge Gerry** 5th Vice President of the United States President: James Madison 1813-1814 ## **President of the United States** ![John Adams](/sites/g/files/omnuum10521/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/declaration/files/jadams.jpg?itok=6ixDwvS6) **John Adams** 2nd President of the United States 1797-1801 ![Thomas Jefferson](/sites/g/files/omnuum10521/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/declaration/files/jefferson.jpg?itok=lfOw6MTa) **Thomas Jefferson** 3rd President of the United States 1801-1809 **Fun Fact:** The 6th and 9th Presidents of the United States were sons of signers of the Declaration of Independence. **John Quincy Adams** (son of John Adams) was President from 1825-1829, and **William Henry Harrison** (son of Benjamin Harrison) was President for just one month in 1841, the first President to die in office. William Henry Harrison's grandson (Benjamin Harrison's great-grandson) was the 23rd President of the United States, also named **Benjamin Harrison**, who served from 1889-1893.## **Bonus: Governors** 18 signers of the Declaration of Independence governed their respective states, including one signer who governed two different states. Whether acting, short-term, or multi-term, that means **32%** of the men who signed the Declaration of Independence would serve as governors during their political careers. ![Map with Number of Governors who Signed Declaration](/sites/g/files/omnuum10521/files/styles/hwp_1_1__720x720_scale/public/declaration/files/map_for_november_blog.jpg?itok=fkCo2Tpa) 4th Governor of New Hampshire: **Josiah Bartlett**, 1790-1794 1st and 3rd Governor of Massachusetts: **John Hancock**, 1780-1785, 1787-1793 4th Governor of Massachusetts: **Samuel Adams**, 1794-1797 9th Governor of Massachusetts: **Elbridge Gerry**, 1810-1812 18th Governor of Connecticut: **Samuel Huntington**, 1786-1796 19th Governor of Connecticut: **Oliver Wolcott**, 1796-1797 6th President of Pennsylvania: **Benjamin Franklin**, 1785-1788 2nd Governor of Pennsylvania: **Thomas McKean**, 1799-1808 2nd President of Delaware: **Thomas McKean**, 1777 3rd President of Delaware: **George Read**, 1777-1778 4th President of Delaware: **Caesar Rodney**, 1778-1781 3rd Governor of Maryland: **William Paca**, 1782-1785 Governor of Virginia: **Thomas Jefferson**, 1779-1781 4th Governor of Virginia: **Thomas Nelson, Jr.**, 1781 5th Governor of Virginia: **Benjamin Harrison**, 1781-1784 39th Governor of South Carolina: **Edward Rutledge**, 1798-1800 2nd Governor of Georgia: **Button Gwinnett**, 1777 (acting) 11th Governor of Georgia: **Lyman Hall**, 1783-1784 17th Governor of Georgia: **George Walton**, 1789 Notes: - Fictional President Josiah Bartlet (with two t's) on *The West Wing* was formerly Governor of New Hampshire, and claimed to be a descendent of Josiah Bartlett (with three t's). - When Hancock died in office in October 1793, Lieutenant Governor Samuel Adams became Acting Governor. - Stephen Hopkins, signer of the Declaration of Independence, served as Colonial Governor of Rhode Island from 1755-1757, 1758-1762, 1763-1765, and 1767-1768. - In 1776, both Pennsylvania and Delaware crafted constitutions where the executive branch was led by a President. With new state constitutions in 1790 and 1792 respectively, they adapted the office to Governor. - John Dickinson, who argued against the Declaration of Independence, preceded Franklin as 5th President of Pennsylvania (1782-1785) and succeeded Rodney as 5th President of Delaware (1781-1783). Pennsylvania and Delaware had shared a governor as colonies, but Delaware wasn't thrilled when Dickinson was elected as President of Pennsylvania while still President of Delaware. He resigned in January 1783. - All three signers from Delaware and all three signers from Georgia served as governor of their respective states for a period of time. Images from the [Emmett Collection of Manuscripts, etc. relating to American History](http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/collections/emmet-collection-of-manuscripts-etc-relating-to-american-history#/?tab=about&roots=5:0d1f1190-c606-012f-a7d2-58d385a7bc34), courtesy of the New York Public Library Digital Collections. By Emily Sneff [Last](/blog/october-context) | **Research Highlights** | [Next](/blog/december-founders) See also:- [ Research Highlights ](/vocab/blogcategory/rh) - [ Abraham Clark ](/vocab/signers/clark) - [ Benjamin Franklin ](/vocab/signers/franklin) - [ Benjamin Harrison ](/vocab/signers/harrison) - [ Button Gwinnett ](/vocab/signers/gwinnett) - [ Charles Carroll of Carrollton ](/vocab/signers/carroll) - [ Edward Rutledge ](/vocab/signers/rutledge) - [ Elbridge Gerry ](/vocab/signers/gerry) - [ George Clymer ](/vocab/signers/clymer) - [ George Read ](/vocab/signers/read) - [ George Walton ](/vocab/signers/walton) - [ John Adams ](/vocab/signers/john-adams) - [ John Hancock ](/vocab/signers/hancock) - [ Josiah Bartlett ](/vocab/signers/bartlett) - [ Lyman Hall ](/vocab/signers/hall) - [ Oliver Wolcott ](/vocab/signers/wolcott) - [ Richard Henry Lee ](/vocab/signers/richard-henry-lee) - [ Robert Morris ](/vocab/signers/robert-morris) - [ Roger Sherman ](/vocab/signers/sherman) - [ Samuel Adams ](/vocab/signers/samuel-adams) - [ Samuel Huntington ](/vocab/signers/huntington) - [ Stephen Hopkins ](/vocab/signers/hopkins) - [ Thomas Jefferson ](/vocab/signers/jefferson) - [ Thomas McKean ](/vocab/signers/mckean) - [ Thomas Nelson, Jr. ](/vocab/signers/nelson) - [ William Floyd ](/vocab/signers/floyd) - [ William Paca ](/vocab/signers/paca) Share on:- [ Facebook ](#) - [ Twitter ](#) - [ Linkedin ](#)