Heyward, Thomas, 1746-1809

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Thomas Heyward Jr. (July 28, 1746 – March 6, 1809) was a Founding Father of the United States who signed the United States Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation as a delegate of the Continental Congress from South Carolina. His loss of a considerable number of slaves led to him being widely proclaimed as a martyr of the revolution.

Born in St. Luke's Parish (now Jasper County), South Carolina, he was educated at home, then traveled to England to study law where he was a member of the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple. He was elected to the Continental Congress in 1775 and the following year was the last delegate to sign the Declaration of Independence. Heyward returned to South Carolina in 1778 to serve as a judge. In 1778, he presided over a trial in which several persons were tried for treason; they were convicted and executed within view of the British lines. In command of a militia force, he was taken prisoner by the British during the siege of Charleston.

On August 27, 1780, British troops took him from White Hall Plantation, his Charleston home, and detained him in the Old Exchange Building. They confiscated all of his slaves, and although he later reclaimed some of them, 130 were permanently confiscated and transported to sugar plantations in Jamaica, a loss of $50,000 in property. Hours after being arrested, he and 28 other "ringleaders of the rebellion" were relocated to a guard ship in the harbor. On September 4, they were transported to St. Augustine, Florida, and remained there for about 11 months until they were freed in a prisoner exchange.

In 1784, he was elected a member of the American Philosophical Society. He continued to serve as a judge after the war, retiring from the bench in 1798. Following his death in Jasper County, Heyward was buried at Old House Plantation near Ridgeland, South Carolina.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Heyward, Thomas, 1746-1809. DS, 1788 August 29, South Carolina. Copley Press, J S Copley Library
creatorOf Heyward, Thomas Jr. Autograph document signed, 1783 May term. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Heyward, Thomas Jr. Document signed, 1783 Dec. 1. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Thomas Addis Emmet collection, 1483-1876 (bulk:1700-1800) New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
creatorOf Middleton, Arthur, 1742-1787. DS, 1775 June 18 : Provincial Congress, South Carolina. Copley Press, J S Copley Library
creatorOf Rosenbach, A. S. W. (Abraham Simon Wolf), 1876-1952,. Signers of the Declaration of Independence autograph collection, 1756-1818. Rosenbach Museum & Library
creatorOf Heyward, Thomas, 1746-1809. Clipped signature, n.d. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Henry A. Willard II Collection, 1743-1888, (bulk 1770-1840) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf Heyward, Thomas, 1746-1809. DS, 1784 October 30. Copley Press, J S Copley Library
creatorOf Heyward, Thomas. Signature to order for £100 to be paid to Richard Moncreef by the Commons House of Assembly, 1774 Apr. 10. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Gaud, Panchita. "He is his own apprentice" : the life of Thomas Heyward, Junior : 1965 Jan. 14 [typescript] / Panchita Gaud, History 148. University of South Carolina, System Library Service, University Libraries
creatorOf Johnston, Clement Dixon, 1895-1979,. Papers collected by Clement Dixon Johnston [manuscript], 1683-1943. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Heyward, Thomas, 1746-1809. Signature, n.d. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
creatorOf South Carolina. Council of Safety. Commission, 1775 Oct. 13, of Mathew Singleton. Rosenbach Museum & Library
referencedIn Letters and documents of signers of the Declaration of Independence, 1750-1933. Houghton Library
creatorOf South Carolina. Court of Common Pleas. Attachment against John Neely : 1786 Aug. 22. Rosenbach Museum & Library
creatorOf Heyward, Thomas, 1746-1809. ALS, 1801 August 3, Charleston, South Carolina, to Thomas Jefferson. Copley Press, J S Copley Library
referencedIn Frederick M. Dearborn collection of military and political Americana, Part I: The Revolution and the Administration, 1669-1958. Houghton Library
creatorOf Heyward, Thomas. Document signed to warrant for apprehension of one Thomas Cumming, 1786 May 6. Pierpont Morgan Library.
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Dearborn, Frederick M. (Frederick Myers), b. 1876 person
associatedWith Emmet, Thomas Addis person
associatedWith Gaud, Panchita. person
associatedWith Hubbard, John, collector. person
associatedWith Huger, John, 1744-1804. person
associatedWith Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826. person
associatedWith Johnston, Clement Dixon, 1895-1979, person
alumnusOrAlumnaOf Middle Temple (London, England) corporateBody
associatedWith Middleton, Arthur, 1742-1787. person
associatedWith Pinckney, Thomas, 1750-1828. person
associatedWith Rosenbach, A. S. W. (Abraham Simon Wolf), 1876-1952, person
associatedWith South Carolina. Council of Safety. corporateBody
associatedWith South Carolina. Court of Common Pleas. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. corporateBody
memberOf United States. Continental Congress corporateBody
associatedWith Willard, Henry A. (Henry Augustus), 1902- person
Place Name Admin Code Country
London ENG GB
Subject
Occupation
Delegates, U.S. Continental Congress
Jurists
Lawyers
Planter
Activity

Person

Birth 1746-07-28

Death 1809-03-06

Male

Britons,

Americans

English

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