S_Chamberlin

Are all of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence considered Founding Fathers? If not, what constitutes the deifinition of Founding Father as it pertains to America? I have an ancestor who signed that document yet I don't know if I can state that he is in that elite group known as the Founding Fathers. I also have read and heard that most if not all of the Founding Fathers met their end by mysterious or suspicious means. Can anyone elaborate on that for me?

Vir0n

In my opinion anyone who signed the Declaration of Independence meets even a narrow definition of "Founding Father". I don't know much about many of the signers, but I do know that some of the most famous (Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Samuel Adams, Benjamin Rush, and Robert Morris) died of "natural" causes. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died on the same day.

S_Chamberlin

I am descended fom Benjamin Rush.

Vir0n

Dr. Benjamin Rush is absolutely, unequivocally, without a doubt a Founding Father. Anyone who says otherwise is an idiot (in the humble opinion of Vir0n, MD).

P.S. - You have pretty cool DNA. Good job!

MrStoff1989

There are some Foudning fathers that aren't even recorded in the history books. So, in my opinion, They're all founders.

S_Chamberlin

Thank you for that VirOn. I have done a lot of research on Benjamin Rush and he was quite an interesting figure, as was his son Richard Rush. Richard was a United States Treasurer and also ran for President/Vice President. He had a Coast Guard Cutter named for him as well. I am enjoying the John Adams series on HBO and seeing Benjamin Rush's part in the Revolution. Have any of you seen it?

Fuller Wiser

I agree with this, but I'm curious if it doesn't also extend to Constitutional Convention participants. When courts speak of the intentions of the founders, almost invariably they're referring to the authors of the Constitution rather than the Declaration.

Klun

I would think that anyone who attended the First/Second Continental Congress, signed the Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, Constitution and served in Congress/Executive/Judicial during the 1790's would be considered "Founding Fathers". Some may not be as famous as others, but they should all 'qualify'

Pedro

I agree they should all qualify. I would include in the group anyone who contributed to 'independence'. And that includes founding mothers too.
BTW It was Warren Harding that coined the phrase.

Zenjamin

Just playing devil's advocate here, but by that definition, you could be in opposition to the the majority of congress, and even the contenatal army, and still be considered a founding father.

Some of the founding fathers were verry much in disagreement. for example, on weather or not there should even be an independent america. (A verry vocal representative from New York and one from Pennsylvania come to mind.)

How can somebody be considered a founding father, if they were against the founding in the first place?
I am a novice, but I imagine that many who signed that declaration, only did so for political or personal reasons.



However, from what little I have heard of Benjamin Rush, he does not fall into this category, and is certainly a founding father.