Despite being a descendant of a prominent New York mercantile family, since Livingstone was the fourth son, he had to make his own fortune

He was aligned with the radical block of Congress, and died during the body’s sixth session

He was a strong promoter of King’s College, later known as Columbia University

Hopkins had severe palsy when he signed the Declaration — he had to hold his right hand with his left. According to an account from 1920, as he signed it he declared:

My hand trembles, but my heart does not.

He was a long-time Governor and Chief Justice of Rhode Island, as well as a strong supporter of the Ivy League educational institution now known as Brown University (he was also its first chancellor).

Hopkins was a descendant of the founders of Providence, as well as King Edward I (r. 1272-1307).

Following his tenure in Continental Congress, Ross became a judge of Pennsylvania’s admiralty court

George Ross' nephew John Ross was married for four years to Betsy Ross (later Elizabeth Ashburn and Elizabeth Claypoole), giving her the Ross surname and thus ensuring its immortality in the American lexicon

Paca is believed to have been partly of Italian ancestry, with his surname being derived from Pecci or Pacci

He was the Third Governor of Maryland and then a judge in that state’s court

Braxton was a grandson of Robert “King” Carter – one of the wealthiest and most powerful men in the Colonies during the late 17th/early 18th centuries. He was a cousin of fellow delegate Benjamin Harrison.

Despite his advantaged position, a combination of large loans for the Revolutionary War effort and his own poor land speculations left Braxton in debt

Braxton had as many as sixteen children, thus ensuring copious descendants, including several majors in the Confederate army, and a Governor/Senator of Kentucky

Hooper missed the vote for the Declaration, but arrived at Philadelphia in time to sign it

His property and land was destroyed by the British during the Revolution, and due to his moderate stance towards Loyalists following the war, he never rose to the same political heights as many of his fellow signatories

Richard and Francis Lee were brothers and members of the influential Lee family of Maryland and Virginia

Both were Virginian Senators, with Richard being one of the first presidents pro tempore of the Senate

While Lees have been prominently involved in politics and the military since Richard Lee I emigrated to Virginia in 1639, and remain in politics to this day, undoubtedly the most famous members of the family are the Confederate general Robert E. Lee, the US President Zachary Taylor, and Taylor’s son-in-law and the President of the Confederacy Jefferson Davis

Morton proved to be the Pennsylavian swing vote in favour of the Declaration

He was the first signer to die, perishing on April 1 1777 – less than a year after the statement was adopted

Rodney played a critical role throughout the Revolution in maintaining the cohesion of the Delaware militia, despite suffering from ill health. He was the face of Continental Congress which conveyed its legitimacy to the Delawareans

He was the fourth President of Delaware, but died soon thereafter in 1784 – being one of the first signers to die

McKean afterwards became Chief Justice of Pennsylvania and then that state’s second governor

His grandson, Carlos Martínez de Irujo, was briefly Prime Minister of Spain