Happy 4th of July

The first battle of the Revolution took place just a few miles from our house.

Of the fifty-six members of the Continental Congress of 1776 who signed the Declaration of Independence, James Wilson of Pennsylvania and John Witherspoon of New Jersey were natives of Scotland.  William Hooper of North Carolina, George Ross of Delaware, Thomas Nelson, Jr., of Virginia, and Philip Livingston of New York were of Scottish descent. Matthew Thornton of New Hampshire and James Smith and George Taylor of Pennsylvania were natives of Ulster; and Thomas McKean of Pennsylvania and Edward Rutledge of South Carolina were of Ulster-Scottish descent. 
John Hart of Hunterdon County, NJ and Abraham Clark of Elizabeth, NJ both from their names and from the fact that both were from centers of Scottish settlement, were doubtless of Scottish descent. Robert R Livingston of New York and John Houston of Georgia, both of Scottish descent, were active members of the Congress, but were absent on duty when the engrossed copy was signed (August 2, 1772) and their names do not appear. 


The photo is my iWatch as it is decked out for the week.  In extras is an visual explanation of the Betsy Ross flag.