THOMAS HEYWARD, JR .was born on July 28, 1746 in St. Luke's parish, South Carolina.His father, Colonel Daniel Heyward was a
planter of great wealth, however, he was determined to bestow on his son all
the advantages a thorough education would bring him.He selected the best school in the province for young Heyward,
who, by his diligence, became quite knowledgeable of the Latin language, and
was sent to England to study law at the Middle Temple.Although young Heyward was due to inherit a
large fortune, he devoted himself to the study of law with the ardor of someone
who expected to earn their living from the practice of the profession.After finishing with his education in
England, he commenced on a tour of Europe that took him several years.His father's fortune gave him the
opportunity to gain a knowledge of the different countries of Europe and to
contrast the industry and simplicity of his countrymen with the laziness,
luxury and corruption and pride that was so prevalent on the continent.
Heyward
returned to South Carolina in1771 and quickly joined his fellow patriots in
their fight for independence.He had
become embittered in England by the contemptuous attitude of the British toward
the "backwoods colonials".He was
elected to the provincial assembly in 1772 and a year later, when he was
twenty-seven, he married Elizabeth Matthews, the daughter of a prosperous
planter.
In
1775, Heyward became a member of the South Carolina Committee of Safety and he
was elected to fill a vacancy in the continental congress that was created by
the recall of John Rutledge who was called back to assist in defending the state against a threatened
invasion.Heyward, being a modest man
at first declined.However, he was
convinced to fulfill the duties of his appointment and he arrived in
Philadelphia in time to enter the discussion of the great question of American
independence.Heyward signed the
Declaration of Independence five days after his thirtieth birthday.
In
1778, Heyward left Congress to become judge of criminal courts of the new South
Carolina government.Soon after his
rise to the bench, he was called upon to preside over the trial and accusation
of several persons charged with treasonable correspondence with the British
army in Charleston.The condemnation of
these colonists was followed by their execution, which took place within view
of the enemy soldiers, and which served to render the judge most objectionable
to the British.
Despite
the danger of an advancing British army near his court, Heyward held at the
same time a military commission, and in the battle of Beauford, he received a
wound that left a scar that marked him for the remainder of his life.In the spring of 1780, the city of
Charleston was besieged by General Clinton and upon the surrender of the city,
Heyward was taken prisoner and sent with Edward Rutledge, Richard Hutson and
other patriots to St. Augustine, Florida, where he was imprisoned for a
year.Here he amused himself by
composing patriotic words to such British national songs as "God save the
King,", that the prisoners might indulge their patriotic sentiments under the
cover of loyal British tunes.During
his imprisonment a party of British soldiers visited his plantation and carried
away all his slaves, which were later sold by their captors to sugar planters
in Jamaica.His wife became gravely ill
and she died before his release from prison.
Heyward
and his fellow prisoners at St. Augustine were released and returned to
Philadelphia.On his voyage, he
narrowly escaped death, by some accident he fell overboard but fortunately kept
himself from sinking by holding on to the rudder of the ship until someone
could help him.
In
1781, Heyward returned to South Carolina and resumed his judicial duties until
1789.In 1790 he acted as a member of
the state convention for forming South Carolina's constitution.The following year, he retired from all
public offices except those that were connected to his duties as judge.
Heyward
was twice married.After the death of
his first wife, he married a Miss Savage.He had children by both wives, however their history has not been
ascertained.
Heyward
died on his South Carolina plantation on March 6, 1809.
We invite you to read a transcription
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&
The article "The
Declaration of Independence: A History,"
which provides a detailed account of the Declaration, from its drafting through
its preservation today at the National Archives.
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