Benjamin Harrison (1726–1791)

Benjamin Harrison V was a towering figure in Virginia politics who served as the Chairman of the Committee of the Whole during the debates over the Declaration of Independence. A wealthy planter and merchant, he used his considerable influence and booming voice to maintain order and focus during the contentious sessions in Philadelphia. He was a close friend of George Washington and a signatory of the Declaration, famously joking with the smaller Elbridge Gerry about the benefits of a quick death by hanging should they be captured. After his service in Congress, he returned to Virginia to serve as Governor and was a key figure in the state’s ratification of the U.S. Constitution. His political legacy continued through his descendants, including a son and a great-grandson who both served as President of the United States.