Thomas Lynch, Jr. (1749–1779)

Thomas Lynch, Jr. was one of the youngest signatories of the Declaration of Independence, representing South Carolina at just 26 years old. Born at Hopsewee Plantation, he was educated at Eton and Cambridge in England and studied law at the Middle Temple in London. Upon returning to South Carolina, he joined the revolutionary movement alongside his father, Thomas Lynch, Sr. When his father suffered a paralyzing stroke while serving in the Continental Congress, Lynch, Jr. was elected as a delegate to join him in Philadelphia so that South Carolina’s interests remained represented. Though his own health was failing due to a severe bout of bilious fever contracted during military service, he signed the Declaration of Independence. In 1779, seeking to recover his health, he and his wife set sail for the West Indies; their ship disappeared at sea, making him the youngest signer to die.