Edward Rutledge of South Carolina was the youngest signer of the Declaration of Independence, signing at age 26 in the founding story commemorated by America250.
Rutledge was born in Charleston on November 23, 1749. He studied law in London and returned to South Carolina, where he entered public life. In 1774, he became a delegate to the Continental Congress and took part in the debates that led to independence.
Rutledge initially opposed immediate independence because South Carolina’s leaders considered the timing premature, but he later supported the Declaration. He was one of four South Carolina delegates who signed the document. During the Revolutionary War, he served as a captain in the South Carolina militia.
The age comparison is based on the signers’ ages at the time of signing. Benjamin Franklin, aged 70, was the oldest signer, while Rutledge was the youngest. Rutledge later served as governor of South Carolina and died in 1800.