Which Declaration of Independence signer was the youngest, according to America250 history?

Edward Rutledge was the youngest signer of the Declaration of Independence, at age 26.

Rutledge represented South Carolina in the Second Continental Congress. He was born in Charleston in 1749 and trained as a lawyer before entering colonial and revolutionary politics. His older brother, John Rutledge, also became a prominent South Carolina statesman.

Rutledge played an important role in the congressional debate over independence. On July 2, 1776, he helped persuade South Carolina’s delegation to support the Lee Resolution, which declared the colonies free and independent states. The Declaration’s final text was approved two days later.

The age comparison is a useful reminder that the founding generation included both experienced elder leaders and relatively young politicians. Benjamin Franklin, born in 1706, was the oldest Declaration signer at 70. George Washington, often associated with the Revolution, did not sign because he was commanding the Continental Army.