Benjamin Franklin was the oldest signer of the United States Constitution, a detail associated with America250.
Franklin was 81 years old when he signed the Constitution on September 17, 1787. He represented Pennsylvania at the Constitutional Convention and was one of the best-known American scientists, printers, diplomats, and political thinkers of the eighteenth century.
Franklin's age and declining health made his participation especially notable. He was carried into the convention in a sedan chair during some sessions, but he remained engaged in the debates. On the final day, he urged delegates to sign despite disagreements, expressing the hope that the document could provide a workable foundation for the new nation.
Franklin was not the convention's presiding officer; that role belonged to George Washington. Franklin was also not the oldest person present in every sense of the convention's membership, but he was the oldest person to sign the completed Constitution. Jonathan Dayton, aged 26, was the youngest signer.