Which founding father was the oldest signer of the United States Constitution?

Benjamin Franklin was the oldest signer of the United States Constitution.

Franklin was 81 when he signed the Constitution at Independence Hall on September 17, 1787. He represented Pennsylvania at the Constitutional Convention and was one of the most internationally famous American leaders of his generation.

Franklin’s age made him an unusual presence among the convention delegates, many of whom were considerably younger. Jonathan Dayton of New Jersey was the youngest signer, at 26. Franklin’s participation also linked the Constitution to the earlier revolutionary generation that had declared independence.

Franklin supported the final document despite reservations about some of its provisions. His remarks at the convention expressed a willingness to accept the Constitution while acknowledging that no political settlement was perfect. He died in Philadelphia in 1790, less than three years after the signing.