Benjamin Franklin, a Pennsylvania delegate aged 70, was the oldest signer of the United States Declaration of Independence.
Franklin was born on January 17, 1706, making him 70 years old in 1776. By then he was an internationally known printer, scientist, inventor, diplomat, and political leader. He had represented Pennsylvania in the Second Continental Congress and served on the Committee of Five that prepared the Declaration.
Franklin did not write the principal draft; Thomas Jefferson did. Franklin reviewed Jefferson’s work and suggested changes during the drafting process. He later signed the engrossed parchment copy with the other delegates, including Jefferson and John Adams.
Franklin’s age is sometimes confused with the ages of other prominent founders. George Washington was 44 in 1776 and did not sign the Declaration, while John Adams was 40. Franklin’s signature also connects several founding documents: he signed the Declaration, the 1778 Treaty of Alliance with France, the 1783 Treaty of Paris, and the United States Constitution.