Benjamin Franklin was the oldest signer of the Declaration of Independence, signing at age 70.
Franklin represented Pennsylvania in the Second Continental Congress and served on the Committee of Five that reviewed Jefferson’s draft. Born in 1706, he was 70 in 1776, making him the oldest of the delegates whose names appear on the engrossed Declaration.
Franklin’s age is sometimes confused with his role in the signing story. John Hancock’s large signature is the most famous, while Thomas Jefferson is credited with drafting the document. Franklin was both a signer and a senior political figure, but he was not the document’s principal author.
Franklin later helped secure French support for the American cause. His scientific reputation and diplomatic work made him one of the most internationally recognized American founders associated with the era commemorated by America250.