Timothy Matlack probably handwrote the engrossed parchment copy of the Declaration of Independence.
Matlack was a Pennsylvania clerk known for his penmanship. In 1776, he was chosen to inscribe the formal parchment version that members of Congress signed. This is the large handwritten document commonly identified as the Declaration of Independence.
The distinction between copies matters. John Dunlap printed the first broadside edition, while Matlack is associated with the later engrossed copy prepared for signatures. William J. Stone created a widely used engraving in 1823, but he did not write the original parchment.
The wording “probably” reflects the historical evidence: the document is traditionally attributed to Matlack, but no surviving signing record explicitly names him as the scribe. His copy is now displayed in the National Archives’ Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom.