Matthew Thornton Biography

Matthew Thornton was an Irish born American physician and legislator who was one of the 56 signers of the U.S. Declaration of Independence in 1776. He was a man of principles who believed that freedom is everyone’s bright right. Though he was born in Ireland he migrated to America at the young age of three and developed an undying love for the country. An intelligent young man, he chose to become a physician so that he could help others by alleviating their sufferings. He studied medicine under Doctor Grout, and established himself as a physician and surgeon. He was hardworking and ambitious and built a successful medical practice that made him quite wealthy and earned him considerable social status as well. During the King George’s War, he was selected to serve as a surgeon in the New Hampshire military. His political career began when he was elected as a delegate for Londonderry in the Colonial Assembly. Later on he went on to become the President of the New Hampshire Provincial Congress. He served as the president of the five member committee that drafted the first state constitution that America was to adopt on her independence. He signed the U.S. Declaration of Independence in 1776 and was elected a delegate to the Continental Congress.