Button Gwinnett Signer of the Declaration of Independence from Georgia

Button Gwinnett

Signer of the Declaration of Independence from Georgia

Early Life in England (c. 1732–1735 – 1760s)

Button Gwinnett was born in Gloucestershire, England, around 1732–1735, the son of the Reverend Samuel Gwinnett and his wife, Anne. He was one of several children in a family with Welsh roots, and like many young men of his era, he was apprenticed to a merchant rather than receiving an extensive formal education.

During his early adulthood, Gwinnett worked in the mercantile trade. He married Ann Bourne, and they had three daughters together. By the early 1760s, the couple decided to seek opportunity in the American colonies, a move that would reshape his life and ultimately place his name among the Founding Fathers.

Merchant and Planter in Georgia

Gwinnett first settled in Charleston, South Carolina, before moving to Savannah, Georgia, around 1765. There, he attempted to build a business as a merchant, importing goods from England. His ventures, however, were not especially successful, and financial difficulties followed him across the Atlantic.

Seeking a more stable livelihood, he sold his store and purchased a large tract of land on St. Catherine’s Island. There, he tried his hand at farming and cattle raising. Though this venture also had mixed results, the move placed him among the local landowning class and helped open the door to political involvement.

Entry into Politics and Revolutionary Leadership

Gwinnett’s political career began in 1769, when he was elected to Georgia’s colonial assembly. As tensions between Great Britain and the American colonies intensified, he became increasingly involved in the Patriot cause.

By 1776, Georgia sent him to the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia as a delegate. There, he joined fellow Georgians Lyman Hall and George Walton in supporting independence. Gwinnett signed the Declaration of Independence in July 1776, placing his name among the fifty-six men who pledged their lives and fortunes to the new nation.

After returning to Georgia, he rose quickly in state politics. He served as Speaker of the Georgia Assembly and helped draft the state’s first constitution. In early 1777, he became the provisional president (essentially governor) of Georgia following the death of Archibald Bulloch.

Feud, Duel, and Death (1777)

Gwinnett’s political career was intense but brief. He became embroiled in a bitter rivalry with General Lachlan McIntosh. Their conflict worsened after a failed military expedition against British forces in East Florida.

Accusations and insults followed, and the dispute culminated in a duel on May 16, 1777. Both men were wounded, but Gwinnett’s injuries proved fatal. He died a few days later, on May 19, 1777, at about forty-two years of age.

He is believed to have been buried in Colonial Park Cemetery in Savannah, though his exact grave location has never been definitively identified.

Legacy and Historical Significance

Button Gwinnett’s public career lasted only a few years, but it coincided with one of the most important moments in American history. He served in Georgia’s colonial legislature, represented the colony in the Continental Congress, signed the Declaration of Independence, and briefly served as the state’s president.

Because he died soon after signing the Declaration and left relatively few written documents, his autograph is considered one of the rarest and most valuable among the signers.

Gwinnett County, Georgia—one of the state’s most populous counties—was named in his honor, ensuring that his unusual name remains widely known today.

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Quick Facts

• Full Name: Button Gwinnett
• Born: c. 1732–1735, Gloucestershire, England
• Died: May 19, 1777, near Savannah, Georgia
• Age at Death: About 42
• Profession: Merchant, planter, and politician
• Government Service:
  • Member, Georgia colonial assembly
  • Delegate to the Second Continental Congress
  • Signer of the Declaration of Independence (1776)
  • Speaker of the Georgia Assembly
  • Provisional President (Governor) of Georgia, 1777
• Burial: Believed to be Colonial Park Cemetery, Savannah, Georgia
• ReInterned: Augusta Ga. Signers of the Declaration Memorial

Colonial Park Cemetery, Savannah, GA

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Augusta Ga. Signers of the Declaration Memorial