Show millions yearly view declaration Ded ORE than a million patriotic pilgrims a acar car pause before a marble shrine on the second floor of the library ot of rn congress to gaze with reverent 4 eyes nt at a failing fading document sheltered in a coating of gelatin to prevent its further injury which Is a certain declaration larn la tion of independence signed in the city of philadelphia on july 4 1776 most of the signatures writes elizabeth ellicott poe in the washington washing torl post bost are indistinguishable gui at the present time but on 00 the front of the M top row rov of names is a name written in large script john II Il ancock it reads and the his torl tori call calli minded remember that when that sturdy massat chu p pa a tri tr I 1 ci 0 t bent over to put V 47 A his 1 I datelle Dat to this fateful paper lie he remarked ill write it large so king george georg ge can read it without his spectacles john II aucock one of the richest men of boston town had much to lose by his stand it was no idle gesture to him this adoption ot of the cause of the colonies ills properties nere to be forfeited to the crown tor for what would be considered an act of treason but john II Il ancock did not hesitate because of this lie ile was a native of Brain braintree tree therefore a friend and neighbor no doubt of john adams who nho was after afterward vard to be the second president of the united states the adopted son of an uncle thomas II Il ancock who left him a large fortune young II Il ancock was a graduate of harvard hartard in in 1454 1754 and was one of a numerous family of hancsics in the vicinity As a member of the committee of patriots appointed appo after the massacre in boston asking the british to withdraw II Il ancock had counseled every honorable means to avoid the conflict impending at the funeral of the slain lie he preached an oration in which he based the cowardice of the british officers and men in slaughtering unarmed men when the continental congress was fo formed amed john II Il ancock represented massachusetts therein and in 1775 1777 served as its president in his spacious boston mansion meanwhile lord percy britaina Brit ains pet held sway A price was put on the head of john II Il ancock as well ell which only amused the game pai patriot riot hancock ancock II was so eager to tight fight that he let it lie be known that he was vas willing to face the hardships of the field but congress was wise and kept him in his post as its presiding officer after his revolutionary service was over II li ancock was elected the first governor of massachusetts which bich of ice fice he held from 1787 until his death juba john adams spoke of him as a clever fellow a bit spoiled by a legacy ile he left no descendants ani so busy were his heirs in distributing ills his property after his death that they did not erect a tombstone massachusetts in later years rears repaired this omission and a monument now stands over his grave in the old granary burying ground on tremont street in boston not far from the grave of his friend samuel adums adams another massachusetts patriot |