24 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com THOMAS HEYWARD JR. Thomas Heyward Jr. added his name to the Declaration of Independence at the age of 29. By that time, he’d already been quite active in the independence movement during the preceding years. But later, when the British occupied Charles Town in 1780, Heyward was arrested and imprisoned in St. Augustine (which was also occupied by the British at the time). Tradition has it that, while imprisoned there, he rewrote the words to the British anthem “God Save the King,” — Americans recognize the melody as “My Country ‘Tis of Thee” — replacing it with the words “God Save the States, Thirteen United States, God Save Them All.” The song apparently caught on and was sung as a hymn in many of Charleston’s churches. A decade later, when President George Washington visited the city, he stayed at the Heyward home at 87 Church St. — hence the name the Heyward-Washington House, now a house museum. Heyward later lived at 18 Meeting St., where there is another historical plaque. He is buried at his former plantation in Jasper County. He shared his name with an uncle, so the younger Heyward added “Jr.” to his signature to avoid confusion. THOMAS LYNCH Hopsewee Plantation near Georgetown is the birthplace of Thomas Lynch, the second-youngest signer. Lynch’s father attended the First and Second Continental Congresses in Philadelphia but suffered a stroke while there. The younger Lynch, 26, left his post with the state militia and went to be with his father, joining him at the Congress and making the Lynches the only father-son delegates present. But since the elder Lynch was too ill to sign the Declaration, the task was left to Thomas. (A blank space on the Declaration shows where the elder Lynch was supposed to sign.) The younger Lynch battled health problems himself as a result of an illness he’d contracted while serving with the militia, so he was unable to resume his military career fighting the British. As the war raged, he hoped to reclaim good health with a trip to France, but the ship on which he was traveling was lost at sea, making him at the age of 30 the youngest signer to die. Because Lynch’s life was cut short before he established himself in politics or business, his signature on the Declaration of Independence is one of only a few of his autographs known to exist, making it a rare find for collectors. The Lynch family’s plantation at Hopsewee is privately owned but opens for public tours during different times of the year. This July, honor these four men while celebrating. our town From Los Altos of Jalisco Mexico to Daniel Island. Family owned taco kitchen + tequilera.Craft, handmade margaritas made with 100% blue agave tequila. Over 100 tequilas, mezcals, and sotol. VIVATacosTequila.com | 864 Island Park Drive, DanieI Island 2024 ® EVERYTHING FOR THE BRIDE EXCEPT THE DRESS Mon-Sat 10AM to 6PM Closed Sundays 1055 Johnnie Dodds Blvd. Mt. Pleasant (843) 352-2531 28 Windermere Blvd. Charleston, SC (843) 414-7170 NOW TWO LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU! DISTINCTIVE GIFTS | BRIDAL REGISTRY INVITATIONS • STATIONARY | FINE TABLEWARE UNIQUE HOME ACCESSORIES
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