Saturday, November 15, 2008 Charles Carroll of Carrollton
(1737-1832), American Patriot, born in Annapolis, Maryland,
studied law abroad and returned to his home state in 1764 as an
accomplished scholar. He added "of Carrollton" to his signature
to separate himself from the other Charleses in his sprawling
family – including his father, Charles Carroll of Annapolis. In
1775 he was elected to the Continental Congress, and the
following year he was the only Roman Catholic to sign the
Declaration of Independence. As a Roman Catholic, he was barred
from entering politics, practicing law, and voting. It is
reputed that the First Amendment to the Constitution was written
in appreciation for his financial support during the
Revolutionary War by his peers, discerning his contributions in
such stark contrast to the denial of civic rights due to his
Catholicism. Of all the signers he risked the most. He was the
wealthiest man in the colonies at the beginning of the
Revolution, his wealth being estimated at $2,000,000.