Thursday, January 15, 2015

Signers of the Declaration of Independence helped by FX Sanchez

What three American Patriots did FX Sanchez help to survive the prison in Castillo de San Marcos?

When Francisco Xavier Sanchez fed and clothed the Spanish sailors held prisoner by the English in the fort in Saint Augustine, there were three men also jailed who were American patriots and later signed the Declaration of Independence. These men were:

Thomas Heyward, Jr.
of Saint Helena Parish, South Carolina, 7/28/1746 - 3/6/1809. He was a lawyer and a plantation owner, who was married twice and fathered eight children before he died at the age of 62. 


Arthur Middleton

of Charleston, South Carolina, 6/26/1742 - 1/1/1787. He was a plantation owner who was married once and fathered nine children before he died at the age of 44.

Edward Rutledge
of Christ Church Parish, South Carolina, 11/23/1749 - 1/23/1800. He was a lawyer and a plantation owner who married twice and fathered three children before he died at the age of 50.

Submitted by the Rev. Dee Graham with assistance from Cindy Weatherby, DAR, and by Jon Wilson, journalist with the Florida Historical Quarterly. Watch the upcoming issue for his story about Los Flordianos. (1/15/2015)