Road to Liberty: George Clymer | The White House Founders Museum | PragerU

George Clymer, a grandson of an original settler of the Penn colony, became an orphan at the age of one. He went to live with a wealthy uncle in Philadelphia, where he received an informal education and he grew up working in his uncle’s mercantile firm. His exposure to business and finance would later serve Clymer well in his roles as a leading Philadelphia merchant and a key figure in the Revolutionary cause.

An early patriot, Clymer abhorred the restrictive economic policies of the British, which threatened his business interests. After serving on the Philadelphia Committee of Safety, his expertise in financial matters made him a natural choice for the Continental Congress, where he signed the Declaration of Independence and served as one of the first two Continental treasurers. There, Clymer made significant contributions, personally underwriting the war effort by exchanging his specie for Continental currency. When British forces threatened to occupy Philadelphia, some members of the Continental Congress fled to Baltimore, but Clymer courageously stayed behind with George Walton and Robert Morris.

After the war, Clymer continued to serve in various capacities, including the Pennsylvania legislature, where he advocated for penal code reform. He also represented Pennsylvania in the Constitutional Convention and later served as a United States Representative in the First Congress. Later in life, he accepted a series of appointments and advanced various community projects. He died at the age of 73 in 1813. His legacy remains a testament to the enduring power of commerce, patriotism, and public service.

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