The Signers The Signatures
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- January 18 1777
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The Signatures
Congress ordered "That an authenticated copy of the Declaration of Independence, with the names of the members of Congress subscribing to the same, be sent to each of the United States, and that they be desired to have the same put upon record." Mary Katherine Goddard of Baltimore printed this first official copy of the Declaration with all signers listed.
The fact that Thomas McKean's name does not appear on the Goddard printing suggests he had not signed by January 1777. He voted for the Declaration on July 4, but soon left Philadelphia to fulfill military obligations. He was not present for the signings in August 1776. McKean probably became the last to sign the Declaration sometime after January 1777.