Charles Carroll of Carrollton 1737 – 1832

Biography

Charles Carroll was born on September 19, 1737, in Annapolis, Maryland, into a family of considerable prominence and influence. Throughout his lifetime, he established himself as a significant figure in American colonial and early national history, earning recognition as both a successful planter and a dedicated public servant. His life spanned nearly a century, during which he witnessed the birth of a new nation and contributed meaningfully to its founding.

Carroll is remembered as one of the signatories of the Declaration of Independence, the document that announced America’s break from British rule in 1776. This role placed him among the most courageous patriots of his era, as those who signed the Declaration risked their lives and fortunes for the cause of independence. Beyond his involvement in the Revolution, Carroll’s career as a planter reflected the economic and social structures of colonial Maryland.

He remained active and engaged throughout his extraordinarily long life, living to see the young American republic mature and develop into a functioning nation. Carroll passed away on November 14, 1832, in Baltimore, Maryland, at the advanced age of ninety-five. He was laid to rest in Maryland, leaving behind a legacy as one of the Revolutionary era’s most enduring and committed figures.