Button Gwinnett

Date of Birth

1735

Place of Birth

Down Hatherley

Date of Death

May 19, 1777

Place of Death

Savannah, Georgia

Spouse(s)

Ann Bourne

Children

Amelia, Ann, and Elizabeth Ann Gwinnett

American Revolution Service

Signer of the Declaration of Independence

State of Service

Georgia

Donor

Philadelphia Winn Chapter NSDAR Members were the donors for the Button Gwinnett Pathways Patriot Tree. We are located in the city of Lawrenceville in Gwinnett County, GA. Gwinnett County was named after Button Gwinnett.

Button Gwinnett was an American founding father who was born in 1735 in Down Hatherley, United Kingdom.

After coming to America, he purchased land and settled in Georgia. Married to Ann Bourne, they had three children, all female. Two of the children died early and the third had no children. He was involved in Revolutionary War-era politics; was elected as a representative of Georgia to the Continental Congress; and was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.

Button Gwinnett Lawrenceville Historic Marker

Button Gwinnett, Signer of the Declaration of Independence

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Gwinnett was also, briefly, the provisional president of Georgia in 1777, and was involved in drafting the Georgia State Constitution.

Lachlan McIntosh was his political adversary, who challenged him to a duel in 1777. They met near Savannah on May 16 of that year for the duel and both were injured. McIntosh survived his injury, but Gwinnett survived for three days and then died on May 19 at the age of 42. He is buried in Colonial Park Cemetery in Savannah.