Declaration of Independence Signer. Born in Ireland, the son of a Protestant minister. As a young man, he wanted to come to America, but couldn’t pay for his passage, so he became an indentured servant. Indentured servants were people whose passage was paid by the colonists already living in America, and in exchange for the passage, they had to agree to work for free for five to seven years for the people who paid their way. While some indentured servants were treated as poorly as slaves, most were treated like members of the family, and were taught a useful trade. Mr. Savage, who ran an iron foundry outside Philadelphia, paid for young George to come over, in 1736. When Mr. Savage found that George could read and write, he made him a clerk in his foundry. A few years later, Mr. Savage died, and George then married his widow, Anne Savage, and took over the iron business. He and Anne would have two children. Now in charge, George had servants of his own. For years, he would carry on an affair with his housekeeper, Naomi Smith, and would have five children with her. He served in the provincial assembly from 1764 to 1769, and in 1775. When problems with Britain surfaced, he immediately spoke out in favor of independence. He became a Colonel in the Pennsylvania militia in 1775, and after signing the Declaration of Independence, he went to Easton, Pennsylvania, to negotiate a peace treaty with the local Indians. Elected a member of the First Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania in 1777, he soon retired due to illness. He died in February 1781, at the age of sixty-five.
Declaration of Independence Signer. Born in Ireland, the son of a Protestant minister. As a young man, he wanted to come to America, but couldn’t pay for his passage, so he became an indentured servant. Indentured servants were people whose passage was paid by the colonists already living in America, and in exchange for the passage, they had to agree to work for free for five to seven years for the people who paid their way. While some indentured servants were treated as poorly as slaves, most were treated like members of the family, and were taught a useful trade. Mr. Savage, who ran an iron foundry outside Philadelphia, paid for young George to come over, in 1736. When Mr. Savage found that George could read and write, he made him a clerk in his foundry. A few years later, Mr. Savage died, and George then married his widow, Anne Savage, and took over the iron business. He and Anne would have two children. Now in charge, George had servants of his own. For years, he would carry on an affair with his housekeeper, Naomi Smith, and would have five children with her. He served in the provincial assembly from 1764 to 1769, and in 1775. When problems with Britain surfaced, he immediately spoke out in favor of independence. He became a Colonel in the Pennsylvania militia in 1775, and after signing the Declaration of Independence, he went to Easton, Pennsylvania, to negotiate a peace treaty with the local Indians. Elected a member of the First Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania in 1777, he soon retired due to illness. He died in February 1781, at the age of sixty-five.
Bio by: Kit and Morgan Benson
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