Matthew Thornton
| Matthew Thornton | |
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| Born | 1714 Limerick, Ireland |
| Died | June 24, 1803 (aged 88–89) Newburyport, Massachusetts |
| Resting place | Thornton Cemetery, Merrimack |
| Known for | Signer of the United States Declaration of Independence |
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Matthew Thornton (1714 – June 24, 1803), was a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence as a representative of New Hampshire.
Thornton was born in Limerick, Ireland, the son of Ulster Scots James Thornton and Elizabeth Malone. In 1716 Thornton's family emigrated to North America when he was three years old, settling first in Brunswick, Maine. On July 11, 1722, the community was attacked by Native Americans. James and Elizabeth Thornton fled from their burning home with Matthew, moving shortly thereafter to Worcester, Massachusetts. Thornton completed studies in medicine at Leicester. He became a physician and established a medical practice in Londonderry, New Hampshire. He was appointed surgeon to the New Hampshire Militia troops in an expedition against Fortress Louisbourg in 1745. He had royal commissions as justice of the peace and colonel of militia.
In 1760 Thornton married Hannah Jack, and the couple had five children. Thornton became a Londonderry selectman, a representative to and President of the Provincial Assembly, and a member of the Committee of Safety, drafting New Hampshire's plan of government after dissolution of the royal government, which was the first state constitution adopted after the start of hostilities with England.
He was first President of the New Hampshire House of Representatives and Associate Justice of the Superior Court of New Hampshire. He was elected to the Continental Congress after the debates on independence had occurred, but as he did not arrive in Philadelphia until November 1776, he was granted permission to actually sign the Declaration of Independence three months after the formal signing in August.
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