In June 1776, the provincial congress of New Jersey sent five new delegates to Philadelphia with instructions to vote for independence from Great Britain. These five men were all landowners of varying backgrounds, and included farmers, lawyers, a surveyor, and a Presbyterian minister. Each was married with a large family -- among them, they fathered fifty children! They would have understood that their vote amounted to treason against the King. Five Independent Souls explores the lives of these lesser known founding fathers, examining who they were before, during, and after the signing.
This exhibit also confronts one of the most confounding actualities around the signers of the Declaration of Independence: these five men, who put their lives on the line for liberty, freedom, and equality, simultaneously denied these very same rights to the people they enslaved. Visitors can learn about the lives of these subjugated men, women, and children who would have witnessed conversations on freedom and equality while being held in bondage in the homes of these patriots.
As we commemorate 250 years since the nation’s founding, what can we garner from the aspirational ideals ascribed to by the signers in one of history’s most important documents?
Dates: May 3, 2026 – January 17, 2027
Location: Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, Princeton, NJ
Hours: Wednesday through Sunday, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM (Closed Monday and Tuesday)
Learn more: https://www.morven.org/exhibitions/five-independent-souls