Person

Stephen Hopkins

1707 – 1785

Known for Signing the Declaration with a hand shaking from palsy

Tags#revolution #colonial

A Rhode Island governor and delegate to the Continental Congress, and one of the oldest men to sign the Declaration of Independence. By 1776 palsy had left his hands trembling so badly that he could barely write; he braced his right hand with his left to sign, and is remembered for saying, "My hand trembles, but my heart does not." His wavy signature stands out among the elegant ones around it.