Story and photo courtesy of Turtle Creek Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR)
WARREN COUNTY, OH -- The Constitution of the United States was signed on September 17, 1787 in Philadelphia at the Constitutional Convention by 39 delegates from 12 states. One of these signers, from the state of Pennsylvania, was Thomas Mifflin.
Thomas Mifflin was born into a prominent Quaker family in Philadelphia on January 10, 1744 to parents John and Elizabeth. He attended the College of Philadelphia (now the University of Pennsylvania) and graduated in 1760 at the age of sixteen. Following in his father’s footsteps, who had been a successful merchant, Mifflin went on to work in trading posts for a number of years and eventually established a thriving mercantile business with his brother. In 1767 he married his second cousin, Sarah Morris.
Mifflin developed an interest in politics, again like his father who had held a number of positions. He participated in nonimportation meetings in 1769 and 1770, held to pledge boycotts of British goods, and in 1772 he was elected to the Pennsylvania Assembly showing his support of colonial opposition to British policies. From there he was sent in 1774 as a d...