John Witherspoon

 John Witherspoon (February 5, 1723 until November 15, 1794) was a Scottish American Presbyterian minister, educator, farmer as well as a slave owner, and was a Founding Father of the United States. 1. Witherspoon was a strong believer in the foundations of Scottish common sense and realist values. He was the president of College of New Jersey (1768-1794 which is now Princeton University), and an important figure in the development of the United States' national identity. Politically active, Witherspoon was a New Jersey delegate to the Second Continental Congress. He also signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. He was the sole active clergyman and was the only college president who signed the Declaration. Then, he signed the Articles of Confederation and supported ratification of the Constitution of the United States.In 1789, he served as the moderator of the First General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America.Witherspoon was a fervent Nationalist, Protestant and advocate of republicanism. He was therefore opposed to the Roman Catholic Legitimist Jacobite Rising that took place in 1745 and 1746. In the aftermath of the Jacobite victory at the Battle of Falkirk, he was briefly detained at Doune Castle, which had a long-term effect on his health.