The Bush Declaration, also known as the Bush River

Bush River (Maryland)

Bush River is a tidal estuary in Harford County, Maryland, located about 15 mi northeast of Baltimore. The estuary extends from the community of Riverside, south for about 9 mi , to the Chesapeake Bay...

 Declaration, the Bush River Resolution, and the Harford Declaration, was a resolution

Resolution (law)

A resolution is a written motion adopted by a deliberative body. The substance of the resolution can be anything that can normally be proposed as a motion. For long or important motions, though, it is often better to have them written out so that discussion is easier or so that it can be...

 adopted on March 22, 1775, in Harford County, Maryland

Harford County, Maryland

Harford County is a county in the U.S. state of Maryland. In 2010, its population was 244,826. Its county seat is Bel Air. Harford County forms part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area.-History:...

. Like other similar resolutions in the Thirteen Colonies

Thirteen Colonies

The Thirteen Colonies were English and later British colonies established on the Atlantic coast of North America between 1607 and 1733. They declared their independence in the American Revolution and formed the United States of America...

 around this time, the Bush Declaration expressed support for the Patriot

Patriot (American Revolution)

Patriots is a name often used to describe the colonists of the British Thirteen United Colonies who rebelled against British control during the American Revolution. It was their leading figures who, in July 1776, declared the United States of America an independent nation...

 cause in the emerging American Revolution

American Revolution

The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...

.

The declaration read:

We, the Committee of Harford County, having most Seriously and maturely Considered the Resolves

Declaration and Resolves of the First Continental Congress

The Declaration and Resolves of the First Continental Congress was a statement adopted by the First Continental Congress on October 14, 1774, in response to the Intolerable Acts passed by the British Parliament...

 and Association of the Continental Congress, and the Resolves of the Provincial Convention, do most heartily approve of the same, and as we Esteem ourselves in a more particular manner intrusted by our Constituents to see them carried into Execution, we do most solemnly pledge ourselves to each other, and to our country, and engage ourselves by every tie held sacred among mankind, to perform the same at the risque of our lives and fortunes.

The declaration was signed by thirty-four committee members. Although the Bush Declaration was not a call for separation from the British Empire, local histories have, with perhaps more pride than historical accuracy, described the Bush Declaration as the first declaration of independence

Declaration of independence

A declaration of independence is an assertion of the independence of an aspiring state or states. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another nation or failed nation, or are breakaway territories from within the larger state...

made by any representative body in America.

The signers were as follows:

Charles Anderson [b.1734 - d.1824, Green Co., PA]

John Archer [b.5 May 1741 - d. 28 Sep 1810, "Medical Hall", nr. Churchville, Harford Co., MD. Buried at Churchville Presbyterian Church Cem., Churchville, Harford Co., MD]

William Bradford, Sr. [b.1739 - d.1794]

Thomas Brice [b.1746]

Samuel Calwell [b. c1741 - d. 1799, Harford Co, MD]

Richard Dallam [b.1743 - d. 1805, Harford Co., MD]

John Donahuy(or Donahey)

Greenberry Dorsey [b. 10 Mar 1728/29 - d. by 9 April 1798 Harford Co., MD]

John Durham [b. 22 Feb 1737/8, Baltimore Co, MD - d. 1801, Harford Co, MD]

William Fisher, Jr. [b.1740 - d.1835, Harford Co, MD]

Aquila Hall [b.1727, Baltimore Co, MD - d.1779, Harford Co, MD]

Aquila Hall, Jr. [b. c1750, Baltimore Co, MD - d.1815, Baltimore Co, MD]

Josias Carvil Hall [b. 7 Jul 1746, Baltimore Co, MD - d. 1814, Harford Co, MD]

James Harris [d. 1777, Harford Co., MD] (unmarried)

Francis Holland [b. 11 Aug 1745, Baltimore Co, MD - d. by 30 Jul 1775, Harford Co., MD]

Thomas Johnson [b.1726]

Robert Lemmon [b. c.1740, Ireland - d. 1817, Somerset Co., MD]

James Lytle [b. 1752 - d. 1809, Harford Co, MD]

James McComas [b.1735 - d. 1791, Harford Co., MD]

Robert Morgan [b. 24 May 1755]

William Morgan [b. 14 Mar 1743/44, Baltimore Co., MD - d. Nov 1795, Deer Creek, Harford Co., MD]

Benjamin Bradford Norris [b.1745 - d. 1790]

Aquila Paca [b. 21 Jun 1738, Baltimore Co., MD - d. 26 Feb 1788 in Harford Co., MD]

John Patrick [b. 1742, Lancaster Co., PA - d. bef. 10 Oct 1805, Baltimore Co. MD]

George Patterson [b.1748 - d. 1808, Harford Co., MD. Buried at St. George's Parish Cem., Perryman, Harford Co., MD]

Edward Prall [b.1734, NJ - d.1803, Harford Co., MD] (unmarried

Alexander Rigdon [b.1743 - d. 1820, Harford Co, MD]

Daniel Scott [b.1747 - d. 1828, Harford Co., MD]

William Smith [b. c1720, Baltimore Co, MD - d. 1777, Harford Co, MD]

William Smithson [b.1745 - d. 17 Jan 1809,"The Homestead",Bel Air, Harford Co, MD]

John Taylor [b. 24 Sept 1736, Baltimore Co, MD - d. after 1775]

Edward Ward [b. 1709 - d. 1791, Harford Co, MD]

William Webb [b.1732 - d. 1778, Harford Co., MD]

Abraham Whitaker [b.1737 - d. 1784, Harford Co, MD]

External links

• Historical Marker
• Bush River Declaration bibliography
• The Hereditary Order of the Signers of the Bush Declaration
• The Signers of the Bush Declaration

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