Before the Revolution: Mecklenburg Resolves and Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence

A number of historical figures have been associated with a document that preceded the U.S. Declaration of Independence by more than a year – and for many years was accepted as the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence. More recent discoveries have convinced most historians that the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence was more likely to have been a distorted or "mis-remembered" recall of the Mecklenburg Resolves.

This project is a place to identify those people who have traditionally be associated with the "Mecklenburg Declaration" – or the "Mecklenburg Resolves".

The somewhat longer Wikipedia article on the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence delves more deeply into the history of the controversy than the corresponding article on the Mecklenburg Resolves.

See also:

• Rural Hill, NC history
• Celebrating the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence

"Signers" of the Declaration (from the Wikipedia article):

1. Abraham Alexander (possibly this one)
2. Adam Alexander
3. Charles Alexander (possibly this one)
4. Ezra Alexander
5. Hezekiah Alexander
6. John McKnitt Alexander
7. Waightstill Avery
8. Rev. Hezekiah J. Balch (possibly this one)
9. Richard Barry (possibly this Richard Berry or his son?)
10. Dr. Ephraim Brevard
11. Maj. John Davidson
12. Henry Downs (possibly this one)
13. John Flenneken (apparently DAR No. 15828. John Flenniken, 1745-1810)
14. John Foard
15. William Graham
16. James Harris (possibly this one)
17. Richard (or Robert) Harris
18. Robert Irwin
19. William Kennon
20. Matthew McClure
21. Neil Morrison
22. Duncan Ochiltree
23. Benjamin Patton
24. John Phifer (possibly this one)
25. Col. Thomas Polk
26. John Queary
27. David Reese
28. Zaccheus Wilson, Jr.