John Penn

John Penn (1741–1788) was a lawyer and statesman from North Carolina who rose from a rudimentary education to become a delegate to the Continental Congress. He played a key role in advocating for independence, voting for it on July 2, 1776, and signing the Declaration of Independence on August 2. Penn also signed the Articles of Confederation and served on North Carolina's Board of War during the Revolutionary War before returning to legal practice.