Matthew Thornton
The Late Signer – Irish Doctor Who Refused to Be Left Out of HistoryBy Cole Rourke
Length50m
About this audiobook
Matthew Thornton — the Irish immigrant physician and last man to sign the Declaration of Independence.
Arriving in New Hampshire as a young boy, Thornton became a respected doctor, judge, and militia leader. He missed the main signing in August 1776 but demanded the record be reopened so he could add his name on November 4 — refusing to be left out of the birth of a nation.
In this 4-episode deep dive, we follow his remarkable journey: from poor Irish immigrant to successful New England doctor, revolutionary patriot, and one of the longest-living signers (dying at 89 in 1803). His simple gravestone reads only “An Honest Man” — a fitting epitaph for a brother who lived by the square with quiet determination.
A member of the Craft, Thornton showed up late but stayed true, proving that principle and persistence matter more than being first.
Audiobook details
GenreHistory, Biography and Memoir
Length50 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateMay 8, 2026
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1Chapter 1 - Irish Ashlar to Frontier Surgeon: Immigrant Grind & Battlefield Steel
2Chapter 2 - The Flip: From Royal Commission to Provincial Leader
3Chapter 3 - Signing Late: The Insistence on the Privilege
4Chapter 4 - Final Square: Long Service, Honest Legacy & the Man Who Showed Up
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