Retirement
After Hewes signed the Declaration of Independence, he retreated to his home in New Jersey because of his ailing health. Despite his health problems, Hewes ran for re-election in Congress but failed to win. In 1779 he finally served his last few months as a congressman and on November 10, 1779, Joseph Hewes died just before his fiftieth birthday. All of the Continental Congress came to his funeral the following day and mourned the great loss that the country had suffered. A 1779 inventory signed by Hewes, as well as a 1780 newspaper account of his estate sale, both indicate that Hewes owned slaves. Hewes kept a diary in the last years of his life. Before he died, he wrote that he was a sad and lonely man and had never wanted to remain a bachelor. The girl he loved had died a few days before their wedding and he never married leaving no children to inherit his money and estates.
Hewes was a member of Unanimity Lodge No. 7, visited in 1776, and was buried with Masonic funeral honors.
Read more about this topic: Joseph Hewes
Famous quotes containing the word retirement:
“Douglas. Now remains a sweet reversion—
We may boldly spend, upon the hope
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A comfort of retirement lives in this.
Hotspur. A rendezvous, a home to fly unto.”
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