JONATHAN DAYTON: The Youngest Signer of the United States Constitution

Story and photo courtesy of Turtle Creek Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR)

WARREN COUNTY, OH --Jonathan Dayton was the youngest person to sign the United States Constitution, but his story does not start or stop there.

Dayton was born in Elizabethtown, now Elizabeth, New Jersey on October 16, 1760 to General Elias and Hannah Dayton. He was the third of nine eventual children and the second son. He spent his early years attending a local school before attending The College of New Jersey, which is now known as Princeton University. He left college in 1775 to join the military and received an honorary degree in 1776.

When war broke out in 1775, Elias Dayton was chosen to lead the 3rd New Jersey Regiment. Jonathan, who was only 15, joined the regiment as an Ensign, a commissioned position where he was responsible for carrying the company’s flag. January 1, 1777 he was commissioned as a Lieutenant and served as a paymaster. He served with George Washington in the battles of Brandywine Creek and Germantown. He continued his service under Washington and helped push back the British at Valley Forge. 

In October of 1780, Jonathan and his uncle were captured by Loyalists and held for the winter before they were released. After his release, he once again served under his father in the New Jersey Brigade. At the end of the war, Jonathan was admitted as an original member of The Society of Cincinnati in the state of New Jersey. Jonathan continued to serve in the army until 1783. He left service with the rank of captain.

On March 28, 1779 Jonathan married Susannah Williamson of Elizabethtown, NJ. They had two daughters.

After the war, Jonathan focused on law, politics and land speculation. He was a member of the New Jersey state general assembly in the late 1780s. He served as the delegate to the Federal Constitutional Convention in 1787 and signed the United States Constitution on September 17, 1787. At only 26 years of age, he was the youngest member to do so. 

In 1791 he began serving in Congress and did so until March 3, 1799. Beginning March 4, 1799, he was a member of the United States Senate as part of the Federalist party, concluding his service on March 3, 1805.

In 1807 Jonathan was arrested and accused of conspiring on treasonable acts. This debacle is known as The Burr Conspiracy. Jonathan had loaned Burr money and was considered guilty by association. Burr was accused of using his connections to gain support for conquering what was then known as the Southwest Territory, but today is the area south of Ohio including Kentucky, Tennessee, parts of present- day Alabama and Mississippi, and the Louisiana Purchase. Jonathan was later released and never brought to trial. However, this effectively ended his political career.

The city of Dayton, Ohio is named after Jonathan, although he never traveled there. He did own, in partnership with others, 250,000 acres in the Great Miami River Basin when the city was established in 1797.

Just a few days before his death, General Lafayette visited with him at his home. Jonathan died on October 9, 1824 in his hometown. He was 63 years old. He was buried in an unmarked grave under what is now St. John’s Episcopal Church.

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