Signer of the Declaration of Independence - III

Of the four men sent to represent the Second Continental Congress, two were present for the July 4th adoption vote, Roger Sherman and Samuel Huntington.  Their stories appear in Part 1 & 2.  Oliver Wolcott and William Williams were not present on that date.  Here is Oliver Wolcott's Story:

Oliver Wolcott (Nov. 26, 1726 - Dec. 1, 1797) Born in Windsor, CT, he started out life as the youngest child of the Colonial Governor Roger Wolcott.  He attended Yale University and graduated as a distinguished student in 1747.  During the French and Indian War, he was commissioned Captain and raised a militia unit which fought for the King on the western frontier .  After the war, he studied medicine.  He was appointed sheriff of Litchfield County a post he kept for 20 years.  In 1771 he joined the Militia and was made a Major and then Colonel in the Connecticut Militia.  In 1774 the Continental Congress appointed him a Commissioner of Indian Affairs.  He was elected to Congress in 1775.  He was not a very active member of Congress, spending most of his time concerned with military affairs.  In 1776 he became seriously ill and returned to CT.  He was not present for the adoption of the Declaration but signed in some time in October.  Because of his military background he would become Brigadier General of the entire Connecticut force, under command of the Continental Armies.  In 1778 he was again elected to Congress where he served until 1784.  After his retirement, Congress called him back twice to serve as Indian Commissioner.  In 1786, he was elected Lieutenant Governor and assumed Governorship upon the death of Samuel Huntington in 1996.  He died in office in 1797 at the age of 71.