John Hancock was the first signer of the Declaration of Independence (not on July 4, but it was accepted that day by all but the New York delegation to the Continental Congress). Hancock received the honor of affixing his signature first as the President of the Continental Congress, and being the first to sign probably accounts more for the size of his name than seemingly apocryphal stories about his wanting to make sure the King of England could read it. He was the first governor of Massachusetts after the American Revolution and served as the president of that state’s commission to ratify the Constitution. Hancock died while serving in office as Massachusetts governor in 1793.
A Grave Concern 