Bush Declaration

The Bush Declaration, also known as the Bush River Declaration, the Bush River Resolution, and the Harford Declaration, was a resolution adopted on March 22, 1775, in Harford County, Maryland. Like other similar resolutions in the Thirteen Colonies around this time, the Bush Declaration expressed support for the Patriot cause in the emerging American Revolution.

The declaration read:

We, the Committee of Harford County, having most Seriously and maturely Considered the Resolves and Association of the Continental Congress, and the Resolves of the Provincial Convention, do most heartily approve of the same, and as we Esteem ourselves in a more particular manner intrusted by our Constituents to see them carried into Execution, we do most solemnly pledge ourselves to each other, and to our country, and engage ourselves by every tie held sacred among mankind, to perform the same at the risque of our lives and fortunes.

The declaration was signed by thirty-four committee members. Although the Bush Declaration was not a call for separation from the British Empire, local histories have, with perhaps more pride than historical accuracy, described the Bush Declaration as the first declaration of independence made by any representative body in America.

The signers were as follows:

Charles Anderson

John Archer

William Bradford, Sr.

Thomas Brice

Samuel Calwell

Richard Dallam

John Donahuy(or Donahey)

Greenberry Dorsey

John Durham

William Fisher, Jr.

Aquila Hall

Aquila Hall, Jr.

Josias Carvil Hall

James Harris (unmarried)

Francis Holland

Thomas Johnson

Robert Lemmon

James Lytle

James McComas

Robert Morgan

William Morgan

Benjamin Bradford Norris

Aquila Paca

John Patrick

George Patterson

Edward Prall (unmarried

Alexander Rigdon

Daniel Scott

William Smith

William Smithson

John Taylor

Edward Ward

William Webb

Abraham Whitaker