Thomas Heyward Jr. was born on July 28, 1746, at his family’s estate in St. Luke’s Parish, South Carolina. His father, Colonel Daniel Heyward, was a successful planter and businessman. Raised in a politically engaged household, Heyward received a legal education at Middle Temple in London, where he developed a strong understanding of governance and became critical of the Crown.

Upon returning to South Carolina, Heyward joined the revolutionary movement and became an active voice for independence. In 1776, he was elected to the Second Continental Congress, where he signed the Declaration of Independence.

During the war, Heyward served as a Captain of Artillery in the South Carolina Militia and was wounded at the Battle of Beaufort. He was later captured by British forces at the Siege of Charleston and held as a prisoner of war in St. Augustine, Florida, until his release in 1781. During his imprisonment, he wrote a parody of “God Save the King” which would be later known as “God Save the Thirteen States.”

After the war, Heyward contributed to rebuilding civic life in South Carolina. He helped found the South Carolina Agricultural Society and served as its first president in 1785. He retired from public life in 1799 and died on April 17, 1809, at the age of 63.