Notes for Phillip SYNG:
  • Birth: 29 September 1703 in Cork, Ireland.
  • Death: 08 May 1789 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA, USA.
  • Burial: May 1789 Christ Church Burial Ground, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pa
  • Occupation: Gold & Silversmith
Philip was a prominent colonial silversmith who crafted the inkwell used to sign the Declaration and the Constitution. He was also an inventor who worked with Benjamin Franklin on many experiments including electrical experiments. He was the son of Philip Syng, Sr. ford dealership locator . and Abigail Murdock. He married Elizabeth Warner who is buried with him and 12 of their children. Apprenticed from about 1716 to 1725 to Philip Syng in Philadelphia PA 1 Advertised in the Pennsylvania Gazette (Philadelphia PA), 1748, “Engraving on Gold, Silver or Pewter done by Lawrence Herbert from London at Philip Syng’s Goldsmith in Front-street.” 8 Advertised in 1763 (Philadelphia PA), with Joseph Richardson the sale “at their Houses” of the shop goods of Philip Huber, Jr., goldsmith. 8 Advertised on 23 Sep 1772 (Philadelphia PA), announcing his removal to Upper Merion Township, recommending to his friends and former customers the goldsmith Richard Humphreys. 6 With Benjamin Franklin he was one of the founders of the Library Company of Philadelphia, the University of Pennsylvania, and the American Philosophical Society. He was a member of the first Masonic Lodge, and held many offices, including that of vestryman of Christ Church, for which Cesar Ghiselin and Syng’s father had made silver, and to which Queen Anne had given a service of plate in 1708. Syng is best known for having fashioned, in 1752, the inkstand (at a cost of 25/16/0) used at the signing of the Declaration of Independence.Philip married Elizabeth Warner on 5 Feb 1730 in Philadelphia PA. realtor . (Elizabeth Warner was born on 29 Jan 1714 in Philadelphia PA, christened on 13 Apr 1732 in Christ’s Church Philadelphia PA, died on 3 Oct 1786 and was buried in Christ’s Church Philadelphia PA.)Philip Syng, Jr.1703 – 1789The Philadelphia silversmith was the son of an Irish-born silversmith, also named Philip. The family emigrated to Philadelphia, and both father and son had successful careers there. a touch of class . Syng is perhaps best known today as the creator of the silver inkstand owned by the Pennsylvania Assembly, which was used by members of the Second Continental Congress to sign the Declaration of Independence. The younger Syng was almost exactly Franklin’s age, and became a personal friend. He was a member of Franklin’s Junto, a fellow founder of the Contributionship For Insuring Houses From Loss by Fire, one of the group of men who created the educational institution that is now the University of Pennsylvania, and one of the quartet who experimented with electrical apparati. His name appears below Franklin’s on the published account of Franklin’s electrical experiments.