William Hooper was born in Boston in Suffolk County, Massachusetts on June 17^th, 1742. After studying law, Hooper settled in Wilmington North Carolina in 1764 to start his practice. He went on to serve as a prominent attorney throughout the state. Most notably Hooper was one of three signers of the Declaration of Independence for North Carolina and served in both the local Provincial Congress and the Continental Congress between 1774-1776. He died in Hillsborough, Orange County North Carolina on October 14^th, 1790.