Omar Bennett
George Read was 54 years old when he signed the United States Constitution in 1787. He was born on September 18, 1733, in Cecil County, Maryland, and grew up in New Castle County, Delaware. Read was a prominent figure in the state's politics, serving as a delegate to the Continental Congress, a member of the Federalist Party, and President of Delaware. He is also known for signing the Declaration of Independence and was one of the authors of the state's first constitution in 1776.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | 18 September 1733 |
| Age when admitted to the bar | 19 |
| Age when he signed the Declaration of Independence | 42 |
| Age when he signed the Constitution | 53 |
| Date of death | 21 September 1798 |
| Age at death | 65 |
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What You'll Learn
George Read's early life
George Read was born on September 18, 1733, on his family's estate in Cecil County, Maryland. When he was an infant, his family moved to New Castle County, Delaware, settling near the village of Christiana. Read's father, John Read, was born in Dublin, Ireland, and his mother was Mary (Howell) Read. John Read was the son of an Englishman of large fortune belonging to the family of Read of Berkshire, Hertfordshire, and Oxfordshire.
Read graduated at the age of fifteen and proceeded to study law at the office of John Moland in Philadelphia. He was admitted to the Philadelphia Bar in 1753 at the age of nineteen and began practising law. That same year, he married Gertrude Ross Till, the daughter of the Rev. George Ross, the Anglican rector of Immanuel Church in New Castle. They had four children: John, George Jr., William, and Mary.
In 1763, John Penn, the proprietary governor, appointed Read crown attorney general for three Delaware counties. He served in that position until 1774 when he was elected to the First Continental Congress. During this time, he also led the Delaware Committee of Correspondence and joined the patriot movement. At the Continental Congress, Read voted against independence, but when it was adopted, he signed the Declaration of Independence to show unity with his fellow delegates.
In 1776, Read was called upon to join the Constitutional Convention in Delaware, where he served as president of the committee that drafted the document. He is considered the father of the State of Delaware for his role in writing the state's first Constitution and the first edition of her laws. Read went on to serve in various political roles, including as a delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention of 1787, president of Delaware, and a member of the Federalist Party. He died on September 21, 1798, at the age of 65.
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George Read's political career
George Read was born on September 18, 1733, in Cecil County, Maryland. He began his political career in 1765 after being elected to the Assembly of the Lower Three Counties Upon Delaware, a position he held until 1776. During this time, he also joined the Delaware Committee of Correspondence and was active in the patriot movement. In 1774, he was elected to the First Continental Congress and travelled to Philadelphia to meet at Carpenter's Hall. The following year, he was appointed to the Second Continental Congress, which met at Independence Hall.
Despite his role in the Royal Colonial Government of Delaware, Read sided with the Patriots during the lead-up to the American Revolution. At both the First and Second Continental Congresses, Read clashed with fellow Delaware delegates Caesar Rodney and Thomas McKean, who strongly favoured independence. Read agreed that the actions of the British were unacceptable, but he viewed independence as an overreaction and sought compromise with the British. On July 2, 1776, Read voted against independence, surprising many. However, after independence was adopted, he signed the Declaration of Independence to show unity with his fellow delegates.
In 1776, Read was called upon to join the Constitutional Convention in Delaware, where he served as president of the committee that drafted the document. He is considered the "father of the State of Delaware" as he authored its first constitution and the first edition of its laws. He served in the Delaware Legislative Council for twelve years, was Vice-President of the State, and at one time, its acting chief magistrate.
In 1786, Read was called to national service again, representing Delaware at the Annapolis Convention. The following year, he attended the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, where he argued for a new national government under a new constitution. He was a leader in the fight for a strong central government, even advocating for the abolition of the states and the consolidation of the country under one powerful national government. After the US Constitution went into effect, Read was elected as one of the first two US Senators from Delaware. He resigned as senator in 1793 to return to Delaware and serve as Chief Justice on the Delaware Supreme Court until his death in 1798.
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George Read and the Continental Congress
George Read was born on September 18, 1733, in Cecil County, Maryland. At the age of 15, he graduated and proceeded to study law at the office of John Moland in Philadelphia. He was admitted to the Philadelphia Bar in 1753 and began practising law in New Castle, Delaware, the following year. He established a reputation there and was appointed Attorney General to three Delaware counties, serving from 1763 to 1774. During this time, he also joined the Delaware Committee of Correspondence and was active in the patriot movement.
In 1774, Read was elected to the First Continental Congress and travelled to Philadelphia to meet at Carpenter's Hall. The following year, he was appointed to the Second Continental Congress, which met at Independence Hall. Despite his role in the Royal Colonial Government of Delaware, Read sided with the Patriots during the lead-up to the American Revolution. At both the First and Second Continental Congresses, Read clashed with fellow Delaware delegates Caesar Rodney and Thomas McKean, who strongly favoured independence. Read agreed that the actions of the British were unacceptable, but he viewed independence as an overreaction and sought compromise. On July 2, 1776, he voted against independence, surprising many. However, when independence was adopted, he signed the Declaration of Independence to show unity with his fellow delegates.
Read was a delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention of 1787 and helped draft, debate, and sign the United States Constitution. He argued for a new national government under a new Constitution, saying, "to amend the Articles was simply putting old cloth on a new garment." He advocated for a strong central government and, at one point, proposed abolishing the states and consolidating the country under a powerful national government. Read is one of only six founders who signed both the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution.
In addition to his role in the Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention, Read also served as President of Delaware, United States Senator from Delaware, and Chief Justice of the Delaware Supreme Court. He died on September 21, 1798, at the age of 65.
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George Read and the Declaration of Independence
George Read was born on September 18, 1733, on his family's estate in Cecil County, Maryland. He attended a school in Chester, Pennsylvania, and later the Philadelphia Academy under Doctor Allison at New London. At fifteen, he graduated and proceeded to study law at the office of John Moland in Philadelphia. He was admitted to the Philadelphia Bar in 1753 and moved to New Castle, Delaware, the following year, where he established a successful legal practice.
Read's political career began in 1765 when he was elected to the Assembly of the Lower Three Counties Upon Delaware, a post he held until 1776. During this time, he was also active in the patriot movement, joining the Delaware Committee of Correspondence in 1764. In 1774, he was elected to the First Continental Congress, where he voted against Lee's Resolution for Independence, finding it too hasty.
Despite his initial hesitation, when the Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 2, 1776, Read ultimately signed it. He concluded that there was no hope for reconciliation with the British crown and became a committed supporter of the national cause. He introduced a resolution to Congress, stating that anyone who willfully broke the agreement would be deemed a traitor and have their name published in public newspapers.
Read's commitment to the cause of independence came at a personal cost. During the war, his home was confiscated, his wife, Gertrude Ross Till, was taken captive, and he was forced to move from place to place to avoid capture himself for six years. Despite these challenges, Read went on to serve as Governor of Delaware during a time of crisis, raising money, troops, and supplies for the defence of his state. He also played a significant role in drafting Delaware's first constitution in 1776 and was later appointed Chief Justice of the State of Delaware, a position he held until his death in 1798.
George Read is recognized as one of the key figures in Delaware's history and is considered by some to be the "father of the State." He was one of only two statesmen who signed all three of the country's foundational documents: the original Petition to the King of the Congress of 1774, the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution of the United States.
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George Read's death
George Read was 54 years old when he signed the Constitution in 1787. He was born on September 18, 1733, in Cecil County, Maryland, and grew up on his family's estate. Read had a long and distinguished career in law and politics, serving in various positions such as attorney general, delegate to the Continental Congress, and president of Delaware.
Read is known for his role in the founding of the United States and was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Despite initially voting against independence, he ultimately supported the cause and introduced a resolution to Congress threatening traitors of the civil rights of America with public infamy. During the Revolutionary War, Read's home was confiscated, his wife was taken captive, and he was forced to move from place to place to avoid capture himself.
In addition to his role in the Continental Congress, Read also served as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention in 1787, where he argued for a new national government under a new Constitution. He believed in a strong central government and even advocated for the abolition of the states at one point. Read was a member of the Federalist Party and served as a United States Senator from Delaware after the Constitution was ratified in 1789.
George Read died on September 21, 1798, at the age of 65. He served as Chief Justice of the Delaware Supreme Court until his death and is buried in Immanuel Episcopal Church Cemetery. Read is remembered as a Founding Father of the United States and a key figure in the history of Delaware, having authored the state's first constitution in 1776. He left behind three distinguished sons and a daughter, all of whom held notable positions in society.
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Frequently asked questions
George Read was 54 years old when he signed the United States Constitution in 1787.
George Read was an American politician from New Castle in New Castle County, Delaware. He was a Founding Father of the United States and served as a delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention of 1787, President of Delaware, and a member of the Federalist Party.
Before signing the Constitution, George Read practised law and served as a member of the Continental Congress from 1774 to 1777. He also served as a delegate to the First and Second Continental Congresses in 1774 and 1775, respectively. In addition, he was active in the patriot movement and joined the Delaware Committee of Correspondence in 1764.
After signing the Constitution, George Read continued his political career. He was elected as one of the first two United States Senators from Delaware and served from 1789 until his resignation in 1793. He then returned to Delaware and served as Chief Justice of the Delaware Supreme Court from 1793 until his death in 1798.
In addition to the United States Constitution, George Read signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776. He was one of only two statesmen who signed four of the great state papers on which the country's founding is based: the Petition to the King and Continental Association of 1774, the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution of the United States.
