George Read - Signer Declaration of Independence - Delaware

Date Visited:?14 August 2022

Link back to main Article:?https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/where-now-jason-rusk

1733 – 1798

Accomplishments

• One of only two Founding Fathers who signed four of the significant documents that our country is based: the Petition to the King?of the Congress of 1774, the?Continental Association, the?Declaration of Independence, and the?Constitution of the United States.
• Represented State at the Continental Congress
• Signed the Declaration of Independence at the age of?43
• Author of the Delaware State Constitution
• Member of the convention that framed the U.S. Constitution
• U.S. Senator from the State of Delaware
• President of Delaware
• Chief Justice of Delaware

Born: September 18th, 1733

Died: September 21st, 1798 at 65 Years old.

Address: Immanuel Churchyard, 50 E Second St New Castle, DE??19720

Coordinates of the actual gravesite:?39.66075° N, 75.56239° W

Here is a great 1-minute video reviewing George Reads career.

After leaving Caesar Rodney's gravesite in Dover, I decided to stay on the surface streets, which took me along the Delaware river and a lot of the coastal/river towns. its amazing to see all of the things I have missed my entire life, by taking the road less traveled. And I really didn't add that much time to the journey. Actually, I probably missed shore traffic on Route One.

As I entered "Downtown" New Castle, I was immediately transported back to the 1700's. Nothing has changed visually. I was expecting to get caught behind a horse and carriage.

According to the Interwebs, New Castle was originally settled by the?Dutch West India Company?in 1651 under the leadership of?Peter Stuyvesant?on the site of a former aboriginal village, "Tomakonck" ("Place of the Beaver"). There is a lot of history here, its worth a trip.

Interesting fact, the The?New Castle Court House Museum?is the center of a?circle with a 12-mile radius?that defines most of the border between the states of?Delaware?and?Pennsylvania?and parts of the borders between Delaware and?New Jersey?and?Maryland.

The old town is actually quite small, and finding the Church and Graveyard is pretty easy.

After finding easy parking in front of the Old State house, you can find the entrance on East Second Street.

This was the perfect example of why I don't look at the specific locations, as I want to find it on my own, which then allows me to discover all of the other things that I would have missed. Of course, after three laps around the church, I did decide to cheat and look at my notes. I was at that point, I stood in place and made a 180 to find what I was looking for right behind me.

George Read was initially against Independence, Read hoped for reconciliation and voted against the first motion, but understood taxation without representation was dangerous and unsustainable.

Read was the reason for Caesar Rodneys midnight ride through the thunderstorm. If Delaware was going to vote yes, Rodney and McKean were going to have to do it without Read.

George Read eventually came around and was a significant contributor to the Constitution and creating the State of Delaware.

Funny enough, I didn't know that Delaware's three counties were originally just considered southern Pennsylvania.