Known for

• 3rd Governor of Delaware (1777-1778)​

• United States Senator from Delaware (1789-1793)

• Chief Justice of Delaware (1793-1798)

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During 1776

• Delegate for Delaware

• Age: 43

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Background

• Born: 1733 in Cecil County, Maryland

  • ​When he was an infant, his family moved to New Castle County, Delaware

• Education: Attended a number of local schools

• Spouse: Gertrude Ross Till (m. 1763)

• ​Children: 4

• Slaveowning

  • Owned slaves — can't find a record of how many, or of his specific views around slavery, beyond the fact that he was a slaveowner

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Personal beliefs

• Politics: Moderate/conservative Whig

  • In favor of reconciliation with the British government

  • Opposed the Stamp Act and similar measures of Parliament, but supported anti-importation measures and dignified protests

  • Was frequently absent from Congress sessions, so he surprised many when he voted against independence

  • Signed the Declaration of Independence as he recognized the importance of unity, which made him palatable to both conservative and radical factions in Delaware

  • Once the Declaration of Independence was actually adopted, the Delaware General Assembly called for elections to a constitutional convention to draft a constitution for the new state

    • Read was president of this convention

    • Read guided the passage of the McKean-drafted document, which became the Delaware Constitution of 1776

• Religion: Episcopalian