Caesar Rodney

Caesar Rodney was an American lawyer, politician, and soldier from St. Jones Neck in Kent County, Delaware Colony. He is best remembered for his dramatic overnight ride to Philadelphia to cast the deciding vote for Delaware's delegation in favor of the Lee Resolution for independence from Great Britain. A prominent figure in the American Revolution, he served as a militia officer, a delegate to the Continental Congress, and the President of Delaware during the war. His leadership was instrumental in mobilizing Delaware's resources and maintaining its commitment to the Patriot cause.

Early life and family

Born on his family's farm, "Byfield," on St. Jones Neck, he was the eldest son of Caesar Rodney and Elizabeth Crawford. The Rodney family was part of the landed gentry in Kent County and owned a substantial plantation worked by enslaved people. After his father's death in 1745, he was placed under the guardianship of Nicholas Ridgely, a prominent Dover lawyer, who oversaw his education. He never married but helped raise his orphaned nephews, including future senator Caesar A. Rodney, after the death of his brother Thomas Rodney.

Political career

His public service began in 1755 when he was appointed as the High Sheriff of Kent County. He was subsequently elected to the Delaware General Assembly, where he served for over a decade, holding the position of Speaker from 1769 to 1770. In 1765, he attended the Stamp Act Congress in New York City as a delegate from Delaware Colony, joining other colonial leaders in protesting Parliamentary taxation. He also served as a justice in the Kent County Court of Common Pleas and as a captain in the Kent County militia.

American Revolution

As tensions with Great Britain escalated, he emerged as a leading Patriot in Delaware. He was elected to the Continental Congress in 1774 and signed the Continental Association. His most famous act occurred on July 2, 1776, when, upon learning that the Delaware delegation was deadlocked between Thomas McKean for independence and George Read against, he rode 80 miles through a thunderstorm from Dover to Philadelphia to break the tie, ensuring the colony's vote for the Lee Resolution. He later signed the Declaration of Independence. During the war, he served as a Brigadier General in the Delaware militia, helping to supply the Continental Army and defend the state. He was elected President of Delaware in 1778, a role equivalent to governor, and navigated the challenges of war administration and severe inflation.

Death and legacy

Suffering from poor health, including a chronic facial cancer he concealed with a green silk scarf, he died at his home, "Poplar Grove," in June 1784. His death was noted in newspapers from Boston to Charleston. He was initially buried on his farm, but his remains were later moved to the cemetery of Christ Episcopal Church in Dover. His legacy is that of a dedicated revolutionary whose decisive action at a critical moment helped secure American independence. His estate inventory listed numerous enslaved individuals, a complex aspect of his life as a founding figure from a slaveholding society.

Memorials and honors

He is memorialized as one of Delaware's three statues in the National Statuary Hall Collection in the United States Capitol. His image, based on the posthumous portrait by Bass Otis, has been featured on the 1999 Delaware state quarter and a 1976 postage stamp in the Contributors to the Cause series. In Wilmington, the Rodney Square historic district and a hotel bear his name. The Caesar Rodney School District in Kent County is named for him, as was the World War II Liberty ship SS *Caesar Rodney*. Annual re-enactments of his famous ride are held in Dover.

Category:1728 births Category:1784 deaths Category:American Revolutionary War politicians from Delaware Category:Signers of the United States Declaration of Independence Category:Presidents of Delaware