Signer of the Declaration of Independence from Delaware, and representative of Delaware at the US Constitution Convention; he was one of only six men to sign both documents. Born in town of North East, Maryland, he was elected to the First Continental Congress in 1774, and again for the Second Continental Congress in 1775, continuing to serve until 1777. Initially, he was against the idea of independence, preferring reconciliation with Great Britain, but as the debate reached a climax, he voted with the majority of delegates for independence, and signed the Declaration of Independence as a member of the Delaware delegation. During the Revolutionary War, he served as President of Delaware, and oversaw the relocation of the state capital from New Castle to its present location, Dover, as a move to protect the capital of Delaware from the British Army after they had captured and occupied nearby Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1777. After the war, he served on the committee to write the United States Constitution, and would serve as a Senator from Delaware to the United States Senate from 1789 to 1793. Leaving the Senate, he became Chief Justice of Delaware, serving from 1793 until his death in 1798 in New Castle, Delaware.
Signer of the Declaration of Independence from Delaware, and representative of Delaware at the US Constitution Convention; he was one of only six men to sign both documents. Born in town of North East, Maryland, he was elected to the First Continental Congress in 1774, and again for the Second Continental Congress in 1775, continuing to serve until 1777. Initially, he was against the idea of independence, preferring reconciliation with Great Britain, but as the debate reached a climax, he voted with the majority of delegates for independence, and signed the Declaration of Independence as a member of the Delaware delegation. During the Revolutionary War, he served as President of Delaware, and oversaw the relocation of the state capital from New Castle to its present location, Dover, as a move to protect the capital of Delaware from the British Army after they had captured and occupied nearby Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1777. After the war, he served on the committee to write the United States Constitution, and would serve as a Senator from Delaware to the United States Senate from 1789 to 1793. Leaving the Senate, he became Chief Justice of Delaware, serving from 1793 until his death in 1798 in New Castle, Delaware.
Bio by: Kit and Morgan Benson
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