Who was Caesar Rodney? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Died At Age: 55

Family:

siblings: Thomas Rodney

Political Leaders American Men

Died on: June 26, 1784

place of death: Kent County, Delaware, United States

Cause of Death: Facial Cancer

U.S. State: Delaware

More Facts

education: University of Pennsylvania

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Childhood & Early Life

Caesar Rodney was born on October 7, 1728, on his family farm in East Dover Hundred, Kent County, Delaware, to Caesar and Elizabeth Crawford Rodney. He had one brother, named Thomas Rodney.

Rodney received no formal education and was mainly home schooled and tutored by his parents.

When he was 17, his father passed away. Caesar was placed in the care of Nicholas Ridgely.

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Career

In 1755, at the age of 22, Caesar was appointed to the office of High Sheriff of Kent County, Delaware, where he served for the required 3 years until 1758.

Thereafter, he was appointed to many other offices, such as the Registrar of Wills, Recorder of deeds, Clerk of the Orphans Court, and Justice of the peace.

In 1756, he was appointed to the position of military Captain of the Kent County Militia.

He worked as a Captain until 1759, and thereafter he became superintendent of the Delaware printing press and delegated the printing of Delaware currency.

Caesar then shifted his focus back to politics by becoming a member of the State Assembly. He served as a member of the Stamp Act in 1765 as well as a leader in the Committee of Correspondence.

He became a member of the continental congress and served from 1774-1776.

In 1776, he was summoned from Sussex County back to Philadelphia to make the deciding vote for Delaware's independence. He made the 80 mile ride, arriving on July 2 and signed the Deceleration of Independence.

He served as Brigadier General in the Revolutionary Army and was elected as the first President of Delaware. He served in this capacity from 1778 until November 2, 1782, before retiring due to failing health.

He was elected to the US congress by Delaware's General Assembly but could not attend due to ill health.

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He was elected to the 1783-1784 Session of the Legislative Council, and as a gesture of respect, the council selected him as their speaker.

Works & Achievements

He was an officer of the Delaware militia during the French and Indian War and the American Revolution.

He was a Continental Congressman from Delaware.

He was a signer of the Declaration of Independence and President of Delaware during most of the American Revolution.

Personal Life & Trivia

Caesar Rodney was a man with wit and humor of the pleasing kind.

He never married and had no children.

He suffered from a disfiguring facial cancer in the last 10 years of his life.

He passed away on June 26, 1784. He was buried in the cemetery at Christ Church in Dover, Delaware.

Trivia

On his 80 mile ride to Philadelphia, he rode through a thunderstorm and was met at the door by Thomas Mckean in 'his boots and spurs' just as the voting was beginning

Caesar Rodney Biography