George Read Signer of the Declaration of Independence GEORGE READ was born in Cecil County, Maryland on September 17, 1733. His mother was the daughter of a Welsh planter, and his Dublin-born father a landholder of means. Soon after his birth his family moved to New Castle, where George and his five brothers grew up. He received a classical education first at Chester, Pennsylvania and The 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence risked their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor for the cause of American liberty. They ranged in age from 26 to 70, came from diverse backgrounds, and would pay varying prices for their courage. Read was one of the two statesmen, and the only southern statesman, who signed all three of the great State papers on which our country’s history is based: the original Petition to the King of the Congress of 1774, the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution of the United States. Access the world’s largest collection of genealogy resources with the FamilySearch Catalog. Find birth certificates, maps, periodicals, and more. November 2014. “Life and Correspondence of George Read a Signer of the Declaration of Independence” with notices of some of his contemporaries. Historical Magazine Post Jan 1871: Print. Read, William. Life and Correspondence of George Read A Signer of the Declaration of Independence. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott and Company, 1870. Print Information obtained from: American Council of Learned Societies. American National Biography. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999. Who Was Who in America: Historical Volume 1607-1896. Chicago: The A.N. Marquis Company, 1963. Back to The Signer's Gallery Signers of the Declaration of Independence The Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July, 4, 1776. Influenced by Enlightenment ideals of fundamental rights and freedoms, it provided both the foundation and the guiding principles for the new nation. George Read was a signer of the Declaration of Independence; president of the State Constitutional Convention in 1776; author of the first Constitution of Delaware, and of the first edition of her laws. Read was the only signer who voted against the resolution for independence on July 2, but when the decision was made, he signed the Declaration. In retaliation, British forces ransacked his home and captured his wife. Step into history like never before. Watch America’s brave Signers of the Declaration of Independence come to life to share their stories, struggles, and triumphs for American Note: The following text is a transcription of the Stone Engraving of the parchment Declaration of Independence (the document on display in the Rotunda at the National Archives Museum.) The spelling and punctuation reflects the original. Read was one of the two statesmen, and the only southern statesman, who signed all three of the great State papers on which our country’s history is based: the original Petition to the King of the Congress of 1774, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States. He voted for independence on July 2 and signed the Declaration of Independence on August 2. Whipple served on Congress’s Marine Committee and delivered orders to John Paul Jones, assigning him Fifty-six men signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776. The youngest was William Rutledge of South Carolina, who was only 26. The oldest was Benjamin Franklin, then aged 70. He commented that, "We must hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately." Only a handful signed both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution; they include: Benjamin Franklin, George Read, Roger Sherman, Robert Morris, George Clymer, and James Wilson. Six of the signers—George Clymer, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Morris, George Read, Roger Sherman, and James Wilson—also signed the Constitution. Sixteen of them underwrote the Articles of Confederation. George Read (1733-1798)—George Read was the only signer of the Declaration of Independence who voted against the proposal for independence introduced by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia. A biography of George Read, a signer of the Declaration of Independence from the colony of Delaware The Memorial to the 56 Signers of the Declaration of Independence in Washington, D.C., Read's depicted signature is at the lower left Read died at New Castle on September 21, 1798, from heart problems and is buried there in the Immanuel Episcopal Church Cemetery. On July 4, 1776, the United States officially declared its independence from the British Empire when the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration was authored by a “Committee of Five”—John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Robert Livingston, and Roger Sherman—with Jefferson as the main drafter. But Jefferson himself later admitted
Articles and news, personal stories, interviews with experts.
Photos from events, contest for the best costume, videos from master classes.
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() |