Those of you living in Delaware are, no doubt, well aware of Caesar Rodney and his contribution to our country. If not for Rodney's sacrifice, we might not be living in the United States of America.
Caesar
Rodney began his life of public service at the age of 22 when he was
commissioned as High Sheriff of Kent County Delaware. His duties grew over the next few years to include
registrar of wills, recorder of deeds, clerk of the orphans court, and justice
of the peace. By age 30 he was elected
as representative in the colonial legislature, a position he held for some 20
years.
He was a
delegate to the Continental congress along with two other Delaware
delegates. These men knew the
Declaration of Independence would have to be ratified by all thirteen colonies. The other two Delaware delegates were
deadlocked in disagreement and Caesar Rodney, was not in Philadelphia at the
time. He was traveling around Delaware
gaining support for the Declaration and preparing the people of Delaware for a
new government.
Rodney had
booked passage on a ship for England to have surgery for a deadly form of skin
cancer on his face, when he received word that he was needed in Philadelphia to
sign the Declaration of Independence. He
missed the surgery in order to sign the Declaration and rode hard through
inclement weather to reach Philadelphia in time. When
Rodney signed, the other two delegates agreed to sign the Declaration, making
it unanimous.
In 1778, he
was elected as President of the State of Delaware, This was a three year term
which he served at the same time he was Major-General of the Delaware
Militia. Delaware had a record of
meeting or exceeding their quota of troops and provisions throughout the
Revolutionary War. The Continental Army
operated on scant supplies for much of the war, but thanks to Caesar Rodney,
Delaware did its part.
Rodney saw
his colony through the war at the cost of personal neglect. He was elected to the National Congress in
1892, but was forced to decline the position for health reasons. He continued to serve as Speaker of the House
of the Upper Delaware Assembly until his death in office in 1784.
Caesar
Rodney is commemorated on the Delaware State coin, riding his horse to Philadelphia
to sign the Declaration of Independence.
