Smyrna times., 1932-08-31
CAESAR RODNEY'S
FAMOUS RIDE
Was Rodney By Dover Fire
side OF in Lewes Courting
Night of Ride?
REMAINS UNSOLVED

caesar Rodney, signer of the Dec
laration of independence, remains
i unsolved. There are histories ant
some Delaware historians wht
strongly argue that Rodney started
> on his important horse back rid,
:. from "Byefield," his farm home
near Dover. There is, however, il
opposition to this view from those
I who contend Rodney was in Lewes
| when he learned he was needed in
: Philadelphia to vote on the Declar.
alton of Independence. The Lewes
faction is divided among them
selves. One group holds he was
counting a pretty woman, Sarah
Rowland, Tory, when he learned
he was needed in Philadelphia. The
other group says Rodney was
merely in Lewes to quell Tory riots.
The Historic Markers Commission
last week had on display in the
window of Millard F. Davis, Inc,
81 Market street, Wilmington. a
tablet to be erected on the wall of
the Christ Church at Dover, in
honor of Rodney, but no mention
is made of the ride to Philadelphia
in July, 1776 when Delaware need
ed Rodney's vote for freedom. It
has ben learned the commission
had been tempted to mark the
starting point of Rodneys ride, the
most dramatic event in the pa
triot's life, but because there is SO
great an uncertainty as to the
starting point, the commission de-
cided to honor Rodney only with
tablet on the Christ Churchyard
wall where the signer is buried.
"Since there is no documentary
evidence" Edward w. Cooch, Of
the Markers Commission, telling
just from what point Rodney start
ed his ride, and in view Of the
controversy which has not yet been
settled, we have decided to com
merorate Rodney with a tablet
where he is buried. The Commits
sion is only to place tablets COM
memOrating persons and events of
which we have undeniable proof.
There is the undisputable fact that
Rodney, booted and spurred and
suffering from his long ride, arriv-
ed at independence Hall on the af-
ternoon Of July 2, met by Thomas
Mexican, one Of the Delaware del
egates to the Continental Congress,
and they both voted that the Thir-
teen Colonies should be free from
the English Crown. George Read,
the third Delaware delegate voted
mo" but since the Delaware dele
cation had majority Of yeas" for
the independence, Delaware was re-
corded as voting yes" and thus
she helped make the attitude of the
Thirteen Colonies unanimous.
There is also the undisputable fact
that Rodney passed through Dover
on his way to Philadelphia, but
opinion differs on whether he start
ed in Dover or in Lewes. The lead 4
ing Delaware historians say DO
YER" Leon DeValinger, Jr., assist
ant tate Archivist, records, There +
is documentary evidence that Rod 4
ney had been in Sussex to queu a
threatened Tory rebellion and had
returned to his home near Dover
when McKean's messenger sum
moned him to Philadelphia" DR..
Geo H. Ryden, State archivist, has
been collecting letters of Rodney
and among all these letters there
is nothing to indicate that Rod
ney's ride began in Lewes. The
equestrian statue Of Rodney at
Tenth and Market streets, Will
commentaries his ride
from Dover to Philadelphia" One
of the faction that supports the
Lewes story says Rodney had left
Congress late in June to put down
Tory riots in Sussex and was stay
ing at the home of Samuel Row
land royalist, who had been keep
ing from Rodney letters written by
Mexican, urging Rodney to hurry
back to Philadelphia. One night a
negro servant told Rodney he j
should not remain in Lewes any
longer but should hurry back to
Philadelphia because he, the serv- (
ant, had overheard the members of !
the Rowland family say they were
joyed at being able to detain Rod
ney in Lewes. Rodney left, this
story says, that night and met Nc I
Kean's messenger at Dover. An /
other supporter of the Lewes story !
is Katherine Pyle in her book, 4
Once Upon a Time in Delaware" !
which tells Of Rodney counting ]
Sarah Rowland who had been keep !
ing from him the letters of Nc
Kear. Rodney learned of the sit I
lation in Philadelphia through a
maid of Mistress Rowland, and left I
at once for Philadelphia, arriving |
IN time to cast his vote. Miss |
Pyle, however, remarks in a foot I
aafa m har otOr1y that fha o-l,,I