Milford chronicle., 1958-07-04

challenge but his opponent left
the city before dawn on the day
appointed without fulfilling his en-
gagement. Returning home through
New Jersey, Mexican announced to
the people that their representa-
tive, Robert Ogden, had also failed
to sign. Ogden challenged him to
duel. Mexican accepted the chal-
lenge but Ogden, like Ruggles,
failed to keep the engagement"
Aunt Molly, that is really ex-
citing! Who was the other signer
from Delaware?"
Bobby, the third signer was
George Read"
What kind of person was hep"
George Read is the most con-
spicuous figure in the Delaware
record. for Thomas Mexican and
John Dickinson were more close
ly allied to Pennsylvania; and,
while Caesar Rodney was prom
inent at the time of the Declara-
ton, his premature death in 1888
or 1854 cut short his career. Read
was one of the two statesmen, and
the only Southern Statesman, who
signed all three of the great State
papers on which our 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. Admitted to the Tar at the
age of 10, Read became attorney
general of the Three Lower Coun-
ties" in 1853 and from that time
he held successfully all of the
highest offices in the state. Read
was an outstanding personality in
the nation as well as in the state
during its early years of independ-
ence. When Boston's port was
closed by England, Read, together
with Nicholas VanDyke, raised 200
pounds from the town of New Cas-
tie for the aid of Boston's desti-
tute citizens"
Aunt Molly, how much money
is 200 pounds?"
Bobby, 200 pounds is equal is
$560.00, a lot of money in those
days.
Moderate in viewpoint, he was
not willing to be rushed into inde-
pendence But when the Declara-
tion of independence was adopted,
he became one of its signers. He
commanded public confidence both
from his profound legal knowledge
and his severe personal integrity
Even those who differed from him
in opinion believed that he was
acting from sense of duty.
I'm 1853, Read married the
daughter of the Rev. George Ross,
rector of Emmanuel Church, New
Castle. The Rev. George Ross, by
the way, was of the same family
as the husband of Betsy Hoss. On
his death in 1898 George Eead was
buried in Emmanuel Churchyard,
New Castle"
Aunt Molly, you said that John
Dickinson was more closely allied
to Pennsylvania than to Delaware.
How could that be if he lived in
the Dickinson Mansion near Do
ver?"
John Dickinson lived in both
Kent County, Delaware, and in
Philadelphia, although at the Sec
ond Continental Congress he rep
resented Pennsylvania and not
Delaware. Strongly opposed to the
colonies declaring themselves in
dependent of England, Dickinson
believed that the colonies were not
yet ready for independence. In
spite of this viewpoint, Dickinson
figured prominently in the estab-
lishment of the nation and even
earned the title "The Penman of
the Revolution"
WAS John Dickinson born in
the Dickinson Mansion?"
mo, Bobby John Dickinson was
born in Talbot County, Maryland,
and moved to Kent County, Del
aware, when he was a very small
boy The son of wealthy plant
er, he grew UP enjoying the life
of a county aristOcrat Taught by
private tutor when young, he later
studied law at the Middle Temple
in London and became a success
full lawyer in Philadelphia before
he began devoting his brilliant
craftsmanship to the cause of the
rebellious colonies. He won fame,
both in America and abroad, by
his Letters from a Farmer in
Pennsylvania"
"AuRt Molly, if he lived in Del
aware why were his letters called
from a Farmer in Pennsylvania? 2"
Bobby, at that time Delaware
was known as the Three Lower
Counties ON the Delaware, being
considered part of the colony of