John McKinly Dr . John McKinly ( February 24 , 1721 – August 31 , 1796 ) was an American physician and politician from Wilmington , in New Castle County , Delaware . He was a veteran of the French and Indian War , served in the Delaware General Assembly , was the first elected President of Delaware , and for a time was a member of the Federalist Party . Early life and family . McKinly was born in Ulster , Ireland and immigrated to Wilmington , Delaware in 1742 . In 1761 , he married Jane " Jenny " Richardson , a daughter of the Quaker miller , Richard Richardson . They had no children . Their home was at the northwest corner of 3rd and French Streets in Wilmington , now the location of an office building . They were members of the First Presbyterian Church , which is now known as the First and Central Presbyterian Church at Rodney Square in Wilmington . Although nothing seems to be known of his medical education , he soon established himself as a popular physician . In 1747 he was commissioned a lieutenant in the New Castle County militia , and in 1756 , during the French and Indian War , he was commissioned again as a major . Along with others , he built a bombproof battery and magazine at the site of the old Fort Christina , in an area known as " the Rocks . " It was proudly reported that it equaled if not exceeded , " any on the continent for strength and beauty . " Political career . Eighteenth century Delaware was politically divided into loose factions known as the " Court Party " and the " Country Party . " The majority Court Party was generally Anglican , strongest in Kent County and Sussex County , worked well with the colonial Proprietary government , and was in favor of reconciliation with the British government . The minority Country Party was largely Ulster - Scot , centered in New Castle County , and quickly advocated the idea of independence from the British . McKinly , like most of the rest of population and the majority in the General Assembly , was associated with the Court Party and its moderate policies . However , his Ulster - Scots background and prominence in the Presbyterian Church community made him acceptable to many who normally associated themselves with the Country Party . McKinly was elected Sheriff of New Castle County in 1757 , served 4 three - year terms as Chief Burgess of the town of Wilmington between 1758 and 1776 . He also represented New Castle County in the Assembly of the Delaware or Lower Counties from the 1771 / 72 session through the 1775 / 76 session . In the events leading up to the American Revolution , he became a member of the Delaware Committee of Correspondence in October 1773 , and was chairman by November 1774 . Meanwhile he served as Brigadier General of the New Castle County militia . When the Assembly of the Lower Counties declared its separation from the British government on June 15 , 1776 , it created a Council of Safety to run the newly independent state when the Assembly was not in session . It consisted of five members from each county . McKinly was one of those representing New Castle County , and was elected President of the Committee . Then when Delaware elected its first House of Assembly in October 1776 , he was again elected to represent New Castle County in the 1776 / 77 session , and was chosen by that body as its Speaker . President of Delaware . On February 12 , 1777 the General Assembly elected him to be Delaware ' s first Chief Magistrate or President and he served until he was replaced on September 22 , 1777 . As President , he was immediately faced with an insurrection by Loyalists , particularly in Sussex County . There was also an immediate need to recruit new soldiers for the Delaware regiment in the Continental Army , as the enlistments of the original regiment had expired . However , events completely overtook him after the major British victory at the Battle of Brandywine on September 11 , 1777 . The evening after the battle the 71st Regiment , Frazer ' s Highlanders , were sent the 10 miles to Wilmington to meet up with the British fleet on the Delaware River and establish a hospital for the wounded . In the course of doing so they found and captured the state treasury , including most of the state papers . They also found President McKinly at home in his bed , and they took him into captivity as well . He was kept as a prisoner of war on the " Roebuck , " and later on the " Solebay , " in the Delaware River . John Scharf in his " History of Delaware " describes the situation : " General Howe remained in camp on the Brandywine , and on the evening after the battle sent a detachment of troops to Wilmington to seize President John McKinly and secure such plunder as might fall in their way . They took the President from his bed at dead of night , and seizing a sloop that lay in the stream , loaded it with valuables stolen from the people , a large quantity of public and private money , many of the public and private records and all the papers and certificates of the loan and treasury offices . With these rich prizes the marauders returned to camp , but on the 12th and 13th the town of Wilmington was occupied in force by the British , while the men - of - war " Roebuck " and " Liverpool " laid opposite the town . Many of the British wounded had been brought into Wilmington , and the people at least knew that they were safe from bombardment so long as any of their houses were turned into British hospitals . " In an August 20 , 1778 letter to Henry Laurens , the President of the Continental Congress , McKinly wrote : " Several circumstance concurred to render my staying at Wilmington necessary to the public whilst the enemy were moving toward Philadelphia , and being more solicitous to perform my duty , than for my own personal safety , I was unexpectedly made a prisoner in my own house there on the night succeeding the 12th day of September last , by the 71st British Regiment , said to contain at that time of 900 men , who were detached to take possession of that place for the accommodation of such of their Army as were wounded the day preceding , at the Battle of Brandywine . I sustained at this time some heavy losses of private property . " When the British left Philadelphia in June 1778 , McKinly was transferred to Flatbush , New York . He was finally paroled in August 1778 , having been exchanged for William Franklin , Loyalist Governor of New Jersey , and Benjamin Franklin ' s son . Professional career . After his release , McKinly returned to his medical practice and remained active in Wilmington affairs . He never held political office again , refusing an appointment to the Continental Congress and losing a General Assembly election for his old job as President in February 1783 . He helped found the Delaware Medical Society in 1789 and was also a member of the Newark Academy Board of Trustees before 1783 , becoming President of the Board from 1794 until his death in 1796 . The Academy of Newark eventually developed into the University of Delaware . He was known to have contributed to the salaries of the teachers in the school and sponsored many students in their education . Death and legacy . McKinly died at Wilmington and was buried first in the Presbyterian Cemetery there . This cemetery is now the location of the Wilmington Institute Library and his remains were then moved to the Wilmington and Brandywine Cemetery in 1922 . There is a marker placed in his memory in the cemetery at South Park Drive , near its intersection with North Adams Street . McKinly was the only Chief Executive of Delaware known to have been born in a foreign country . Although he was an Ulster - Scot native , and resident in New Castle County , he was a moderate on the issue of independence , viewing the break with Britain with reluctance and regret . This being the position held by most of the population , he was widely acceptable , especially in Kent County and Sussex County . George Read was his political ally and mentor , and most likely lined up the support for his election as President . Thomas McKean and his allies were , therefore , generally opponents . Ardent revolutionaries such as James Tilton referred to him as " a patch on the back of George Read , " and an " old woman . " McKinly always blamed Thomas McKean for the lengthy captivity he endured . The John McKinly Laboratory at the University of Delaware is named in his honor . There is no known portrait of John McKinly . Almanac . Elections were held October 1 and members of the General Assembly took office on October 20 or the following weekday . Provincial and State Assemblymen had a one - year term . The whole General Assembly chose the State President for a three - year term . The county sheriff and town Chief Burgess also had a three - year term .