Caleb Rodney

Caleb Rodney (born April 29, 1767 in Lewes , Delaware Colony , † April 29, 1840 ibid) was an American politician and governor of the state of Delaware from 1822 to 1823 .

Early years and political advancement

Caleb Rodney was the brother of Daniel Rodney , who was Governor of Delaware from 1814 to 1817, and the uncle of George B. Rodney , who was a member of the US House of Representatives from 1841 to 1845 . He was also widely related to Caesar Rodney , who was President of Delaware between 1778 and 1781. He was also related to US Senator Caesar A. Rodney . Before his political career he ran a shop in his hometown Lewes.

Politically, like his brother, he was a member of the Federalist Party . He joined a society for the abolition of slavery in Sussex County . In 1816 he ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the House of Representatives in Washington . Between 1806 and 1822 he was alternately in the House of Representatives from Delaware and the State Senate with a few interruptions . In 1822 he was its president.

Governor of Delaware and further résumé

In 1819, Henry Molleston was elected the new governor of Delaware. He died before his inauguration planned for January 1820. It was then decided that then-Senate President Jacob Stout should complete the first year of Molleston's three-year term as governor. Then new elections should decide who should rule as governor for the remaining two years. These elections were won by John Collins , who died in April 1822 before the end of his term in January 1823. After Collins' death, Rodney, who was Senate President at the time, was forced to retire. He was the third governor in Molleston's original tenure.

In the nine months of his tenure, Caleb Rodney essentially continued the politics of his predecessor without setting his own accents. After his tenure ended on January 21, 1823, Rodney withdrew from politics and returned to his private affairs. He died in April 1840. He had five children with his wife, Elizabeth West.

literature

• Robert Sobel and John Raimo (Eds.): Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789–1978. Volume 1, Meckler Books, Westport, 1978. 4 volumes.

Web links

• Caleb Rodney in the National Governors Association (English)
• The governors of Delaware (English)
• Caleb Rodney in the database of Find a Grave (English)