Rodney was born June 4, 1744, at Byfield, his family's farm at Jones Neck, in Dover Hundred, Kent County, Delaware. It is just north of John Dickinson's mansion, Poplar Hall. He was the son of Caesar and Mary Crawford Rodney, and grandson of William Rodney, who came to America in the 1680s and had been Speaker of the Colonial Assembly of the Lower Counties in 1704. His mother was the daughter of the Rev. Thomas Crawford, Anglican priest at Dover. Byfield was an 800-acre (3.2 km2) farm where the work was done by enslaved people, and with the addition of other adjacent properties, the Rodneys were, by the standards of the day, wealthy members of the local gentry. Sufficient income was earned from the sale of wheat and barley to the Philadelphia and West Indies market to provide enough cash and leisure to allow members of the family to participate in the social and political life of Kent County. Rodney's father died in 1745, when he was an infant and his much older brother, Caesar Rodney became much involved in his rearing and education.
Political careeredit
Rodney was very active in local politics, as well as the broader range of those elements affecting Delaware as whole. As early as 1770 he was a Justice of the Peace for Kent County and through the years he held many other local offices. He was a Colonel in the county's militia, and was involved in a number of actions during the American Revolutionary War.
In 1774 Thomas was a delegate to the state convention that elected his brother Caesar to be their delegate to the Continental Congress. Caesar went on to sign the Declaration of Independence. Meanwhile, Thomas was named to the state's Committee of Safety. Thomas in turn was sent as a delegate to the Congress in 1781 and 1782. He was elected to the Congress annually from 1785 to 1787, but attended sessions only in 1786. Through these same years Thomas was also a member in Delaware's state Assembly, and served as its Speaker of the House in 1787.
On December 17, 1802, Rodney became an associate justice of Delaware's Supreme Court. He would serve only until August 1803. He resigned since President Jefferson appointed him as the chief justice for the Mississippi Territory. He bought land in what was then Jefferson County, Mississippi, and moved to Natchez to assume his new duties as the senior federal judge for the Mississippi Territory from 1803 to 1811.
At this time Delaware elections were held the first of October. Members of the House of Assembly took office on the twentieth day of October for a term of one year. Seven Assemblymen were elected, at large, from each county. The General Assembly chose the Continental Congressmen for a term of one year.
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This article includes a list of references related reading or external links but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations Please help improve this article by introducing more precise citations April 2010 Learn how and when to remove this template message Thomas Tommy Rodney June 4 1744 January 2 1811 was an American lawyer and politician from Jones Neck in St Jones Hundred Kent County Delaware and Natchez Mississippi He was a Continental Congressman from Delaware and a member of the Democratic Republican Party who served in the Delaware General Assembly as Justice of the Delaware Supreme Court and as federal judge for the Mississippi Territory He was the younger brother of Caesar Rodney Revolutionary President of Delaware Thomas RodneyChief Justice of MississippiIn office August 1 1803 January 2 1811Associate JusticeDelaware Supreme CourtIn office December 17 1802 August 1 1803Continental Congressmanfrom DelawareIn office November 4 1785 February 3 1787In office April 8 1784 October 26 1784In office February 10 1781 February 2 1782Personal detailsBorn 1744 06 04 June 4 1744Kent County Delaware ColonyDiedJanuary 2 1811 1811 01 02 aged 66 Natchez MississippiPolitical partyDemocratic RepublicanResidence s Dover Delaware Contents 1 Family and early life 2 Political career 3 Death and legacy 4 Public offices 5 References 6 External links 6 1 Places with more informationFamily and early life editSee also Rodney family of Delaware Rodney was born June 4 1744 at Byfield his family s farm at Jones Neck in Dover Hundred Kent County Delaware It is just north of John Dickinson s mansion Poplar Hall He was the son of Caesar and Mary Crawford Rodney and grandson of William Rodney who came to America in the 1680s and had been Speaker of the Colonial Assembly of the Lower Counties in 1704 His mother was the daughter of the Rev Thomas Crawford Anglican priest at Dover Byfield was an 800 acre 3 2 km2 farm where the work was done by enslaved people and with the addition of other adjacent properties the Rodneys were by the standards of the day wealthy members of the local gentry Sufficient income was earned from the sale of wheat and barley to the Philadelphia and West Indies market to provide enough cash and leisure to allow members of the family to participate in the social and political life of Kent County Rodney s father died in 1745 when he was an infant and his much older brother Caesar Rodney became much involved in his rearing and education Political career editRodney was very active in local politics as well as the broader range of those elements affecting Delaware as whole As early as 1770 he was a Justice of the Peace for Kent County and through the years he held many other local offices He was a Colonel in the county s militia and was involved in a number of actions during the American Revolutionary War In 1774 Thomas was a delegate to the state convention that elected his brother Caesar to be their delegate to the Continental Congress Caesar went on to sign the Declaration of Independence Meanwhile Thomas was named to the state s Committee of Safety Thomas in turn was sent as a delegate to the Congress in 1781 and 1782 He was elected to the Congress annually from 1785 to 1787 but attended sessions only in 1786 Through these same years Thomas was also a member in Delaware s state Assembly and served as its Speaker of the House in 1787 On December 17 1802 Rodney became an associate justice of Delaware s Supreme Court He would serve only until August 1803 He resigned since President Jefferson appointed him as the chief justice for the Mississippi Territory He bought land in what was then Jefferson County Mississippi and moved to Natchez to assume his new duties as the senior federal judge for the Mississippi Territory from 1803 to 1811 Death and legacy editThomas Rodney died January 2 1811 at Natchez Mississippi The community of Rodney in Jefferson County Mississippi is named in his honor His son Caesar A Rodney served as the U S representative from Delaware U S senator from Delaware U S attorney general and U S minister to Argentina Public offices editAt this time Delaware elections were held the first of October Members of the House of Assembly took office on the twentieth day of October for a term of one year Seven Assemblymen were elected at large from each county The General Assembly chose the Continental Congressmen for a term of one year Office Type Location Elected Took office Left office notesKent County Courts Judiciary New Castle 1770 Justice of the PeaceState House Legislature Dover October 1 1781 October 20 1781 October 20 1782Continental Congress Legislature Philadelphia February 10 1781 February 10 1781 February 2 1782Continental Congress Legislature Annapolis April 8 1784 April 8 1784 June 3 1784 never attendedContinental Congress Legislature New York November 4 1785 November 7 1785 November 3 1786State House Legislature Dover October 1 1786 October 20 1786 October 20 1787Continental Congress Legislature New York October 27 1786 November 6 1786 October 30 1787 never attendedState House Legislature Dover October 1 1787 October 20 1787 October 20 1788 SpeakerU S Judge Judiciary Natchez 1803 1811 Mississippi TerritoryReferences editBarthelmas D G 1977 The Signers of the Declaration of Independence A Biographical and Genealogical Record Jefferson NC McFarland Press Coleman John M 1984 Thomas McKean Forgotten Leader of the Revolution Rockaway NJ American Faculty Press ISBN 0 912834 07 2 Martin Roger A 1995 Memoirs of the Senate Newark DE Roger A Martin Martin Roger A 1984 A History of Delaware Through its Governors Wilmington DE McClafferty Press Munroe John A 2004 The Philadelawareans Newark DE University of Delaware Press ISBN 0 87413 872 8 Munroe John A 1954 Federalist Delaware 1775 1815 New Brunswick NJ Rutgers University Rowe G S 1984 Thomas McKean The Shaping of an American Republicanism Boulder CO Colorado Associated University Press ISBN 0 87081 100 2 Scott Jane Harrington 2000 A Gentleman as Well as a Whig Newark DE University of Delaware Press ISBN 0 87413 700 4 Ward Christopher L 1941 The Delaware Continentals 1776 1783 Wilmington DE Historical Society of Delaware ISBN 0 924117 21 4 External links editGoodrich The Rev Charles A 1856 Lives of the Signers to the Declaration of Independence Colonial Hall Retrieved 2006 06 01 Kestenbaum Lawrence 2005 The Political Graveyard Retrieved 2006 06 01 Scharf John Thomas 1888 History of Delaware 1609 1888 Accessible Archives Inc Archived from the original on 2006 05 10 Retrieved 2006 06 01 U S Congress 2005 Biographical Directory of the U S Congress Retrieved 2006 06 01 Places with more information edit Delaware Historical Society website 505 Market St Wilmington Delaware 302 655 7161 University of Delaware Library website 181 South College Ave Newark Delaware 302 831 2965 Newark Free Library 750 Library Ave Newark Delaware 302 731 7550 Corbit Calloway Memorial Library 2nd and High St Odessa Delaware 302 378 8838 Rodney Mississippi Rodney Mississippi Mississippi Town Named After Thomas Rodney nbsp Seal of the US Senate United States Congress Senate Senators Senate Leadership Senate Committees Senate electionsHouse Representatives House Leadership House Committees House elections DistrictsContinental Congress nbsp Seal of the US House Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Thomas Rodney amp oldid 1168081871, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
