George Read was born on a farm near North East, Maryland in 1733. Read studied law under John Moland in Philadelphia and was admitted to the Philadelphia Bar in 1753. The following year, he moved to New Castle, Delaware, to start a new law practice. Read was appointed as Attorney-general to three Delaware counties, an office which he resigned in 1774 when he was elected to the first Continental Congress. In 1776 Read served as the president of the committee that drafted the Delaware Constitution. He later became governor of Delaware in 1777 when the British captured Governor John McKinly. During the war, he led the state by raising money, troops, and supplies for its defense. After suffering from poor health in 1779, Read was appointed Judge in Court of Appeals in admiralty cases three years later. He was twice elected State Senator and later served as Chief Justice of the State of Delaware until his death in 1798.
