Daniel Rodney
Encyclopedia
Daniel Rodney was an American merchant and politician from Lewes, in Sussex County, Delaware. He was a member of the Federalist Party, and later the National Republican Party, who served as Governor of Delaware, U. S. Representative from Delaware and U.S. Senator from Delaware.
, and distantly related to President Caesar Rodney
. He married Sarah Fisher and they had eight children, Hannah, George Brydges
, John, William, Henry Fisher, Nicholas, Susan, and Mary. They lived at 231 Second Street and were members of St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Lewes.
Rodney received little schooling, and worked as a sailor and merchant for some years. There is a story that before he was 21 years old he had his own ship and that during the American Revolution he was twice captured by the British. From 1793 to 1806, he served as a Judge in the Court of Common Pleas
, during roughly the same time as Trustee of the Poor. He was also a trustee of Wilmington College
.
, he was successful. He served as Governor of Delaware from January 18, 1814, to January 21, 1817.
The last year of the War of 1812 was as unnerving as the others had been. The British naval presence off the coast was more intermittent, but Indian River received a serious raid in June 1814. The burning of Washington, in August, however, really brought the war home. Everyone feared attacks up the coast. In Philadelphia old former President Thomas McKean
was brought out of retirement to organize the defenses, and finally Pea Patch Island was actually fortified. Fortunately, the progress of the British army was halted at Baltimore and Delaware was not attacked again. Commodore Thomas McDonough of Odessa
was one of the hero’s of 1814, defeating the British fleet on Lake Champlain, and U.S. Senator James A. Bayard, Sr.
of Wilmington was one of the commissioners to the peace conference that produced the Treaty of Ghent
, which ended the war.
In the U.S. presidential election of 1820, Rodney received 4 electoral votes for Vice President
, but lost overwhelmingly to incumbent Vice President Daniel D. Tompkins
. This was the last virtually uncontested presidential election in U.S. History with incumbent U.S. President James Monroe facing no opposition. The lack of contest documented the complete collapse of the Federalist Party everywhere except Delaware.
When Caesar A. Rodney resigned from the U.S. House of Representatives in 1822, Daniel Rodney was elected to replace him, serving in the U.S. House from October 1, 1822 to March 3, 1823. Several years later Daniel Rodney was appointed to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Nicholas Van Dyke. He served briefly from November 8, 1826, to January 12, 1827, when the General Assembly chose another replacement.
served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1841 until 1845.
{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
|-bgcolor=#cccccc
!colspan=12 style="background: #ccccff;" |Delaware General Assembly
(sessions while Governor)
|-
!Year
!Assembly
!
!Senate Majority
!Speaker
!
!House Majority
!Speaker
|-
|1808
|38th
|
| |Federalist
| |Andrew Barratt
|
| |Federalist
| |Cornelius P. Comegys
|-
|1809
|39th
|
| |Federalist
| |Jesse Green
|
| |Federalist
| |Cornelius P. Comegys
|-
|1810
|40th
|
| |Federalist
| |Jesse Green
|
| |Federalist
| |Nathan Vickers
{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
|-bgcolor=#cccccc
!colspan=7 style="background: #ccccff;" |Public Offices
|-
! Office
! Type
! Location
! Began office
! Ended office
! notes
|-
|Judge
|Judiciary
|Georgetown
|1793
|1806
|Court of Common Pleas
|-
|Governor
|Executive
|Dover
|January 18, 1814
|January 21, 1817
|
|-
|U.S. Representative
|Legislature
|Washington
|October 1, 1822
|March 3, 1823
|
|-
|U.S. Senator
|Legislature
|Washington
|November 8, 1826
|January 12, 1827
|
{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
|-bgcolor=#cccccc
!colspan=7 style="background: #ccccff;" |United States Congressional service
|-
! Dates
! Congress
! Chamber
! Majority
! President
! Committees
! Class/District
|-
|1821–1823
|17th
|U.S. House
|Federalist
|James Monroe
|
|
|-
|1825-1827
|19th
|U.S. Senate
|Democratic
|John Quincy Adams
|
|class 2
{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
|-bgcolor=#cccccc
!colspan=12 style="background: #ccccff;" |Election results
|-
! Year
! Office
!
! Subject
! Party
!Votes
!%
!
! Opponent
! Party
! Votes
! %
|-
|1810
|Governor
|
| |Daniel Rodney
| |Federalist
| |3,593
| |50%
|
| |Joseph Haslet
| |Republican
| |3,664
| |50%
|-
|1813
|Governor
|
| |Daniel Rodney
| |Federalist
| |4,643
| |55%
|
| |James Riddle
| |Republican
| |3,768
| |45%
Early life and family
Rodney was born at Lewes, Delaware, son of John and Ruth Hunn Rodney, brother of future Governor Caleb RodneyCaleb Rodney
Caleb Rodney was an American merchant and politician from Lewes, in Sussex County, Delaware. He was a member of the Federalist Party, who served in the Delaware General Assembly and as Governor of Delaware....
, and distantly related to President Caesar Rodney
Caesar Rodney
Caesar Rodney was an American lawyer and politician from St. Jones Neck in Dover Hundred, Kent County, Delaware, east of Dover...
. He married Sarah Fisher and they had eight children, Hannah, George Brydges
George B. Rodney
George Brydges Rodney was an American lawyer and politician from New Castle, in New Castle County, Delaware. He was a member of the Whig Party, who served as United States Representative from Delaware.-Early life and family:...
, John, William, Henry Fisher, Nicholas, Susan, and Mary. They lived at 231 Second Street and were members of St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Lewes.
Rodney received little schooling, and worked as a sailor and merchant for some years. There is a story that before he was 21 years old he had his own ship and that during the American Revolution he was twice captured by the British. From 1793 to 1806, he served as a Judge in the Court of Common Pleas
Delaware Court of Common Pleas
The Delaware Court of Common Pleas are state courts of the U.S. state of Delaware.The Delaware Court of Common Pleas are trial courts and inferior courts of limited jurisdiction. It has criminal jurisdiction throughout the state over all misdemeanors, except certain drug offenses, and motor vehicle...
, during roughly the same time as Trustee of the Poor. He was also a trustee of Wilmington College
Wilmington University
Wilmington University is a private educational institution, with its main campus located in New Castle near Wilmington, Delaware. It was founded in 1968 as Wilmington College and was granted university status on September 10, 2007, after approval by the Board of Trustees and the Middle States...
.
Professional and political career
His own political career began in 1810, when he ran for Governor of Delaware as a Federalist. He lost to the Democratic candidate, Joseph Haslet, by only 71 votes. His next campaign, in 1813, was against James Riddle of New Castle, and largely because of the unpopularity of the War of 1812War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, he was successful. He served as Governor of Delaware from January 18, 1814, to January 21, 1817.
The last year of the War of 1812 was as unnerving as the others had been. The British naval presence off the coast was more intermittent, but Indian River received a serious raid in June 1814. The burning of Washington, in August, however, really brought the war home. Everyone feared attacks up the coast. In Philadelphia old former President Thomas McKean
Thomas McKean
Thomas McKean was an American lawyer and politician from New Castle, in New Castle County, Delaware and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. During the American Revolution he was a delegate to the Continental Congress where he signed the United States Declaration of Independence and the Articles of...
was brought out of retirement to organize the defenses, and finally Pea Patch Island was actually fortified. Fortunately, the progress of the British army was halted at Baltimore and Delaware was not attacked again. Commodore Thomas McDonough of Odessa
Odessa, Delaware
Odessa is a town in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. The population was 364 at the 2010 census. Originally founded as Cantwell's Bridge in the 18th century, the name was changed in the 19th century, after the Ukrainian port city of the same name...
was one of the hero’s of 1814, defeating the British fleet on Lake Champlain, and U.S. Senator James A. Bayard, Sr.
James A. Bayard (elder)
James Asheton Bayard II was an American lawyer and politician from Wilmington, in New Castle County, Delaware. He was a member of the Federalist Party, who served as U.S. Representative from Delaware and U.S. Senator from Delaware.-Early life and family:Bayard was born in Philadelphia,...
of Wilmington was one of the commissioners to the peace conference that produced the Treaty of Ghent
Treaty of Ghent
The Treaty of Ghent , signed on 24 December 1814, in Ghent , was the peace treaty that ended the War of 1812 between the United States of America and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
, which ended the war.
In the U.S. presidential election of 1820, Rodney received 4 electoral votes for Vice President
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
, but lost overwhelmingly to incumbent Vice President Daniel D. Tompkins
Daniel D. Tompkins
Daniel D. Tompkins was an entrepreneur, jurist, Congressman, the fourth Governor of New York , and the sixth Vice President of the United States .-Name:...
. This was the last virtually uncontested presidential election in U.S. History with incumbent U.S. President James Monroe facing no opposition. The lack of contest documented the complete collapse of the Federalist Party everywhere except Delaware.
When Caesar A. Rodney resigned from the U.S. House of Representatives in 1822, Daniel Rodney was elected to replace him, serving in the U.S. House from October 1, 1822 to March 3, 1823. Several years later Daniel Rodney was appointed to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Nicholas Van Dyke. He served briefly from November 8, 1826, to January 12, 1827, when the General Assembly chose another replacement.
Death and legacy
Rodney died at Lewes and is buried there in St. Peter's Episcopal Churchyard. His son George B. RodneyGeorge B. Rodney
George Brydges Rodney was an American lawyer and politician from New Castle, in New Castle County, Delaware. He was a member of the Whig Party, who served as United States Representative from Delaware.-Early life and family:...
served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1841 until 1845.
Almanac
Elections were held the first Tuesday of October. The Governor takes office the third Tuesday of January and had a three year term. U.S. Representatives took office March 4 and have a two year term. The General Assembly chose the U.S. Senators who also took office March 4th, but for a six year term.{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
|-bgcolor=#cccccc
!colspan=12 style="background: #ccccff;" |Delaware General Assembly
Delaware General Assembly
The Delaware General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is a bicameral legislature composed of the Delaware Senate with 21 Senators and the Delaware House of Representatives with 41 Representatives...
(sessions while Governor)
|-
!Year
!Assembly
!
!Senate Majority
!Speaker
!
!House Majority
!Speaker
|-
|1808
|38th
Delaware General Assembly
The Delaware General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is a bicameral legislature composed of the Delaware Senate with 21 Senators and the Delaware House of Representatives with 41 Representatives...
|
| |Federalist
Federalist Party (United States)
The Federalist Party was the first American political party, from the early 1790s to 1816, the era of the First Party System, with remnants lasting into the 1820s. The Federalists controlled the federal government until 1801...
| |Andrew Barratt
|
| |Federalist
Federalist Party (United States)
The Federalist Party was the first American political party, from the early 1790s to 1816, the era of the First Party System, with remnants lasting into the 1820s. The Federalists controlled the federal government until 1801...
| |Cornelius P. Comegys
Cornelius P. Comegys
Cornelius Parsons Comegys was an American farmer and politician from Dover Hundred, in Kent County, Delaware, near Little Creek...
|-
|1809
|39th
Delaware General Assembly
The Delaware General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is a bicameral legislature composed of the Delaware Senate with 21 Senators and the Delaware House of Representatives with 41 Representatives...
|
| |Federalist
Federalist Party (United States)
The Federalist Party was the first American political party, from the early 1790s to 1816, the era of the First Party System, with remnants lasting into the 1820s. The Federalists controlled the federal government until 1801...
| |Jesse Green
|
| |Federalist
Federalist Party (United States)
The Federalist Party was the first American political party, from the early 1790s to 1816, the era of the First Party System, with remnants lasting into the 1820s. The Federalists controlled the federal government until 1801...
| |Cornelius P. Comegys
Cornelius P. Comegys
Cornelius Parsons Comegys was an American farmer and politician from Dover Hundred, in Kent County, Delaware, near Little Creek...
|-
|1810
|40th
Delaware General Assembly
The Delaware General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is a bicameral legislature composed of the Delaware Senate with 21 Senators and the Delaware House of Representatives with 41 Representatives...
|
| |Federalist
Federalist Party (United States)
The Federalist Party was the first American political party, from the early 1790s to 1816, the era of the First Party System, with remnants lasting into the 1820s. The Federalists controlled the federal government until 1801...
| |Jesse Green
|
| |Federalist
Federalist Party (United States)
The Federalist Party was the first American political party, from the early 1790s to 1816, the era of the First Party System, with remnants lasting into the 1820s. The Federalists controlled the federal government until 1801...
| |Nathan Vickers
{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
|-bgcolor=#cccccc
!colspan=7 style="background: #ccccff;" |Public Offices
|-
! Office
! Type
! Location
! Began office
! Ended office
! notes
|-
|Judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
|Judiciary
Judiciary
The judiciary is the system of courts that interprets and applies the law in the name of the state. The judiciary also provides a mechanism for the resolution of disputes...
|Georgetown
Georgetown, Delaware
Georgetown is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. According to 2010 census figures, the population of the town is 6,422, an increase of 38.3% over the previous decade...
|1793
|1806
|Court of Common Pleas
Delaware Court of Common Pleas
The Delaware Court of Common Pleas are state courts of the U.S. state of Delaware.The Delaware Court of Common Pleas are trial courts and inferior courts of limited jurisdiction. It has criminal jurisdiction throughout the state over all misdemeanors, except certain drug offenses, and motor vehicle...
|-
|Governor
|Executive
Executive (government)
Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...
|Dover
Dover, Delaware
The city of Dover is the capital and second largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. It is also the county seat of Kent County, and the principal city of the Dover, Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Kent County. It is located on the St. Jones River in the Delaware...
|January 18, 1814
|January 21, 1817
|
|-
|U.S. Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
|Legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
|Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
|October 1, 1822
|March 3, 1823
|
|-
|U.S. Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
|Legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
|Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
|November 8, 1826
|January 12, 1827
|
{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
|-bgcolor=#cccccc
!colspan=7 style="background: #ccccff;" |United States Congressional service
|-
! Dates
! Congress
! Chamber
! Majority
! President
! Committees
! Class/District
|-
|1821–1823
|17th
17th United States Congress
The Seventeenth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1821 to March 3, 1823, during the fifth and sixth...
|U.S. House
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
|Federalist
Federalist Party (United States)
The Federalist Party was the first American political party, from the early 1790s to 1816, the era of the First Party System, with remnants lasting into the 1820s. The Federalists controlled the federal government until 1801...
|James Monroe
James Monroe
James Monroe was the fifth President of the United States . Monroe was the last president who was a Founding Father of the United States, and the last president from the Virginia dynasty and the Republican Generation...
|
|
|-
|1825-1827
|19th
19th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:-Leadership:- Senate :* President: John C. Calhoun * President pro tempore: John Gaillard , until December 4, 1825** Nathaniel Macon , from May 20, 1826- House of Representatives :* Speaker: John W. Taylor -Members:...
|U.S. Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
|Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
|John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams was the sixth President of the United States . He served as an American diplomat, Senator, and Congressional representative. He was a member of the Federalist, Democratic-Republican, National Republican, and later Anti-Masonic and Whig parties. Adams was the son of former...
|
|class 2
Classes of United States Senators
The three classes of United States Senators are currently made up of 33 or 34 Senate seats. The purpose of the classes is to determine which Senate seats will be up for election in a given year. The three groups are staggered so that one of them is up for election every two years.A senator's...
{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
|-bgcolor=#cccccc
!colspan=12 style="background: #ccccff;" |Election results
|-
! Year
! Office
!
! Subject
! Party
!Votes
!%
!
! Opponent
! Party
! Votes
! %
|-
|1810
|Governor
|
| |Daniel Rodney
| |Federalist
Federalist Party (United States)
The Federalist Party was the first American political party, from the early 1790s to 1816, the era of the First Party System, with remnants lasting into the 1820s. The Federalists controlled the federal government until 1801...
| |3,593
| |50%
|
| |Joseph Haslet
Joseph Haslet
Joseph Haslet was an American planter and politician from Cedar Creek Village in Cedar Creek Hundred, Sussex County, Delaware. He was a member of the Democratic-Republican Party, who served twice as Governor of Delaware....
| |Republican
Democratic-Republican Party (United States)
The Democratic-Republican Party or Republican Party was an American political party founded in the early 1790s by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Political scientists use the former name, while historians prefer the latter one; contemporaries generally called the party the "Republicans", along...
| |3,664
| |50%
|-
|1813
|Governor
|
| |Daniel Rodney
| |Federalist
Federalist Party (United States)
The Federalist Party was the first American political party, from the early 1790s to 1816, the era of the First Party System, with remnants lasting into the 1820s. The Federalists controlled the federal government until 1801...
| |4,643
| |55%
|
| |James Riddle
| |Republican
Democratic-Republican Party (United States)
The Democratic-Republican Party or Republican Party was an American political party founded in the early 1790s by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Political scientists use the former name, while historians prefer the latter one; contemporaries generally called the party the "Republicans", along...
| |3,768
| |45%
External links
- Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States
- Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Delaware’s Governors
- Find a Grave
- The Political Graveyard
Places with more information
- Delaware Historical SocietyDelaware Historical SocietyThe Delaware Historical Society began in 1864 as an effort to preserve documents from the Civil War. Since then, it has expanded into a state-wide historical institution with several venues and a major museum in Wilmington and the historic Read House & Gardens in New Castle.The society...
; website; 505 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801; (302) 655-7161 - University of DelawareUniversity of DelawareThe university is organized into seven colleges:* College of Agriculture and Natural Resources* College of Arts and Sciences* Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics* College of Earth, Ocean and Environment* College of Education and Human Development...
; Library website; 181 South College Avenue, Newark, Delaware 19717; (302) 831-2965 - Zwaanendael MuseumZwaanendael MuseumBuilt in 1931 in Lewes, Delaware, the Zwaanendael Museum was created to honor the 300th anniversary of Delaware's first European settlement, Zwaanendael, founded 1631. The museum models the former City Hall in Hoorn, the Netherlands. It has 17th century Dutch elements such as stepped facade gable,...
website, Kings Highway & Savannah Road, Lewes, Delaware (302) 645-1148 - Lewes Historical Society, 110 Shipcarpenter Street, Lewes, Delaware (302) 645-7670
- St. Peter's Episcopal Church, 212 Second Street, Lewes Delaware (302) 645-8479