Caleb Rodney

{{See also|Rodney family of Delaware}}

Rodney was born in Lewes, Delaware, son of John and Ruth Hunn Rodney, brother of former Governor Daniel Rodney, and distantly related to Delaware President Caesar Rodney. He married Elizabeth West and had five children, Hannah, Hester, Penelope, Eliza, and Daniel. They were members of St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Lewes. He ran a store at the corner of 2nd and Market Streets there, the door to which was allegedly damaged in the British attack and is now on display at the Zwaanendael Museum in Lewes.

Rodney served in the state house for four sessions from 1802 through 1805, when he was elected to the state senate and served for four more sessions from 1806 through 1809. He was back in the state house for two sessions in 1812 and 1813, and then returned to the state senate for one session in 1816. In October 1816, he ran for the U.S. Congress, but lost the election. So, the following year he was returned to his old seat in the state senate and served for five sessions from 1818 through 1822. He was the Speaker in the last two sessions and, therefore, became governor upon the death of Governor John Collins. He then served as governor from April 23, 1822, until January 21, 1823.

Rodney was known as an opponent of slavery, expressing the desire that the institution could be ended through continued manumissions.

Rodney died at Lewes, Delaware, and is buried there, at St. Peter's Episcopal Church Cemetery. No known portrait of Caleb Rodney exists.

Elections were held the first Tuesday of October. Members of the General Assembly took office the first Tuesday of January. State senators had a three-year term and state representatives had a one-year term. The governor takes office the third Tuesday of January and had a three-year term.

• {{cite book |title=History of the State of Delaware |last=Conrad |first=Henry C. |publisher=Wickersham Company |location=Lancaster, Pennsylvania |year=1908 }}
• {{cite book |title=A History of Delaware Through its Governors |last=Martin |first=Roger A. |publisher=McClafferty Press |location=Wilmington, Delaware |year=1984 }}
• {{cite book |title=Memoirs of the Senate |last=Martin |first=Roger A. |publisher=Roger A. Martin |location=Newark, Delaware |year=1995 }}
• {{cite book |title=History of Delaware 1609-1888. 2 vols |last=Scharf |first=John Thomas |publisher=L. J. Richards & Co |location=Philadelphia |year=1888 |isbn=0-87413-493-5}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070930030643/http://www.nga.org/portal/site/nga/menuitem.29fab9fb4add37305ddcbeeb501010a0/?vgnextoid=56ca224971c81010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD&vgnextchannel=e449a0ca9e3f1010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States]
• [http://www.russpickett.com/history/delgov2.htm#crod2 Delaware’s Governors]
• {{Find a Grave|7493872}}
• [http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/rodgers-rodriguez.html#RKD0GS8I4 The Political Graveyard ]

{{s-start}}

{{s-off}}

{{s-bef|before=John Collins}}

{{s-ttl|title=Governor of Delaware|years=1822–1823}}

{{s-aft|after=Joseph Haslet}}

{{s-end}}

{{Governors of Delaware}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rodney, Caleb}}

Category:1767 births

Category:1840 deaths

Category:19th-century American Episcopalians

Category:People from Lewes, Delaware

Category:Businesspeople from Delaware

Category:Delaware Federalists

Category:Members of the Delaware House of Representatives

Category:Delaware state senators

Category:Governors of Delaware

Category:Federalist Party state governors of the United States

Category:18th-century American Episcopalians

Category:18th-century American merchants

Category:Rodney family (Delaware)

Category:19th-century members of the Delaware General Assembly