Edward Biddle | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1738 |
| Died | September 5, 1779(1779-09-05) (aged 40–41) Chatsworth,Baltimore County, Maryland |
| Occupation(s) | soldier, lawyer, statesman |
| Spouse | |
| Parent(s) | William Biddle III Mary Scull Biddle |
| Relatives | SeeBiddle family |
Edward Biddle (1738 – September 5, 1779) was an American soldier, lawyer, and statesman fromPennsylvania. He was a delegate to theContinental Congress in 1774 and 1775 and a signatory to theContinental Association, which was drafted and adopted by that Congress.[1][2]
On June 6, 1761, Edward married Elizabeth Ross, the sister ofGeorge Ross. After the war, heread law in the offices of her brother. By 1767, he had been admitted to the bar, and the couple moved toReading where he began his practice. Although the couple had no children, they both came from large families.Betsy Ross who gained fame as the seamstress of the first American flag was the wife of her nephew. He was the uncle of CongressmanRichard Biddle and financierNicholas Biddle.
In 1767, Biddle began his career in the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly as a representative forBerks County. He served there until the colonial assembly went out of business during theRevolution. While a representative, in 1768, he was elected to theAmerican Philosophical Society.[3] He was also a member of the rebel provincial congress and later the stateGeneral Assembly until 1778. He was a leader within that body of theWhig or radical group in the struggle to set Pennsylvania's course in the revolution.
In 1774, Pennsylvania was divided about the looming revolution. The loyalists and the supporters of the Penn family in the Assembly were joined by theQuakers who opposed any war. As a result, in July, the Assembly sent a split delegation to the Continental Congress:Joseph Galloway,Charles Humphreys, andSamuel Rhoads were all moderates, while Biddle,Thomas Mifflin,John Morton, and George Ross were radicals. Thatfirst Continental Congress produced a statement orDeclaration of Rights, as well as a plan of union and pleas toKing George to resolve the issues that separated the colonies fromGreat Britain. They also produced a renewal of theContinental Association, the non-importation agreement adopted in the wake of theStamp Act protests. Biddle was a member of the committee that drafted the Declaration of Rights and later oversaw the printing of the resolutions the Congress had passed.
Early in 1775, GovernorJohn Penn called the Assembly into session, intent on having Pennsylvania send its own declarations to the crown. These would be based on theGalloway Plan that had been rejected by the Continental Congress, and would try to reconcile Pennsylvania with the British government. But the legislature mirrored the growing split within the colonies. The Whigs, led by Biddle, Ross andJohn Dickinson won the day. Biddle was elected speaker, replacing Galloway who had held the post the previous year. The actions of the Continental Congress were approved, and a more radical delegation was named to the next Congress.
Biddle died in Chatsworth,Baltimore County, Maryland on September 5, 1779. He is buried in St. Pauls Churchyard inBaltimore.
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