Charles Thomas (June 23, 1790 – February 8, 1848) was an American lawyer and politician from New Castle, in

New Castle County, Delaware New Castle County is the northernmost of the three counties of the U.S. state of Delaware (New Castle, Kent, and Sussex). As of the 2020 census, the population was 570,719, making it the most populous county in Delaware, with nearly 60% of the ...

. He was a member of the

Democratic-Republican Party The Democratic-Republican Party, known at the time as the Republican Party and also referred to as the Jeffersonian Republican Party among other names, was an American political party founded by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison in the early ...

, who served in the

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. It meets at Legisla ...

and as

Governor of Delaware A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political r ...

Early life and family

Thomas was born at Dragon Neck in Red Lion Hundred,

, son of Charles & Susanna McCallmont Thomas. His father was an elder of the New Castle Presbyterian Church and president of the New Castle Turnpike Company. Charles Jr. married Eliza Stoops and they had one child, Eliza. The lived at the "Thomas House" at the corner of Harmony Street and the Strand, now the Parish House of Immanuel Episcopal Church. They were members of New Castle Presbyterian Church. There are no known records showing the fate of Thomas' wife, Eliza. What is known is that his daughter Eliza was cared for by Dr. John Rumsey of Wilmington until she was about 10 years old, and then moved in with Thomas' sister Sally, who was married to William T. Read, his college roommate, and grandson of

George Read George Read may refer to: * George Reade (colonial governor) (1608–1671), politician, judge, and Acting Governor of Virginia Colony * George Read (American politician, born 1733) (1733–1798), lawyer, signer of Declaration of Independence and U ...

, the Signer. William and Sally resided at the Thomas House, and donated it to the Episcopal Church.

Professional and political career

Thomas attended

Princeton College Princeton University is a private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the nine ...

and studied law with George Read Jr. He was admitted to the Delaware bar in 1813 and began the practice of law at New Castle. He served in the 1818 session of the state house, and the 1822 and 1823 session of the state senate. Since he was the Speaker in the 1823 session, he succeeded to the office of governor upon the death of Governor

Joseph Haslet Joseph Haslet (1769June 20, 1823) 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. E ...

. He then served as

from June 24, 1823 until January 20, 1824. Thomas continued the advocacy of several other governors on behalf of improved public education. As told by Carol Hoffecker in ''Democracy in Delaware,'' "'In these portentous times,' remarked Governor Thomas in 1824, 'it seems rather a hazardous experiment to permit one generation to sleep in ignorance.' He advocated a special school tax, which he promised 'would be a blessing to the people...for it would...relieve them of the most intolerable of all burdens, the burdens of immorality and ignorance. 'In vain,' he said, 'do we boast of our elective franchise, and our civil rights, if a large portion of our citizens are unable to read the tickets which they annually present at the polls. Such men may think themselves free, but in fact they are slaves.... If education is confined to the rich,' he warned, 'the few will govern.'" By refusing to raise taxes or surrender local control, the General Assembly again failed to act. Thomas was also an advocate for penal reform. Again from Hoffecker, Thomas "noted without pride that 'the penal laws of this State are much severer than those of any State in the Union." Arguing against imprisonment for debt, he said "An opinion seems to pervade the community that our poor houses...are rather nurseries for vice than asylums for the helpless.". For now, this request received no response.

Death and legacy

Thomas died at New Castle and is buried there at the Presbyterian Cemetery. There is no known portrait of Charles Thomas.

Almanac

Elections were held the first Tuesday of October. Members of the

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.

Notes

References

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External links

Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States
*

Places with more information

Delaware Historical Society The Delaware Historical Society began in 1864 as an effort to preserve documents from the Civil War. Since then, it has expanded into a statewide historical institution with several buildings, including Old Town Hall and the Delaware History Muse ...

website
505 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801; (302) 655-7161 *

University of Delaware The University of Delaware (colloquially UD or Delaware) is a public land-grant research university located in Newark, Delaware. UD is the largest university in Delaware. It offers three associate's programs, 148 bachelor's programs, 121 mas ...

Library website
181 South College Avenue, Newark, Delaware 19717; (302) 831-2965 {{DEFAULTSORT:Thomas, Charles (governor) 1790 births 1848 deaths American Presbyterians People from New Castle, Delaware Delaware lawyers Delaware Democratic-Republicans Members of the Delaware House of Representatives Delaware state senators Governors of Delaware Burials in New Castle County, Delaware Democratic-Republican Party state governors of the United States 19th-century American politicians 19th-century American lawyers