Read, Charles

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Read, Charles

READ, CHARLES. (1715–1780). American deserter. New Jersey. Born in Philadelphia on 1 February 1715, Read succeeded his father as collector of the port of Burlington, New Jersey. He became a lawyer in 1753 and served several terms as mayor of Burlington. In the early 1760s he was appointed a judge on the New Jersey supreme court, holding that position and the collector's post until the start of the Revolution, when he resigned to serve as a colonel of militia. In 1776 he attended the convention that framed New Jersey's constitution and on 18 July was made colonel of a battalion of the flying camp. For reasons unknown, Read went over to the British in December 1776. He died in North Carolina in 1780.

                        revised by Michael Bellesiles