Governor Nicholas Van Dyke, who served as president [governor] of Delaware, is referred to as governor, because his son Nicholas Van Dyke [1770-1826], also became quite active in politics, and eventually became a U. S. Senator from Delaware. The son is therefore commonly referred to as Senator Van Dyke.
Van Dyke came from a prominent family in New Castle County, Delaware. He was born in the family home named “Berwick”, located in a town named St. Georges Hundred. His grandfather, Andrew Van Dyke, had moved to Delaware from Long Island, New York in 1704. The town of New Castle in Delaware was originally named New Amstel, at which time it was a Dutch settlement. The main edifice in New Castle, in memory of the Dutch period, is the Amstel House, a home in which Van Dyke resided, during the time he practiced law in New Castle. The residence has since been turned into a historic mansion by the local historical society.
Van Dyke was fortunate to come from a well-to-do family. He was tutored at home, and then read law in Philadelphia where he was admitted to the bar in 1765. He returned to Delaware and began his law practice in New Castle. In 1766, he married Elizabeth Nixon. Elizabeth died the following year during the birth of their daughter, Rachael. Some time following his wife’s death, Van Dyke married Charlotte Stanley. The couple had four children named Nancy Ann, Mary, Nicholas and Henry.
Van Dyke entered political life in 1774, and became a member of the Delaware Constitutional Convention of 1776, and served in the Delaware State Senate during the time period of 1776-1777. In 1777, he was elected to the Continental Congress and remained there until 1781. During his time in the Continental Congress he signed the Articles of Confederation for the State of Delaware. During the time period of 1778-1779, he also served in the Delaware State House and was the Speaker of the Delaware House during the time period of 1780-1781. In February 1783, Van Dyke became the President of Delaware, and served in that position until October 1786. Following his presidency he served again in the State Senate until his death in 1789.
Van Dyke passed away on February 19, 1789, at the family home, Berwick, in St. Georges Hundred, in New Castle County, Delaware. Van Dyke died rather young. He had only attained the age of 51 years. He was initially interred there, but his remains were later moved to the Immanuel Episcopal Church Cemetery in New Castle, Delaware.
REFERENCES
Van Dyke, Nicholas [1738-1789], http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=V000036
Nicholas Van Dyke [Governor], http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas_Van_Dyke_(governor) |
