Background
Read, Jacob was born in 1752 in Christ Church Parish, South Carolina, United States. Son of James and Rebecca (Bond) Read.
senator army officer Continental congressman
Read, Jacob was born in 1752 in Christ Church Parish, South Carolina, United States. Son of James and Rebecca (Bond) Read.
After he completed preparatory studies, he studied law and was admitted to the Barometer He also studied in England from 1773 to 1776.
He represented South Carolina in both the Continental Congress (1783–1785) and the United States Senate (1795–1801). He joined other Americans in London in 1774 in a petition against the Boston port bill. When Read returned to the United States, he served South Carolina in various military and civil capacities during the Revolutionary War.
He was sent with other Americans as a prisoner of the British to Saint Augustine from 1780 to 1781.
His service in the state lower house lasted from January 8, 1782 to December 17, 1794, and served as Speaker for the last five years in that house. Elected as a Federalist to the United States Senate, Read served a single term from March 4, 1795, to March 3, 1801.
He served as President pro tempore of the Senate during the Fifth Congress for about a month, but was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection. He was succeeded by Democratic-Republican John East. Colhoun.
Read died in Charleston, South Carolina, on July 17, 1816 (age about 64 years).
He is interred in the Bond/Read family cemetery at “Hobcaw,” in Christ Church Parish, near Charleston.
Member South Carolina. Privy Council, 1783; member South Carolina. Legislative Council, 1783, 84, also justice of quorum.
Member South Carolina. convention to ratify United States Constitution, 1788.
Member United States Senate (Federalist) from South Carolina., 1795-1801.
Married Catherine Van Horne, October 13, 1785, 4 children.