John Read was born on July 7, 1769 at New Castle, Delaware, the son of George and Gertrude (Ross) Read. His father was a prominent lawyer, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and one of the framers of the Constitution of the United States.
He was educated in the public schools and at the College of New Jersey from which he graduated in 1787 with the degree of A. B. He then studied law under his father.
He was admitted to the bar of New Castle in 1791. Not long afterward he moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he was admitted to the bar on April 24, 1792.
In 1797 he was appointed by President John Adams agent general of the United States to act upon any claims which might be made under the sixth article of Jay's Treaty. He filled this office with marked ability until its termination in 1809. Following this appointment he served as a member of the Philadelphia City Council from 1809 to 1815; as a member of the Assembly of Pennsylvania in the years 1815-16; and as a member of the state Senate in 1817-18.
In the latter year he was elected by the Senate to represent the state as a director of the Philadelphia Bank. In the same year he was appointed city solicitor of Philadelphia, serving until 1820. In 1819 he was elected president of the Philadelphia Bank, which office he held until his resignation in 1841. He then retired and moved to Trenton, New Jersey, where he spent his remaining days. He was active in the national councils of the Episcopal Church and served as senior warden of Christ Church, 1801-17, and of St. James Church, 1817-41.
He contributed largely to philanthropic causes and during the outbreak of yellow fever in 1793 was one of the few prominent citizens to remain in Philadelphia, exposing his life throughout the entire course of the epidemic in behalf of his suffering fellow citizens. He also took a prominent part in the defense of the Delaware during the War of 1812. While he did not occupy as important a position in the country's affairs as did either his father or his son, John Meredith Read, he nevertheless had the friendship and respect of all who came into contact with him because of his great industry, in spite of a naturally weak constitution, and his personal qualities.
He married Martha Meredith on June 25, 1796, and they had three sons and two daughters.
