George Biddle (August 20, 1836 – December 14, 1909) was an American politician from Maryland. He served as a member of the

Maryland House of Delegates The Maryland House of Delegates is the lower house of the Maryland General Assembly, legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland. It consists of 141 delegates elected from 47 districts. The House of Delegates Chamber is in the Maryland State House ...

, representing

Cecil County Cecil County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland at the northeastern corner of the state, bordering both Pennsylvania and Delaware. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 103,725. The county seat is Elkton. The ...

in 1870.

Early life

George Biddle was born on August 20, 1836, near

Cecilton, Maryland Cecilton is a town in Cecil County, Maryland, United States. The population was 663 at the 2010 census. Geography Cecilton is located at (39.402919, -75.869430). According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all ...

, to Frances "Fannie" A. (née Perkins) and George Biddle. He was related to Congressman

James Barroll Ricaud James Barroll Ricaud (February 11, 1808 – January 24, 1866) was an American politician. He served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates and Maryland Senate in the mid-19th century. He represented Maryland's 2nd district in the U.S. Ho ...

and Maryland comptroller Thomas J. Keating through his mother. Biddle was educated in local schools and in

Wilmington, Delaware Wilmington is the List of municipalities in Delaware, most populous city in the U.S. state of Delaware. The city was built on the site of Fort Christina, the first Swedish colonization of the Americas, Swedish settlement in North America. It lie ...

. He was also educated in Charlottesville, New York. He graduated from

Delaware College The University of Delaware (colloquially known as UD, UDel, or Delaware) is a Statutory college#Delaware, privately governed, state-assisted Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Newark, Delaware, United States. UD offers f ...

in 1855.

Career

Biddle was an advocate for the establishment of free public schools and the appointment of school commissioners by circuit court judges. He was a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (Cyprus) (DCY) **Democratic Part ...

. He served as a member of the

, representing

in 1870. While a delegate, he was successful in authoring and passing a bill that allowed appointment of school commissioners by circuit court judges. The law continued for twenty years before the appointment power was given to the governor. In 1872, Biddle was appointed as school commissioner. He served in that role until he resigned in 1892. In 1892, he became the school examiner of Cecil County. He also served as secretary and treasurer of the board of school commissioners. He was a trustee of Delaware College. He was also a farmer and fruit grower. He was a member of the Peninsula Horticultural Association.

Personal life

Biddle married Katherine Kettell, daughter of Methodist minister George F. Kettell, on January 4, 1866. He was a vestryman of St. Stephen's Protestant Episcopal Church. Biddle died of heart failure on December 14, 1909, at his home on East Main Street in Elkton. He was buried at St. Stephen's Protestant Episcopal Church near Earleville.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Biddle, George 1836 births 1909 deaths Politicians from Cecil County, Maryland University of Delaware alumni Democratic Party members of the Maryland House of Delegates 19th-century American farmers 19th-century members of the Maryland General Assembly