Governor Thomas Stockton

THOMAS STOCKTON, the sixth Delaware governor to die in office, was born in New Castle, Delaware, on April 1, 1781. After attending Princeton College, he enlisted in the military. He was a lieutenant in the 1st Company, 3rd Regiment, of the 1st Brigade of the Delaware militia, where he rose to the rank of captain. He was commissioned a major during the War of 1812, serving until 1828 in both the artillery and infantry. Stockton entered public service in 1810, as prothonotary of the New Castle County Court of Common Pleas, a position he held for two years. He served as New Castle County’s peace and register chancery from 1827 to 1825, and was Governor Polk’s aide-de-camp in 1827. He also served as Governor Comegys’s aide-de-camp in 1837. On November 12, 1844, he was elected Delaware’s 25th governor, and on January 21, 1845, he was sworn into office. During his tenure, the legislature voted for joint motions refuting the annexation of Texas. Before finishing his term, Governor Thomas Stockton passed away on March 2, 1846. He is buried at the Immanuel Cemetery in New Castle, Delaware.