Charles Biddle (December 24, 1745 – April 4, 1821) was a Pennsylvania statesman and a member of the prominent Biddle family of Philadelphia.

Early life

Biddle was born to a wealthy old Quaker family on December 24, 1745, in Philadelphia, Province of Pennsylvania in what was then British America. He was the son of William Biddle, 3rd (1698–1756) and Mary (née Scull) Biddle (1709–1789). His siblings included: Lydia Biddle, who married William Macfunn; John ”Jacky” Biddle, who married Sophia Boone; Edward Biddle, a lawyer, soldier, delegate to the Continental Congress, who married Elizabeth Ross, sister of George Ross; Charles Biddle, and Nicholas Biddle, Revolutionary War Navy captain. As a youth, Biddle was a schoolmate and close friend of Mathias Aspden and Founding Father Benjamin Rush.

Career

American Revolutionary War

During the American Revolutionary War, Biddle was a captain in the merchant service and participated in the work around of the British fleet's blockade of American ports. He volunteered in the Quaker Light Infantry and, in 1778, he served under his brother, Commodore Nicholas Biddle, aboard the USS Randolph.

Political career

Biddle served as Vice President of Pennsylvania, also known as Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania, from October 10, 1785, until October 31, 1787. He served under John Dickinson and Benjamin Franklin and hosted George Washington. During his term, he was an ex officio trustee of the University of the State of Pennsylvania (now the University of Pennsylvania). He was a member of the Pennsylvania Senate from 1810 to 1814. He also was an associate of Aaron Burr, having introduced Burr to his wife Theodosia shortly after the death of her first husband, Jacques Marcus Prevost. Although Biddle vacated his seat at Council on October 13, 1787, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania records that his Vice-Presidential term extended to October 31, the date of the next Presidential and Vice-Presidential elections. Biddle was elected Secretary of the Council on October 23.

Personal life

On November 24, 1778, he was married to Hannah Shepard (d. 1825), the daughter of merchant Jacob Shepard and Sara (née Lewis) Shepard, in Beaufort, North Carolina. The Biddle family had a summer home outside of Philadelphia that was furnished sumptuously with English furniture and paintings. Together, they were the parents of ten children, including: Biddle died on April 4, 1821, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His widow died almost four years later on January 4, 1825.