Biography
Edward was the son of William (1698–1756) and Mary (Scull) (1709–1790) Biddle. He was born in 1738 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and had nine brothers and sisters, although two died in infancy. His formal education was limited to the common (public) schools and ended at about age fourteen. When the French and Indian War began in 1754 he joined the provincial forces as an Ensign. By the time he left the service, at the end of the war in 1763 he had been promoted to Captain.
On June 6, 1761 Edward married Elizabeth Ross, the sister of George Ross. After the war he read law in the offices of her brother. By 1767 he had been admitted to the bar, and the couple moved to Reading where he began his practice. Although the couple had no children, they both came from large families. The Betsy Ross who gained fame as the seamstress of the first American flag was the wife of her nephew. He was the uncle of Congressman Richard Biddle.
Read more about this topic: Edward Biddle
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