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Delaware's Destiny Determined by Lewes
A recitation of the history behind the creation of the State of Delaware, which had its genesis in a legal battle between William Penn and Lord Baltimore over the extent of their respective land grants from King Charles II of England.
152 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2013
6 people want to read
About the author
Randy J. Holland
6 booksRandy J. Holland (born 1947) was an Associate Justice of the Delaware Supreme Court. He was appointed to that office in 1986 and was the youngest person to serve on the Delaware Supreme Court. He retired from the Court in 2017 and his seat was taken by Justice Gary Traynor.
Professor Holland is currently a practicing Senior Of Counsel in the Wilmington office of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati and Adjunct Professor of Law at Vanderbilt Law School in Nashville, Tenessee in the USA.
An expert on corporation law, corporate governance, appellate practice, and state constitutional law, he has written more than 700 reported opinions, which include many seminal corporate law decisions. When Holland was appointed to a seat on the Delaware Supreme Court in 1986 by Gov. Michael N. Castle, he became the youngest person ever to serve as a Delaware Supreme Court justice. He became the longest-serving justice in Delaware history in 2009. In 2011, he was reappointed by former Gov. Jack A. Markell and unanimously confirmed by the Delaware Senate for an unprecedented third 12-year term. Holland was a partner at Morris Nichols Arsht & Tunnell before his appointment to the Delaware Supreme Court.
Over the course of his career, Holland has written, co-authored or edited nine books and published several law review articles focused on corporate law, judicial ethics and legal history. He has taught corporate governance, appellate practice, and state constitutional law as an adjunct professor for many years. In 2009, he co-authored a casebook, State Constitutional Law: The Modern Experience. He is a co-author of another casebook, Appellate Practice and Procedure. Recognized as a leading influencer on business ethics in the U.S., Holland has traveled internationally to advance corporate governance and ethics, including working with the Chief Justice of Taiwan and visiting the country to speak on these topics.
Professor Holland is currently a practicing Senior Of Counsel in the Wilmington office of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati and Adjunct Professor of Law at Vanderbilt Law School in Nashville, Tenessee in the USA.
An expert on corporation law, corporate governance, appellate practice, and state constitutional law, he has written more than 700 reported opinions, which include many seminal corporate law decisions. When Holland was appointed to a seat on the Delaware Supreme Court in 1986 by Gov. Michael N. Castle, he became the youngest person ever to serve as a Delaware Supreme Court justice. He became the longest-serving justice in Delaware history in 2009. In 2011, he was reappointed by former Gov. Jack A. Markell and unanimously confirmed by the Delaware Senate for an unprecedented third 12-year term. Holland was a partner at Morris Nichols Arsht & Tunnell before his appointment to the Delaware Supreme Court.
Over the course of his career, Holland has written, co-authored or edited nine books and published several law review articles focused on corporate law, judicial ethics and legal history. He has taught corporate governance, appellate practice, and state constitutional law as an adjunct professor for many years. In 2009, he co-authored a casebook, State Constitutional Law: The Modern Experience. He is a co-author of another casebook, Appellate Practice and Procedure. Recognized as a leading influencer on business ethics in the U.S., Holland has traveled internationally to advance corporate governance and ethics, including working with the Chief Justice of Taiwan and visiting the country to speak on these topics.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 29, 2017
Skeptical, but curious to update the Delaware history section of the WHS library, I attended the History Book Festival in Lewes and obtained some finds for updated novels, this being one of them. I did obtain the signature of author Mr. Randy J Holland, not realizing at the time, he was the youngest to serve on the Delaware Supreme Court let alone he was a former Supreme Court Justice (wish I would have known!).
Not delving into many books based on the history of state, politics, government, I approached this novel as I stated, with skepticism. Turns out many interesting facts I never would have realized surfaced:
-The "L" border of Delaware between Maryland and Delaware symbolizes the name of Lewes.
-Lord Baltimore tried at least three times to usurp William Penn's claim to Delaware, and William Penn's ability to prove the Dutch, had purchased the land in 193, proving there were settlements here, before 1631 - which voided Lord Baltimore's claim to the land, was tricky, but fascinating to follow in the courts.
-William Penn's patient resolve to dig, interview, and document proof of the history of Delaware to retain his claim, compared to the little evidence and research Lord Baltimore was able to turn up emphasized the importance of spending time to follow the lines of research and history.
-The maps created originally did not accurately portray where Cape Henlopen and Fenwick Island were, which worked to William Penn's advantage in court.
-It is fascinating to understand the Dutch references and ties such as Zwaanendael to the Zwaanendael Museum, as well as the original inhabitants made up of Lenape and Assateague Native American tribes.
Looking at Delaware can be more enhanced when so many details are explored, referenced, and dissected and at first, I was held off by the fact that I would be sifting through original documents dating back to the 1680's and later, and yet as the novel progressed, I became more fascinated in the sleuth process that developed that inherently allowed Delaware to become the first state to sign the constitution and once acquired as part of Pennsylvania, becoming its own state.
Randy J. Holland does a very clinical, accurate, thorough and fascinating approach to bringing the history and heritage of Delaware alive, and being skeptical at first, turned into more interest of home areas that are familiar to many, while the historical significance alludes many.
Not delving into many books based on the history of state, politics, government, I approached this novel as I stated, with skepticism. Turns out many interesting facts I never would have realized surfaced:
-The "L" border of Delaware between Maryland and Delaware symbolizes the name of Lewes.
-Lord Baltimore tried at least three times to usurp William Penn's claim to Delaware, and William Penn's ability to prove the Dutch, had purchased the land in 193, proving there were settlements here, before 1631 - which voided Lord Baltimore's claim to the land, was tricky, but fascinating to follow in the courts.
-William Penn's patient resolve to dig, interview, and document proof of the history of Delaware to retain his claim, compared to the little evidence and research Lord Baltimore was able to turn up emphasized the importance of spending time to follow the lines of research and history.
-The maps created originally did not accurately portray where Cape Henlopen and Fenwick Island were, which worked to William Penn's advantage in court.
-It is fascinating to understand the Dutch references and ties such as Zwaanendael to the Zwaanendael Museum, as well as the original inhabitants made up of Lenape and Assateague Native American tribes.
Looking at Delaware can be more enhanced when so many details are explored, referenced, and dissected and at first, I was held off by the fact that I would be sifting through original documents dating back to the 1680's and later, and yet as the novel progressed, I became more fascinated in the sleuth process that developed that inherently allowed Delaware to become the first state to sign the constitution and once acquired as part of Pennsylvania, becoming its own state.
Randy J. Holland does a very clinical, accurate, thorough and fascinating approach to bringing the history and heritage of Delaware alive, and being skeptical at first, turned into more interest of home areas that are familiar to many, while the historical significance alludes many.
February 7, 2016
Delaware’s Destiney Determined by Lewes by Randy Holland is a brief and well researched history of how Delaware retained Lewes and how William Penn proved to be an able and determined patron. A short but well done bit of local and legal history.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews