Read was born in Cecil County, Maryland, on September 18, 1733. He studied law in Philadelphia and was admitted to the bar in 1754. He moved to New Castle, Delaware, in 1763 and quickly became involved in politics. He was a member of the Delaware House of Representatives from 1765 to 1776 and served as Speaker of the House from 1771 to 1776.
Read was a delegate to the Continental Congress from 1776 to 1777 and again from 1782 to 1783. He served on the committee that drafted the Declaration of Independence, and he was one of the four Delaware delegates who signed the document.
Read was a delegate to the Annapolis Convention in 1786, and he was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention in 1787. He played a key role in the Convention, and he is credited with helping to broker the compromise that led to the creation of the Electoral College.
Read was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1789, and he served until 1793. He was a Federalist, and he strongly supported the new Constitution.
Read died in New Castle, Delaware, on September 21, 1798. He is considered one of the most important figures in Delaware history.