Benedict Swingate Calvert
Encyclopedia
Benedict Swingate Calvert (ca. 1730-1732 – January 9, 1788) was a Maryland
Loyalist
during the American Revolution
. He was the son of Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore
, the third Proprietor Governor of Maryland
(1699–1751), and may have been the grandson of King George I of Great Britain
. His mother's identity is not known, though one source suggests Melusina von der Schulenburg, Countess of Walsingham
. As he was illegitimate, he was not able to inherit his father's title or estates, which passed instead to his half brother Frederick Calvert, 6th Baron Baltimore
(1731–1771). Benedict Calvert spent most of his life as a politician and planter in Maryland, though Frederick, by contrast, never visited the colony. Calvert became wealthy through proprietarial patronage and became an important colonial official, but he would lose his offices and his political power, though not his land and wealth, during the American Revolution
.
Calvert was born Benedict Swinket in England in around 1730-32, the illegitimate son of Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore
, proprietary governor of the Province of Maryland
. His mother's identity is not clear but H. S. Lee Washington, writing in the New England Historic Genealogical Society
Register in July 1950, suggests that she was Melusina von der Schulenburg, Countess of Walsingham
. Melusina was the daughter of George I of England and his mistress, Melusine von der Schulenburg, Duchess of Kendal.
Whatever the truth of this, it seems likely that Calvert's mother was a person of some consequence. According to a letter of Benedict's daughter-in-law Rosalie Stier Calvert
dated 10 June 1814, his mother had been a woman "of the highest rank in England".
, Benedict was personally escorted to Annapolis on a frigate commanded by Admiral Edward Vernon
and once there he was placed in the care of Dr George Steuart (1700–1784), an Edinburgh
-trained physician and a political ally of the ruling Calvert family. Steuart provided the boy with a tutor, the Italian Onorio Razzolini, and Benedict grew up at Steuart's house on Francis St in Annapolis, a short distance from the home of his second cousin, Elizabeth Calvert
(1731–1788). Elizabeth was the daughter of Maryland Governor
Captain Charles Calvert
and his wife Rebecca Gerard, both of whom died young, leaving Elizabeth a wealthy heiress.
in 1776 ended proprietarial rule
in Maryland. In 1745, aged around 15 years, he was appointed by his father the Patuxent
district customs collector and naval officer.
Benedict Calvert would never return to England; nor would he meet his father again. Some time before his death in 1751, Lord Baltimore wrote to his son, offering advice on marriage:
On April 21, 1748 Benedict and his cousin Elizabeth were married in St Ann's Church
by the Reverend John Gordon. The couple, aged 18 and 17 years respectively, moved into a house at State Circle, Annapolis.
The marriage was announced in the Maryland Gazette on April 27, 1748:
In 1751 Calvert's father Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore
died, leaving his illegitimate son the 10,000 acre estate of Anne Arundel Manor in Anne Arundel County. Unfortunately, Lord Baltimore's legitimate son and heir, Frederick Calvert, 6th Baron Baltimore
, successfully challenged the will and invalidated Benedict's bequest, apparently worth £288 per annum.
Despite the loss of his father's bequest, Calvert's career progressed steadily. In 1755 he became a Judge of the Land Office, sitting alongside his former guardian Dr. George H. Steuart. He was also an Annapolis councilman.
In 1769 his half-sister Caroline Calvert married Robert Eden, who in the same year succeeded Governor Horatio Sharpe
as Governor of Maryland
. Eden and Calvert shared a love of horse racing and Benedict Swingate Calvert would soon find himself appointed to the Governor's Council.
, originally a hunting lodge for his great-grandfather Charles Calvert, 3rd Baron Baltimore
, near Upper Marlboro
in Prince George's County
, Maryland
, where he grew tobacco. Mount Airy was most likely a gift from his father, Lord Baltimore, who had ensured that Calvert would be provided with lands and revenues. Calvert began construction on the house at Mount Airy in 1751, expanding it considerably, to create the house which still survives today. Building continued in spite of a fire, rumored to be arson, in 1752.
By the 1770s Benedict Swingate Calvert controlled a large and profitable estate of around 4000 acres (16.2 km²), with upwards of 150 slaves. He was also an enthusiastic horse breeder, training thoroughbreds and running them in competitions in Maryland and Virginia.
According to the writer Abbe Robin, who travelled through Maryland during the Revolutionary War, men of Calvert's class and status enjoyed considerable wealth and prosperity:
In 1774, Calvert's daughter Eleanor Calvert
(1758–1811), married John Parke Custis
, son of Martha Washington and the stepson of George Washington
. Washington himself did not approve of the match owing to the couple's youth, but eventually gave his consent, and was present at the wedding celebrations, which took place at Mount Airy.
As a member of the Maryland political establishment, Calvert was a Loyalist
, and he soon found himself on the losing side of the Revolutionary War
, the consequences of which would effectively end his political career. The Annapolis Convention of 1774 to 1776 would see the old Maryland elite overthrown, and Calvert, Eden and Steuart would all lose their political power. On May 13, 1777 he was forced to resign his position as Judge of the Land Office, and, as the conflict grew, Calvert became fearful of his family's safety, writing in late 1777 that his family "has been made so uneasy by these frequent outrages" that he wished to "remove my family and property where I can get protection".
Calvert did not leave Maryland, nor did he involve himself in the fighting, even though many other Maryland Loyalists went on to form a Maryland Loyalists Battalion
. On occasion Calvert supplied the Continental Army
with food and provisions.
In spite of the war, on June 15, 1780 Calvert's daughter Elizabeth was married to Charles Steuart, son of Calvert's benefactor George H. Steuart, at Mount Airy.
Curiously, Calvert's Loyalism does not appear to have affected his cordial relations with the leader of the Revolution, George Washington
. In 1783, after the war was over, Washington stayed with the Calverts at their Mount Airy plantation, shortly after resigning his commission in Annapolis on December 23. Because Calvert was a known Loyalist, the visit drew much criticism from Washington's political enemies.
of the church of St Thomas
in Croom
, Prince George's County, Maryland, a church which Calvert had helped to found and maintain.
Calvert's descendants continued to live at the Mount Airy plantation house until the early 20th century. In 1973, it was acquired by the State of Maryland and became Rosaryville State Park
.
, and other institutions.
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
Loyalist
Loyalist (American Revolution)
Loyalists were American colonists who remained loyal to the Kingdom of Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. At the time they were often called Tories, Royalists, or King's Men. They were opposed by the Patriots, those who supported the revolution...
during the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
. He was the son of Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore
Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore
Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore, 3rd Proprietor and 17th Proprietary Governor of Maryland, FRS was a British nobleman and Proprietary Governor of the Province of Maryland...
, the third Proprietor Governor of Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
(1699–1751), and may have been the grandson of King George I of Great Britain
George I of Great Britain
George I was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1 August 1714 until his death, and ruler of the Duchy and Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg in the Holy Roman Empire from 1698....
. His mother's identity is not known, though one source suggests Melusina von der Schulenburg, Countess of Walsingham
Melusina von der Schulenburg, Countess of Walsingham
Petronilla Melusine von der Schulenburg, 1st Countess of Walsingham was the illegitimate daughter of King George I of Great Britain and his longtime mistress, Melusine von der Schulenburg, Duchess of Kendal....
. As he was illegitimate, he was not able to inherit his father's title or estates, which passed instead to his half brother Frederick Calvert, 6th Baron Baltimore
Frederick Calvert, 6th Baron Baltimore
Frederick Calvert, 6th Baron Baltimore, 4th Proprietor of Maryland was an English nobleman and last in the line of Barons Baltimore...
(1731–1771). Benedict Calvert spent most of his life as a politician and planter in Maryland, though Frederick, by contrast, never visited the colony. Calvert became wealthy through proprietarial patronage and became an important colonial official, but he would lose his offices and his political power, though not his land and wealth, during the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
.
Early life
Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore
Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore, 3rd Proprietor and 17th Proprietary Governor of Maryland, FRS was a British nobleman and Proprietary Governor of the Province of Maryland...
, proprietary governor of the Province of Maryland
Province of Maryland
The Province of Maryland was an English and later British colony in North America that existed from 1632 until 1776, when it joined the other twelve of the Thirteen Colonies in rebellion against Great Britain and became the U.S...
. His mother's identity is not clear but H. S. Lee Washington, writing in the New England Historic Genealogical Society
New England Historic Genealogical Society
The New England Historic Genealogical Society is the oldest and largest genealogical society in the United States, founded in 1845. A charitable, nonprofit educational institution, NEHGS is located at 99-101 Newbury Street, in Boston, Massachusetts, in an eight-story archive and research center....
Register in July 1950, suggests that she was Melusina von der Schulenburg, Countess of Walsingham
Melusina von der Schulenburg, Countess of Walsingham
Petronilla Melusine von der Schulenburg, 1st Countess of Walsingham was the illegitimate daughter of King George I of Great Britain and his longtime mistress, Melusine von der Schulenburg, Duchess of Kendal....
. Melusina was the daughter of George I of England and his mistress, Melusine von der Schulenburg, Duchess of Kendal.
Whatever the truth of this, it seems likely that Calvert's mother was a person of some consequence. According to a letter of Benedict's daughter-in-law Rosalie Stier Calvert
Rosalie Stier Calvert
Rosalie Stier Calvert was a plantation owner and correspondent in Nineteenth century Maryland. A collection of her letters, titled Mistress of Riversdale, The Plantation Letters of Rosalie Stier Calvert, was published by the Johns Hopkins University Press in 1991...
dated 10 June 1814, his mother had been a woman "of the highest rank in England".
Arrival in Maryland
In 1742, aged about twelve years, the young Benedict was sent to the Calverts' proprietary colony of Maryland, which in the mid 18th century was still a sparsely settled, largely rural society. In 1730 the population of Annapolis was just 776. According to the letters of Rosalie Stier CalvertRosalie Stier Calvert
Rosalie Stier Calvert was a plantation owner and correspondent in Nineteenth century Maryland. A collection of her letters, titled Mistress of Riversdale, The Plantation Letters of Rosalie Stier Calvert, was published by the Johns Hopkins University Press in 1991...
, Benedict was personally escorted to Annapolis on a frigate commanded by Admiral Edward Vernon
Edward Vernon
Edward Vernon was an English naval officer. Vernon was born in Westminster, England and went to Westminster School. He joined the Navy in 1700 and was promoted to Lieutenant in 1702 and served on several different ships for the next five years...
and once there he was placed in the care of Dr George Steuart (1700–1784), an Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
-trained physician and a political ally of the ruling Calvert family. Steuart provided the boy with a tutor, the Italian Onorio Razzolini, and Benedict grew up at Steuart's house on Francis St in Annapolis, a short distance from the home of his second cousin, Elizabeth Calvert
Elizabeth Calvert
Elizabeth Calvert was the daughter of Maryland Governor Captain Charles Calvert and Rebecca Gerard, and a wealthy heiress in colonial Maryland. Her parents died when she was young, leaving her their substantial fortune...
(1731–1788). Elizabeth was the daughter of Maryland Governor
Governor of Maryland
The Governor of Maryland heads the executive branch of the government of Maryland, and he is the commander-in-chief of the state's National Guard units. The Governor is the highest-ranking official in the state, and he has a broad range of appointive powers in both the State and local governments,...
Captain Charles Calvert
Charles Calvert (governor)
Captain Charles Calvert was the 14th Proprietary Governor of Maryland in 1720, at a time when the Calvert family had recently regained control of their proprietary colony. He was appointed Governor by his cousin Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore, who in 1721 came into his inheritance...
and his wife Rebecca Gerard, both of whom died young, leaving Elizabeth a wealthy heiress.
Politics and marriage
Through his family connections Calvert was able to benefit from considerable proprietarial patronage, at least until the American RevolutionAmerican Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
in 1776 ended proprietarial rule
Province of Maryland
The Province of Maryland was an English and later British colony in North America that existed from 1632 until 1776, when it joined the other twelve of the Thirteen Colonies in rebellion against Great Britain and became the U.S...
in Maryland. In 1745, aged around 15 years, he was appointed by his father the Patuxent
Patuxent, Maryland
Patuxent is an unincorporated community in Charles County, Maryland, United States. Maxwell Hall was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974....
district customs collector and naval officer.
Benedict Calvert would never return to England; nor would he meet his father again. Some time before his death in 1751, Lord Baltimore wrote to his son, offering advice on marriage:
- "Pray do not think of Marrying until you hear from me having some things to Propose for you, much for your advantage, and believe me I will never force Your Inclination, Only Propose what I think will make you most Happy, Afterwards Leave it to Your own Determination."
On April 21, 1748 Benedict and his cousin Elizabeth were married in St Ann's Church
St. Anne's Church (Annapolis, Maryland)
St. Anne's Episcopal Church is a historic Episcopal church located in Church Circle, Annapolis. The first church in Annapolis, it was founded in 1692 to serve as the parish church for the newly created Middle Neck Parish, one of the original 30 Anglican parishes in the Province of Maryland.-First...
by the Reverend John Gordon. The couple, aged 18 and 17 years respectively, moved into a house at State Circle, Annapolis.
The marriage was announced in the Maryland Gazette on April 27, 1748:
- "Last Thursday the Honourable Benedict Calvert, Esq., Collector of His Majesty's customs for Patuxent District, etc., was married to Miss Elizabeth Calvert, only surviving Daughter of the late Honourable Charles Calvert, Esq., deceased, former Governor of this province."
In 1751 Calvert's father Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore
Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore
Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore, 3rd Proprietor and 17th Proprietary Governor of Maryland, FRS was a British nobleman and Proprietary Governor of the Province of Maryland...
died, leaving his illegitimate son the 10,000 acre estate of Anne Arundel Manor in Anne Arundel County. Unfortunately, Lord Baltimore's legitimate son and heir, Frederick Calvert, 6th Baron Baltimore
Frederick Calvert, 6th Baron Baltimore
Frederick Calvert, 6th Baron Baltimore, 4th Proprietor of Maryland was an English nobleman and last in the line of Barons Baltimore...
, successfully challenged the will and invalidated Benedict's bequest, apparently worth £288 per annum.
Despite the loss of his father's bequest, Calvert's career progressed steadily. In 1755 he became a Judge of the Land Office, sitting alongside his former guardian Dr. George H. Steuart. He was also an Annapolis councilman.
In 1769 his half-sister Caroline Calvert married Robert Eden, who in the same year succeeded Governor Horatio Sharpe
Horatio Sharpe
Horatio Sharpe was the 22nd Proprietary Governor of Maryland from 1753 to 1768 under the Restored Proprietary Government.-Biography:...
as Governor of Maryland
Governor of Maryland
The Governor of Maryland heads the executive branch of the government of Maryland, and he is the commander-in-chief of the state's National Guard units. The Governor is the highest-ranking official in the state, and he has a broad range of appointive powers in both the State and local governments,...
. Eden and Calvert shared a love of horse racing and Benedict Swingate Calvert would soon find himself appointed to the Governor's Council.
Mount Airy Plantation
In 1751 Calvert inherited a 4000 acres (16.2 km²) plantation known as Mount AiryRosaryville State Park
Rosaryville State Park is a state park in Greater Upper Marlboro, Prince George's County, Maryland. It includes the restored Mount Airy Mansion, an event facility that Pineapple Alley Catering, Inc. operates...
, originally a hunting lodge for his great-grandfather Charles Calvert, 3rd Baron Baltimore
Charles Calvert, 3rd Baron Baltimore
Charles Calvert, 3rd Baron Baltimore, 2nd Proprietor and 6th and 9th Proprietary Governor of Maryland , inherited the colony in 1675 upon the death of his father, Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore. He had been his father's Deputy Governor since 1661 when he arrived in the colony at the age of 24...
, near Upper Marlboro
Upper Marlboro, Maryland
Upper Marlboro is a town in and the county seat of Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The live-in population of the town core proper was only 648 at the 2000 census, although Greater Upper Marlboro is many times larger....
in Prince George's County
Prince George's County, Maryland
Prince George's County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland, immediately north, east, and south of Washington, DC. As of 2010, it has a population of 863,420 and is the wealthiest African-American majority county in the nation....
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, where he grew tobacco. Mount Airy was most likely a gift from his father, Lord Baltimore, who had ensured that Calvert would be provided with lands and revenues. Calvert began construction on the house at Mount Airy in 1751, expanding it considerably, to create the house which still survives today. Building continued in spite of a fire, rumored to be arson, in 1752.
By the 1770s Benedict Swingate Calvert controlled a large and profitable estate of around 4000 acres (16.2 km²), with upwards of 150 slaves. He was also an enthusiastic horse breeder, training thoroughbreds and running them in competitions in Maryland and Virginia.
According to the writer Abbe Robin, who travelled through Maryland during the Revolutionary War, men of Calvert's class and status enjoyed considerable wealth and prosperity:
- "[Maryland houses] are large and spacious habitations, widely separated, composed of a number of buildings and surrounded by plantations extending farther than the eye can reach, cultivated...by unhappy black men whom European avarice brings hither...Their furniture is of the most costly wood, and rarest marbles, enriched by skilful and artistic work. Their elegant and light carriages are drawn by finely bred horses, and driven by richly apparelled slaves."
In 1774, Calvert's daughter Eleanor Calvert
Eleanor Calvert
Eleanor Calvert Custis Stuart was a prominent member of the Calvert family of Maryland. Upon her marriage to John Parke Custis, she became the daughter-in-law of Martha Dandridge Custis Washington and the stepdaughter-in-law of George Washington...
(1758–1811), married John Parke Custis
John Parke Custis
John Parke Custis was a Virginia planter, the son of Martha Washington and stepson of George Washington.-Childhood:...
, son of Martha Washington and the stepson of George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
. Washington himself did not approve of the match owing to the couple's youth, but eventually gave his consent, and was present at the wedding celebrations, which took place at Mount Airy.
American Revolution
Loyalist (American Revolution)
Loyalists were American colonists who remained loyal to the Kingdom of Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. At the time they were often called Tories, Royalists, or King's Men. They were opposed by the Patriots, those who supported the revolution...
, and he soon found himself on the losing side of the Revolutionary War
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, the consequences of which would effectively end his political career. The Annapolis Convention of 1774 to 1776 would see the old Maryland elite overthrown, and Calvert, Eden and Steuart would all lose their political power. On May 13, 1777 he was forced to resign his position as Judge of the Land Office, and, as the conflict grew, Calvert became fearful of his family's safety, writing in late 1777 that his family "has been made so uneasy by these frequent outrages" that he wished to "remove my family and property where I can get protection".
Calvert did not leave Maryland, nor did he involve himself in the fighting, even though many other Maryland Loyalists went on to form a Maryland Loyalists Battalion
Maryland Loyalists Battalion
The Maryland Loyalists Battalion was a provincial regiment made up of colonial Americans, who remained loyal to Britain during the American Revolutionary War.-Background:...
. On occasion Calvert supplied the Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
with food and provisions.
In spite of the war, on June 15, 1780 Calvert's daughter Elizabeth was married to Charles Steuart, son of Calvert's benefactor George H. Steuart, at Mount Airy.
After the war
After the war's end, Calvert had to pay triple taxes as did other Loyalists, but he was never forced to sign the loyalty oath and his lands and property remained unconfiscated.Curiously, Calvert's Loyalism does not appear to have affected his cordial relations with the leader of the Revolution, George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
. In 1783, after the war was over, Washington stayed with the Calverts at their Mount Airy plantation, shortly after resigning his commission in Annapolis on December 23. Because Calvert was a known Loyalist, the visit drew much criticism from Washington's political enemies.
Family life
Benedict and Elizabeth Calvert had thirteen children, of who many died in childhood or infancy:- Rebecca Calvert (born December 25, 1749)
- Charles Calvert (1756–1777), who was sent to be educated in England at Eton CollegeEton CollegeEton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and died young and unmarried. - Eleanor CalvertEleanor CalvertEleanor Calvert Custis Stuart was a prominent member of the Calvert family of Maryland. Upon her marriage to John Parke Custis, she became the daughter-in-law of Martha Dandridge Custis Washington and the stepdaughter-in-law of George Washington...
(1757/1758-1811), who on February 3, 1774 married John Parke CustisJohn Parke CustisJohn Parke Custis was a Virginia planter, the son of Martha Washington and stepson of George Washington.-Childhood:...
(1754–1781), son of Daniel Parke Custis and Martha WashingtonMartha WashingtonMartha Dandridge Custis Washington was the wife of George Washington, the first president of the United States. Although the title was not coined until after her death, Martha Washington is considered to be the first First Lady of the United States...
and the stepson of George WashingtonGeorge WashingtonGeorge Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
. Washington himself did not approve of the match owing to the couple's youth. Eleanor and John were the parents of George Washington Parke CustisGeorge Washington Parke CustisGeorge Washington Parke Custis , the step-grandson of United States President George Washington, was a nineteenth-century American writer, orator, and agricultural reformer.-Family:...
and Eleanor Parke Custis LewisEleanor Parke Custis LewisEleanor Parke Custis Lewis , known as Nelly, was the granddaughter of Martha Washington and the step-granddaughter of George Washington.-Childhood:Nelly was the daughter of John Parke Custis and Eleanor Calvert Custis...
. She later remarried in 1783 David Stuart. - Elizabeth Calvert (1760–1814), who on June 15, 1780 married the physician Charles Steuart (1750–1798/1822), third son of Calvert's former guardian George H. Steuart.
- Philip Calvert, died young
- Leonard Calvert, died young
- Cecilius Calvert, died young
- John Calvert (died aft. 1788)
- William Calvert (died aft. 1788)
- Robert Calvert, died young
- Ariana Calvert (died aft. 1788)
- Edward Henry Calvert (November 7, 1766 - July 12, 1846), who inherited Calvert's plantation at Mount Airy and married on March 1, 1796 Elizabeth Biscoe (1780–1857)
- George CalvertGeorge Calvert (planter)George Calvert , was a plantation owner in late Eighteenth and early Nineteenth century Maryland. His plantation house, Riversdale plantation, also known as the Calvert Mansion, is a five-part, large-scale late Georgian mansion with superior Federal interior, built between 1801 and 1807, and was...
(Mount Airy, February 2, 1768 – January 28, 1838), who married on June 11, 1799 Rosalie Eugenia StierRosalie Stier CalvertRosalie Stier Calvert was a plantation owner and correspondent in Nineteenth century Maryland. A collection of her letters, titled Mistress of Riversdale, The Plantation Letters of Rosalie Stier Calvert, was published by the Johns Hopkins University Press in 1991...
(1778–1821), the daughter of a wealthy Belgian aristocrat, Baron Henri Joseph Stier (1743–1821) and his wife Marie Louise Peeters. They lived at the Riversdale plantation, designated a National Historic LandmarkNational Historic LandmarkA National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1997.
Death and Legacy
Benedict Swingate Calvert died at Mount Airy on January 9, 1788. He was buried beneath the chancelChancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
of the church of St Thomas
St. Thomas' Church (Upper Marlboro, Maryland)
St. Thomas' Church is a historic brick church in a picturesque rural setting, located at Croom, Prince George's County, Maryland. The original church was constructed between 1742 and 1745, and is one of the earliest Episcopal churches in Southern Maryland....
in Croom
Croom, Maryland
Croom is an unincorporated community in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. It consists of tobacco farms and forests with many narrow, winding roads, although the Marlton housing development is very nearby. St. Thomas Episcopal Church dates to colonial times....
, Prince George's County, Maryland, a church which Calvert had helped to found and maintain.
Calvert's descendants continued to live at the Mount Airy plantation house until the early 20th century. In 1973, it was acquired by the State of Maryland and became Rosaryville State Park
Rosaryville State Park
Rosaryville State Park is a state park in Greater Upper Marlboro, Prince George's County, Maryland. It includes the restored Mount Airy Mansion, an event facility that Pineapple Alley Catering, Inc. operates...
.
| Benedict Swingate Calvert (c1730–1798) |
Father: Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore, 3rd Proprietor and 17th Proprietary Governor of Maryland, FRS was a British nobleman and Proprietary Governor of the Province of Maryland... |
Paternal Grandfather: Benedict Calvert, 4th Baron Baltimore Benedict Calvert, 4th Baron Baltimore Benedict Leonard Calvert, 4th Baron Baltimore, 10th Proprietary Governor of Maryland was an English nobleman and politician. He was the second son of Charles Calvert, 3rd Baron Baltimore by Jane Lowe. He became his father's heir upon the death of his elder brother, Cecil in 1681... |
Paternal Great-grandfather: Charles Calvert, 3rd Baron Baltimore Charles Calvert, 3rd Baron Baltimore Charles Calvert, 3rd Baron Baltimore, 2nd Proprietor and 6th and 9th Proprietary Governor of Maryland , inherited the colony in 1675 upon the death of his father, Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore. He had been his father's Deputy Governor since 1661 when he arrived in the colony at the age of 24... |
| Paternal Great-grandmother: Jane Lowe |
|||
| Paternal Grandmother: Charlotte Lee, Lady Baltimore Charlotte Lee, Lady Baltimore Charlotte Lee, Lady Baltimore , was an English noblewoman, being the granddaughter of King Charles II of England and his mistress Barbara Villiers. She married firstly in 1699, Benedict Leonard Calvert, 4th Baron Baltimore, from whom she separated in 1705; and later she married Christopher Crowe... |
Paternal Great-grandfather: Edward Lee, 1st Earl of Lichfield Edward Lee, 1st Earl of Lichfield Sir Edward Henry Lee, 5th Baronet, of Ditchley and of Quarendon, created 1st Earl of Lichfield was an English peer. He was a staunch tory and followed James II to Rochester, Kent after the king's escape from Whitehall in December 1688... |
||
| Paternal Great-grandmother: Charlotte Lee, Countess of Lichfield Charlotte Lee, Countess of Lichfield Charlotte Lee, Countess of Lichfield , formerly Lady Charlotte Fitzroy, was the illegitimate daughter of King Charles II of England by one of his most notorious mistresses, Barbara Villiers, 1st Duchess of Cleveland-Family:She was the fourth child and second daughter of Barbara Palmer née Villiers,... |
|||
| Mother: Unknown, but one source suggests Melusina von der Schulenburg, Countess of Walsingham Melusina von der Schulenburg, Countess of Walsingham Petronilla Melusine von der Schulenburg, 1st Countess of Walsingham was the illegitimate daughter of King George I of Great Britain and his longtime mistress, Melusine von der Schulenburg, Duchess of Kendal.... (1693–1778) |
Maternal Grandfather: George I of Great Britain George I of Great Britain George I was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1 August 1714 until his death, and ruler of the Duchy and Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg in the Holy Roman Empire from 1698.... |
Maternal Great-grandfather: Ernest Augustus, Elector of Brunswick-Lüneburg Ernest Augustus, Elector of Brunswick-Lüneburg Ernest Augustus was duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and ruled over the Principality of Calenberg subdivision of the duchy. He was appointed prince-elector, but died before the appointment became effective... |
|
| Maternal Great-grandmother: Sophia of Hanover Sophia of Hanover Sophia of the Palatinate was an heiress to the crowns of England and Ireland and later the crown of Great Britain. She was declared heiress presumptive by the Act of Settlement 1701... |
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| Maternal Grandmother: Melusine von der Schulenburg, Duchess of Kendal |
Maternal Great-grandfather: Gustavus Adolphus Baron von der Schulenberg. |
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| Maternal Great-grandmother: |
Modern archeology
The Calverts' house at 58 State Circle, Annapolis, was the subject of an archeological dig in the l980s and early 1990s. The results of the dig, along with much other research, were published in 1994 by Anne Elizabeth Yentsch in her book A Chesapeake Family and their Slaves, published by Cambridge University Press. The excavation of the Calvert House was financed by Historic Annapolis Inc, the National Endowment for the HumanitiesNational Endowment for the Humanities
The National Endowment for the Humanities is an independent federal agency of the United States established by the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965 dedicated to supporting research, education, preservation, and public programs in the humanities. The NEH is located at...
, and other institutions.
See also
- Charles Calvert, 5th Baron BaltimoreCharles Calvert, 5th Baron BaltimoreCharles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore, 3rd Proprietor and 17th Proprietary Governor of Maryland, FRS was a British nobleman and Proprietary Governor of the Province of Maryland...
- Frederick Calvert, 6th Baron BaltimoreFrederick Calvert, 6th Baron BaltimoreFrederick Calvert, 6th Baron Baltimore, 4th Proprietor of Maryland was an English nobleman and last in the line of Barons Baltimore...
- History of Maryland in the American RevolutionHistory of Maryland in the American RevolutionThe Province of Maryland had been a British colony since 1632 and did not at first favor breaking away from Great Britain, but in time became a supporter of the Revolution...
- Loyalist (American Revolution)Loyalist (American Revolution)Loyalists were American colonists who remained loyal to the Kingdom of Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. At the time they were often called Tories, Royalists, or King's Men. They were opposed by the Patriots, those who supported the revolution...
- Province of MarylandProvince of MarylandThe Province of Maryland was an English and later British colony in North America that existed from 1632 until 1776, when it joined the other twelve of the Thirteen Colonies in rebellion against Great Britain and became the U.S...
- Proprietary colonyProprietary colonyA proprietary colony was a colony in which one or more individuals, usually land owners, remaining subject to their parent state's sanctions, retained rights that are today regarded as the privilege of the state, and in all cases eventually became so....
External links
- Calvert Family Tree Retrieved Jan 23 2010
- http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://theojanssen.ca/documents/Janssen/Mary%2520Janssen/george1england.jpg&imgrefurl=http://theojanssen.ca/documents/Janssen/Mary%2520Janssen/Mary_Janssen.htm&usg=__uQWUS4Oq_Y7lKfTJ14wjVxcMsTI=&h=439&w=361&sz=54&hl=en&start=17&um=1&tbnid=9BvAfhl3E_U_5M:&tbnh=127&tbnw=104&prev=/images%3Fq%3Delizabeth%2Bcalvert%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG%26um%3D1Benedict Swingate Calvert at http://theojanssen.ca] Retrieved Jan 23 2010
- webpage exploring possible maternity of Benedict Swingate Calvert Retrieved Jan 23 2010
- Discussion at Wargs.com of Benedict Swingate Calvert's ancestry Retrieved September 2010
- Mount Airy Plantation website Retrieved Jan 31 2010
- Mount Airy Plantation at wildnet.com Retrieved Jan 31 2010
- Letters from Lord Baltimore to Benedict Swingate Calvert Retrieved August 10, 2010
- Mount Airy Official Website Retrieved September 2010
