Ferdinand Poulton
Encyclopedia
Ferdinand Poulton, S.J, was a Jesuit
missionary in the newly founded Province of Maryland
. He was born to a noble family in either 1601 or 1603 in Buckinghamshire
, England
, and was educated at the College of St. Omer
in Artois
, France
. He entered the English College of Rome
in 1619 for his higher education and joined the Society of Jesus in 1622. He was back at St. Omer's in 1633 and at Watten, Nord
, in 1636. He completed his initiation into the Jesuit order on December 8, 1635. To help hide his identity from anti-Catholic authorities Poulton, like other Jesuits, used aliases including Father John Brooks (or Brock) and John Morgan, an alias that his uncle, who was also named Ferdinand Poulton, had previously used.
Poulton first arrived in British North America
in 1638. He joined other Jesuits including Andrew White
, Thomas Copley
, John Altham Gravenor, and Thomas Gervase at the colony they had begun in 1634 near St. Mary's City, Maryland
. He was quickly elected Superior of Mission, replacing Thomas Copley, though Copley would later retake this leadership role. While the Superior, Poulton was summoned by Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore
to attend the Maryland Assembly on September 19, 1640. Poulton lived primarily at the Jesuits' Proprietary at Mattapany
on the Patuxent River
.
He is also considered a forefather of Georgetown University
, and was involved in teaching at the Jesuit school for the native tribes. Inquiring about patronage for their school, Poulton wrote to Vincenzo Carafa
, the Superior General of the Society of Jesus
in Rome under Pope Urban VIII
. Carafa replied on September 15, 1640, and approved the institution of a school in principle. Poulton's plan for Catholic education was significantly more ambitious than that of the other Maryland Jesuits. However, he died after being accidentally shot while crossing the St. Mary's River
in a small boat on June 5, 1641 (or possibly July 5). His life in Maryland and his mysterious death were fictionalized in the 1995 book, Mary's Land
by author Lucia St. Clair Robson
. He also has a building named in his honor, Poulton Hall, on Georgetown's main campus.
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
missionary in the newly founded 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...
. He was born to a noble family in either 1601 or 1603 in Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and was educated at the College of St. Omer
Colleges of St Omer, Bruges and Liège
The Colleges of St Omer, Bruges and Liège were successive expatriate institutions for the Catholic education of English students and were run by the Jesuits....
in Artois
Artois
Artois is a former province of northern France. Its territory has an area of around 4000 km² and a population of about one million. Its principal cities are Arras , Saint-Omer, Lens and Béthune.-Location:...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. He entered the English College of Rome
Venerable English College, Rome
The Venerable English College, commonly referred to as the English College, is a Roman Catholic seminary in Rome, Italy, for the training of priests for England and Wales...
in 1619 for his higher education and joined the Society of Jesus in 1622. He was back at St. Omer's in 1633 and at Watten, Nord
Watten, Nord
-Sights:The village is famous for its old ruined abbey, and for its mill, which was restored in the 1990s. These two buildings are located on the "Mountain of Watten" . Its church dates from the thirteenth century.-References:* *...
, in 1636. He completed his initiation into the Jesuit order on December 8, 1635. To help hide his identity from anti-Catholic authorities Poulton, like other Jesuits, used aliases including Father John Brooks (or Brock) and John Morgan, an alias that his uncle, who was also named Ferdinand Poulton, had previously used.
Poulton first arrived in British North America
British North America
British North America is a historical term. It consisted of the colonies and territories of the British Empire in continental North America after the end of the American Revolutionary War and the recognition of American independence in 1783.At the start of the Revolutionary War in 1775 the British...
in 1638. He joined other Jesuits including Andrew White
Andrew White (missionary)
Andrew White, S.J. was an English Jesuit missionary who was involved in the founding of the Maryland colony. He was a chronicler of the early colony, and his writings are a primary source on the land, the Native Americans of the area, and the Jesuit mission in North America...
, Thomas Copley
Thomas Copley
Thomas Copley, alias Philip Fisher was an English Jesuit missionary in North America.-Life:He was the eldest son of William Copley of Gatton, England, of a recusant family...
, John Altham Gravenor, and Thomas Gervase at the colony they had begun in 1634 near St. Mary's City, Maryland
St. Mary's City, Maryland
St. Mary's City, in St. Mary's County, Maryland, is a small unincorporated community near the southernmost end of the state on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay. It is located on the eastern shore of the St. Mary's River, a tributary of the Potomac. St. Mary's City is the fourth oldest...
. He was quickly elected Superior of Mission, replacing Thomas Copley, though Copley would later retake this leadership role. While the Superior, Poulton was summoned by Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore
Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore
Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore, 1st Proprietor and 1st Proprietary Governor of Maryland, 9th Proprietary Governor of Newfoundland , was an English peer who was the first proprietor of the Province of Maryland. He received the proprietorship after the death of his father, George Calvert, the...
to attend the Maryland Assembly on September 19, 1640. Poulton lived primarily at the Jesuits' Proprietary at Mattapany
Mattapany-Sewall Archeological Site
Mattapany-Sewall Archeological Site is an archaeological site in St. Mary's County, Maryland. It is located at the Patuxent River Naval Air Station on a level terrace approximately 45' above sea level, less than 1000' south of the Patuxent River in an unused wooded/grassy tract...
on the Patuxent River
Patuxent River
The Patuxent River is a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay in the state of Maryland. There are three main river drainages for central Maryland: the Potomac River to the west passing through Washington D.C., the Patapsco River to the northeast passing through Baltimore, and the Patuxent River between...
.
He is also considered a forefather of Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
, and was involved in teaching at the Jesuit school for the native tribes. Inquiring about patronage for their school, Poulton wrote to Vincenzo Carafa
Vincenzo Carafa
Vincenzo Carafa or Caraffa was an Italian Jesuit priest and spiritual writer, elected the 7th Superior-General of the Society of Jesus. He is a Servant of God....
, the Superior General of the Society of Jesus
Superior General of the Society of Jesus
The Superior General of the Society of Jesus is the official title of the leader of the Society of Jesus—the Roman Catholic religious order, also known as the Jesuits. He is generally addressed as Father General. The position carries the nickname of Black Pope, after his simple black priest's...
in Rome under Pope Urban VIII
Pope Urban VIII
Pope Urban VIII , born Maffeo Barberini, was pope from 1623 to 1644. He was the last pope to expand the papal territory by force of arms, and was a prominent patron of the arts and reformer of Church missions...
. Carafa replied on September 15, 1640, and approved the institution of a school in principle. Poulton's plan for Catholic education was significantly more ambitious than that of the other Maryland Jesuits. However, he died after being accidentally shot while crossing the St. Mary's River
St. Marys River (Maryland)
The St. Marys River is a river in southern Maryland in the United States. It rises in southern St. Mary's County, and flows to the southeast through Great Mills, widening into a tidal estuary near St. Marys City, approximately wide at its mouth on the Potomac River, near the Chesapeake...
in a small boat on June 5, 1641 (or possibly July 5). His life in Maryland and his mysterious death were fictionalized in the 1995 book, Mary's Land
Mary's Land
Mary's Land, by Lucia St. Clair Robson, is a 1995 historical novel, set in the year 1638. It is based on Margaret Brent's life.-External links:* Monster Jam in Mary's Land...
by author Lucia St. Clair Robson
Lucia St. Clair Robson
-Literary biography:Lucia St. Clair Robson was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and grew up in West Palm Beach, Florida. She has been a Peace Corps Volunteer in Venezuela, a teacher in New York City, and a librarian in Annapolis, Maryland. She has also lived in Japan, South Carolina, and Arizona...
. He also has a building named in his honor, Poulton Hall, on Georgetown's main campus.