John Stevenson (doctor)
Encyclopedia
John Stevenson a Scot
, pioneer merchant
and developer of Baltimore, Maryland, if not indeed its actual founder, was known as the "American Romulus."
Records indicate that John Stevenson and his brother, Henry, also a doctor
came to British North America
from Ireland
in 1734. On November 13, 1735 Stevenson married Mary Tipton; she died December 6, 1736.
Stevenson began by shipping flour to Ireland which turned Baltimore from a sleepy city trading in tobacco to a trading powerhouse rivaling New York
, Philadelphia and Boston
. Baltimore being a port nestled alongside a vast wheat growing countryside and much closer than these other cities. Baltimore restructured the city’s economy based on flour. Trails were transformed into roads, and flour mills were built along the Jones Falls, Gwynns Falls, and Patapsco River
. Warehouses were built on the 1000 feet (304.8 m) wharves that extended into the harbor. The roads from Baltimore
soon extended all the way to Pennsylvania
, and Baltimore ships sailed not only to Ireland, but to ports in Europe
, the Caribbean
, and South America
.
Sometime in these early years Stevenson would meet his life long friend and business partner Jonathan Plowman Jr.
. Stevenson and Jonathan Plowman Jr. are known to this day for their partnership trading in indentured servant
s particularly during the 1750s and 1760s according to the National Park Service
. The fact that Jonathan Plowman Jr.'s father was brought over as an indentured servant
at age 12 may only testify to the goodwill of the two. Most likely encouraged by Jonathan Plowman Sr. to help bring the poor and oppressed out of England
and to a new life and a new chance for success in America
much as he and his son had had.
epidemic
s in the county in 1750, 1757, in 1772, and another in 1779. Stevenson inoculated all who came to him without charge against the pox. Many were resistant to change and did not accept the inoculation
. In fact in 1776 the Council of Safety in Baltimore, forbade the inoculation of the troops lest it cause an epidemic
.
In 1769 Stevenson's brother, Henry Stevenson established the first smallpox hospital in the colonies there in Baltimore
.
to help resolve legal issues in Baltimore. Both of their names are listed as witnesses on many wills found in the Maryland Archives.
The eighth session of the Annapolis Conventions decided that the continuation of an ad-hoc government by the convention was not a good mechanism for all the concerns of the province. A more permanent and structured government was needed. The new convention was elected to draw up Maryland
's first state constitution. Replacing references to parliament
and the king
, with "of the people". The Constitutional Convention of 1776 drafted a constitution, and adjourned on November 11, never to meet again since the Conventions were replaced by the new state government.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, pioneer merchant
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
and developer of Baltimore, Maryland, if not indeed its actual founder, was known as the "American Romulus."
Records indicate that John Stevenson and his brother, Henry, also a doctor
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
came to 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...
from Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
in 1734. On November 13, 1735 Stevenson married Mary Tipton; she died December 6, 1736.
Merchant
John Stevenson, "a native of Londonderry, in the Kingdom of Ireland, and of a very respectable Family", was born c. 1718. He had "lived upwards of forty years" in Baltimore at his death in 1785 "and was formerly one of its most eminent Merchants." "He was the first Exporter of Wheat and Flour from this Port, and consequently laid the Foundation of its present commercial Consequence."Stevenson began by shipping flour to Ireland which turned Baltimore from a sleepy city trading in tobacco to a trading powerhouse rivaling New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Philadelphia and Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. Baltimore being a port nestled alongside a vast wheat growing countryside and much closer than these other cities. Baltimore restructured the city’s economy based on flour. Trails were transformed into roads, and flour mills were built along the Jones Falls, Gwynns Falls, and Patapsco River
Patapsco River
The Patapsco River is a river in central Maryland which flows into Chesapeake Bay. The river's tidal portion forms the harbor for the city of Baltimore...
. Warehouses were built on the 1000 feet (304.8 m) wharves that extended into the harbor. The roads from Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
soon extended all the way to Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, and Baltimore ships sailed not only to Ireland, but to ports in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
, and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
.
Sometime in these early years Stevenson would meet his life long friend and business partner Jonathan Plowman Jr.
Jonathan Plowman Jr.
Jonathan Plowman was a Spy and a Privateer during the American Revolutionary War. His Spying activity were as part of a group of Revolutionaries who reported on British troop movements. Jonathan Plowman Jr. became a Privateer after the War broke out and trade with Britain was halted. Jonathan...
. Stevenson and Jonathan Plowman Jr. are known to this day for their partnership trading in indentured servant
Indentured servant
Indentured servitude refers to the historical practice of contracting to work for a fixed period of time, typically three to seven years, in exchange for transportation, food, clothing, lodging and other necessities during the term of indenture. Usually the father made the arrangements and signed...
s particularly during the 1750s and 1760s according to the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
. The fact that Jonathan Plowman Jr.'s father was brought over as an indentured servant
Indentured servant
Indentured servitude refers to the historical practice of contracting to work for a fixed period of time, typically three to seven years, in exchange for transportation, food, clothing, lodging and other necessities during the term of indenture. Usually the father made the arrangements and signed...
at age 12 may only testify to the goodwill of the two. Most likely encouraged by Jonathan Plowman Sr. to help bring the poor and oppressed out of 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 to a new life and a new chance for success in 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...
much as he and his son had had.
Doctor
There were smallpoxSmallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
epidemic
Epidemic
In epidemiology, an epidemic , occurs when new cases of a certain disease, in a given human population, and during a given period, substantially exceed what is expected based on recent experience...
s in the county in 1750, 1757, in 1772, and another in 1779. Stevenson inoculated all who came to him without charge against the pox. Many were resistant to change and did not accept the inoculation
Inoculation
Inoculation is the placement of something that will grow or reproduce, and is most commonly used in respect of the introduction of a serum, vaccine, or antigenic substance into the body of a human or animal, especially to produce or boost immunity to a specific disease...
. In fact in 1776 the Council of Safety in Baltimore, forbade the inoculation of the troops lest it cause an epidemic
Epidemic
In epidemiology, an epidemic , occurs when new cases of a certain disease, in a given human population, and during a given period, substantially exceed what is expected based on recent experience...
.
In 1769 Stevenson's brother, Henry Stevenson established the first smallpox hospital in the colonies there in Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
.
Justice of the Peace
Stevenson, and his best friend and business partner Jonathan Plowman Jr., were both named Justices of the PeaceJustice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
to help resolve legal issues in Baltimore. Both of their names are listed as witnesses on many wills found in the Maryland Archives.
Delegate to Constitutional Convention
Stevenson was elected as a representative to the Maryland Constitutional Convention which framed Maryland's first state constitution. Elected August 1, 1776, he and the other delegates went to Annapolis for the Convention that started August 14, 1776 and lasted till November 11, 1776.The eighth session of the Annapolis Conventions decided that the continuation of an ad-hoc government by the convention was not a good mechanism for all the concerns of the province. A more permanent and structured government was needed. The new convention was elected to draw up 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...
's first state constitution. Replacing references to parliament
Parliament of Great Britain
The Parliament of Great Britain was formed in 1707 following the ratification of the Acts of Union by both the Parliament of England and Parliament of Scotland...
and the king
King
- Centers of population :* King, Ontario, CanadaIn USA:* King, Indiana* King, North Carolina* King, Lincoln County, Wisconsin* King, Waupaca County, Wisconsin* King County, Washington- Moving-image works :Television:...
, with "of the people". The Constitutional Convention of 1776 drafted a constitution, and adjourned on November 11, never to meet again since the Conventions were replaced by the new state government.