Thomas Bladen
Encyclopedia
Sir Thomas Bladen was a politician and colonial governor. He served as the 19th Proprietary Governor
of Maryland
from 1742 to 1747.
He traveled early to England, where he was educated and where in 1737 he married Barbara Janssen (daughter of Sir Theodore Janssen, 1st Baronet
, and Williamza Henley), who was also the sister-in-law of Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore
and Proprietor of the Province. and aunt to Caroline Calvert Eden wife of Governor Sir Robert Eden, 1st Baronet, of Maryland
In England, he was a Member of Parliament
(MP) for Steyning
from 1727 to 1734, and for Ashburton
from 1735 to 1741. He also saw military service as a colonel.
authorities for the settlement of the Maryland–Pennsylvania boundary.
Upon his arrival in Maryland, the Legislature awarded him £4,000 to build himself a residence, which was £1,000 more than his predecessor. In 1744, he bought 4 acres (16,187.4 m²) of land in Annapolis from Stephen Bordley and commenced construction of a building, now McDowell Hall, St. John's College, as a governor's residence. He quickly disagreed with the Legislature about its architecture and became involved in a lawsuit with Bordley, the previous owner, and construction halted.
He quickly became an unpopular Governor and was dismissed from office by October 1746 because he was "tactless and quarrelsome". He returned to England in 1746, when he was succeeded by Samuel Ogle
.
Bladen died in England in 1780.
and is named McDowell Hall.
The town of Bladensburg, Maryland
, which was incorporated in the first year of his governorship as Garrison's Landing, was renamed after him.
Proprietary Governor
Proprietary Governors were individuals authorized to govern proprietary colonies. Under the proprietary system, individuals or companies were granted commercial charters by the King of England to establish colonies. These proprietors then selected the governors and other officials in the colony....
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...
from 1742 to 1747.
Early life and marriage
Bladen was born in Maryland in 1698, the eldest son of William Bladen (1670–1718), who came to Maryland in 1690, and Anne Van Swearingen.He traveled early to England, where he was educated and where in 1737 he married Barbara Janssen (daughter of Sir Theodore Janssen, 1st Baronet
Sir Theodore Janssen, 1st Baronet
Sir Theodore Janssen of Wimbledon, 1st Baronet was a Dutch-born English financier and Member of Parliament who after a long and successful career in commerce was ruined and disgraced by his part in the South Sea Bubble....
, and Williamza Henley), who was also the sister-in-law 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...
and Proprietor of the Province. and aunt to Caroline Calvert Eden wife of Governor Sir Robert Eden, 1st Baronet, of Maryland
In England, he was a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Steyning
Steyning (UK Parliament constituency)
Steyning was a parliamentary borough in Sussex, England, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons sporadically from 1298 and continuously from 1467 until 1832...
from 1727 to 1734, and for Ashburton
Ashburton (UK Parliament constituency)
Ashburton was a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament at Westminster, for one Parliament in 1298 and regularly from 1640 until it was abolished for the 1868 general election. It was one of three Devon borough constituencies newly enfranchised in the Long...
from 1735 to 1741. He also saw military service as a colonel.
Life in Maryland
In 1742, he returned to Maryland as provincial Governor, the first governor to be born in the Province. He also served as surveyor general, Western Shore, 1742–1746, and chancellor, 1742–1746/47. While governor, he concluded a peace with the Six Nations. He negotiated with PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
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...
authorities for the settlement of the Maryland–Pennsylvania boundary.
Upon his arrival in Maryland, the Legislature awarded him £4,000 to build himself a residence, which was £1,000 more than his predecessor. In 1744, he bought 4 acres (16,187.4 m²) of land in Annapolis from Stephen Bordley and commenced construction of a building, now McDowell Hall, St. John's College, as a governor's residence. He quickly disagreed with the Legislature about its architecture and became involved in a lawsuit with Bordley, the previous owner, and construction halted.
He quickly became an unpopular Governor and was dismissed from office by October 1746 because he was "tactless and quarrelsome". He returned to England in 1746, when he was succeeded by Samuel Ogle
Samuel Ogle
Samuel Ogle was the 16th, 18th and 20th Proprietary Governor of Maryland from 1731 to 1732, 1733 to 1742, and 1746/1747 to 1752.-Background:...
.
Bladen died in England in 1780.
Legacy
The Governor's residence sat uncompleted until 1766 when the roof collapsed. The building now serves as the central hall of St. John's CollegeSt. John's College, U.S.
St. John's College is a liberal arts college with two U.S. campuses: one in Annapolis, Maryland and one in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Founded in 1696 as a preparatory school, King William's School, the school received a collegiate charter in 1784, making it one of the oldest institutions of higher...
and is named McDowell Hall.
The town of Bladensburg, Maryland
Bladensburg, Maryland
Bladensburg is a town in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 7,661 at the 2000 census.Bladensburg is from central Washington, DC...
, which was incorporated in the first year of his governorship as Garrison's Landing, was renamed after him.
Family
He had three daughters:- Harriet Bladen (?–1821), m. William Anne Capell, 4th Earl of Essex (1732–1799), ancestress of the 6th and subsequent earls.
- Elizabeth (a.k.a. Anne) Bladen, m. Edward Hawke, 1st Baron HawkeEdward Hawke, 1st Baron HawkeAdmiral of the Fleet Edward Hawke, 1st Baron Hawke KB, PC was an officer of the Royal Navy. He is best remembered for his service during the Seven Years' War, particularly his victory over a French fleet at the Battle of Quiberon Bay in 1759, preventing a French invasion of Britain...
. - Barbara Bladen, m. The Hon. Henry St John (1738–1818), a brother of George St John, 3rd Viscount BolingbrokeGeorge St John, 3rd Viscount BolingbrokeGeorge Richard St John, 3rd Viscount Bolingbroke and 4th Viscount St John , styled The Honourable from birth until 1787, was a British peer and politician...
.