William Grason
Encyclopedia
William Grason served as the 25th Governor
of the state of Maryland
in the United States
from 1839 to 1842. Grason also served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates
from 1828 to 1829, and as a member of the Maryland State Senate
from 1852 until 1853. He was the first Governor of Maryland directly elected by the general electorate and the first elected governor from the Eastern Shore of Maryland
due to a system that rotated the governorship by requiring the governor come from one of three regions in sequence.
in 1786, was probably born in Queen Anne's County, Maryland
. His tombstone records his date of birth as March 11, 1788. The names of both of his parents are unknown, but he is believed to be the son of Richard Grason, a farmer, also known as 'Commodore Grason.' In March 1801, he was admitted to St. John’s College, but he did not graduate. He entered the United States Navy
as a midshipman
, but his naval career seems to have been only of short duration. On October 12, 1813, Grason married Susan Orrick Sulivane. They resided at the bride’s father’s residence later known as the Edmondson House a.k.a. “Liberty Hall” from their marriage in 1812 until their removal to the future governor’s original home county of Queen Anne in or after 1814.
He was elected as an Anti-Jacksonian candidate for a seat in the Maryland House of Delegates in 1828 and re-elected the following year. In 1831, he was chosen as a senatorial elector from the Eastern Shore. In 1833, he was considered as a candidate for the nomination as congressman, but Richard B. Carmichael
was instead nominated and elected. In 1835, Grason made his second attempt to secure a seat in Congress, but in the general election he was defeated by James A. Pearce
, the Whig
candidate. In 1837, Grason was re-elected to the Maryland House of Delegates.
In the gubernatorial election of 1838, with candidates exclusively from the Eastern Shore District, the Democrats nominated William Grason and the Whigs named John Nevitt Steele of Dorchester County
. Grason defeated Steele by a state-wide margin of 311 votes. He was inaugurated on January 7, 1839. During his term he confronted the payment of Maryland’s debts, primarily because the State had indulged in the all-too-lavish subsidizing of internal improvement projects, without additional taxation to pay off the debt.
His term ended on January 3, 1842, and he returned to his farm in Queen Anne’s County. In 1850, the Democrats of Queen Anne’s County chose him to be a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, and in the same year he was elected to the Maryland State Senate
. He was defeated for election to the Maryland State Senate in 1856. Grason died at his home near Queenstown, Maryland
on July 2, 1868, at the age of 81, and he was buried on his own land, now called 'Wye River Farm.'
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,...
of the state 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...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
from 1839 to 1842. Grason also served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates
Maryland House of Delegates
The Maryland House of Delegates is the lower house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland, and is composed of 141 Delegates elected from 47 districts. The House chamber is located in the state capitol building on State Circle in Annapolis...
from 1828 to 1829, and as a member of the Maryland State Senate
Maryland State Senate
The Maryland Senate, sometimes referred to as the Maryland State Senate, is the upper house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland...
from 1852 until 1853. He was the first Governor of Maryland directly elected by the general electorate and the first elected governor from the Eastern Shore of Maryland
Eastern Shore of Maryland
The Eastern Shore of Maryland is a territorial part of the U.S. state of Maryland that lies predominately on the east side of the Chesapeake Bay and consists of nine counties. The origin of term Eastern Shore was derived to distinguish a territorial part of the State of Maryland from the Western...
due to a system that rotated the governorship by requiring the governor come from one of three regions in sequence.
Biography
William Grason is believed to have been born at 'Eagle’s Nest' on the Wye RiverWye River (Maryland)
The Wye River is a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay, on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. It was named by the Lloyd family, Edward Lloyd , and Edward Lloyd , after the River Wye in Wales. It falls within Queen Anne's County and Talbot County, and joins the Miles River near its mouth to the Eastern Bay...
in 1786, was probably born in Queen Anne's County, Maryland
Queen Anne's County, Maryland
Queen Anne's County is a county located on the Eastern Shore of the U.S. state of Maryland.As of 2010, the population was 47,798. Its county seat and most populous municipality is Centreville. The census-designated place of Stevensville is the county's most populous place...
. His tombstone records his date of birth as March 11, 1788. The names of both of his parents are unknown, but he is believed to be the son of Richard Grason, a farmer, also known as 'Commodore Grason.' In March 1801, he was admitted to St. John’s College, but he did not graduate. He entered the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
as a midshipman
Midshipman
A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
, but his naval career seems to have been only of short duration. On October 12, 1813, Grason married Susan Orrick Sulivane. They resided at the bride’s father’s residence later known as the Edmondson House a.k.a. “Liberty Hall” from their marriage in 1812 until their removal to the future governor’s original home county of Queen Anne in or after 1814.
He was elected as an Anti-Jacksonian candidate for a seat in the Maryland House of Delegates in 1828 and re-elected the following year. In 1831, he was chosen as a senatorial elector from the Eastern Shore. In 1833, he was considered as a candidate for the nomination as congressman, but Richard B. Carmichael
Richard Bennett Carmichael
Richard Bennett Carmichael was an American politician.Born in Centreville, Maryland, Carmichael attended the academy at Centreville and Dickinson College of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Princeton College in 1828...
was instead nominated and elected. In 1835, Grason made his second attempt to secure a seat in Congress, but in the general election he was defeated by James A. Pearce
James Pearce
James Alfred Pearce was an American politician. He was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing the second district of Maryland from 1835–1839 and 1841-1843. He later served as a U.S. Senator from Maryland from 1843 until his death in 1862.Pearce was the son of Gideon Pearce...
, the Whig
Whig Party (United States)
The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
candidate. In 1837, Grason was re-elected to the Maryland House of Delegates.
In the gubernatorial election of 1838, with candidates exclusively from the Eastern Shore District, the Democrats nominated William Grason and the Whigs named John Nevitt Steele of Dorchester County
Dorchester County, Maryland
Dorchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland on its Eastern Shore. It is bordered by the Choptank River to the north, Talbot County to the northwest, Caroline County to the northeast, Wicomico County to the southeast, Sussex County, Delaware, to the east, and the Chesapeake...
. Grason defeated Steele by a state-wide margin of 311 votes. He was inaugurated on January 7, 1839. During his term he confronted the payment of Maryland’s debts, primarily because the State had indulged in the all-too-lavish subsidizing of internal improvement projects, without additional taxation to pay off the debt.
His term ended on January 3, 1842, and he returned to his farm in Queen Anne’s County. In 1850, the Democrats of Queen Anne’s County chose him to be a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, and in the same year he was elected to the Maryland State Senate
Maryland State Senate
The Maryland Senate, sometimes referred to as the Maryland State Senate, is the upper house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland...
. He was defeated for election to the Maryland State Senate in 1856. Grason died at his home near Queenstown, Maryland
Queenstown, Maryland
Queenstown is a town in Queen Anne's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 617 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Queenstown is located at ....
on July 2, 1868, at the age of 81, and he was buried on his own land, now called 'Wye River Farm.'