William Hemsley (Maryland)
Encyclopedia
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
planter and political leader from 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...
. He represented Maryland in the Continental Congress
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
in 1782 and 1783.
Hemsley’s entire life was closely connected with his family’s plantation, Clover Fields Farm, in Queen Anne's County
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...
on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The family had been established there and in Talbot County
Talbot County, Maryland
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*81.4% White*12.8% Black*0.2% Native American*1.2% Asian*0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*1.6% Two or more races*2.7% Other races*5.5% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
for several generations. His career of public service was similar to that of many prominent planters. He was a county official in both counties at various times, and served as a Colonel in the militia of Queen Anne’s County during the Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
.
Hemsley was first elected to the Maryland state senate in November of 1779. He would serve in that body until 1781. Then in 1782-1783 he served in the Continental Congress in 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...
. He was again elected to the state senate in 1784, but declined that election. He would serve again from 1786 to 1789. Although re-elected again in 1790, he did not serve. He was a member of the Maryland Convention that ratified the United States Constitution
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
on April 28, 1788.
His later years were spent running the family plantation. He died there on June 5, 1812 and was buried in the family’s cemetery on the farm, 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 ....
. His son, William Hemsley, Jr., also served in the state senate in 1799-1800.