clear space clear space clear space white space
A
 r c h i v e s   o f   M a r y l a n d   O n l i n e

PLEASE NOTE: The searchable text below was computer generated and may contain typographical errors. Numerical typos are particularly troubling. Click “View pdf” to see the original document.

  Maryland State Archives | Index | Help | Search
search for:
clear space
white space
A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature 1635-1789 by Edward C. Papenfuse, et. al.
Volume 426, Page 137   View pdf image (33K)
 Jump to  
  << PREVIOUS  NEXT >>
clear space clear space clear space white space

BIOGRAPHIES BLA

land in 1702, where he lived in Northumberland
and Middlesex counties. FAMILY BACKGROUND.
FATHER: John Blakiston (1633-1701/2), of New-
castle, England; a barrister and judge of the Ad-
miralty Court; son of John Blakiston (1603-1650),
M.P. for Newcastle, England, from 1641 to 1650.
MOTHER: Phoebe, daughter of William Johnson, of
Kibblesworth, Durham, England. UNCLES: Nehe-
miah Blakiston (?-1693); Sir Nathaniel Johnson
(1645-1713), who was governor of the Leeward
Islands from 1686 to 1689 and governor of South
Carolina from 1703 to 1709. BROTHERS: William
(1665-1665); Robert (1673-?). SISTERS. Jane
(1668-1671); Sarah (1678-1680); and Margaret,
who married Maj. Edward Nott, of Kingston,
Surrey, England, the deputy governor of Virginia
from 1705 to 1706. MARRIED first, Thomasine (?-
1697), widow of Sir Timothy Thornhill, first bar-
onet of Barbados; daughter of Sir Robert Legard,
of Yorkshire, England, a master in Chancery.
MARRIED second, Mary. CHILDREN. SON: Nathan-
iel. DAUGHTER: Rachel. PRIVATE CAREER. EDUCA-
TION: literate. RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION: Anglican.
SOCIAL STATUS AND ACTIVITIES: a member of a
prominent English family that was well connected
in the colonial bureaucracy; arrived in Maryland
as governor. OCCUPATIONAL PROFILE: colonial
bureaucrat; member of the Merchant Adventurers'
Company of London, 1698. PUBLIC CAREER. PRO-
VINCIAL OFFICES: governor, 1698-1702; chancel-
lor, 1699-1702; agent for Maryland in England,
1702-1709, 1713-1721. OUT OF COLONY SERVICE:
lieutenant governor of Montserrat, 1689-1695;
agent for Virginia in England, 1706-1722; M.P.
for Mitchell, Cornwall, England, 1715-1722.
WEALTH DURING LIFETIME. ANNUAL INCOME: his
salary as governor of Maryland was at least
£1,700 per annum with an additional allowance of
£30 for rent; his salary as Maryland's agent in En-
gland was £120 per annum. WEALTH AT DEATH.
DIED: in 1722 in England; size of estate unknown.

BLAKISTON (BLACKISTON), NEHEMIAH

(?-1693). BORN: in England, probably in the New-
castle area; fourth son. IMMIGRATED: in 1668 as a
free adult from England. RESIDED: St. Mary's

County. FAMILY BACKGROUND. FATHER: John

Blakiston (1603-1650), of Northumberland, En-
gland, who was an M.P. for Newcastle, England,
from 1641 to 1650. UNCLE George Blakiston, who
immigrated in 1668 with his nephew. MARRIED in
1669 Elizabeth (?-1716), daughter of Thomas Ge-
rard (1608-1673). She subsequently married
Ralph Rymer and finally, Joshua Guibert (?-
1713). Her brothers were Thomas (?-1686); Justin-

ian (?-1688); and John. Her sisters were Susannah,
who married first, Robert Slye (ca. 1628-1670/71),
and second, John Coode(ca. 1648-1708/9); Fran-
ces; Temperance; and Mary, who married Kenelm
Cheseldyne (1640-1708). CHILDREN. SON: John (?-
1724), who married Anne, daughter of Joshua
Guibert (?-1713). DAUGHTERS: Susanna, who mar-
ried first, Thomas Hatton, grandson of Thomas
Hatton (?-1654/55), and second, (first name un-
known) Attaway; Rebecca; and Mary, who mar-
ried Matthew Mason (ca. 1689-ca. 1728/29). PRI-

VATE CAREER. EDUCATION: literate. RELIGIOUS
AFFILIATION. Anglican. SOCIAL STATUS AND AC-
TIVITIES, younger son of a prominent English fam-
ily, which aided him in obtaining colonial patron-
age; soon after his arrival in the colony he married
into a prominent and controversial Maryland fam-
ily; Gent., by 1673. OCCUPATIONAL PROFILE:
planter; attorney, admitted to the following
courts: Court of Chancery in the 1670s; Provincial
Court in 1677; St. Mary's County in 1677; Charles
County by 1678/69. Placeman. PUBLIC CAREER.
LEGISLATIVE SERVICE: Associators' Convention,
St. Mary's County, 1689-1692 (speaker 4, 5, 6);
Grand Committee of Twenty, 1690-1692 (presi-
dent after August 1690); Upper House, 1692-
1693. OTHER PROVINCIAL OFFICES: surveyor and
comptroller general, 1682/83-1684/85; acting
king's attorney, 1684/85; collector of Patuxent,
1684/85-1685; collector of North Potomac, 1685-
1693; Council, 1691-1693; justice, Provincial
Court, 1691-1 693 (chief justice, 1691-1692); chan-
cellor and commissary general, 1692-1693. LOCAL
OFFICES: justice, St. Mary's County, 1689-1692
(quorum); coroner, 1689-1692; King and Queen
Parish Vestry, St. Mary's County, 1693. MILITARY
SERVICE, captain, 1689-1692; colonel, 1692-1693.

STANDS ON PUBLIC/PRIVATE ISSUES: as Customs

collector he was often at odds with the proprietary
establishment in the late 1680s and he registered
protests against the government in England; with
brothers-in-law John Coode(ca. 1648-1708/9) and
Kenelm Cheseldyne (1640-1708) he was a promi-
nent leader in the revolution of 1689, which over-
threw Lord Baltimore's government; he became
head of the interim government when Coode and
Cheseldyne left for England in the late summer of
1690; in 1692 he became chief confidant and ally
of the new royal governor Lionel Copley (1648-
1693), and fought unsuccessfully for control of the
government after Copley's death in the fall of
1693; he was involved in extensive conflicts with
Edward Randolph (1632-1703), surveyor general
of customs, in 1692-1693 over Blakiston's alleged
corruption and embezzlement of royal revenue, for

137



 

clear space
clear space
white space

Please view image to verify text. To report an error, please contact us.
A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature 1635-1789 by Edward C. Papenfuse, et. al.
Volume 426, Page 137   View pdf image (33K)
 Jump to  
  << PREVIOUS  NEXT >>


This web site is presented for reference purposes under the doctrine of fair use. When this material is used, in whole or in part, proper citation and credit must be attributed to the Maryland State Archives. PLEASE NOTE: The site may contain material from other sources which may be under copyright. Rights assessment, and full originating source citation, is the responsibility of the user.


Tell Us What You Think About the Maryland State Archives Website!



An Archives of Maryland electronic publication.
For information contact mdlegal@mdarchives.state.md.us.

©Copyright  October 06, 2023
Maryland State Archives