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1780, Dr. Charles Steuart, of Annapolis, son of
George Steuart (1700-ca. 1784); and Ariana
(1763-1784). PRIVATE CAREER. EDUCATION: liter-
ate. RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION: Anglican. SOCIAL
STATUS AND ACTIVITIES: Esq.; Hon., 1748. OCCU-
PATIONAL PROFILE: planter, who managed over
20,000 acres of land; probably a merchant in the
firm of Benedict Calvert & Company; officeholder.
PUBLIC CAREER. LEGISLATIVE SERVICE: Upper
House, 1748 (appointed before the 4th session),
1749-1751, 1751-1754, 1754-1757 (Bills of Cred-
it-Paper Currency 6), 1757-1758, 1758-1761
(Bills of Credit-Paper Currency 1, Cv 3), 1762-
1763 (Bills of Credit-Paper Currency 2), 1765-
1766 (Bills of Credit-Paper Currency 2, 4), 1768-
1770 (Claims-Bills of Credit 1-4), 1771 (Claims-
Bills of Credit), 1773-1774 (Claims-Bills of Credit
1, Cv, 2, 3). OTHER PROVINCIAL OFFICES: collec-
tor, Patuxent, 1745-1775; Council, 1747/48-1776
(appointed and qualified on March 8, 1747/48);
judge, Land Office, 1775-1777 (commissioned
jointly with George Steuart, who returned to Scot-
land in 1775). LOCAL OFFICE: common council-
man, Annapolis, 1755-1765 (resigned). STANDS
ON PUBLIC/PRIVATE ISSUES: A letter dated May
13, 1777, from Thomas Johnson to Calvert regard-
ing turning over the Land Office to a new judge
stated "you declined giving up office." Calvert
apparently thought that he could keep his job as
register, but the Assembly ousted him and chose
Samuel George Peale in his place. Calvert did not
sign the Oath of Fidelity of 1778, but remained in
Maryland, probably at "Mt. Airy," during the
Revolution. His property was not confiscated.
WEALTH DURING LIFETIME. PERSONAL PROP-
ERTY: his wife Elizabeth was the sole survivor and
heir of Gov. Charles Calvert (?-1733/34), and as
such her husband was given charge of Calvert's
estate on September 10, 1748. LAND AT FIRST
ELECTION: unspecified acreage on the Patuxent
River in Prince George's County given to him by
his father. SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN LAND BE-
TWEEN FIRST ELECTION AND DEATH: He ac-
quired through marriage 1,962 acres in Anne
Arundel and Prince George's counties, plus 2 lots
in Annapolis, 1748. He patented 260 additional
acres in Anne Arundel County in 1750, and ac-
quired an 874-acre tract in Frederick County by
1753. He patented 606 acres in Prince George's
County, plus 4,095 acres in Frederick County with
4 others, 1761-1768. By 1770 he had acquired an
additional 1,991 acres in Frederick County jointly
with Thomas Johnson (1732-1819), which was
resurveyed in 1772 for 7,715 acres. He acquired
12,201 acres in Prince George's and Frederick
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counties, plus 1 lot in Upper Marlboro, by 1772.
He sold 470 acres in Anne Arundel County, 1762-
1769, and 1,172 acres in Prince George's County
by 1772. WEALTH AT DEATH. DIED: on January 9,
1788; buried under the chancel of St. Thomas
Church, Groom, Prince George's County. LAND:
at least 18,026 acres in Prince George's, Frederick,
Montgomery, and Anne Arundel counties, plus 2
lots in Annapolis, 1 lot in Upper Marlboro, and 2
lots in Bladensburg. Not included in this amount
is Anne Arundel Manor, which he stated in his
will was devised to him by Charles Calvert, 5th
Lord Baltimore (1699-17 51). The acreage of Anne
Arundel Manor was unspecified because of court
litigation to clear the title.
CALVERT, BENEDICT LEONARD (1700-
1732). BORN: on September 20, 1700, in England;
second son. IMMIGRATED: in July 1727. RESIDED:
in Surrey, England; in Annapolis, Anne Arundel
County, 1727 until death. FAMILY BACKGROUND.
FATHER: Benedict Leonard Calvert, 4th Lord
Baltimore (1679-1715). STEPFATHER Christopher
Crewe. GUARDIAN: Francis North, 2nd baron of
Guilford. MOTHER: Lady Charlotte Lee (?-1721).
BROTHERS: Charles Calvert, 5th Lord Baltimore
(1699-1751); Edward Henry Calvert (1701-1730);
and Cecilius (1702-1765). SISTERS: Charlotte
(1702-1744); Jane (1703-?); Barbara (1704-died
young); and Anne. ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: His
parents were divorced in 1705. PRIVATE CAREER.
EDUCATION: studied under Thomas Hearne at
Christ Church College, Oxford University; trained
in historical writing and intended to write a his-
tory of Maryland. RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION: Angli-
can. SOCIAL STATUS AND ACTIVITES: Esq.; Hon.;
tour of the European continent as a young man
included stays in France and Italy. ADDITIONAL
COMMENTS: Calvert apparently had great difficulty
adjusting to Maryland's climate and suffered ill
health during most of his residence in the prov-
ince. While in Maryland, Calvert carefully re-
searched the history of the province and in 1729
wrote a long letter to his brother Charles Calvert,
5th Lord Baltimore (1699-1751) setting forth his
conclusions and recommendations for improving
relations between the proprietor and the citizens of
the colony. OCCUPATIONAL PROFILE: placeman.
PUBLIC CAREER. PROVINCIAL OFFICES: governor,
1726/27-1731 (commissioned March 1726/27;
sworn in July 1727); chancellor, 1726/27-1731.
LOCAL OFFICES: St. Anne's Parish Vestry, Anne
Arundel County, 1730-1732. OUT OF COLONY
SERVICE: M.P., Harwich, England, 1726. STANDS
ON PUBLIC/PRIVATE ISSUES: supported his family's
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