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 232   View pdf image (33K)
 Jump to  
  << PREVIOUS  NEXT >>
clear space clear space clear space white space

CON BIOGRAPHIES

FIRST COUSIN Thomas Beall, of George (1735-
1819). NEPHEW: Alexander Contee Hanson (1749-
1806). NIECE: Jane Contee Hanson (1747-1781),
who married Philip Thomas (1747-1815). OTHER
KINSHIP: his maternal great-grandfather was
Thomas Dent (ca. 1630-1676). MARRIED ca 1755
Sarah (ca. 1732-1793), daughter of Benjamin Fen-
dall (?-1764), of Charles County, and wife Eleanor
Lee (1710-1759); stepdaughter of Priscilla (ca.
1714-1763); granddaughter of both John Fendall
(1674-1734) and Philip Lee (ca. 1681-1744); niece
of Richard Lee (ca. 1707-1787), Arthur Lee (?-
1760), and Francis Lee (?-1749); half niece of both
Corbin Lee (?-1774) and George Lee (ca. 1736-?);
stepniece of Hannah Sewall, who married second,
Joseph Sprigg (1736-1800). Her brothers were
Philip Richard Fendall (?-?); John; Benjamin;
Rev. Henry, rector of Durham Parish, Charles
County from 1767 to 1775; and Samuel. Her first
cousins were Josias Beall (ca. 1725-1803); Samuel
Hanson, Jr. (?-1817); Philip Thomas Lee (1738-
1778); Thomas Sim Lee (1745-1819); Richard
Potts (1753-1808); Sarah Lettice Lee (?-1761),
who married Philip Richard Fendall (?-?); Han-
nah Lee (?-ca. 1763), who married George Plater
(1735-1792), and Alice Lee (?-1789), who married
John Weems (1737-1813). Sarah Fendall Contee
died at "Brookefield," Prince George's County.
CHILDREN. SONS: Alexander (ca. 1755-1810), who
was a merchant and never married; Rev. Benjamin
(1755-1815), a merchant and lawyer, born at
"Brookefield," near Nottingham, Prince George's
County, served as a lieutenant and captain in the
Third Maryland Battalion during the Revolution,
served as a delegate to the Continental Congress
from 1787 to 1788 and as a representative to the
U.S. Congress from 1789 to 1791, declared insol-
vency due to "mishaps in trade" by 1799, or-
dained as an Anglican minister in 1803, served as
pastor of the Port Tobacco Church, Charles
County, presiding judge of Charles County Or-
phans' Court at death, he married in 1794 Sarah
Russell (ca. 1767-1810), daughter of Philip
Thomas Lee (1738-1778). ADDITIONAL COM-
MENTS Alexander and Benjamin were partners in
London in a merchantile business, ca. 1784, with
stores in Nottingham, Queen Anne, and Upper
Marlboro, Prince George's County. DAUGHTERS
Eleanor Lee (1758-1787), who married Dr. Mi-
chael Wallace (1749-1794), of Elkton, Cecil
County; Jane (1761-1825), who married in 1782
William Worthington, of Anne Arundel County;
and Sarah, who married (first name unknown)
Slater. PRIVATE CAREER. EDUCATION: literate. RE-
LIGIOUS AFFILIATION: Anglican, St. Paul's Parish,

Prince George's County. SOCIAL STATUS AND
ACTIVITIES: Esq., by 1758. ADDITIONAL COM-
MENTS: Contee was sent to Philadelphia, Pennsyl-
vania, to confer with the Continental Congress
about the organization of the army and the general
plans for defense. OCCUPATIONAL PROFILE: mer-
chant, by 1764; attorney in fact for William Molle-
son, of London, England, merchant, by 1766; in
business in Nottingham, Prince George's County,
with Fielder Bowie (ca. 1745-1794) in a firm en-
gaged in the tobacco trade with Europe and the
importation of large quantities of goods until the
firm advertised its dissolution in 1775; had the
management of a store at Pig Point, Prince
George's County, ca. 1772-1775; agent for his
sons Alexander and Benjamin, London merchants,
for their stores in Nottingham, Queen Anne, and
Upper Marlboro, Prince George's County, ca.
1784; attorney in fact for both John Yerbury &
Company and John Walker, of London, merchant,
by 1785; probably also a planter. PUBLIC CAREER.
LEGISLATIVE SERVICE: Lower House, Prince
George's County, 1769-1770 (elected to the 2nd
session to fill vacancy; Claims 3, 4), 1771
(Claims), 1773-1774 (Accounts 1; Claims Cv, 2,
3); Conventions, Prince George's County, 4th,
1775, 5th, 1775, 6th-8th, 1775-1776 (Claims 6th-
8th); Senate, Western Shore, Term of 1776-1781:
1777, 1777-1778, 1778 (did not serve; resigned on
November 20, 1778). OTHER STATE OFFICE: 5th
Council of Safety, Western Shore, 1776-1777
(elected on November 11, 1776, to fill vacancy).
LOCAL OFFICES: St. Paul's Parish Vestry, Prince
George's County, 1755-1758, 1770-1774, 1779-
1780, 1782 (excused from service), 1793-1796,
1798-1800, 1802, 1804-1806; sheriff, Prince
George's County, 1757; justice, Prince George's
County, in office 1757, 1794-1801; receiver or col-
lector of land tax, Prince George's County, gave
bond 1757; collector of excise, Prince George's
County, gave bond 1757; churchwarden, St. Paul's
Parish, Prince George's County, in office 1758,
1775, 1777, and 1792; justice, Charles County,
1764-1769; trustee from Prince George's County
for Charlotte Hall Free School, St. Mary's
County, which served Prince George's, Charles,
and St. Mary's counties; Committee of Observa-
tion, Prince George's County, elected 1775; Levy
Court, Upper Marlboro. Prince George's County,
1795-1796; election official, First District, Prince
George's County, appointed 1801; associate jus-
tice, First District Court, Prince George's County,
1802-1805. MILITARY SERVICE: major, militia, by
1776; lieutenant colonel, First District Militia, ca.

1776. WEALTH DURING LIFETIME. PERSONAL

232



 

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 232   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