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A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature 1635-1789 by Edward C. Papenfuse, et. al.
Volume 426, Page 706   View pdf image (33K)
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ROW BIOGRAPHIES

SISTERS: Frances Smith (by 1698-by 1714); Su-
sanna Smith (by 1695-by 1714); and Barbara Smith
(1693-1764), who married first, Thomas Holds-
worth (ca. 1692-1718), and second, Benjamin
Mackall(l615-I16l). STEPSISTERS: Anne Smith;
Elizabeth Smith. MARRIED first, on December 22,
1707, Anne (?-ca. 1717), widow of both Robert
Doyne (?-1689) and George Plater (ca. 1664-
1707), daughter of Thomas Burford (?-1686/87)
and his wife Anne (?-1700). Her brother was
Thomas, Jr. (?-1697). Her sisters were Eliza-
beth; Jane. MARRIED second, (name unknown).
CHILDREN. SON: John (1728-1750/51), who mar-
ried Anne (1727-1793), daughter of Peregrine
Frisby (1668-1739). STEPSON. George Plater (1695-
1755). DAUGHTERS: Anne (1721-1769), who
married Edward Lloyd (1711-1770); Elizabeth,
who married Abraham Barnes (?-ca. 1778); and
Gertrude (?-ca. 1770), who married Robert Jen-
tins Henry (ca. 1712-1766). STEPDAUGHTER. Anne
Plater, who possibly married by 1751 Charles Car-
roll (1691-1755). PRIVATE CAREER. EDUCATION.

literate. RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION: Protestant. SO-
CIAL STATUS AND ACTIVITIES: second generation
burgess; high status on coming of age; Esq., by
1709; Hon., by 1720; his marriage to the widow
Plater brought considerable wealth and patron-
age, because he acquired her former husband's
posts. OCCUPATIONAL PROFILE: placeman; planter.

PUBLIC CAREER. LEGISLATIVE SERVICE: Lower

House, Calvert County, 1714 (elected to the 4th
session of the 1712-1714 Assembly), 1715, 1716-
1718 (Elections 1-3), 1719-1721 (Elections 1-
4; appointed to Upper House before the 5th ses-
sion of the 1719- 1721/22 Assembly); Upper House,
1721/22 (appointed by the 5th session of the 1719-
1721/22 Assembly), 1722-1724, 1725-1727, 1728-
1731, 1732-1734, 1734/35-1737 (absent from the
1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th sessions), 1738 (did not
attend), 1739-1741 (did not attend); 1742-1744
(did not attend). OTHER PROVINCIAL OFFICES: na-
val officer of Patuxent, 1707-1717; receiver of
Patuxent, 1707/8-1715; collector of Patuxent,
1717-1744; Council, 1721 -at least 1737. LOCAL
OFFICE: justice, Calvert County, in office August
1710, June 1712. MILITARY SERVICE: colonel, by

1707. WEALTH DURING LIFETIME. PERSONAL PROP-
ERTY: owned 27 slaves in 1733. ANNUAL INCOME.
£100.0.0 while receiver of Patuxent. LAND AT FIRST
ELECTION: ca. 3,950 acres in Talbot, Kent, Queen
Anne's, Somerset, St. Mary's, and Calvert coun-
ties (inherited 3,150 acres from his father, of which
1,550 acres had been in the possession of his uncle
Christopher Rousby (?-1684); acquired at least

550 acres through marriage; 258 acres by pur-
chase). SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN LAND BETWEEN
FIRST ELECTION AND DEATH: CH. 4,796 acres in

Calvert, St. Mary's, and Talbot counties were
charged to Rousby on the rent rolls from 1716 to
1732, including 2,500 acres of Eltonhead Manor
on the north shore of the Patuxent River from
the Bourne family; held a certificate for an ad-
ditional 1,101 acres in Calvert County. WEALTH
AT DEATH. DIED: between August 18 and October
8, 1744; will probated in Calvert County. PER-
SONAL PROPERTY: TEV, £7,897.18.3 current
money, £80.16.11 sterling, £77.17.6 gold, and 9,027
pounds of tobacco (including more than 132 oz.
plate, 25 slaves on St. Mary's County land only);
FB, £6,075.17.1 current money and £64.17.11 gold.
LAND: at least 7,800 acres in Calvert, Queen
Anne's, Kent, Somerset, Talbot, and St. Mary's
counties.

ROWLAND, WILLIAM (?-1784). BORN: of age
in 1749. NATIVE, at least second generation. RE-
SIDED, probably in North Susquehanna or Oc-
torara Hundred, Cecil County. FAMILY BACK-
GROUND. FATHER: James Rowland, who resided
in Cecil County by 1749. BROTHER: Robert. MAR-
RIED Sarah. CHILDREN. SONS: Robert; Thomas, a
minor in 1781; James, who married Elizabeth,
daughter of William McCay and wife Mary; John;
William; and Samuel, a minor in 1781. DAUGH-
TERS: Jane, a minor in 1781, who married in 1789
Andrew Casten of St. Mary Anne's Parish, Cecil
County; Margaret, a minor in 1781, who married
in 1787 John Finley; and Isabella (1765-?). PRI-

VATE CAREER. EDUCATION: literate. RELIGIOUS

AFFILIATION: probably Quaker; refused to serve
as an Anglican vestryman in 1770, calling himself
a dissenter. OCCUPATIONAL PROFILE: miller, owned
a merchant mill and a saw mill; probably also a
planter. PUBLIC CAREER. LEGISLATIVE SERVICE:
Lower House, Cecil County, 1781-1782, 1782-
1783, 1783. STANDS ON PUBLIC/PRIVATE ISSUES:
anti-slavery; requested in his will that his children
manumit his slaves if and when it could be done
safely and with propriety; stated that "slavery is
not desirable and ought to be ... expelled out
of the land." WEALTH DURING LIFETIME. PER-
SONAL PROPERTY: assessed value £434.0.0, in-
cluding 7 slaves, 1783. LAND AT FIRST ELECTION:
432 acres in Cecil County. SIGNIFICANT CHANGES

IN LAND BETWEEN FIRST ELECTION AND DEATH:

owned 840 acres in Cecil County, 1783. WEALTH
AT DEATH. DIED: will probated on October 5, 1784;
buried at West Nottingham Cemetery, which was

706



 

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A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature 1635-1789 by Edward C. Papenfuse, et. al.
Volume 426, Page 706   View pdf image (33K)
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