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A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature 1635-1789 by Edward C. Papenfuse, et. al.
Volume 426, Page 883   View pdf image (33K)
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BIOGRAPHIES WHI

AT FIRST ELECTION: 2,800 acres in Somerset
County, 1670. WEALTH AT DEATH. DIED: on June
3, 1685, in Somerset County. PERSONAL PROP-
ERTY: TEV, at least £199.5.11 (including 3 serv-
ants and 3 slaves). LAND: 3,350 acres in Somerset
County.

WHITE, THOMAS (?-1795). BORN: probably in
Dorchester County, of age by 1754. NATIVE:
probably, if so at least second generation. RE-
SIDED: in Dorchester (later became part of Car-
oline) County; Kent County, Delaware, by 1776.

FAMILY BACKGROUND. FATHER: John White (?-

1757) of Dorchester County. MOTHER: Elizabeth.
BROTHERS: John; Edward. SISTERS: Priscilla, who
married by 1750 (first name unknown) Brown;
Trifence, who married by 1750 (first name un-
known) Fountain; and Elizabeth. MARRIED Mar-
garet (Margrit) (1736/37-?), daughter of William
Nutter (?-1737) of Stepney Parish, Somerset
County, and wife Elizabeth MaClester. Margaret
was the stepdaughter of James Peterkin of Dor-
chester County, a planter. She was the grand-
daughter of Margaret Nutter (?-1732/33) of Step-
ney Parish, Somerset County. Her brother was
William (1734-1784), who married Sarah. CHIL-
DREN. SON: Samuel. DAUGHTERS: Anna; Sarah,
who married (first name unknown) Cook; and
Margaret Nutter (?-1796), of Milford, Delaware,
who married on January 28, 1775, in Caroline
County, Daniel Polk (?-ca. 1796), who resided
in Sussex County, Delaware, by 1783. PRIVATE

CAREER. EDUCATION: literate. RELIGIOUS AFFILI-
ATION: Protestant. SOCIAL STATUS AND ACTIVI-
TIES: Gent., by 1762; Esq., by 1773. ADDITIONAL
COMMENTS: On March 26, 1778, the Continental
Congress issued an order to secure Thomas White
and other inhabitants of Delaware who were sus-
pected of being "disaffected" to prevent them
from participating in an expected invasion of Del-
aware. White was arrested on March 26, 1778,
by William Smallwood (1732-1792), placed on pa-
role on May 27, 1778, and thereafter permitted
to remain at his home. White sought the inter-
vention of Caesar Rodney, the chief executive of
Delaware, claiming the charges against him were
not specified. On April 24, 1778, Rodney wrote
to Congress protesting the circumvention of the
state's authority in the arrest of White. One year
later, Rodney directly interceded on White's be-
half, requesting that Congress order that White
either be prosecuted or released from parole. On
August 3, 1779, on a motion by the delegates of
Delaware in the Continental Congress, it was re-

solved that Thomas White be discharged from
parole. OCCUPATIONAL PROFILE: planter by 1755;
farmer by 1781. PUBLIC CAREER. LEGISLATIVE
SERVICE: Lower House, Dorchester County, 1773
(represented Dorcheser County during the 1st
session, convention, and 2nd session of the 1773-
1774 Assembly), Caroline County, 1774 (repre-
sented the newly formed Caroline County during
the 3rd session of the 1773-1774 Assembly); 1st
Convention, Caroline County, 1774. LOCAL OF-
FICES: justice, Dorchester County, 1764-1773,
Caroline County, 1774 (quorum 1774); land com-
missioner, Dorchester County, in office 1773. our
OF STATE SERVICE: Convention, Kent County,
Delaware, elected August 19, 1776 (this conven-
tion met on September 11, 1776, for the purpose
of "ordaining and declaring the future form of
Government of that State"); 1st lieutenant, in-
fantry, Eighth or Dover Regiment, Delaware Mi-
litia, date unknown. WEALTH DURING LIFETIME.
PERSON AL PROPERTY: received 1 slave as gift from
father, 1750; deeded 2 slaves as a gift to two of
his daughters, 1765; assessed value £81.0.0 in
Caroline County, including 1 slave, 1783. LAND
AT FIRST ELECTION: 1,379 acres in Dorchester
County (391 acres inherited from his father, part
of which he resurveyed adding 314 acres of vacant
land; 674 acres by purchase or survey). SIGNIFI-
CANT CHANGES IN LAND BETWEEN FIRST ELEC-
TION AND DEATH, owned a total of 559 acres in
Caroline County, 1783; probably owned land in
Delaware. WEALTH AT DEATH. DIED: will probated
March 11, 1795, in Kent County, Delaware; size
of estate unknown.

WHITELY (WHEATLEY, WHITELEY), AR-
THUR (1743-by 1789). BORN: on May 26, 1743,
in Dorchester Parish, Dorchester County; elder
son. NATIVE: at least third generation. RESIDED:
in Lower District, Dorchester County. FAMILY
BACKGROUND. FATHER: Arthur Rich Whitely (ca.
1706-1771) of Dorchester County, a planter, son
of Arthur Whitely (ca. 1652-1735) of Dorchester
County, a planter and innhoider, and wife Eliz-
abeth Rich. MOTHER: Katherine (Catherine) (ca.
1708-1770). BROTHER: William Whitely (1752-
1815). SISTERS: Betty (Elizabeth), who married
Stephens Woolford (by 1729-1800), son of Thomas
Woolford (ca. 1699-ca. 1750/51); Mary (1737-?),
who married Matthew Travers; Sary (Sarah) (ca.
1739-?), who married John Stevens (Stephens);
and Nancy. MARRIED Ann (Nancy) (ca. 1752-1802),
who subsequently married by 1789 Samuel Hooper
(1748-1806). CHILDREN. SON: probably Arthur III

883



 

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A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature 1635-1789 by Edward C. Papenfuse, et. al.
Volume 426, Page 883   View pdf image (33K)
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