Archives of Maryland Historical List Governors of Maryland, 1634-1689

Governors under Proprietary and Parliamentary Government, 1634-1689

Leonard Calvert, 1634-1644/5, 1646-1647

Prior to the granting of the Charter to Cecilius Calvert, Captain William Claiborne, acting under a commission from the King, had established a trading post and plantation on Kent Island in 1631. He was driven from the island by Leonard Calvert a few months after the colonists landed. Calvert had occasion to leave the colony several times, usually for only a month or two, but once for over a year. During his absences the following men governed the province: 1637/38 and 1638, John Lewger; 1638 and 1641, Captain Thomas Cornwaleys; 1643-1644, Giles Brent; 1644, William Brainthwait.

Captain Richard Ingle, 1644/45-1646

Usurped the government and maintained control until about the middle of 1646.

Captain Edward Hill, 1646

Elected governor by the council while Leonard Calvert was still in Virginia, Hill also claimed to have a commission from Calvert. His appointment was illegal, as he was not a member of the council when elected, and Calvert was out of the province when the commission was issued. He does seem to have held office, however, for he later attempted to collect certain fees and emoluments that were due him by virtue of his service.

Leonard Calvert, 1646-1647

Thomas Greene, 1647-1648/49

William Stone, 1649-1651/52

During absences from the province he left the following men to act in his place: 1649, Thomas Greene; 1650, Thomas Hatton.

Richard Bennet and William Claiborne (Parliamentary Commissioners), 1652-1657/58

William Stone, 1652-1656

Between 1652 and 1656, William Stone's commission as governor from the proprietor was contested by the Parliamentary Commissioners.

Commissioners appointed by Parliamentary Commissioners: William Fuller, William Durand, John Smith, John Lawson, Richard Wells, Richard Preston, Edward Lloyd, Leonard Strong, John Hatch, and Richard Ewen, 1654-1657

Richard Bennett and William Claiborne, with authorization from the Puritan government in England, issued an ordinance July 22, 1654, to ten Marylanders as commissioners <169>for the well Ordering, directing and Governing the affaires of Maryland<170> with powers that included the right to summon assemblies. Later additions to the body of commissioners were William Parker (October 20, 1654), Robert Slye (April 24, 1655), Thomas Meeres and Thomas Marsh (June 26, 1655), Sampson Waring, Michael Brooke,John Pott and Woodman Stockley (August 13, 1655), William Parrott (March 23, 1656/57), and Philip Morgan, William Ewen, Thomas Thomas, Philip Thomas, Samuel Withers and Richard Woolman (by spring, 1657). Thomas Marsh died in 1656/57 and Leonard Strong was serving as agent in England ca. 1655, but the other commissioners presumably remained active. The records, however, are incomplete and therefore the full service of all the commissioners cannot be established. The commissioners surrended their powers to the restored proprietary government March 24, 1657/58.

Josias Fendall, 1657-1660

Appointed Luke Barber to serve in his place while he was absent from the province from June 1657 to February 1657/58.

Philip Calvert, 1661

Charles Calvert, 1661-1676, 1678/79-1684

Left Philip Calvert, William Calvert, Jerome White, and Baker Brooke as deputies governing the colony from May 1669 to November 1670 while he was in England. On November 30, 1675, his father died, and he became Lord Proprietary.

Jesse Wharton, 1676

Cecilius Calvert, infant son of the Lord Proprietary, was the nominal governor from June to October 1676, but actually the province was governed by the deputy governors.

Thomas Notley, 1676-1679

Succeeded Wharton as deputy governor and later, in October 1676, was commissioned governor by the Lord Proprietary.

Charles Calvert, Lord Proprietary, 1678/79-1684

Calvert was definitely back in the province by January 1678/79, perhaps earlier, but he appears to have permitted Notley to retain the title of governor until his death in April 1679.

Council of Deputy Governors, 1684-1688

Benedict Leonard Calvert, infant son of the Lord Proprietary, was commissioned governor, but the duties were actually performed by the deputies. The deputies named in the commission were George Talbot, Thomas Taillor, Colonel Vincent Lowe, Colonel William Stevens, Colonel William Burgess, Major Nicholas Sewall, and John Darnall. Most of them served the entire period indicated, but there were a few changes.

William Joseph, 1688-1689

Named president of the Council of Deputy Governors in a commission from the Lord Proprietary.