Historical List

State until March 20 of the same year. On March
22, 1777, the Assembly adopted a resolution "for
dissolving the Council of Safety and Vesting the
Governor and Council with their Powers." The
Governor and Council had qualified two days
earlier on March 20, and they immediately began
to perform the duties assigned to them.

Conventions of the Province of Maryland

1774, June 22-25. Matthew Tilghman, Chm.
1774, Nov. 21-25. Matthew Tilghman, Chm.
1774, Dec. 8-12. John Hall, Chm.
1775, April 24-May 3. Matthew Tilghman, Chm.
1775, July 26-Aug. 14. Matthew Tilghman, Chm.
1775, Dec. 7-1776, Matthew Tilghman, Pres.
Jan. 18.
1776, May 8-25. Charles Carroll,
Barrister, Pres.
1776, June 21-July 6. Matthew Tilghman, Pres.
1776, Aug. 14-Nov. 11. Matthew Tilghman, Pres.

Councils of Safety

1775, August 29-October 21. Daniel of St.
Thomas Jenifer, president, Thomas Johnson,
Jr., William Paca, Charles Carroll, Barrister,
Thomas Stone (did not serve), Samuel Chase,
Robert Alexander, Charles Carroll of
Carrollton, Matthew Tilghman, John Beale
Bordley (declined), Robert Goldsborough (did
not serve), James Hollyday, Richard Lloyd,
Edward Lloyd, Thomas Smyth, Henry Hooper.

1776, January 18-May 25. Daniel of St. Thomas
Jenifer, president, Charles Carroll, Barrister,
John Hall, Benjamin Rumsey, James Tilghman,
Thomas Smyth, Thomas Bedingfield Hands.

1776, May 27-July 6. Daniel of St. Thomas
Jenifer, president, Charles Carroll, Barrister,
John Hall, Benjamin Rumsey (did not serve),
George Plater, James Tilghman, Thomas
Smyth, Thomas Bedingfield Hands, William
Hayward.

1776, July 6-November 11. Daniel of St. Thomas
Jenifer, president, John Hall, George Plater,
Charles Carroll, Barrister, Thomas Bedingfield
Hands (declined), Benjamin Rumsey, Thomas
Smyth, James Tilghman, Joseph Nicholson, Jr.,
Nicholas Thomas (appointed by the Council,
September 18, 1776).

1776, November 12-1777, March 20. Daniel of
St. Thomas Jenifer, president, John Hall,
George Plater, Brice T. B. Worthington,
Charles Grahame (declined), Joseph Nicholson,
Jr., Nicholas Thomas, William Rumsey (de-

Governors of the State of Maryland/73 3

dined), James Tilghman (declined), Thomas
Contee (elected vice Grahame, November 11,
1776), Samuel Wilson (appointed by the Coun-
cil vice Tilghman, December 13, 1776), William
Hemsley (appointed by the Council vice
Rumsey, December 13, 1776, declined), James
Lloyd Chamberlaine (appointed by the Council
vice Hemsley, January 3, 1777, declined),
Turbutt Wright (appointed by the Council vice
Chamberlaine, February 3, 1777).

GOVERNORS OF THE STATE OF
MARYLAND

By the Constitution of 1776, sec. 25, the Gov-
ernor was chosen annually by joint ballot of both
houses of the legislature. He had to be over twen-
ty-five years of age, and a State resident for five
years preceding the election. He also was required
to hold real and personal property in the State
valued at over five thousand pounds current mon-
ey, one thousand of which was to be of freehold
estate (Const. 1776, sec. 30). The Governor was
limited to three successive one-year terms. In the
four years thereafter, he could not again serve
(Const. 1776, sec. 31).
By an 1837 constitutional amendment, the State
was divided into. three gubernatorial districts
(Chapter 197, Acts of 1836). The Governor was to
be elected by popular vote from each district on a
rotating basis, beginning with the Eastern Shore
district. The first popular election for Governor
was held October 3, 1838. The Governor's term
was extended at this time to three years.
The Constitution of 1851 continued the system
of gubernatorial election districts. It raised the
minimum age for gubernatorial candidates to
thirty. The Governor was required to have been a
U.S. citizen and State resident for five years and a
resident of the district from which he was elected
for three years. His term was extended to four
years (Const. 1851, Art. 2, secs. 1, 6).
In the 1864 Constitution, gubernatorial election
districts were eliminated. Thereafter, the Gover-
nor was elected by vote of the entire State's elec-
torate. The 1864 Constitution also eliminated the
district residency requirements for gubernatorial
candidates (Const. 1864, Art. 2, sec. 5).
The 1867 Constitution required the Governor
to have been a citizen of the State of Maryland
for ten years, a Maryland resident for five years,
and a qualified voter at the time of his election
(Const. 1867, Art. 2, sec. 5).
The Governor was limited to two consecutive
terms by constitutional amendment ratified in
1948 (Chapter 109, Acts of 1947).
By a 1970 constitutional amendment, the Gov-
ernor was required to be a resident and registered