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rah Brooke (?-1724), who married first, William
Dent (ca. 1660-1704), and second, Philip Lee (ca.
1681-1744). BROTHERS: Alexander (1724-1732);
Peter (1726-ca. 1779); Thomas Contee (ca. 1729-
1811); Alexander (1734-1744); and Theodore
(1734-1764). SISTERS: Jane (1728-1812), who mar-
ried John Hanson, Jr. (1721-1783); Catherine
(1732-1831); Grace; and Barbara (1741-1796).
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. 1744
Margaret (1726-1793), daughter of Richard Snow-
den, the younger (?-1763), of Anne Arundel
County, an ironmaster and owner of the Patuxent
Ironworks, and wife Elizabeth Thomas (?-1775);
granddaughter of Samuel Thomas (ca. 1655-?)
and wife Mary Hutchins. Her brothers were Rich-
ard (1719/20-1753), who married Elizabeth, the
only daughter of John Crowley and wife Miriam,
and who died without progeny; Thomas (ca.
1722-?), who married Mary (?-1770), daughter of
Henry Wright; Samuel (1728-1801), who married
Elizabeth (?-1790), daughter of Philip Thomas
(1693/94-1762); and John, who married Rachel,
daughter of Richard Hopkins. Her sisters were
Ann, who married Henry Wright Crabb (1722/23-
1764); Elizabeth, who married Joseph Cowman.
Her nephews were Richard Crabb (?-1780); Jere-
miah Crabb ( 1760-1800). CHILDREN. SON Richard
Alexander (1753-?), who married first, in 1785
Mary (1768-1787), daughter of David Craufurd
(ca. 1738-1801), and second, Elizabeth Gassaway,
daughter of Gassaway Rawlings, of Anne Arundel
County. Richard was declared insane in 1799.
DAUGHTERS. Elizabeth (1746-1827), who married
James Keith, of Virginia; Jane; Anne (1758-?),
who married in 1779 Dennis Magruder, Sr.; and
Mary, who married in 1785 Alexander W. Ma-
gruder. PRIVATE CAREER. EDUCATION literate.
RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION: Anglican, Queen Anne
Parish, Prince George's County. SOCIAL STATUS
AND ACTIVITIES: Esq., by 1763. OCCUPATIONAL
PROFILE: probably a planter. PUBLIC CAREER.
LEGISLATIVE SERVICE: Conventions, Prince
George's County, 4th, 1775 (elected, but did not
attend), 5th, 1775; Lower House, Prince George's
County, 1777-1778 (Claims 1, 2; Loan Office 1).
OTHER STATE OFFICE: Executive Council, 1777
(elected on February 14, 1777, but declined to
serve in a letter dated February 24, 1777, citing
the smallpox epidemic in Annapolis as his reason).
LOCAL OFFICES: justice, Prince George's County,
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1746-at least 1766 (quorum, 1752-at least 1766);
churchwarden, Queen Anne Parish, Prince
George's County, elected 1747; Queen Anne Par-
ish Vestry, Prince George's County, in office
1748-1750, 1754-1760; justice, Court of Oyer and
Terminer and Gaol Delivery, Prince George's
County, commissioned 1759 and 1766; Committee
of Correspondence, Prince George's County,
elected 1774 and 1775; Committee of Observation,
Prince George's County, elected 1775; commis-
sioner of tax, Prince George's County, appointed
1779, 1782, 1783, 1785, 1786, and 1790 (declined).
WEALTH DURING LIFETIME. PERSONAL PROP-
ERTY: 17 slaves, 1790; assessed value £756.13.11,
including 18 slaves and 219 oz. plate, 1793; as-
sessed value £584.13.11, including 14 slaves and
219 oz. plate, 1794. LAND AT FIRST ELECTION:
2,955 acres in Charles, Prince George's, and Fred-
erick counties (inherited 1,164 acres from his fa-
ther, but sold it before his first election; obtained
another 1,757 acres from his father's estate, but
disposed of 584 acres of it before his first election;
500 acres through his marriage; at least 1,262
acres by purchase). SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN
LAND BETWEEN FIRST ELECTION AND DEATH:
transferred by deeds of gift to his children land
totaling 2,185 acres in Prince George's, Charles,
and Montgomery (originally Frederick) counties,
1783-1794. WEALTH AT DEATH. DIED will pro-
bated on January 12, 1796, in Prince George's
County. PERSONAL PROPERTY: size of estate un-
known. LAND: 769 acres in Prince George's
County.
CONTEE, THOMAS (ca. 1729-1811). BORN: ca.
1729 at "Brookefield," Prince George's County;
fourth son. NATIVE: second generation. RESIDED:
at "Brookefield," Prince George's County; Charles
County, by 1761; Prince George's County, by
1763; Charles County, by 1764; Prince George's
County, by 1771; Baltimore County, by 1785;
Prince George's County, by 1790 until death. FAM-
ILY BACKGROUND. FATHER: Alexander Contee (ca.
1691-1740). MOTHER: Jane (?-1779), daughter of
Thomas Brooke (ca. 1659-1730/31). HALF UNCLE:
Thomas Brooke (1683-1744). HALF AUNTS: Pris-
cilla Brooke, who married Thomas Gantt (?-1765);
Sarah Brooke (?-1724), who married first, William
Dent(ca. 1660-1704), and second, Philip Lee (ca.
1681-1744). BROTHERS: John Contee (1722-ca.
1796); Alexander (1724-1732); Peter (1726-ca.
1779); Alexander (1734-1744); and Theodore
(1736-1764). SISTERS: Jane (1728-1812), who mar-
ried John Hanson, Jr. (1721-1783); Catherine
(1732-1831); Grace; and Barbara (1741-1796).
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