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and later also took his son Thomas as a partner.
He imported African slaves in partnership with
Samuel Galloway on the account of James Clem-
ents and Company, Liverpool merchants. He also
acted as a factor for Sedgley and Cheston, Lon-
don merchants. PUBLIC CAREER. LEGISLATIVE
SERVICE: Lower House, Kent County, 1761
(elected to the 3rd Convention of the 1758-1761
Assembly to fill vacancy; Bills of Credit Cv 3),
1762-1763 (Elections 1, 2; Bills of Credit 1, 2;
Public Offices 1, 2), 1765-1766 (Bills of Credit
2, 4; Public Offices 3, 4), 1768-1770 (Laws to
Expire 4; Claims 1-4), 1771 (elected, but did not
attend). OTHER PROVINCIAL OFFICE: a member of
the Stamp Act Congress, which met in New York
City in October 1765. Ringgold and two other
Marylanders joined delegates from several col-
onies in adopting the Declaration of Grievances,
which declared that the American colonists could
never be taxed by the British Parliament because
they were not represented in that body. Upon his
appointment to this Congress, he was called "one
of the most brilliant and experienced statesman"
of his day. STANDS ON PUBLIC/PRIVATE ISSUES:
provided a legacy in his will for the Free School
of Kent County. WEALTH DURING LIFETIME. LAND
AT FIRST ELECTION: 2,242 acres in Kent County,
plus 1 water lot and three-fourths of another lot
in Chestertown (1,108 acres, plus both lots, by
purchase; 1,231 acres inherited from his father
and grandfather; 137 acres through foreclosure
on a mortgage). SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN LAND
BETWEEN FIRST ELECTION AND DEATH: purchased
3,812 acres in Kent County between 1759 and
1769; owned an additional 2,542 acres as reflected
in the debt books for 1769, which may have been
inherited family land; purchased a lot in Ches-
tertown in 1760, which he sold in 1761, plus 4
other town lots and 1 water lot between 1760 and
1768; patented 1,813 acres in Kent County be-
tween 1759 and 1769; purchased 18,100 acres in
Frederick County, composed of Conococheague
Manor and 7 other large tracts, in 1770, and be-
tween 1768 and 1770 purchased 3,020 acres in
Queen Anne's and Dorchester counties; owned
with his brother William 592 acres in Kent County
in the late 1760s (50 acres of this was obtained
through an attachment and land condemnation);
sold 1,964 acres in Kent County, plus 1 lot in
Chestertown, between 1761 and 1771. Ringgold
also held mortgages on at least 3,827 acres in
Kent, Baltimore, and Dorchester counties be-
tween 1750 and 1771. WEALTH AT DEATH. DIED:
on April 1, 1772, in Kent County. PERSONAL
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PROPERTY: requested no inventory or appraisal
of his estate. LAND: ca. 30,000 acres in Kent,
Frederick, Queen Anne's, and Dorchester coun-
ties, plus 4 town lots and 1 water lot in Chester-
town. He owned with his brother 592 acres in
Kent County.
RINGGOLD, THOMAS (1744-1776) BORN: on
December 4, 1744, in Kent County; only child.
NATIVE: sixth generation. RESIDED: in Chester-
town, Kent County. FAMILY BACKGROUND. FATHER:
Thomas Ringgold (1715-1772). MOTHER. Anna
Maria (ca. 1725-ca. 1795), daughter of James
Earle, Jr. (ca. 1694-1739) and wife Mary Tilgh-
man (1702-ca. 1736). UNCLES: Richard Tilghman
Earle (1728/29-1788); Michael Earle (1722-1787);
and William Ringgold (ca. 1723-1789), a possible
legislator. HALF UNCLE. Joseph Earle (1739-1777).
AUNTS: Sarah Ringgold, who married Alexander
Williamson (ca. 1712-1760); Henrietta Maria Earle
(1730-1767), who married William Hemsley (1736/
37-1812). FIRST COUSIN: Samuel Earle (1756-
1790). MARRIED Mary (1746-?), daughter of
Samuel Galloway (1720-1785) and wife Anne
Chew (1725-1756). Her brothers were John (1748-
1810), who married in 1786 Sarah Chew; Samuel
(1751-?); and Benjamin Galloway (1752-1831).
Her sister was Anne (1755-?), who married in
1775 James Cheston. CHILDREN. SONS: Thomas
(1768-1818), who married in 1795 Mary Gittings,
daughter of James Gittings (1735-ca.1823); Sam-
uel (1770-?); Benjamin (1774-1798); and Tench
(1776-?), who married in 1799 Mary Christian
Lee. DAUGHTER: Anne Maria (1772-1817), who
married Col. Frisby Tilghman (1773-1847). PRI-
VATE CAREER. EDUCATION: literate; in his will he
provided for a scholastic education for his sons,
and requested they learn some business or profes-
sion. RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION: Anglican, Chester
Parish, Kent County. SOCIAL STATUS AND ACTIV-
ITIES: Esq., by 1769. OCCUPATIONAL PROFILE:
merchant in Chestertown in partnership with his
father, Thomas Ringgold (1715 -1772), and uncle,
William Ringgold (ca. 1723-1789), a possible leg-
islator. PUBLIC CAREER. LEGISLATIVE SERVICE.
Conventions, Kent County, 1st, 1774, 3rd, 1774,
4th, 1775, 5th, 1775, 6th-8th, 1775-1776 (elected
to the 6th Convention to fill vacancy), 9th, 1776
(Loan Office; died during the Convention). LO-
CAL OFFICE: Chester Parish Vestry, Kent County,
1774. WEALTH DURING LIFETIME. PERSONAL PROP-
ERTY: upon the death of his father in 1772, Ring-
gold received two-thirds of the stock in trade from
the partnership with his father and his uncle, which
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