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because the freemen illegally appointed election
judges after the ones officially appointed failed
to act; reelected); Lower House, Prince George's
County, 1777. OTHER STATE OFFICE. Constitution
Ratification Convention, Prince George's County,
1788. LOCAL OFFICES: justice, Prince George's
County, appointed 1777 (did not qualify), 1779-
1786, 1793-1798; commissioner of the tax. Prince
George's County, appointed 1792, 1798. STANDS
ON PUBLIC/PRIVATE ISSUES: In his will, Sprigg
manumitted a number of his slaves and gave them
houses, personal property, and/or money. He di-
rected his executors to be "kind and friendly" to
the freed "servants" and to continue to treat the
old and infirm "in the same humane manner they
are accustomed to." WEALTH DURING LIFETIME.
PERSONAL PROPERTY: 43 slaves, 1790; assessed
value £1,383.10.0, including 24 slaves and 64 oz.
plate, 1796. LAND AT FIRST ELECTION: none. SIG-
NIFICANT CHANGES IN LAND BETWEEN FIRST ELEC-
TION AND DEATH, purchased his father's land and
dwelling plantation from his brother Joseph Sprigg
(1736-1800), which had been sold to pay his fath-
er's debts, plus additional land, including a mill,
totaling 629 acres, in Prince George's County in
1775; purchased 59 acres in 1778 and 181 acres
in 1787, and sold 36 acres in 1787, all land ad-
joining his home plantation; purchased 180 acres
in Prince George's County, 1786, but sold it by
1800; purchased 225 acres in Prince George's
County between 1787 and 1800. WEALTH AT DEATH.
DIED: in May 1815 in Prince George's County.
PERSONAL PROPERTY, assessed value $6,473.00
(including 51 slaves and 162 oz. plate), 1815. LAND:
1,054 acres in Prince George's County. Sprigg's
principal heirs were the children of his brother
Joseph Sprigg (1736-1800) and his sister Rachel
Harwood (1733-1808).
SPRIGG, THOMAS (by 1670-by 1739). BORN:
probably in mid- to late-1660s, in Calvert County;
eldest son. NATIVE: second generation. RESIDED:
at "Northampton," Western Branch Hundred,
Prince George's County; in London, 1722. FAM-
ILY BACKGROUND. FATHER. Thomas Sprigg (1630-
1704), who immigrated from Virginia in 1651;
justice, Calvert County, 1667-1674/75. MOTHER:
either Catherine (?-by 1668), widow of William
Roper of Accomack County, Virginia, daughter
of Thomas Graves (?-ca. 1636) of Accomack
County, Virginia, a Virginia Burgess 1629-1630,
1632; or, Eleanor, daughter of John Nuthall (?-
1668). BROTHERS OR HALF BROTHERS: possibly
John; Elias. ADDITIONAL COMMENT: Robert Tyler
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(ca. 1671-1738) was also raised in this household.
SISTERS OR HALF SISTERS: Sarah Sprigg, who mar-
ried (first name unknown) Pearce; Martha Sprigg,
who married first, Thomas Prather (1673-1712),
and second, Stephen Yoakley; Eleanor, who
married first, Thomas Hilleary, and second, John
Nuthall; Elizabeth, who married Robert Wade
(by 1657-1713/14), son of Zachary Wade (ca. 1627-
1678); Ann, who married Philip Gittings; and Mary
(?-1693/94), who married, ca. 1689, Thomas
Stockett (1667-1732), son of Thomas Stockett (?-
1671). HALF OR STEPSISTER: Verlinda Roper.
MARRIED Margaret (?-by 1739), daughter of Ed-
ward Mariartee (?-1688) and wife Honor. Her
brother was Daniel Mariartee (ca. 1676-ca. 1726/
27). Her sister was Elizabeth (?-1725), who mar-
ried Robert Levin. CHILDREN. SONS: Thomas (?-
1725), justice, Prince George's County, 1719-
1725, who married Margery (?-1783), daughter
of John Wight (?-1705); Edward Sprigg (1697-
1751); and Osborn Sprigg (ca. 1707-1749/50).
DAUGHTERS. Priscilla, who married in 1716, Ralph
Crabb (?-1733/34); Margaret, who married first,
Francis King (?-1726/27), and second, Richard
Keene; Eleanor, who married Henry Wright; and
Elizabeth (?-1787), who married first, Henry
Wilson, and second, Turner Wootton (ca. 1695-
1760). PRIVATE CAREER. EDUCATION: literate. RE-
LIGIOUS AFFILIATION: Anglican, Queen Anne
Parish, Prince George's County. SOCIAL STATUS
AND ACTIVITIES: retired abruptly in 1716 from all
offices; merchant in London, 1722. OCCUPA-
TIONAL PROFILE, planter; merchant. PUBLIC CA-
REER. LEGISLATIVE SERVICE: Lower House, Prince
George's County, 1712-1714, 1715. LOCAL OF-
FICES: justice, Prince George's County, 1697-1704,
1705, 1709-1715/16 (quorum, 1710-1715/16);
Queen Anne Parish Vestry, Prince George's
County, 1711-1715. MILITARY SERVICE: major,
by 1711; lt. colonel, by 1715. WEALTH DURING
LIFETIME. LAND AT FIRST ELECTION: at least 2,100
acres. WEALTH AT DEATH. DIED, between 1728 and
1739. LAND: gave away all lands to his children
between 1716 and 1722.
SPRIGG, THOMAS (1715-1781). BORN: in No-
vember 1715, in Prince George's County; eldest
son. NATIVE: fourth generation. RESIDED: at West
River, South River Hundred, Anne Arundel
County, by 1737. His home later became known
as "Cedar Park." FAMILY BACKGROUND. FATHER:
Thomas Sprigg (?-1725) of Prince George's
County, son of Thomas Sprigg (by 1670-by 1739).
STEPFATHER: Joseph Belt (ca. 1680-1761).
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