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(elected in December 1774, but no meetings of
Congress were held), 1775-1776 (elected in April
1775, August 1775, May 1776, July 1776, and
November 1776; no evidence of attendance after
October 1776), 1777 (elected in February 1777,
but did not attend; declined to serve on February
22, 1777), 1777-1778 (elected in December 1777,
but did not attend until September 1778), 1783-
1784 (elected in November 1783, but did not at-
tend until March 1784); delegate, Federal Con-
vention that formed the Constitution, 1787
(elected, but declined to serve). ADDITIONAL
COMMENT: one of the four Maryland delegates to
the Continental Congress who signed the Dec-
laration of Independence. WEALTH DURING LIFE-
TIME. PERSONAL PROPERTY: assessed Value
£1,574.11.6, including 32 slaves and 157 oz. plate,
1783; wife's dower, £1,000.0.0. LAND AT FIRST
ELECTION: 442 acres in Charles County, which he
purchased from his uncle Daniel Jenifer (by 1729-
1795). SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN LAND BETWEEN
FIRST ELECTION AND DEATH: purchased 2,406 acres
in Charles County (of which 206 acres were con-
fiscated British property) between 1777 and 1785;
secured 13-year lease on 20 acres, which in-
cluded a mill seat, mill, mill stones, and houses,
1782; purchased from his uncle, Daniel Jenifer (by
1729-1795), a house and lot in Annapolis, plus
three adjoining lots and two lots directly oppo-
site, 1783; by 1783 owned 175 acres of "Poynton
Manor," the ancestral home of the Stone family,
which he probably inherited; purchased one-fourth
of a one-tenth share of the Baltimore Iron Works
as confiscated British property, 1784. WEALTH AT
DEATH. DIED: on October 5, 1787, in Alexandria,
Virginia; buried at his estate, "Haber de Ven-
ture," in Charles County. ADDITIONAL COM-
MENT: When his wife died suddenly on June 1,
1787, Thomas retired from public office, and on
the advice of his doctors planned a sea voyage to
recover from his despondency. He died in Al-
exandria while awaiting the ship. PERSON AL PROP-
ERTY: TEV, at least £2,665.10.1 (including at least
25 slaves and a library of 530 law volumes and
258 other volumes). ADDITIONAL COMMENT: By
1798 a total of £4,189.18.10 had been added to
Stone's estate from both sperate debts and sales.
In 1809, 15 slaves, valued at $3,090, were given
to the estate in payment of a debt owed by the
estate of Stone's uncle, Daniel of St. Thomas Jen-
ifer (1723- 1790). LAND: ca. 3,000 acres in Charles
County; eight years remaining on a lease to 20
acres of mill land in Charles County; a house and
4 adjoining lots in Annapolis; one-fourth of one-
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tenth share of the Baltimore Iron Works, acreage
not known.
STONE, WILLIAM (ca. 1603-ca. 1659/60). BORN.
ca. 1603, in England. IMMIGRATED: in 1648 or
1649, as a free adult with wife and children from
Virginia. RESIDED: in St. Mary's County; Charles
County. FAMILY BACKGROUND. UNCLE: Thomas
Stone, a merchant, of London. BROTHERS: An-
drew; John; Matthew; and Richard. MARRIED by
1640 Verlinda (?-1675), daughter of Thomas
Graves (?-ca. 1636) and wife Katherine. Her
brothers were John (by 1605-by 1640); Thomas
(ca. 1617-by 1674); and Francis (ca. 1630-by
1691), who married by 1678 Jane. Her sisters were
Ann (1620-1683), who married first, by 1637,
Rev. William Cotton, second, by 1642, Rev. Na-
thaniel Eaton, and third, ca. 1657, Rev. Francis
Doughty; Katherine, who married first, William
Roper, of Accomack County, Virginia, and sec-
ond, Thomas Sprigg (1630-1704) of Calvert
County, Maryland. CHILDREN. SONS: Thomas (ca.
1635-1676), a justice of Charles County in 1661,
who married Mary; Richard (?-1667); John Stone
(ca. 1648-1697); and Matthew (?-1676), clerk
of Charles County, 1674-1676, who married
Margery. DAUGHTERS: Elizabeth, who married in
1661/62 William Calvert (ca. 1642/43-1682); Mary,
who married first, John Thomas (?-1673) of Staf-
ford County, Virginia and Charles County, and
second, Robert Doyne (?-1689); and Catherine.
PRIVATE CAREER. EDUCATION: literate. RELIGIOUS
AFFILIATION: Anglican, probably had Puritan
leanings. SOCIAL STATUS AND ACTIVITIES: immi-
grated to Virginia by 1628 as an agent of his uncle,
Thomas Stone; owned 5,250 acres in Virginia in
1640; was a recognized political leader in Virginia
with strong ties to the English and Chesapeake
Puritan communities when Lord Baltimore ap-
pointed him governor in 1648; recruited a sub-
stantial number of Virginia Protestants to Mary-
land; received Poynton Manor in 1654 for his
"laudable services," and for transporting himself,
his wife, four children, and four servants. OC-
CUPATIONAL PROFILE: planter. PUBLIC CAREER.
LEGISLATIVE SERVICE: Upper House, 1658 (did
not attend). OTHER PROVINCIAL OFFICES: gover-
nor, 1648-1656 (replaced March 29- June 28, 1652,
and 1654-1656, by the Parliamentary Commis-
sioners); Council, 1656-ca. 1659/60; justice, Pro-
vincial Court, 1657/58-ca. 1659/60. MILITARY
SERVICE: captain, by 1659. OUT OF COLONY SERV-
ICE: Hungar's Parish Vestry, Accomack County,
Virginia, 1635; sheriff, Accomack County, 1634,
788
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