|
|
the Frederick and Prince George's County hold-
ings were roughly 400 acres each and had appar-
ently been purchased before 1754. Between 1755
and his death, Tasker repatented three tracts in
Baltimore County for a net loss of 290 acres,
purchased 89 acres in Kent County and 1,327
acres in Prince George's County, and sold 550
acres in Calvert County, 200 acres in Frederick
County, and 1,000 acres in Kent County. In 1760,
as executor of his son's estate, Tasker took pos-
session of the 2,171-acre plantation "Belair" in
Prince George's County devised by Samuel Ogle
(ca. 1694-1752) to his son Benjamin Ogle (1746Y
49-1809), which had been held in trust by the
Taskers as executors of Samuel Ogle's will. Tas-
ker received the rents and profits of the plantation
until his death in exchange for £102.0.0 per an-
num paid to Benjamin Ogle (1748/49-1809).
WEALTH AT DEATH. DIED: On June 19, 1768, in
Annapolis, after an illness of about two weeks;
buried in St. Anne's churchyard, Annapolis. PER-
SONAL PROPERTY: Tasker devised a total of £15,000
sterling to his heirs, but no accounting of his es-
tate survives. His one-fifth share in the Balti-
more Ironworks sold for £6,150 sterling in 1770.
LAND: probably ca. 3,745 acres in Anne Arundel,
Baltimore, Prince George's, and Kent counties,
plus at least 7 lots in Annapolis.
TASKER, BENJAMIN, JR. (1720/21-1760).
BORN: on February 14, 1720/21, in Annapolis,
Anne Arundel County; only son to survive in-
fancy. NATIVE: third generation. RESIDED: in An-
napolis; also at "Belair," Prince George's County,
ca. 1754-1760. FAMILY BACKGROUND. FATHER:
Benjamin Tasker (ca. 1690-1768), son of Thomas
Tasker (?-1700). MOTHER: Ann (?-1775), daughter
of William Bladen (1670-1718). UNCLE: Thomas
Bladen (1698-1780). AUNT: Elizabeth Tasker
(1686-1706/7), who married Thomas Addison
(1679-1727). BROTHERS: William (1713-1715);
Benjamin (1717-1717); Bladen (?-ca. 1721);
Bladen (1722-1723); and Bladen (1730-died
young). SISTERS: Ann (1723-1817), who married
Samuel Ogle (ca. 1694-1752); Rebecca (1724-
1822), who married Daniel Dulany, Jr. (1722-
1797); Elizabeth (1726-1789); and Frances (?-
1787). FIRST COUSINS: Rebecca Addison (1703-
?), who married first, James Bowie s (?-ca. 1727/
28), and second, George Plater (1695-1755); Eli-
nor Addison (1705-?), who married fourth, Cor-
bin Lee (?-1774). NEPHEWS: Benjamin Ogle (1748/
49-1809); Benjamin Tasker Dulany (1752-1816).
NIECES: Mary Ogle (1746-1808), who married
|
John Ridout (1732-1797); Rebecca Lowndes
(1757-1802), who married Benjamin Stoddert (ca.
1751-1813). MARRIED never. CHILDREN. Died
without progeny. PRIVATE CAREER. EDUCATION.
literate. RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION: probably An-
glican. SOCIAL STATUS AND ACTIVITIES: Esq., by
1758; Hon., by 1760. ADDITIONAL COMMENT:
Tasker traveled to England, March 1749-Octo-
ber 1751, probably because of poor health. He
was active in thoroughbred horseracing and im-
ported the famed mare Selima, which he raced
successfully in Maryland and Virginia and retired
to ''Belair" as a brood mare in 1753. Her progeny
were equally successful on the track. Tasker's
obituary in the Maryland Gazette describes him
as a man "charitable without ostentation, cour-
teous without art, and in his friendships, steady
and sincere ..... uninfluenced by any other motive
than a sincere love of his country, he contributed
on every occasion, his best endeavours to pro-
mote its best interests...." OCCUPATIONAL PRO-
FILE, officeholder; planter; partner in the Balti-
more Ironworks Co. (having received a one-fifth
share from his father); partner with Christopher
Lowndes, a merchant, in the slave trade, 1752.
From ca. 1754 until his death, Tasker operated
the 2,177-acre plantation, "Belair," in Prince
George's County as a trustee under the will of
Samuel Ogle (ca. 1694-1752), although testimony
in a later court case indicates that he regarded it
as his own. Tasker imported breeding stock from
England; he maintained livestock owned by him-
self and by Ogle. During his tenure at "Belair,"
Tasker made improvements to the mansion house
and grounds, the mills, and the pasture land. He
planted fruit trees and fenced in a deer park. On
two acres of the garden he planted a vineyard
and, in 1759, made wine with partial success. PUB-
LIC CAREER. LEGISLATIVE SERVICE: Lower House,
Annapolis, 1742-1744 (elected to the 1st session
of the 1742-1744 Assembly); Upper House, 1745,
1745/46-1748, 1749-1751 (did not attend), 1751-
1754, 1754-1757, 1757-1758, 1758-1760 (died
before the 3rd Convention of the 1758-1761 As-
sembly). OTHER PROVINCIAL OFFICES: naval of-
ficer, Annapolis, commissioned September 1742-
December 1755 (resigned); riding surveyor of
Bohemia and Sassafras, December 1743-death;
Council, 1744/45 (qualified February 26, 1744/
45)-death; surveyor general, Eastern Shore, Oc-
tober 1747-1755; delegate from Maryland to Al-
bany Congress, 1754; deputy secretary of Mary-
land, commissioned December 1755 (sworn
January 1, 1756)-death. LOCAL OFFICES: common
801
|
|
