|
|
2nd, 1774 (chairman), 4th, 1775 (chairman), 5th,
1775 (chairman), 6th-8th, 1775-1776 (chairman
6th, 8th; did not attend the 7th Convention), 9th,
1776 (chairman); Senate, Eastern Shore, Term
of 1776-1781: 1777, 1777-1778, 1778-1779, 1779-
1780 (elected president at the beginning of the
3rd session to serve while Daniel of St. Thomas
Jenifer (1723-1790) was attending Congress; Jen-
ifer reassumed the presidency on June 15, 1780),
1780-1781; Term of 1781-1786: 1781-1782, 1782-
1783 (elected president on December 24, 1782;
withdrew as president on May 22, 1783, because
of illness), 1783 (did not attend; resigned on No-
vember 22, 1783). OTHER PROVINCIAL/STATE OF-
FICES: 1st Council of Safety, Eastern Shore, 1775;
Special Council, Eastern Shore, appointed 1780
(president 1781). LOCAL OFFICES: justice, Talbot
County, 1741-at least 1745 (no records 1745/46-
1746/47), by 1747-at least 1761, 1769-at least
1772, commissioned 1773 (did not serve), ap-
pointed 1778 (quorum 1749-at least 1761, 1769-
at least 1772, 1773 did not serve ); St. Michael's
Parish Vestry, Talbot County, elected 1743, 1762-
1765, elected 1767, elected 1779, in office 1784,
1788-1790; trustee, Charity Work School, St. Pe-
ter's Parish, Talbot County, in office 1750, 1787;
justice, Orphans' Court, Talbot County, ap-
pointed 1778; judge, Court of Appeals for Tax
Assessments, appointed 1786. MILITARY SERV-
ICE: captain, troop of horse, 1741. OUT OF COL-
ONY/STATE SERVICE: delegate, Continental Con-
gress, 1774-1776 (elected in June 1774, December
1774, April 1775, August 1775, May 1776, July
1776, and November 1776; no evidence of at-
tendance after December 1776). STANDS ON PUB-
LIC/PRIVATE ISSUES: Tilghman has been referred
to as the "Father of the Revolution" in Maryland
and is described by a modern historian as both
an "aggressive organizer" and a "reasonable man."
As chairman of seven of the nine meetings of the
Provincial Conventions, 1774-1776, including the
last, the Constitutional Convention of 1776,
Tilghman may be credited to a large extent for
the order with which Maryland made the tran-
sition from province to state. His obituary notes
that he was "ever considered as one of the finest
and most zealous advocates of civil and religious
liberties." WEALTH DURING LIFETIME. PERSONAL
PROPERTY: bequeathed by Matthew Tilghman Ward
(ca. 1676-1741) the slaves, livestock, and equip-
ment on Ward's plantations, plus one-third of his
personal estate, including the new goods in his
store and cash on hand; 104 slaves, Talbot County,
1776; assessed value £6,679.0.0, including 120
|
slaves and at least 420 oz. plate, Talbot and Queen
Anne's counties, 1783. LAND AT FIRST ELECTION.
ca. 7,150 acres in Talbot and Queen Anne's coun-
ties and 1 lot Ogletown, Queen Anne's County
(2,000 acres in Queen Anne's County and the
Ogletown lot inherited from his father in 1739;
2,821 acres in Talbot County inherited from Mat-
thew Tilghman Ward (ca. 1676-1741); 990 acres
in Queen Anne's County by patent; 100 acres in
Talbot County and 1,241 acres in Queen Anne's
County by purchase). SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN
LAND BETWEEN FIRST ELECTION AND DEATH: pur-
chased 532 acres in Queen Anne's County and
214 acres in Talbot County, 1752-1759; patented
40 acres in Queen Anne's County, 1759, and re-
surveyed and patented land adjoining his dwelling
plantation for a net gain of 155 acres in Talbot
County, 1760; purchased 2,000 acres in Queen
Anne's County with James Tilghman (1716-1793)
and 327 acres in Talbot County and 250 acres in
Queen Anne's County, 1762-1769; purchased 410
acres in Talbot County by 1780; sold probably
1,444 acres in Queen Anne's County and 135 acres
in Talbot County by 1780, and probably 523 acres
in Queen Anne's County by 1783; charged with
3,965 acres in Talbot County and 3,083 acres in
Queen Anne's County, 1783; gave his 1,000 acres
held with his brother James in Queen Anne's
County to his son Richard, 1783; patented 28
acres in 1786 and purchased ca. 850 acres in 1786-
1788, all in Talbot County. WEALTH AT DEATH.
DIED: on May 4, 1790, at "Rich Neck,'1 Talbot
County, of a paralytic stroke; buried in the family
cemetery at "Rich Neck." PERSONAL PROPERTY:
size of personal estate unknown. LAND: probably
ca. 7,900 acres in Talbot and Queen Anne's coun-
ties.
TILGHMAN, MATTHEW (1760-1801). BORN:
on June 5, 1760, in Queen Anne's County; fourth
son of father. NATIVE: fourth generation. RE-
SIDED: in Queen Anne's County; in Kent County
by January 1786. FAMILY BACKGROUND. FATHER:
Edward Tilghman (1713-1785), son of Richard
Tilghman (1672/73-1738/39). MOTHER: Julianna
Carroll (ca. 1729-?). UNCLES: William Tilghman
(1711-1782); James Tilghman (1716-1793); Mat-
thew Tilghman (1717/18-1790). AUNTS: Mary
Tilghman (1702-ca. 1736), who married James
Earle,Jr. (ca. 1694-1739); Henrietta Maria
Tilghman (1707-1771), who married first, George
Robins (1697-1742), and second, William Golds-
borough (1709-1760); Anna Maria Tilghman
(1709-1763), who married first, William Hemsley
827
|
|
