Edward H. Calvert (b. 1766 - d. 1846)
MSA SC 5496-050680
War of 1812 Claimant, Prince George's County, Maryland, 1828
Biography:
Edward Henry Calvert was born November 7, 1766 to Benedict Swingate Calvert and his wife Elizabeth Calvert. Calvert's parents were first cousin's. His father, Benedict, was the illegitimate son of the Fifth Lord Baltimore, Charles Calvert. Edward H. Calvert grew up at the family home, Mount Airy, which he later inherited. George Washington was a frequent visitor if Mount Airy and wrote about it in his diary. Calvert's siblings included Charles Calvert who was painted with a slave by John Hesselius, Eleanor Calvert who married John Parke Custis, and George Calvert of Riversdale. Many of his other siblings died at a young age or at infancy.
Calvert married Elizabeth Biscoe, of St. Mary's County on March 1, 1796 at Mount Airy. Biscoe was not widely accepted in the Calvert family. Her husbands sister-in-law Rosalie Stier Calvert, wrote in a letter to her sister that Elizabeth Biscoe Calvert was "both narrow-minded and ill-natured, and no one can stand her". The Calverts had at least eight children, all of whom were born and raised at Mount Airy. In 1809, Edward H. Calvert was elected as one of the four delegates representing Prince George's County in the House of Representatives. In addition to Mount Airy, Edward and Elizabeth Calvert purchased a home in Annapolis. Although he had ample real estate, Edward Calvert went through years of financial distress. He owed his brother, George Calvert of Riversdale, $17,000 dollars by 1811. Over the years most of Edward's inheritance and holdings were handed over to his brother George. Edward H. Calvert still remained one of the largest landholders in Prince George's County.
Edward Calvert was a slave owner who owned a large labor force. James Gibbs Webster, grandfather of Mary Surratt, worked as the overseer at Calvert's plantation. Calvert's slave Ned fled from Mount Airy in 1794. The following year he manumitted his slave man Davey. He purchased three slaves, John, Sam, and Milley from James Smith in 1809. He lost four of his male slaves, Charles, John, Tom, and William, during the War of 1812. Following the war Calvert purchased a slave woman Letty from the estate of James Harvey. Calvert filed a claim to recieve reperations for his slaves that fled from his property. In later years he would have to mortgage some of his slaves to his brother in addition to the real estate that he could barely afford. In 1826 he sold a large number of his slaves to George Calvert.
Edward Henry Calvert died in Prince George's County on July 12, 1846.
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