Benedict Leonard Calvert (20 September 1700 – 1 June 1732) was the 15th

Proprietary Governor Proprietary colonies were a type of colony in English America which existed during the early modern period. In English overseas possessions established from the 17th century onwards, all land in the colonies belonged to the Crown, which held ul ...

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...

from 1727 through 1731, appointed by his older brother,

Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore, (29 September 1699 – 24 April 1751) was a British politician and colonial administrator who served as the proprietary governor of the Province of Maryland. He inherited the title to Maryland aged just f ...

(1699–1751). He was named after his father,

Benedict Calvert, 4th Baron Baltimore Benedict Leonard Calvert, 4th Baron Baltimore (21 March 1679 – 16 April 1715) was a British colonial administrator and politician who represented Harwich in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1714 to 1715. He was the second son of ...

(1679–1715). Calvert had

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB), also known colloquially as the "white death", or historically as consumption, is a contagious disease usually caused by ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can al ...

and died from it on board the family ship, ''The Charles'', on 1 June 1732, while returning to his home in

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

, aged 31.

Early life

Like many young aristocrats in 18th-century England, Calvert was sent on a Grand Tour of

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

, travelling there from 1724 to 1725. During this time he studied Italian architecture and antiquities, collecting many items which were sent back to the family home at

Woodcote Park Woodcote Park is a Grade II* listed stately home and estate of about near Epsom, Surrey, England, currently owned by the Royal Automobile Club. It was formerly the seat of a number of prominent English families, including the Calvert family, B ...

Surrey Surrey () is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Greater London to the northeast, Kent to the east, East Sussex, East and West Sussex to the south, and Hampshire and Berkshire to the wes ...

Governor of Maryland

In 1727 the young Benedict Calvert was sent to Maryland by his older brother Lord Baltimore, with instructions to take over the governorship of the colony, replacing his cousin Captain Charles Calvert.Yentsch, Anne E., p.61, ''A Chesapeake Family and their Slaves: a Study in Historical Archaeology'', Cambridge University Press (1994)
Retrieved Jan 2010 The handover of power from cousin to cousin was not entirely smooth. Captain Calvert insisted on retaining fifty percent of the three-pence tobacco duty which was his due under legislation passed in 1727. Benedict was not impressed, and his younger brother Cecilius wrote to him that family opinion in England was appalled at Captain Calvert's behaviour, and "thinks him mad". Lord Baltimore himself wrote that Benedict should receive the full benefit of the tax. Benedict Calvert was replaced as Governor by

Samuel Ogle Samuel Ogle ( 1694 – 3 May 1752) was the 16th, 18th and 20th Proprietary Governor of Maryland from 1731 to 1732, 1733 to 1742, and 1746/1747 to 1752. Background The Ogle family was quite prominent for many centuries in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, No ...

in 1731. On arrival in Maryland, Ogle wrote to Lord Baltimore that his brother was "much worse than I imagined, and which I believe has not been mended very much by the help of Physik, of which he takes more than anyone I ever knew in my life". Calvert was elected a

fellow of the Royal Society Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the Fellows of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural science, natural knowledge, incl ...

in March, 1731.

Death

Calvert had

and died of consumption on board the family ship, ''The Charles'' on 1 June 1732, while returning to his home in England. He was

buried at sea Burial at sea is the disposal of human remains in the ocean, normally from a ship, boat or aircraft. It is regularly performed by navies, and is done by private citizens in many countries. Burial-at-sea services are conducted at many different ...

.Yentsch, Anne E., p.93, ''A Chesapeake Family and their Slaves: a Study in Historical Archaeology'', Cambridge University Press (1994)
Retrieved January 2010 He left an estate worth around ten thousand pounds sterling, a large sum at the time, to his younger brother Cecilius Calvert.

Legacy

Calvert had no children of his own, but he was godfather to Elizabeth Calvert, daughter of his cousin Captain Charles Calvert. In his will, which he drew up before leaving Maryland, he left her a slave boy named Osmyn. The town of

Leonardtown, Maryland Leonardtown is a town in and the county seat of St. Mary's County, Maryland, St. Mary's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 4,563 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Historic Leonardtown includes both a Leonardtown Hig ...

is named in his honor.

Notes

References

Yentsch, Anne E, ''A Chesapeake Family and their Slaves: a Study in Historical Archaeology'', Cambridge University Press (1994)
Retrieved January 2010
RootsWeb

External links

Calvert Family Tree
Retrieved 31 July 2024

Retrieved 30 January 2010 {{DEFAULTSORT:Calvert, Benedict Leonard 1732 deaths 1700 births Colonial governors of Maryland Benedict Leonard Calvert Younger sons of barons Fellows of the Royal Society