Benedict Swingate Calvert (January 27, 1722 – January 9, 1788) was a planter, politician and a

Loyalist Loyalism, in the United Kingdom, its overseas territories and its former colonies, refers to the allegiance to the British crown or the United Kingdom. In North America, the most common usage of the term refers to loyalty to the British Cro ...

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; ...

during the

American Revolution The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revolu ...

. He was the son of

Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore, (29 September 1699 – 24 April 1751) was a British nobleman and Proprietary Governor of the Province of Maryland. He inherited the title to Maryland aged just fifteen, on the death of his father and gran ...

, the third Proprietor Governor of

(1699–1751). His mother's identity is not known, though one source speculates that she was

Melusina von der Schulenburg, Countess of Walsingham Petronilla Melusina von der Schulenburg, Countess of Walsingham, Countess of Chesterfield (1 April 1693 – 16 September 1778) was the natural daughter of King George I of Great Britain and his longtime mistress, Melusine von der Schulenbur ...

. As he was illegitimate, he was not able to inherit his father's title or estates, which passed instead to his half brother

Frederick Calvert, 6th Baron Baltimore Frederick Calvert, 6th Baron Baltimore (6 February 1731 – 4 September 1771), styled The Hon. Frederick Calvert until 1751, was an English nobility, nobleman and last in line of the Baron Baltimore, Barons Baltimore. Although he exercised almo ...

(1731–1771). Benedict Calvert spent most of his life as a politician, judge and planter in Maryland, though Frederick, by contrast, never visited the colony. Calvert became wealthy through proprietarial patronage and became an important colonial official, but he would lose his offices and his political power, though not his land and wealth, during the

Early life

Calvert was born Benedict Swinket in England on January 27, 1722, the illegitimate son of

, proprietary governor of the

Province of Maryland The Province of Maryland was an English and later British colony in North America that existed from 1632 until 1776, when it joined the other twelve of the Thirteen Colonies in rebellion against Great Britain and became the U.S. state of Maryl ...

. His birth year has been variously given as 1724, 1730 and 1732, but the grave stone in the floor of the chancery of St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Croom, Maryland gives the date of January 27 1722.Find A Grave webpage for Benedict Swingate Calvert containing a photo of the plaque
Retrieved July 23, 2015 His mother's identity is not known. H. S. Lee Washington, writing in the

New England Historic Genealogical Society The New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) is the oldest and largest genealogical society in the United States, founded in 1845. NEHGS provides family history services through its staff, original scholarship, website,Melusina von der Schulenburg, Countess of Walsingham Petronilla Melusina von der Schulenburg, Countess of Walsingham, Countess of Chesterfield (1 April 1693 – 16 September 1778) was the natural daughter of King George I of Great Britain and his longtime mistress, Melusine von der Schulenbur ...

, the daughter of George I of Great Britain and his mistress,

Melusine von der Schulenburg, Duchess of Kendal Ehrengard Melusine von der Schulenburg, Duchess of Kendal, Duchess of Munster (25 December 166710 May 1743) was a longtime mistress to King George I of Great Britain. Early life She was born at Emden in the Duchy of Magdeburg. She was a daught ...

. According to a letter of Benedict's daughter-in-law Rosalie Stier Calvert dated 10 June 1814, Calvert's mother had been a woman "of the highest rank in England".

Arrival in Maryland

Old Annapolis, Francis Street MET DT218025

In around 1736 or 1737, the young Benedict was sent to the Calverts' proprietary colony of Maryland, which in the mid 18th century was still a somewhat sparsely settled, largely rural society. In 1730 the population of Annapolis was just 776.Yentsch, Anne E, p.260, ''A Chesapeake Family and their Slaves: a Study in Historical Archaeology'', Cambridge University Press (1994)
Retrieved Jan 2010 The population of colony was 120,000 at the time. According to the letters of Rosalie Stier Calvert, Benedict was personally escorted to Annapolis on a frigate commanded by Admiral

Edward Vernon Admiral Edward Vernon (12 November 1684 – 30 October 1757) was an English naval officer. He had a long and distinguished career, rising to the rank of admiral after 46 years service. As a vice admiral during the War of Jenkins' Ear, in 1 ...

, though this seems unlikely. On arrival, the boy was placed in the care of Dr George Steuart (1700–1784), an

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

-trained physician and a political ally of the ruling Calvert family. Steuart provided the boy with a tutor, the Italian Onorio Razzolini, the first immigrant of Italian descent to hold public office in the North American colonies. Benedict Calvert grew up at Steuart's "old-fashioned house" on Francis St in

Annapolis Annapolis ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Maryland and the county seat of, and only incorporated city in, Anne Arundel County. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east ...

, just off State Circle and a short walk from the

Maryland State House The Maryland State House is located in Annapolis, Maryland. It is the oldest U.S. state capitol in continuous legislative use, dating to 1772 and houses the Maryland General Assembly, plus the offices of the Governor and Lieutenant Governor. In 1 ...

. At least once he was beaten by a town bully; his attacker was brought before the County Court and whipped. In 1738 he witnessed a will under his childhood name of Swingate (or "Swinket"), and it is likely that at this time his father's identity was not widely known; later he would take his father's name. Dr Steuart's house was a short distance from the home of Benedict Calvert's second cousin, Elizabeth Calvert (1731–1788), whom he would later marry. Elizabeth was the daughter of Maryland Governor Captain Charles Calvert and his wife Rebecca Gerard, both of whom died young, leaving Elizabeth a wealthy heiress.

Politics and marriage

Through his family connections Calvert was able to benefit from considerable proprietarial patronage, at least until the

in 1776 ended proprietarial rule in Maryland. In 1745 he was appointed by his father the Patuxent district customs collector and naval officer, a post which permitted him to retain a portion of the customs fees. He also served as an Annapolis council member.Hammond, John Martin, p.187, ''Colonial Mansions of Maryland and Delaware''
Retrieved September 2010 Benedict Calvert would never return to England; nor would he meet his father again. Some time before his death in 1751, Lord Baltimore wrote to his son, offering advice on marriage:

Pray do not think of Marrying until you hear from me having some things to Propose for you, much for your advantage, and believe me I will never force Your Inclination, Only Propose what I think will make you most Happy, Afterwards Leave it to Your own Determination.

On April 21, 1748, Benedict and his cousin Elizabeth Calvert were married in St Ann's Church by the Reverend John Gordon.Russell, George, p.8, ''The Ark and the Dove Adventurers''
Retrieved Jan 28 2010 The couple, aged 18 and 17 years respectively, moved into Elizabeth's house at 58 State Circle, Annapolis. The marriage was announced in the

Maryland Gazette ''The Gazette'', founded in 1727 as ''The Maryland Gazette'', is one of the oldest newspapers in America. Its modern-day descendant, ''The Capital,'' was acquired by The Baltimore Sun Media Group in 2014. Previously, it was owned by the Capita ...

on April 27, 1748:

Last Thursday the Honourable Benedict Calvert, Esq., Collector of His Majesty's customs for Patuxent District, etc., was married to Miss Elizabeth Calvert, only surviving Daughter of the late Honourable Charles Calvert, Esq., deceased, former Governor of this province.Letters from Lord Baltimore to Benedict Swingate Calvert
Retrieved August 10, 2010

In 1751 Calvert's father

died, leaving his illegitimate son the estate of Anne Arundel Manor in

Anne Arundel County Anne Arundel County (; ), also notated as AA or A.A. County, is located in the U.S. state of Maryland. As of the 2020 United States census, its population was 588,261, an increase of just under 10% since 2010. Its county seat is Annapolis, wh ...

. Unfortunately, Lord Baltimore's legitimate son and heir,

, successfully challenged the will and invalidated Benedict's bequest, apparently worth £288 per annum. Despite the loss of his father's bequest, Calvert's career progressed steadily. In 1755 he became a Judge of the Land Office, sitting alongside his former guardian Dr. George H. Steuart. The Land Office had been created in 1715 to resolve disputes over title to land in the colony. By 1761 Calvert was wealthy enough to commission formal portraits of his four children: Rebecca, Charles and the twins Eleanor and Elizabeth, by the Maryland portrait painter

John Hesselius John Hesselius (1728–1778) was an American portrait painter who worked mostly in Virginia and Maryland. He was the son of the Swedish-born portraitist Gustavus Hesselius. He painted the portraits of many wealthy politicians and planters in ...

, three of which are today a part of the permanent collection of the

Baltimore Museum of Art The Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) in Baltimore, Maryland, United States, is an art museum that was founded in 1914. The BMA's collection of 95,000 objects encompasses more than 1,000 works by Henri Matisse anchored by the Cone Collection of ...

. In 1769 his half-sister Caroline Calvert married Robert Eden (the last royal governor and ancestor of Anthony Eden, British Prime Minister) who in the same year succeeded Governor

Horatio Sharpe Horatio Sharpe (1718 – November 9, 1790) was the 22nd proprietary governor of Maryland from 1753 to 1768 under the restored proprietary government of Maryland. Early life Horatio Sharpe was born in Hull, Yorkshire, England in 1718 to p ...

Governor of Maryland The Governor of the State of Maryland is the head of government of Maryland, and is the commander-in-chief of the state's National Guard units. The Governor is the highest-ranking official in the state and has a broad range of appointive power ...

. Eden and Calvert shared a love of horse racingYentsch, Anne E, p.264, ''A Chesapeake Family and their Slaves: a Study in Historical Archaeology'', Cambridge University Press (1994)
Retrieved Jan 2010 and Benedict Swingate Calvert would soon find himself appointed to the Governor's Council.Yentsch, Anne E, p.265, ''A Chesapeake Family and their Slaves: a Study in Historical Archaeology'', Cambridge University Press (1994)
Retrieved Jan 2010

Mount Airy Plantation

Portrait of John Parke Custis by Charles Willson Peale, ca

In 1751 Calvert inherited a plantation known as Mount Airy,Yentsch, Anne E, p.261, ''A Chesapeake Family and their Slaves: a Study in Historical Archaeology'', Cambridge University Press (1994)
Retrieved Jan 2010 originally a hunting lodge for his great-grandfather

Charles Calvert, 3rd Baron Baltimore Charles Calvert, 3rd Baron Baltimore (August 27, 1637 – February 21, 1715), inherited the colony of Maryland in 1675 upon the death of his father, Cecil Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore, (1605–1675). He had been his father's Deputy Governor si ...

,Yentsch, Anne E, p.262, ''A Chesapeake Family and their Slaves: a Study in Historical Archaeology'', Cambridge University Press (1994)
Retrieved Jan 2010 near Upper Marlboro in

Prince George's County ) , demonym = Prince Georgian , ZIP codes = 20607–20774 , area codes = 240, 301 , founded date = April 23 , founded year = 1696 , named for = Prince George of Denmark , leader_title = Executive , leader_name = Angela D. Alsobrooks ...

, where he grew tobacco.Maryland: Federal Writer's Project, p.465, ''A Guide to the Old Line State'', Scholarly Pr (1973).
Retrieved Jan 20 2010 Mount Airy was most likely a gift from his father, Lord Baltimore, who had ensured that Calvert would be provided with lands and revenues. Calvert began construction on the house at Mount Airy in 1751, expanding it considerably, to create the house which still survives today. Building continued in spite of a fire, rumored to be arson, in 1752.
Retrieved September 2010 By the 1770s Benedict Swingate Calvert controlled a large and profitable estate of around , with upwards of 150 slaves. He was also an enthusiastic horse breeder, training thoroughbreds and running them in competitions in Maryland and Virginia. According to the writer Abbe Robin, who travelled through Maryland during the Revolutionary War, men of Calvert's class and status enjoyed considerable wealth and prosperity:

aryland housesare large and spacious habitations, widely separated, composed of a number of buildings and surrounded by plantations extending farther than the eye can reach, cultivated...by unhappy black men whom European avarice brings hither...Their furniture is of the most costly wood, and rarest marbles, enriched by skilful and artistic work. Their elegant and light carriages are drawn by finely bred horses, and driven by richly apparelled slaves.

In 1774, Calvert's daughter

Eleanor Calvert Eleanor Calvert Custis Stuart (1757/1758 – September 28, 1811), born Eleanor Calvert, was a prominent member of the wealthy Calvert family of Maryland. Upon her marriage to John Parke Custis, she became the daughter-in-law of Martha Dandridge ...

(1758–1811), married

John Parke Custis John Parke Custis (November 27, 1754 – November 5, 1781) was an American planter. He was a son of Martha Washington and stepson of George Washington. Childhood A son of Daniel Parke Custis, a wealthy planter with nearly three hundred enslave ...

, son of Martha Washington and the stepson of George Washington. Washington himself did not approve of the match owing to the couple's youth, but eventually gave his consent,Letters of George Washington
Retrieved July 31, 2010 and was present at the wedding celebrations, which took place at Mount Airy.

American Revolution

As a member of the Maryland political establishment, Calvert was a

, and he soon found himself on the losing side of the Revolutionary War, the consequences of which would effectively end his political career. The Annapolis Convention of 1774 to 1776 would see the old Maryland elite overthrown, and Calvert, Eden and Steuart would all lose their political power. In 1774, as collector of customs for the

Patuxent River The Patuxent River is a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay in the state of Maryland. There are three main river drainages for central Maryland: the Potomac River to the west passing through Washington, D.C., the Patapsco River to the northeast ...

, Calvert wrote to the British authorities, describing the burning of The Peggy Stewart on October 19, 1774, the event which became known as the "Annapolis Tea Party". On May 13, 1777, Calvert was forced to resign his position as Judge of the Land Office.Yentsch p.269 As the conflict grew, Calvert became fearful of his family's safety, writing in late 1777 that his family "has been made so uneasy by these frequent outrages" that he wished to "remove my family and property where I can get protection".Yentsch p.272 Calvert did not leave Maryland, nor did he involve himself in the fighting, even though many other Maryland Loyalists went on to form a Maryland Loyalists Battalion. On occasion Calvert supplied the Continental Army with food and provisions. In spite of the war, on June 15, 1780, Calvert's daughter Elizabeth was married to Charles Steuart, son of Calvert's benefactor George H. Steuart, at Mount Airy.

After the war

After the war's end, Calvert had to pay triple taxes as did other Loyalists, but he was never forced to sign the loyalty oath and his lands and property remained unconfiscated.Yentsch p.270 Calvert's Loyalism does not appear to have affected his cordial relations with the leader of the Revolution, George Washington. Most likely this was because of the marriage in 1774 of Washington's stepson to Calvert's daughter. In 1783, after the war was over, Washington stayed with the Calverts at their Mount Airy plantation, shortly after resigning his commission in

on December 23.Yentsch p.270 Because Calvert was a known Loyalist, the visit drew much criticism from Washington's political enemies.

Family life

Benedict and Elizabeth Calvert had thirteen children, many of whom died in childhood or infancy: * Rebecca Calvert (born December 25, 1749) * Charles Calvert (1756–1777), who was sent to be educated in England at

Eton College Eton College () is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1440 by Henry VI of England, Henry VI under the name ''Kynge's College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore'',Nevill, p. 3 ff. i ...

and died young and unmarried.Yentsch, Anne E, p.266, ''A Chesapeake Family and their Slaves: a Study in Historical Archaeology'', Cambridge University Press (1994)
Retrieved Jan 2010 *

(1757/1758–1811), who on February 3, 1774, married

(1754–1781), son of Daniel Parke Custis and

Martha Washington Martha Dandridge Custis Washington (June 21, 1731 — May 22, 1802) was the wife of George Washington, the first president of the United States. Although the title was not coined until after her death, Martha Washington served as the inaugural ...

and the stepson of George Washington. Washington himself did not approve of the match owing to the couple's youth. Eleanor and John were the parents of

George Washington Parke Custis George Washington Parke Custis (April 30, 1781 – October 10, 1857) was an American plantation owner, antiquarian, author, and playwright. His father John Parke Custis was the stepson of George Washington. He and his sister Eleanor grew ...

, born 1781 and

Eleanor Parke Custis Lewis Eleanor Parke Custis Lewis (March 31, 1779 – July 15, 1852), known as Nelly, was a granddaughter of Martha Washington and a step-granddaughter and adopted daughter of George Washington. Childhood Nelly was a daughter of John Parke Custis and ...

born 1779. George married Mary Lee Fitzhugh. Their daughter Mary Ann Custis, born in 1807, married Robert E. Lee. Eleanor remarried in 1783 to David Stuart. * Elizabeth Calvert (1760–1814), who on June 15, 1780, married the physician Charles Mark Steuart (1750–1798/1822), third son of Calvert's former guardian George H. Steuart. * Philip Calvert, died young * Leonard Calvert, died young * Cecilius Calvert, died young * John Calvert (died after 1788) * William Calvert (died after 1788) * Robert Calvert, died young * Ariana Calvert (1763–1788) * Edward Henry Calvert (November 7, 1766 – July 12, 1846), who inherited Calvert's plantation at Mount Airy and married on March 1, 1796, Elizabeth Biscoe (1780–1857) *

George Calvert George Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore (; 1580 – 15 April 1632), was an English politician and colonial administrator. He achieved domestic political success as a member of parliament and later Secretary of State under King James I. He lost mu ...

(1768 – 1838), who in 1799 married Rosalie Eugenia Stier (1778–1821), the daughter of a wealthy Belgian aristocrat, Baron Henri Joseph Stier (1743–1821) and his wife Marie Louise Peeters. They lived at the Riversdale plantation, designated a

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...

in 1997.

Death and legacy

Benedict Swingate Calvert died at Mount Airy on January 9, 1788. He was buried beneath the

chancel In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar, including the choir and the sanctuary (sometimes called the presbytery), at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building. It may terminate in an apse. ...

of the church of St Thomas in Croom,

, Maryland, a church which Calvert had helped to found and maintain. Calvert's descendants continued to live at the Mount Airy plantation house until the early 20th century. In 1973, it was acquired by the

State of Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to it ...

and became Rosaryville State Park.

Gallery

File:Charles Calvert and his Slave.jpg, Charles Calvert and his Slave, painted by

1728–1778, 1761.jpg, Charles Calvert, eldest son of Benedict Swingate Calvert, painted by

in 1761 File:EleanorCalvert.png, Painting of Eleanor Calvert by John Hesselius, 1728–1778, File:Eleanor Calvert.jpg, Miniature of

(1758–1811), eldest surviving daughter of Benedict Swingate Calvert, . File:Elizabeth_Calvert.png, Miniature of Elizabeth Calvert (1760-1814), youngest daughter of Benedict Swingate Calvert, painted by

Benjamin West Benjamin West, (October 10, 1738 – March 11, 1820) was a British-American artist who painted famous historical scenes such as '' The Death of Nelson'', '' The Death of General Wolfe'', the '' Treaty of Paris'', and '' Benjamin Franklin Drawin ...

. File:George Calvert.jpg, George Calvert (1768 – 1838) by Gilbert Stuart 1804 File:ElizabethCalvert1761byJohnHesselius.jpg, Elizabeth Calvert, daughter of Benedict Swingate Calvert, painted by John Hesselius

Ancestry

Modern archeology

The Calverts' house at 58

State Circle State Circle is a circular road surrounding Capital Hill in the centre of Canberra, Australia's capital city. It is the outermost of the three concentric roads on the hill, with Capital Circle and Parliament Drive located within State Circle. ...

, Annapolis, was the subject of an archaeological dig in the 1980s and early 1990s. The results of the dig, along with much other research, were published in 1994 by Anne Elizabeth Yentsch in her book ''A Chesapeake Family and their Slaves'', published by Cambridge University Press. The excavation of the Calvert House was financed by Historic Annapolis Inc, the

National Endowment for the Humanities The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is an independent federal agency of the U.S. government, established by thNational Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965(), dedicated to supporting research, education, preserv ...

, and other institutions.Yentsch, Anne E, Preface, p.xxiii

Notes

References

Callcott, Margaret Law, p.390, ''Mistress of Riversdale: The Plantation Letters of Rosalie Stier Calvert''
Retrieved August 17, 2010
Hammond, John Martin, ''Colonial Mansions of Maryland and Delaware''
Retrieved September 2010 * Nelker, Gladys P., ''The Clan Steuart'', Genealogical Publishing (1970).
Russell, George, p.8, ''The Ark and the Dove Adventurers''
Retrieved Jan 28 2010 * Washington, George Sydney Horace Lee, p. 176, "The Royal Stuarts in America" ''New England Historical and Genealogical Register'' (July 1950).
Yentsch, Anne E, p.55, ''A Chesapeake Family and their Slaves: a Study in Historical Archaeology'', Cambridge University Press (1994)
Retrieved Jan 28 2010

External links

Calvert Family Tree
Retrieved Jul 10 2013

Retrieved Jan 23 2010 * ttps://web.archive.org/web/20160304200056/http://newsgroups.derkeiler.com/Archive/Soc/soc.genealogy.medieval/2006-01/msg00271.html webpage exploring possible maternity of Benedict Swingate CalvertRetrieved Jan 23 2010
Discussion at Wargs.com of Benedict Swingate Calvert's ancestry
Retrieved September 2010

Retrieved Jan 31 2010
Mount Airy Plantation at wildnet.com
Retrieved Jan 31 2010

Retrieved August 10, 2010

Retrieved September 2010 {{DEFAULTSORT:Calvert, Benedict Swingate 1730s births 1788 deaths Colonial politicians from Maryland People of colonial Maryland Benedict Swingate Calvert American Loyalists from Maryland American people of English descent American slave owners People from Prince George's County, Maryland American judges Steuart family 18th-century American politicians