George Calvert (February 2, 1768 – January 28, 1838), was a plantation owner and slaveholder in late eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century

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; ...

. His plantation house, Riversdale plantation, also known as the Calvert Mansion, is a five-part, large-scale late

Georgian Georgian may refer to: Common meanings * Anything related to, or originating from Georgia (country) ** Georgians, an indigenous Caucasian ethnic group **Georgian language, a Kartvelian language spoken by Georgians **Georgian scripts, three script ...

mansion with superior

Federal Federal or foederal (archaic) may refer to: Politics General *Federal monarchy, a federation of monarchies *Federation, or ''Federal state'' (federal system), a type of government characterized by both a central (federal) government and states or ...

interior, built between 1801 and 1807, and was 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. Calvert's wife, the Belgian-born heiress

Rosalie Stier Calvert Rosalie Stier Calvert (February 16, 1778 – March 13, 1821) was a plantation owner and correspondent in nineteenth century Maryland. A collection of her letters, titled ''Mistress of Riversdale, The Plantation Letters of Rosalie Stier Calve ...

, was an indefatigable correspondent whose letters, titled ''Mistress of Riversdale, The Plantation Letters of Rosalie Stier Calvert'', was published by the Johns Hopkins University Press in 1991. The letters range in date from 1795 to 1821, and illuminate the life of the Calverts' plantation household during the events leading up to and during the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It ...

.Callcott, Margaret Law, ''Mistress of Riversdale: The Plantation Letters of Rosalie Stier Calvert''
Retrieved August 17, 2010

Early life

George Calvert was born at his father's plantation home of Mount Airy,

, on February 2, 1768, the youngest son of

Benedict Swingate Calvert Benedict Swingate Calvert (January 27, 1722 – January 9, 1788) was a planter, politician and a Loyalist in Maryland during the American Revolution. He was the son of Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore, the third Proprietor Governor of Mar ...

, who was himself the illegitimate 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 penultimate Lord Proprietor 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 ...

Riversdale

George Calvert lived at the Riversdale plantation, also known as the Calvert Mansion, a five-part, large-scale late

mansion with superior

interior, built between 1801 and 1807. Also known as Baltimore House, Calvert Mansion or Riversdale Mansion, it is located at 4811 Riverdale Road in Riverdale Park,

. It was designated a

in 1997. Once the manor house and centerpiece of a plantation, Riversdale was built for Belgian émigré Henri Joseph Stier, Baron de Stier, who lived in the Brice House in

Annapolis, Maryland 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 ...

, immediately prior to building Riversdale. Stier planned the house in 1801 to resemble his Belgian residence, the Chateau du Mick. Four years later, Stier returned to

Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to ...

, leaving the unfinished Riversdale to be completed by his daughter,

and her husband George. The number of slaves employed at Riversdale varied from around fifteen in 1800 to thirty-two, as reported in the 1806 tax assessment.

Family life

George and Rosalie Calvert were married on June 11, 1799. The couple had a large family. Their son

Charles Benedict Calvert Charles Benedict Calvert (August 23, 1808 – May 12, 1864) was an American politician who was a U.S. Representative from the sixth district of Maryland, serving one term from 1861 to 1863. He was an early backer of the inventors of the t ...

established the

Maryland Agricultural College 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 ...

, now the

University of Maryland, College Park The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland. Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the University System of ...

, on part of the Riversdale property. Another son,

George Henry Calvert George Henry Calvert (January 2, 1803 – May 24, 1889) was an American editor, essayist, dramatist, poet, and biographer. He was the Chair of Moral Philosophy at the newly established College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Baltimor ...

(January 2, 1803 – May 24, 1889) was a noted editor, essayist, dramatist, poet, and biographer. Other children include: * Caroline Maria CalvertCallcott, p.376 *

– essayist, dramatist, poet, and biographer. * Marie Louise Calvert * Rosalie Eugenia Calvert *

–

U.S. Congressman The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

who founded what is now the

, chartered in 1856. * Henry Joseph Albert Calvert * Marie Louise Calvert * Julia Calvert * Amelia Isabella Calvert Rosalie herself died on March 13, 1821, according to her physician, "of a general dropsy affecting the whole system", at the relatively young age of 43.

Politics

In 1816 Calvert was approached by Maryland

Federalists The term ''federalist'' describes several political beliefs around the world. It may also refer to the concept of parties, whose members or supporters called themselves ''Federalists''. History Europe federation In Europe, proponents of d ...

who asked him to run as the Federalist candidate for Governor of Maryland. Calvert came from a long line of politicians; his ancestors had ruled the

. However, pressed by his wife Rosalie to avoid politics, he was persuaded to devote his energies instead to the economic well-being of his family. However, it seems he may have missed an opportunity, as the Federalist candidate chosen in his place,

Charles Carnan Ridgely Charles Carnan Ridgely (December 6, 1760July 17, 1829) was born Charles Ridgely Carnan.Gerson G. Eisenberg, ''Marylanders Who Served the Nation: A Biographical Dictionary of Federal Officials from Maryland'' (Annapolis: Maryland State Archives, ...

was duly elected that year.Callcott, p.277

Founding of the
Washington Jockey Club The Washington Jockey Club was an American association in Washington, D.C. devoted to horse racing, founded in 1797. The Club established its first racecourse four blocks from the Executive Mansion where it extended from 17th and 20th Streets ...

In 1802 the Club sought a new sight for the tract, as the current one that lay the rear of what is now the site of Decatur House at H Street and Jackson Place, crossing Seventeenth Street and Pennsylvania Avenue to Twentieth Street-today the

Eisenhower Executive Office Building The Eisenhower Executive Office Building (EEOB)—formerly known as the Old Executive Office Building (OEOB), and originally as the State, War, and Navy Building—is a U.S. government building situated just west of the White House in the U.S. ca ...

-was being overtaken be the growth of the Federal City. With the leadership of

John Tayloe III John Tayloe III (September 2, 1770March 23, 1828), of Richmond County, Virginia, was a planter, politician, businessman, and tidewater gentry scion. He was prominent in elite social circles. A highly successful planter and thoroughbred horse b ...

and

and support of Gen.

John Peter Van Ness Johannes Petrus "John Peter" Van Ness (November 4, 1769 – March 7, 1846) was an American politician who served as a U.S. Representative from New York from 1801 to 1803 and Mayor of Washington, D.C. from 1830 to 1834. Early life Van Ne ...

, Dr.

William Thornton William Thornton (May 20, 1759 – March 28, 1828) was a British-American physician, inventor, painter and architect who designed the United States Capitol. He also served as the first Architect of the Capitol and first Superintendent of the Un ...

, G.W. P. Custis, John D. Threlkeld of

Georgetown Georgetown or George Town may refer to: Places Africa *George, South Africa, formerly known as Georgetown * Janjanbureh, Gambia, formerly known as Georgetown *Georgetown, Ascension Island, main settlement of the British territory of Ascension Isl ...

and George Calvert of Riversdale, Bladensburg, Maryland, the contests were moved to Meridian Hill, south of Columbia Road between Fourteenth and Sixteenth Streets, and were conducted at the Holmstead Farm's one mile oval track.

References

Callcott, Margaret Law, p.390, ''Mistress of Riversdale: The Plantation Letters of Rosalie Stier Calvert''
Retrieved August 2010

Notes

Gallery

Image:Riversdale_Manor_3.jpg, Riversdale Manor in July 2007 Image:Calvert Cemetery Nov 2008.JPG, Calvert Family Cemetery in November 2008 Image:Calvert Cemetery Plaque Nov 2008.JPG, Plaque Commemorating the Calvert Family Cemetery in November 2008

External links

Calvert Family Tree
Retrieved Jul 10 2013
Riversdale website
Retrieved October 2010

Retrieved October 2010 *, including photo in 2003, at Maryland Historical Trust. Retrieved October 2010 * {{DEFAULTSORT:Calvert, George

George George may refer to: People * George (given name) * George (surname) * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Washington, First President of the United States * George W. Bush, 43rd Pres ...

1838 deaths 1768 births People from Mount Airy, Maryland