Thomas Plater (May 9, 1769 – May 1, 1830) was an American lawyer and politician from

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 ...

. He represented the third district of Maryland in the

U.S. House The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

from 1801 to 1805. Thomas was born in

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

, and brought up on his father's plantation of ''Sotterly'' in St. Mary's County, Maryland. He was the fourth of six children of George and Elizabeth (Rousby) Plater. His father, George Plater, served Maryland in the

Continental Congress The Continental Congress was a series of legislature, legislative bodies, with some executive function, for the Thirteen Colonies of British America, Great Britain in North America, and the newly declared United States before, during, and after ...

and governor. As the third son, Thomas wasn't likely to inherit the plantation. He did follow his father's example in that he went to the

College of William and Mary The College of William & Mary (abbreviated as W&M) is a public research university in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States. Founded in 1693 under a royal charter issued by King William III and Queen Mary II, it is the second-oldest instit ...

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

and

read law Reading law was the primary method used in common law countries, particularly the United States, for people to prepare for and enter the legal profession before the advent of law schools. It consisted of an extended internship or apprenticeship un ...

. Plater was admitted to the bar and practiced law. He made his home in Georgetown and held several local offices before being elected to the 7th Congress as a

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

in 1800. He was re-elected to the 8th Congress and served until 1805. After Plater's congressional service he resumed the private practice of law. He later moved to Poolesville in

Montgomery County, Maryland Montgomery County is the most populous County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Maryland. As of the 2020 United States census, the county's population was 1,062,061, increasing by 9.3% from 2010. The county seat is Rockville, Maryland ...

, where he died in 1830.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Plater, Thomas 1769 births 1830 deaths College of William & Mary alumni Federalist Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Maryland American lawyers admitted to the practice of law by reading law Politicians from Annapolis, Maryland People from Georgetown (Washington, D.C.) Maryland lawyers 19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives