The Deterioration of Benedict Swingate Calvert's Mt. Airy Plantation, Prince George's County, Maryland

My husband and I visited my fourth great-grandfather's Mt. Airy Plantation in Prince George's County, Maryland, in April.  We had visited many years ago and were surprised and disheartened by its current state of disrepair.   It is obvious that the history of the house and environs has been forgotten and/or undervalued.  

Benedict Swingate Calvert, son of Charles Calvert, 5th Lord Baltimore, purchased the land on "His Lordship's Kindness" near Upper Marlboro, Maryland in 1751.   Some historians suggest that the building is also attached to what was a hunting lodge owned by Benedict's great-grandfather, 3rd Lord Baltimore, in the 1670's.  Whatever was there reportedly burned to the ground in 1752, after which Benedict built his mansion.

The unkempt state of the driveway and grounds are startling compared to its former grandeur

The deteriorating brick portion of the mansion which probably contains the remains of the 1670's hunting lodge.

The decaying stables are also in need of work.  A garden club currently uses them for growing seedlings.

Mt. Airy Mansion is significant for Maryland and American History in a variety of ways, perhaps most noteworthy being:

• Benedict's daughter, Eleanor Calvert, married John Parke Custis, George Washington's stepson, in the mansion's parlour when Washington was present on February 3, 1774.
• On December 23, 1783, when Washington resigned his commission in Annapolis after the successful end of the Revolutionary War, he was chastised by many for staying at Mt. Airy with his Loyalist relative.  
• It was from Mt. Airy that Benedict wrote against the notorious Stamp Act to his uncle, Cecil Calvert, Lord Baltimore's secretary, on June 24, 1765. 
• Benedict worked tirelessly on behalf of the Maryland colony, for example, as a member of the Governor's Council, Patuxent District Collector,  and Land Judge beside his patron George Hume Stewart.

Benedict's son, George Calvert, resided at Riversdale with his wife, Roselie Steir Calvert and their children and slaves, also in Prince George's County.  One can only wonder why George Calvert's plantation is better funded than Mt. Airy.  See Riversdale here:  https://www.riversdale.org

I have written to state and county politicians and am awaiting their reply.

Visit to the Maryland Center for History and Culture in Baltimore, MD

On April 23 and 24, I was fortunate enough to visit the Maryland Centre for History and Culture in Baltimore, Maryland (formerly the Maryland Historical Society).  We stayed at the century-old Lord Baltimore Hotel where Martin Luther King, Jr. and Amelia Earhart had once visited.  

The Lord Baltimore Hotel

The hotel lobby

 

The Bank of America Building, originally Baltimore Trust Company Building (1929-1933) 

Waiting for the Maryland Center for History and Culture to open

The amazing Micah Connor, Library Associate and Archivist who helped me with my research, especially in finding family documents from the early eighteenth century

The H. Furlong Library at the MCHC.  I was so happy to finally be there.

Lady Charlotte Lee's Baptism

Over the past several months I have been studying the life of Lady Charlotte Lee Calvert Crowe (1678-1721), my sixth great-grandmother, also known as Lady Baltimore.  She was the granddaughter of King Charles II of England (1630-1685) and his mistress Barbara Villier Palmer (1640-1709), the Duchess of Cleveland, and the daughter of Charlotte Fitzroy Lee (1664-1718) and Edward Henry Lee (1677-1716), the Duchess and Duke of Litchfield. 

King Charles II and Barbara Villier Palmer, the Duchess of Cleveland

Courtesy of Wikipedia

The Earl and Countess of Litchfield 

Courtesy of Wikipedia

According to The Complete Peerage (2nd ed.), Lady Charlotte Lee Calvert Crowe was born at St. James Park on March 13, 1678, although her baptism is recorded as being on the same date:

Page from Baptismal Record from St. Margaret's Church, Westminster, England, from Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1934,

Courtesy of Ancestry

"Charlotte Lee, D. to Edward Henry, Earle of Leichfeild by Dame Charlotte"

at the bottom of the page

Courtesy of Ancestry

Charlotte Lee Calvert Crowe would become the mother of Charles Calvert (1699-1751), Lord Baltimore, who worked to re-establish the pre-revolutionary Maryland Colony; Benedict Leonard Calvert the younger (1700-1732) Governor of Maryland; and Edward Henry Calvert (1701-1730) Commissary General of Maryland.  She was also the great-grandmother of Eleanor Calvert (1753-1811) who married John Parke Custis (1754-1781), who was Martha Custis Washington's son and George Washington's step-son.  George and Martha Washington raised Charlotte's great-great grandchildren Eleanor Parke Custis (1779-1852) and George Washington Parke Custis (1781-1857) at their Mt. Vernon estate.  I've written about her grandson, Benedict Swingate Calvert, in the previous posting.

"The Highest Rank in England," Princess Amelia of Great Britain as Benedict Swingate Calvert's Mother

 

Princess Amelia of Great Britain (1711-1786)

Credit:  Wikipedia

Born at Herrenhausen Palace in Hanover, Germany, her grandfather became King George I of Great Britain at the death of Queen Anne in 1714.  Amelia and her family moved to London, taking up residence in St. James Palace, although as a result of family infighting, her parents were ordered to leave the palace while their daughters were raised by their governess, Jane Temple Bentinck, Dowager Countess of Portland (1672-1751).  George I left the care, education, health and recreation of his grandchildren entirely to her disposition.

Calvert family papers in my possession identify Amelia as Benedict Swingate Calvert's mother through Charles Calvert (1699-1751), 5th Lord Baltimore.  Because he was the great-grandson of King Charles II, Charles was a distant cousin to the royal family and became a close friend of Frederick, Prince of Wales, Amelia's brother.  

Amelia was known for being a brilliant horsewoman who did not always live according to societal expectations.  On one occasion, while riding with the much older Duke of Grafton, they reportedly lost their way in Windsor Forest, and spent the night in woodsman's cottage, returning to much consternation the next morning.  She is also thought to have been the mother of composer Samuel Arnold (1740-1802) as a result of a liaison with a commoner called Thomas Arnold.

A further development of my thesis can be found in Nancy Calvert-Koyzis, "'Of the Highest Rank in England': the Search for Benedict Swingate Calvert's Mother" [click on the title] found in the current issue of the Maryland Genealogical Society Journal.

Stay tuned for further postings about the scandalous separation and attempted divorce of Charles Calvert's brutal father, the 4th Lord Baltimore, Benedict Leonard Calvert (1679-1715) from his wife Charlotte Lee Calvert and Oxford antiquarian Thomas Hearne's relationship with their son, Benedict Leonard Calvert (1700-1732).

Charles Calvert, 5th Lord Baltimore (1699-1751)

Credit:  Wikipedia

Court Case Against William Baily for Assaulting Benedict

On March 8, 1736, a court case was heard in Annapolis, Maryland, against William Baily who was accused of assaulting "a certain infant child" named  "Benjamin" (Benedict) Swingate.  An image of the document is inserted below (please click on it to enlarge it):

The entry (part of which has been highlighted) says:

Whereas Information is made to the Court here that a Certain William Baily hath assaulted and Beaten a Certain Infant Child named Benj^a  Swingate which Said W^m Baily being Present in Court and not denying the fact its ordered that the Sher^f take the said Baily to the Publick whipping Post and give him five Lashes for this Offence af^d and Soon after the Sher^f Returns that he has Executed the Judgm^t of as he was commanded––  

This reference to Benedict places him in Maryland in 1736 rather than 1742, which has long been held to be his arrival date.  He is called "Swingate" in this entry because he has not yet been acknowledged by his father, Charles Calvert, the fifth Lord Baltimore.  He was acknowledged by 1742 because he uses his name, Benedict Calvert in documents by that date.  For more information, see A Chesapeake Family and their Slaves by Anne Elizabeth Yentsch in which she talks about the Calvert house in Annapolis, including Benedict and Elizabeth.  If you are interested, it can be ordered from Amazon or more cheaply from Thrift Books at https://www.thriftbooks.com/

(Maryland State Archives, ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY COURT (Judgment Record) 1736-1738, Liber IB 2, p. 122 [MSA C91-13, 01/01/08/029]; see also Anne Elizabeth Yentsch, A Chesapeake Family and their Slaves, p. 386, n.2.

 

Great-aunt Maude's Wedding Dress

 

Maude Elizabeth Calvert, daughter of Joseph Le Fevre Calvert and Mariah Leech Calvert was born on January 18, 1886 in Altoona and died on December 19, 1975, in Hollidaysburg.  I do not remember ever meeting her. but I do remember Dad talking about her.

In an Altoona census from 1940, she is listed as living at 2013 Seventh Avenue in Altoona.  The house is still standing:

According to Dad and Uncle Bill's notes, neither Maude nor Myrtle ever had any children due to concerns about possible genetic abnormalities because previous generations had been married cousins (Benedict Swingate Calvert and Elizabeth Calvert Calvert were cousins who married in 1748).  Apparently Myrtle, who was a nurse, and her sister Maude followed the principles set forth by Gregor Mendel (1822-1884) about dominant and recessive traits handed down through the generations which could result in genetic abnormalities when cousins intermarried.  

Maude married Roy Francis Klose (1882-1952) on September 12, 1911in Altoona at the First United Methodist Church.  Roy was a proprietor of a grocery and meat store.

Maude's wedding dress was given to me on a visit to Altoona when I was a teenager, I believe.  The dress has a lot of handwork which appears to my untrained eye to have taken a lot of time and talent.  I have posted photos of the dress below:

The entire dress from the front

Lacework on the front of the dress

More lacework on the front of the dress

Lacework on the back of the dress

Lacework on the bottom of the dress

The petticoat

Undated photo of Maude

Benedict's Slaves and Indentured Servants

 Owners of eighteenth-century plantations in Maryland generally had slaves who worked in their fields, particularly in the production of tobacco.  Our ancestor, Benedict Swingate Calvert, owned upwards of 150 slaves.  According to the Maryland Gazette, some of his slaves ran away.   Here are a couple of his advertisements for the return of runaway slaves:

And from June 17, 1756:

These advertisements give us a glimpse into eighteenth-century Maryland life and the horrors of slavery at the same time.  Significant rewards were offered for them; pistoles are European gold coins, particularly Spanish.  All three of them have injuries, presumably due to their difficult circumstances.  Both of these advertisements were found repeatedly in the Maryland Gazette.  I can only hope that this meant they had been successful in their escape.

Benedict also had indentured servants on his plantation.  They were generally thought of as not much more than slaves and slaves and indentured servants formed close bonds.  Here is an advertisement for another runaway indentured servant:

One wonders what their living conditions were like since the indentured servants also ran away.  Of course, Benedict was not the only Calvert to own slaves.  His son, George Benedict Calvert (1768-1838), who established Riversdale Plantation with his wife Rosalie Eugenia Stier, probably owned more slaves than Benedict.

Although further Calvert descendants who stayed in Maryland owned slaves, I find no mention of slaves in the few records I've found for our ancestor, William Michael Calvert (1770-1847), who went north to Pennsylvania while he was still a young man.  One can only hope that part of his reason for going north was so he would not have to participate in the despicable practice of owning other human beings.

Calvert Spectacles

Calvert spectacles from the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.  

One of them was in a case that had the name of Dr. Brewer, 1118 13th Ave., Altoona PA.

 

Michael Henry Calvert and Elizabeth Seip Calvert

 

Our great-great grandmother, Elizabeth Seip Calvert (1840)

Elizabeth Seip Calvert as she looked in 1889.

Our great-great grandfather, Michael Henry Calvert (c. 1875)

Elizabeth Calvert (1817-1890) was born on June 11, 1817 in Cumberland, Pennsylvania.  From the 1817 birth record, it appears she had a twin named Leah.  Her father's name was John Seip (1772-1840) and her mother's name was Margaret Darr Seip (1775 - ?).  Elizabeth was Michael Henry's second wife, as he had previously been married to her sister Susannah (1813-1845) who died at the age of 32.   

According to the records I have been able to find, Elizabeth had 4 children with Michael Henry:  Joseph L. (1846-1936), Sidmon M. (1851-1934), David B. (1855-1906) and Rebecca (1849 - ?).  Susannah previously had 6 children with Michael Henry: Elizabeth (1834-1888), John S., (1836-1888),  William H. (1838-1914), Susannah M. (1840-1905), Samuel (1841-1845) and Simon P. (1851-1924).  Elizabeth raised all the children and, of course, we are descended from her son, Joseph L. Calvert.

It appears that 1845 was a particularly difficult year as both Michael Henry's wife Susannah and their child Samuel died.  I have not been able to find a record for Michael and Elizabeth's marriage, but I assume it was not long after Susannah died, as Joseph was born on Nov. 18, 1846.  According to Michael's (1809-1879) obituary, he was born in Frankford Township, Cumberland. County, PA., and they moved into the Altoona area in 1846, but I think 1848 is probably a more accurate date (see below).

According to family records from 1934, Michael, Elizabeth and their family decided to go west, perhaps into Ohio.  They were travelling with the Seip family along the canal and and they arrived at Frankstown, near Hollidaysburg, when baby Joseph L. and Elizabeth became ill and the Calverts decided not to continue further while the Seips went into Ohio.  From the 1850 federal census we find the Calvert family in Blair County, Allegheny Township, before Altoona was incorporated:

 Michael's father was William H. Calvert (1770-1847), and his mother was named Elizabeth Deal/Diehl (1779-1848).  William H. was born at Mt. Airy in Upper Marlborough, Maryland, and moved up into Pennsylvania after the Revolutionary War.

From records I've found, it appears that at least three of Michael's sons fought on the side of the Union in the Civil War.  Simon P. Calvert then moved out to Saguache County, Colorado where he had a cattle ranch.  It appears that he never married or had children.  I've been able to find a few interesting stories about him which I will include in a future post.  

I should also include that Uncle Bill wrote that Elizabeth's photo from 1889 was used for the stained glass window that commemorated her at the Fairview Methodist Church in Altoona as one of the church's founders.  Dad mentioned Michael, Susannah and Elizabeth to me many times.  Perhaps you heard stories about our ancestors, too.  Please let me know of any stories you heard about the events I mentioned above.  I hope you enjoyed reading this post.

Benedict's Letter to Merchant John Alexander

 

Benedict Swingate Calvert's Letter

Mt. Airy, June 14, 1784

We purchased this letter from an antiquarian book site a few years ago.  In it, Benedict states, "I am greatly in want of some good Spirits for Sir. Robert Eden who I expect in a day or two.  Shall be obliged to you if you will buy for me ten gallons,  and send it by the bearer with a small box of Imported Candles.  I shall be obliged to you for the amount of the above articles that I may contrive you the money.  The family joins me in Compliments to Mr. Fitzgerald and I am Your Very Humble Servant, Benedict Calvert."

Baronet Robert Eden, who was the last Royal Governor of Maryland, lost his position during the American Revolution of 1776 and returned to England. He was married to Benedict's half-sister, Caroline Eden, which had continued the Eden-Calvert alliance before the Revolution.  Benedict is writing the letter to Mr. John Fitzgerald, who was a wealthy merchant in Alexandria, Virginia, and who had also been George Washington's aide-de-camp during the Revolutionary War.  Of course, Benedict and George Washington shared grandchildren and George Washington raised two of them:  Nelly Parke Custis and George Washington Parke Custis.   Here are a few more photos of the letter.  

This is the back of the letter where another hand has written Benedict's. name and the date.  You can also see where the sealing wax was.

And here is another page of the letter where he wrote the address after he folded the letter.  It was mailed to "Colonel John Fitzgerald, Merchant in Alexandria," with writing in the lower left corner that, I believe, names the person with whom he is sending the letter, "Mr. Alex Soaper."

Calvert Family Photos Early Twentieth Century

Below you will find Calvert photos from around 1916/17 to 1951.  I believe all of these were kept by Uncle Bill which he gave to my father at some point.  The photo below is especially precious because our great-grandfather, Joseph L. Calvert, is in the photo.  You can also see Martha, Willard and Roy in their much younger days.

Cottage at the Farm/1929 or 1930

First Row:  Joseph L. Calvert, Helen Grace Calvert, Roy L. Calvert, Jr., Roy L. Calvert Sr., Willard R. Calvert

Second Row:  Uncle Harry Calvert, Martha E. Calvert, Mary Jane Calvert, Uncle "K," Roy Klose, Welford Calvert

Here's another precious photo.  Not sure where it was taken.

Thanksgiving, 1951

First Row:  Barbara A. Mallam, Margaret Ann Calvert, Jane Louise Mallam

Second Row:  Joseph K. Calvert (1/2), Roy L. Calvert, Sr., Helen G. Calvert

Third Row:  Jeanetta Calvert, John H. Mallam, Martha E. Mallam

Fourth Row:  Roy L. Calvert, Jr., Willard Rigg Calvert II, Margaret E. Calvert, Willard R. Calvert

Unfortunately I don't see Ralph in the photos I posted today but I will be posting more photos in the coming weeks.  Hope you enjoy them!

Benedict Swingate Calvert 1

 Here is a Wikipedia article on Benedict that has some good information.  However the supposition that he is descended from Melusina de Schulenberg, Countess of Walsingham, is wrong.  Uncle Bill had letters from Benedict's descendants through his son George that point instead to Princess Amelia, daughter of George II, as being Benedict's mother.  These are in files that my father got from Bill that I then obtained.  I'm wondering if anyone else heard stories about Benedict?

Remembering our Ancestors

I've purposely made this blog private for the time being.  I have only invited Calvert family members who are descended from Roy L. Calvert Sr. and Helen Rigg Calvert.  I hope to post some of the information I find from my work on Ancestry.com and other web sites as we go along.  You will see pictures on the blog of George Calvert, First Baron Baltimore and Benedict Swingate Calvert, our fourth great-grandfather.  I have also posted links to St. Mary's City and Rosaryville State Park where Benedict's home, Mt. Airy, still exists.  I hope we all can enjoy the site.