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Leonard Calvert (c. 1606 – 9 June 1647) was an English-born colonial administrator who served as the first proprietary governor of Maryland from 1634 to 1647.[2] He was the second son of George Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore, the first lord proprietor of the Province of Maryland. His elder brother Cecil, who inherited the colony and the title upon the death of their father in 1632, appointed Leonard as governor of Maryland in his absence.

Key Information

Early life

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Leonard Calvert was born in England to George Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore and his wife Anne Mynne, and was named in honor of his paternal grandfather, Leonard Calvert of Yorkshire.[3][4]

Colonisation of Newfoundland

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In 1625, when Calvert's father was created Lord Baltimore and received letters patent for the creation of a Province of Avalon in the island of Newfoundland from James I of England, he relocated part of his newly converted Catholic family to Newfoundland.

Leonard Calvert accompanied his father to the new colony of Newfoundland in 1628. The colony ultimately failed due to disease, extreme cold, and attacks by the French, and the family returned to England. After a few years, Baltimore declared Avalon a failure and traveled to the Colony of Virginia, where he found the climate much more suitable and temperate, but was met with an unwelcome reception from the Virginians' government and ruling class.[4]

Establishment of Maryland

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Calvert's coat of arms

In 1632, Baltimore returned to England, where he negotiated an additional patent for the colony of Maryland from King Charles I. However, before the papers could be executed, Baltimore died on April 15, 1632.[4]

On June 20, 1632, Cecil, the second Lord Baltimore, received from the king the charter for the colony of Maryland that his father had negotiated. The charter consisted of 23 sections, but the most important conferred on Lord Baltimore and his heirs, besides the right of absolute ownership in the soil, certain powers, ecclesiastical as well as civil, resembling those possessed by the nobility of the Middle Ages. Leonard Calvert was appointed by his brother as the colony's first governor.[4]

The Ark and The Dove

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Two vessels, The Ark and The Dove, carrying over 300 settlers, sailed from the harbour of Cowes, England, on November 22, 1633, arriving at just inside the huge harbor and bay (later to be named "Hampton Roads") at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, between Cape Charles and Cape Henry and passed off "Point Comfort" at the mouths of the intersecting James, Nansemond, and Elizabeth Rivers, in the colony of Virginia on February 24, 1634 (also later the site of the cities of Norfolk, Portsmouth and Virginia Beach on the south side and Newport News and Hampton on the northern peninsula). After exploring the area, a few weeks later they sailed up the Potomac River, north of the Virginia shoreline and the southern border of their new colony and landed on the northern shore at Blakistone Island (later renamed St. Clement's Island) on March 25, 1634, erected a large cross, gave thanks and celebrated a Mass with Fr Andrew White who had accompanied them (later to be celebrated as "Maryland Day", an official state and local holiday). Two days later, on March 27, they returned further south down-river near the point where the Potomac meets the Bay at what is now St. Mary's City, then the site of a Native American village of the Yaocomico branch of the Piscataway tribe, whom the paramount chief had moved away to accommodate the new English settlers, so as to take advantage of the trading opportunities of their more powerful technology: industries, weapons and implements, and they began the work of establishing a settlement there.[5]

Governor of Maryland

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Leonard Calvert monument in St. Mary's City

Following his brother's instructions, Leonard Calvert at first attempted to govern the country in an absolutist way, but in January 1635, he had to summon a colonial assembly, which became the foundation and first session of the modern General Assembly of Maryland, the third legislature to be established in the English colonies after the House of Burgesses in the Dominion of Virginia and the General Court in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In 1638, the Assembly forced him to govern according to the common law of England, and subsequently the right to initiate legislation passed to the new General Assembly, representing the common "freeholders" (owners of freehold property) as subjects of the Crown.

In 1638, Calvert seized a trading post at Kent Island established by the Virginian William Claiborne. In 1643, Governor Calvert went to England to discuss policies with his brother Lord Baltimore, the proprietor, leaving the affairs of the colony in charge of acting Governor Giles Brent, his brother-in-law (he had married Ann Brent, daughter of Richard Brent). Calvert returned to Maryland in 1644 with a new wife and children (William, born in 1643, and a daughter, Anne, born in 1644).[2] That same year, Claiborne returned and led an uprising of Maryland Protestants against the Catholic Proprietor. Calvert was soon forced to flee southward to Virginia. He returned at the head of an armed force in 1646 and reasserted proprietarial rule.

Leonard Calvert died of an illness in the summer of 1647. Before he died, he wrote a will naming Margaret Brent (the sister of Giles and a future, historically famous planter, lawyer, and female advocate for women's rights) as the executor of his estate. Calvert also named his friend and fellow passenger aboard The Ark and The Dove, Thomas Greene, as his successor to the governorship.

In 1890, the State of Maryland erected an obelisk monument to Calvert and his wife at Historic St. Mary's City which had a historical district created to commemorate the colonial origins of the colony.

Leonard Calvert's lost grave

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The location of Leonard Calvert's grave has been lost to history, but there is an effort[by whom?][when?] underway to find it. Archeologists[who?] based in the Historic St. Mary's City research complex believe[citation needed] that Leonard Calvert is buried somewhere in St. Inigoes, Maryland. The most likely spot[according to whom?] has been narrowed down to somewhere on Webster Field, now a small U.S. Naval Aircraft facility located on the water on the Western side of St. Inigoes. Several archeological digs[by whom?] have been conducted[when?] but the supposed grave has not been discovered.

Members of the Calvert family in the settlement were known[by whom?] to be buried in lead coffins. It is not known[by whom?] if this is how Leonard Calvert was buried. His death, due to disease, happened suddenly and unexpectedly after a period of religious warfare had wracked the colony. Soon after his death, one of the first laws requiring religious tolerance was written and enacted in the colony, further codifying its original proprietarial mandate of religious tolerance and reestablishing peace.

See also

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References

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Leonard Calvert

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Leonard Calvert (c. 1606 – 9 June 1647) was an English colonial administrator who served as the first proprietary governor of the Province of Maryland from 1634 until his death. The second son of George Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore, he was appointed to the position by his elder brother, Cecil Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore, who held the colonial charter granted by King Charles I in 1632. In November 1633, Calvert led approximately 200 settlers aboard the ships Ark and Dove, arriving at what became St. Mary's City in March 1634 after a stop in Virginia, thereby establishing England's fourth permanent North American colony as a haven for Catholics facing persecution in England. As governor, he managed military defenses, courts, finances, and relations with Native American tribes, navigating early challenges including trade disputes with Virginia settlers and skirmishes that prompted the construction of fortifications. During England's Civil War, Puritan rebels ousted him in 1645, forcing a temporary exile to Virginia where he assembled forces to reclaim control in 1646, restoring proprietary rule until his death from illness the following year. His tenure laid the foundation for Maryland's development, including policies promoting religious coexistence between Catholics and Protestants that presaged the colony's later formal toleration act.

Early Life and Family Background

Birth and Parentage

Leonard Calvert was born in circa 1606. He was the second son of George Calvert (c. 1580–1632), an English statesman who served as under King James I and was elevated to the peerage as the first in 1625 for his service to the Crown. His mother was Anne Mynne (1579–1622), daughter of George Mynne of , whom George Calvert married in 1604; she bore him several children before her death. Calvert's parentage positioned him within a prominent Catholic amid England's religious tensions, as his father resigned his secretaryship in 1625 partly due to his after converting to Catholicism around 1624–1625.

Upbringing and Influences

Leonard Calvert was born circa 1606 in as the second son of —a former principal to King James I—and his wife, Mynne (or Arundell). He received his name from his paternal grandfather, Leonard Calvert of Kiplin Hall, , reflecting the family's roots and ties to the Catholic gentry. The Calverts' adherence to Roman Catholicism, maintained despite state , exposed young Leonard to religious marginalization and the strategic discretion required of recusant elites in early 17th-century . His father's career profoundly influenced Calvert's , as George Calvert transitioned from court service to colonial proprietorship after resigning his secretaryship in 1625 amid his formal conversion to Catholicism. This shift emphasized self-reliant settlement as a refuge for English Catholics, a principle Leonard internalized through discussions and proximity to his father's Newfoundland venture, granted in 1621 and developed as the . Economic and political networks from George's Irish secretaryship (1610–1625) further shaped familial priorities toward proprietary colonies offering and feudal rights. Calvert's education aligned with that of a noble second son: he was literate with probable formal schooling in , governance, and practical administration, though no specific institutions are documented. At approximately age 22, in 1628, he joined his father in , confronting harsh climates, supply shortages, and Indigenous relations—experiences that honed his resilience and administrative acumen for later rule. These formative exposures, rooted in paternal ambition and Catholic ideals, prioritized pragmatic leadership over ideological purity in colonial contexts.

Involvement in the Newfoundland Colony

Journey to Avalon

In spring 1628, Leonard Calvert, then approximately 22 years old, accompanied his father , stepmother Lady Jane Calvert, several siblings, and about 40 additional settlers from to the at , Newfoundland. The expedition aimed to bolster the struggling colony through direct proprietary oversight, as George Calvert sought to address persistent challenges like inadequate and external threats despite prior investments. The group arrived in July 1628 after a typical of the era, which involved navigating unpredictable North Atlantic weather and potential hazards from privateers. This voyage represented Leonard's first direct engagement with colonial settlement, exposing him to the practicalities of proprietary governance in a remote outpost granted by King James I in 1623. Upon arrival, the Calverts found a rudimentary settlement established since 1621 under Edward Wynne, consisting of basic fortifications, fishing stages, and modest housing, but already strained by isolation and seasonal hardships. Leonard's presence underscored the family's commitment to as a potential feudal domain, though the harsh environment soon tested these ambitions.

Challenges and Departure

In 1629, Leonard Calvert was dispatched by his father, George Calvert, to the in Newfoundland as captain of a vessel charged with defending the settlement against French privateers who had been raiding coastal areas and disrupting operations. During this mission, Calvert exhibited resolve in countering French aggressions, including efforts to mitigate the and mistreatment inflicted on Avalon's inhabitants by these maritime threats. The colony's broader vulnerabilities exacerbated these defensive burdens: settlers endured extreme winters that froze land and sea from October to May, fostering outbreaks of and other nutrition-related diseases that decimated health and morale. Further compounding difficulties were direct assaults, such as the 1628 attacks by three French ships on , which demanded constant vigilance and depleted limited resources amid ongoing Anglo-French naval tensions. Economic pressures also mounted, with Newfoundland's migratory —central to Avalon's sustenance—declining sharply to about one-third of its early 1620s volume by 1629, undermining profitability and self-sufficiency. These intertwined environmental, health, military, and commercial hardships rendered sustained colonization untenable, particularly for a venture reliant on year-round settlement rather than seasonal . Calvert's departure from Newfoundland followed the culmination of these defenses in 1629, as his father abandoned that year, relocating southward in pursuit of milder climates and redirecting familial ambitions toward a new grant in the Chesapeake region. returned to thereafter, leaving behind a diminished outpost handed over primarily to transient fisherfolk, which effectively dissolved the Calverts' Newfoundland experiment and shifted focus to . This pivot reflected a pragmatic recognition that Avalon's rigors precluded viable Catholic refuge or economic enterprise, as evidenced by George Calvert's own correspondence decrying the "intolerable winter."

Appointment and Expedition to Maryland

Commission as Governor

Cecil Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore, received the Charter for the from King Charles I on June 20, 1632, granting him proprietary rights over the territory between the and the 40th parallel north. Unable to lead the expedition personally due to his Catholic faith and the need to manage affairs from amid religious tensions, Cecil appointed his younger brother Leonard Calvert as governor in 1633. This decision allowed Cecil to retain ultimate authority as proprietor while delegating operational command to Leonard, who shared the family's Catholic background but assumed the visible leadership role for the venture. The commission formally designated Leonard as "Lieutenant General" and , vesting him with extensive powers including command of military forces, adjudication of civil and criminal matters, collection of revenues, and appointment of subordinate officials such as a , surveyor, and , all subject to Cecil's directives and the colony's provisions. These authorities were modeled on English and proprietary precedents, emphasizing Leonard's role in establishing order, defending against threats like rival claimants (e.g., Virginia's ), and promoting settlement under feudal-like land grants. The document underscored the proprietary system's hierarchical structure, where the acted as the proprietor's direct agent rather than a royal appointee. This appointment aligned with Cecil's strategy to balance in the —promised to attract settlers—with practical , as Leonard's commission included oaths of to the proprietor and , avoiding explicit religious tests in early administration to mitigate opposition from Protestant interests in and neighboring colonies. Leonard's tenure began effectively upon departure from in November 1633 aboard the Ark and Dove, marking the transition from planning to execution of the Maryland enterprise.

The Ark and Dove Voyage

The expedition of the Ark, a vessel exceeding 300 tons, and the Dove, a 50-ton pinnace, departed on the Isle of Wight, , on November 22, 1633 (St. Cecilia's Day), carrying nearly 200 settlers to found the under the proprietary grant awarded to Cecil Calvert, Second Baron Baltimore. Leonard Calvert, Cecil's younger brother and appointee as first governor, commanded the voyage alongside Jesuit missionaries, including Father Andrew White, who chronicled the journey; the passengers comprised Catholic gentlemen adventurers, Protestant indentured servants, and crew, reflecting Lord Baltimore's intent for a colony tolerant of varied Christian denominations while countering Dutch and Swedish encroachments near . The enterprise represented a substantial investment exceeding £40,000, with Lord Baltimore contributing £20,000, underscoring the proprietary stakes in establishing self-sustaining governance and trade. The encountered initial fair winds but soon faced adversity, including a gale on November 25–26, 1633, that separated the ships; the Ark reached Barbados on January 3, 1634, after 42 days at sea, where a servant was reportedly thwarted, before reuniting with the Dove there on following stops at St. Christopher's for 10–14 days. The flotilla proceeded to Point Comfort in on February 24 (or 27), 1634, adhering to English maritime protocols by notifying colonial authorities, though tensions arose over the proprietary charter's boundaries; Captain Henry Fleet, familiar with Chesapeake indigenous languages, joined as guide. Calvert's leadership emphasized orderly navigation up the and , avoiding direct conflict while securing provisions and intelligence on native populations. On March 25, 1634— in —the settlers landed at St. Clement's (now Blackiston) Island in the Potomac, erecting a to claim possession and celebrating the first in the new territory, as documented by . Calvert then negotiated the purchase of Yoacomoco village lands from local werowances on March 27, establishing St. Mary's City as the capital with terms for annual gifts, cornhusks for trade, mutual protection, and relocation allowances, enabling peaceful settlement amid the Piscataway paramountcy. This foundational act prioritized pragmatic diplomacy over conquest, laying the basis for Maryland's early administration despite subsequent challenges like the Dove's wreck in mid-1635 and inter-colonial disputes.

Governorship of Maryland

Initial Settlement and Administration

The Ark and Dove expedition, led by Leonard Calvert, anchored at St. Clement's Island in the on March 25, 1634, marking the formal beginning of English settlement in the . Calvert, appointed by his brother Cecil Calvert, Second Lord Baltimore, directed approximately 200 colonists—comprising gentlemen, laborers, servants, and Jesuit missionaries—in initial explorations for a suitable permanent site, guided by English trader Captain Henry Fleet who possessed prior knowledge of the region. On March 27, 1634, Calvert negotiated the purchase of land from the Yoacomoco werowance (chief), acquiring the site of a recently vacated Native American village in exchange for goods, assurances of trade access, and protection against raids by the and tribes. The settlers relocated to this location along the St. Marys River, establishing St. Mary's City as the colony's capital; they repurposed the abandoned village structures and constructed a fort for defense, initiating agricultural activities centered on cultivation to support the proprietary venture. As governor, Calvert implemented Cecil Calvert's charter provisions and accompanying instructions, which outlined a proprietary government with the Lord Baltimore holding feudal authority while directing the formation of an elected assembly for freemen and adaptation of English common law. He assumed direct control over military, judicial, and fiscal matters, convening early courts and administrative meetings in his residence alongside key officials such as provincial secretary John Lewger; these structures emphasized religious toleration for Christian settlers to foster stability and immigration, though Catholic leadership predominated initially.

Economic Development and Native Relations

The early economy of the Maryland colony under Leonard Calvert emphasized agricultural self-sufficiency and export-oriented production, with rapidly emerging as the dominant crop due to its suitability for the Chesapeake region's soil and climate. Settlers, arriving in 1634, initially relied on corn and other provisions traded from Native Americans to supplement limited English grains, but by the late 1630s, plantations proliferated as the principal economic driver, mirroring developments in neighboring . On August 12, 1641, Calvert patented a 100-acre tract known as "Governor's Field" specifically for cultivation, underscoring the crop's centrality to interests. Labor was provided primarily by indentured servants, who exchanged passage for amid the labor-intensive demands of planting, tending, and curing the leaf, which became both the colony's chief export to and a de facto currency in transactions due to the of coinage. Calvert's administration prioritized diplomatic engagement with Native American groups to secure land and resources, beginning with the Yaocomico branch of the Piscataway in March 1634, when he negotiated usage rights to their village site—later St. Mary's City—through exchanges of cloth, hatchets, and hoes, facilitated by interpreters like Henry Fleet. Further afield, Calvert sailed up the Potomac to the Piscataway capital at Yaowahica (modern Nanjemoy area) to ally with Kittamaquund, whose people viewed English settlers as buffers against Iroquoian rivals such as the Susquehannocks, enabling peaceful access to corn supplies and territorial concessions. Jesuit missionaries accompanying Calvert, including Andrew White, reinforced these ties through evangelization; Kittamaquund and his daughter Mary were baptized as Catholics in 1640, with the tayac relocating his people to accommodate colonial expansion while granting formal protections. These overtures yielded short-term stability, contrasting with more violent encounters in , though underlying tensions over land encroachment persisted as farming expanded into native territories.

Conflicts with Claiborne over Kent Island

William Claiborne, a Virginia trader, established a fur trading post and settlement on Kent Island in the Chesapeake Bay in May 1631, operating under a commission from the Virginia Council and Governor. The 1632 Maryland charter granted by King Charles I to Cecil Calvert, second Lord Baltimore, encompassed Kent Island within the proprietary bounds, creating an overlapping claim that Claiborne contested as invalid for Maryland's northern reaches. Upon Leonard Calvert's arrival as Maryland's first governor in March 1634 aboard the Ark and Dove, he prioritized enforcing proprietary rights over the island to secure tribute from its tobacco plantations and trade, viewing Claiborne's presence as an infringement. In early 1635, Calvert extended an offer allowing Claiborne to retain possession of Kent Island provided he acknowledge and pay rents or oaths of , but Claiborne refused, asserting Virginia's prior and dispatching agents to rally support against Maryland encroachments. Tensions ignited that spring when Calvert's forces seized a Claiborne trading pinnace in the for unlicensed commerce within waters. In retaliation, Claiborne equipped an armed shallop, the , under Captain George Evelin, which clashed with Maryland vessels in a naval skirmish on April 23, 1635, marking the first bloodshed in the dispute and escalating to broader exchanges of fire across the bay. Claiborne sailed to later in 1635 to petition King Charles I directly, arguing the Calverts lacked title to Kent Island and accusing of ; the king referred the matter to the but issued no immediate resolution favoring Claiborne. With Claiborne absent, Calvert capitalized in 1638 by sending provincial forces to occupy the island, destroying Claiborne's pinnaces in a decisive sea action and compelling the roughly 100 settlers to surrender after minimal resistance, thereby integrating Kent Island under administration and confiscating its crops as proprietary revenue. This seizure, though militarily successful, fueled Claiborne's protracted legal and armed campaigns against for decades, underscoring the fragility of colonial boundaries amid competing economic interests in the Chesapeake and trades.

The Plundering Time and Puritan Rebellion

In early 1645, amid the spillover effects of the , Richard Ingle, a Maryland trader sympathetic to the Parliamentarian cause, returned to the colony with his ship and initiated a rebellion against the proprietary government. On February 14, 1645, Ingle proclaimed allegiance to , seized control of St. Mary's City, and captured key provincial officials, including Giles Brent, while targeting Catholic estates for plunder due to their association with Lord Baltimore's Catholic proprietorship. This uprising, involving Protestant settlers and possibly coordinated with William Claiborne's ongoing territorial grievances from Kent Island, escalated into widespread lawlessness known as the Plundering Time, lasting through 1646, during which rebels looted plantations, destroyed records, and displaced loyalists, reflecting deeper anti-Catholic animosities fueled by Puritan-leaning factions opposed to 's religious tolerance under Catholic leadership. Governor Leonard Calvert evaded capture and fled to in spring 1645, joining other supporters in exile as Ingle's forces dominated the colony and proclaimed it under Parliamentary authority. From , Calvert organized a counterforce comprising Maryland refugees and local recruits, leveraging alliances with Protestant Virginians despite the colony's divided loyalties during the civil war. The rebellion's Puritan character stemmed from its alignment with Parliament's Puritan-dominated opposition to royalist and Catholic interests, though participants included opportunistic traders and debtors seeking to nullify debts and land grants. Calvert launched his return expedition in late 1646, recapturing St. Mary's by December and progressively reclaiming control over the province through militia actions that routed rebel holdouts. By early 1647, he had suppressed the insurgents, executing some for —such as rebel leader Andrew Robinson—and restoring order, though the proprietary government faced ongoing challenges from displaced rebels and external Parliamentary pressures. This reclamation preserved Maryland's proprietary status temporarily, but the events underscored the fragility of the Calvert regime amid sectarian divisions, with Puritan rebels viewing the Catholic proprietorship as emblematic of Stuart absolutism.

Exile, Return, and Suppression of Insurgents

In March 1645, following the invasion of St. Mary's City by Captain Richard Ingle and his supporters, Leonard Calvert narrowly escaped capture and fled southward to , where he established a base among Maryland refugees. From this , Calvert coordinated resistance efforts, rallying displaced loyalists and recruiting additional forces from Virginia colonists sympathetic to restoring proprietary authority. This period of approximately 20 months saw the insurgents, bolstered by Protestant settlers and opportunistic plunderers, consolidate control under figures like , who extended influence to Kent Island. Calvert returned to Maryland in late 1646—likely November or December—with a modest armed expedition, initially avoiding direct confrontation to assess rebel strength. By early 1647, his forces had recaptured St. Mary's City, the colonial capital, effectively dismantling the rebel assembly installed during the Plundering Time. Calvert then turned to suppressing remaining pockets of resistance, including Claiborne's adherents on Kent Island, which he seized later that year, thereby reasserting full proprietary governance over the Chesapeake territories. To consolidate power, Calvert issued proclamations offering to most rank-and-file insurgents who swore to Lord Baltimore, while outlawing key leaders such as Ingle for their roles in the widespread depredations. On December 29, 1646, he convened an assembly at St. Inigoes, integrating former rebels under proprietary oversight and enacting measures to prevent future uprisings, including fortified administration and oaths of fidelity. These actions restored order by mid-1647, though at the cost of lingering factional tensions amid the broader , with Calvert's numbering around 100-150 men at critical engagements. control was firmly reestablished, enabling economic recovery, but Calvert's health declined shortly thereafter.

Death, Estate, and Burial

Final Illness and Demise

In early June 1647, shortly after reasserting proprietary authority over following the suppression of Puritan insurgents, Leonard Calvert contracted a severe, unspecified illness that led to his rapid decline. Contemporary records provide no details on the nature of the ailment, which has been described as unknown in historical analyses of the period. Calvert died at St. Mary's City on either June 9 or 10, 1647, succumbing to the illness amid ongoing efforts to stabilize colonial governance. On his deathbed, he verbally appointed Thomas Greene, Esquire, as interim governor of the province to ensure continuity of leadership. The following day, June 10, Margaret Brent—whom Calvert had designated as his legal attorney-in-fact prior to his final illness—informed the Provincial Council of the deathbed appointment, citing Calvert's oral directive from the ninth of the month. This transition marked the end of Calvert's tenure as the colony's founding governor, after which Greene assumed command until further instructions from Lord Baltimore.

Posthumous Estate Management

Upon Leonard Calvert's death on June 9, 1647, he left a nuncupative will verbally dictating instructions approximately six hours prior, naming Margaret Brent as his sole executrix with the directive to "Take all, & pay all," empowering her to manage and liquidate his estate to settle outstanding debts. The will, proved on June 19, 1647, by Thomas Greene under oath and administered by Giles Brent, included specific bequests: a black suit of war clothes to James Lindsay, a cloth suit to Richard Willan with linen divided between them, a mare colt to godson Leonard Greene, and the first mare colt of the following year (or the next if none) to Mrs. Temperance Pippett of . Letters of administration were granted to Brent on June 19, 1647, formalizing her authority over the estate. Brent's management focused on resolving debts accrued during the colony's recovery from the Plundering Time, including payments to soldiers for their service in restoring control; she liquidated assets, including cattle from the estate belonging to Cecil Calvert, Lord Baltimore, to prevent mutiny and secure stability. An of Calvert's personal goods, appraised post-mortem, listed items such as a harquebus valued at 40s, three small guns, household furnishings, and , reflecting the modest scale of his private holdings amid intertwined responsibilities. The Maryland Assembly, in April 1649, ordered inhabitants to preserve any remaining estate in Calvert's possession at or since his death, prohibiting alienation under penalty of double forfeiture, to safeguard Lord Baltimore's interests until further directive. Lord Baltimore later contested Brent's sale of proprietary cattle, viewing it as overreach despite her dual role as his informal attorney, but the Provincial Court upheld her actions as necessary for colonial defense and debt repayment, confirming the estate's liquidation prevented greater losses. With no direct heirs—Calvert having remained unmarried and childless—the settled estate reverted to proprietary control under Cecil Calvert, though Brent's decisive interventions stabilized finances and averted collapse in the vulnerable post-rebellion period.

The Lost Grave and Ongoing Searches

The exact location of Leonard Calvert's burial site remains unknown, with historical records indicating only that he died on June 9, 1647, at his residence near St. Mary's City following a brief illness. Contemporary accounts suggest burial occurred promptly in a local colonial or grounds, as was customary for governors, but the site's precise position was not documented, and no headstone or vault marker has survived the intervening centuries. The relocation of Maryland's capital from St. Mary's City to Annapolis in 1694, followed by agricultural use of the abandoned town lands, likely contributed to the loss of surface indicators through and plowing. A honoring Calvert stands in Trinity Episcopal Church Cemetery, St. Marys City, erected as a memorial since the actual grave could not be identified. By the late 1700s, local legends attributed his interment to a "Calvert Vault" approximately 15 feet northeast of the church, purportedly containing , a "Lady Jane Calvert," and an infant—possibly conflating identities with later family members. However, 20th-century excavations at the associated chapel field uncovered lead-lined coffins from the 1680s–1690s holding remains of Philip Calvert (nephew of and later , d. 1682) and associates, refuting the legend's specifics for Leonard's era. Archaeological investigations at Historic St. Mary's City, ongoing since the 1970s under the auspices of and the Historical Trust, have systematically mapped and excavated 17th-century structures and burials across the former capital grounds, including Calvert's house site and the Chapel Field. These efforts, utilizing methods such as , shovel testing, and feature excavation, have recovered over 60 colonial-era graves but none identified as Leonard's, despite targeted work near probable elite burial zones. As of 2025, excavations continue to prioritize high-status sites, with recent reinterments of verified Calvert relatives like underscoring the potential for future discoveries amid the site's dense historical layering. Speculation persists that remains may lie unmarked in areas like St. Inigoes, adjacent to the original settlement, though no confirmatory evidence has emerged.

Legacy and Historical Assessment

Achievements in Colonial Establishment

Leonard Calvert, as the first proprietary , led approximately 150 colonists aboard the ships Ark and Dove, arriving at St. Clement's Island in the on March 25, 1634. Two days later, on March 27, 1634, Calvert negotiated the purchase of land from the Yaocomoco Native Americans, acquiring a village site in exchange for goods including bolts of cloth, axes, hoes, and other tools, which formed the basis for the settlement of St. Mary's City. This transaction secured initial territorial claims and established the colony's first permanent English settlement, serving as the capital until 1695. To ensure and protect the fledgling , Calvert prioritized with indigenous groups. In early 1634, he sailed up the Potomac on the Dove to meet the Conoy (Piscataway) chief at their village, negotiating a that calmed fears, facilitated , and provided mutual protection against common enemies. These agreements with the Yaocomoco and Piscataway tribes minimized early hostilities, allowing settlers to focus on infrastructure development, including fortifications and , while the natives relocated amicably from St. Mary's. Calvert's administration implemented proprietary governance under Cecil Calvert's , enacting laws that promoted settlement through land patents and cultivation as the economic staple. By 1641, he patented 100 acres known as Governor's Field near the fort for production, encouraging agricultural expansion and attracting further immigrants. His efforts in fostering orderly administration and economic viability laid the foundation for 's growth as a stable Middle Atlantic colony, despite limited initial resources and external pressures.

Criticisms and Controversial Actions

Calvert's aggressive assertion of proprietary authority over Kent Island precipitated armed clashes with William Claiborne's entrenched traders and settlers, who had established operations there since 1631 under 's auspices; in February 1638, Calvert's forces captured the island by force after Claiborne's vessels were destroyed in prior engagements, displacing residents and confiscating goods, actions Claiborne protested as violations of prior claims and trade rights upheld by authorities. The governor's exodus to during the 1645 Plundering Time, triggered by Richard Ingle's raid on St. Mary's City amid spillover, drew accusations of dereliction, as his absence permitted unchecked looting, destruction of Catholic properties, and temporary Puritan dominance, intensifying colonial instability until his return. Upon reclaiming the province in late 1646 with a combined force of exiles and allies, Calvert instituted provisional courts-martial to prosecute insurgents, issuing death warrants—including one on March 16 for a condemned rebel—and authorizing seizures of rebel estates to compensate militiamen, measures decried by Puritan sympathizers as authoritarian reprisals favoring Catholic proprietary interests over Protestant settlers' grievances. Broader critiques from Protestant factions portrayed Calvert's administration as unduly partial to Catholics in judicial and appointments, exacerbating sectarian tensions and portraying the regime as a form of religious favoritism that stifled dissenting voices, despite formal tolerance policies.

Long-Term Impact on Maryland

Calvert's establishment of St. Mary's City as 's first capital in March 1634, through the purchase of approximately 30 miles of land from the Yaocomaco Indians using trade goods such as axes and fabric, provided a stable base for and governance that endured for over six decades until the capital's relocation to Annapolis in 1695. This foundational act facilitated the colony's expansion from a small fort-based outpost to a structured provincial center, with Calvert patenting 100 acres adjacent to the fort in 1641 and promoting dispersal of settlers to adjacent lands to stimulate agricultural productivity. By suppressing internal rebellions, including the Puritan uprising known as the Plundering Time (1645–1646) and restoring Lord Baltimore's authority through military action culminating in the on March 25, 1646, Calvert secured the colony's independence from Virginia-based interlopers like , preventing its potential dissolution or integration into neighboring territories. This stabilization under proprietary rule preserved Maryland's unique status, enabling sustained from around 200 settlers in 1634 to over 5,000 by the 1660s and laying institutional precedents for and local assemblies that influenced the province's development into a viable Middle Atlantic colony. His administration's emphasis on defensive fortifications and Native American , including alliances with tribes like the Piscataway, mitigated early existential threats and allowed for the initiation of a tobacco-based ; by the late 1630s, tobacco shipments to had begun, forming the economic foundation that propelled 's prosperity through the despite later shifts in staples. These efforts collectively transformed a precarious outpost into a resilient English foothold, contributing to the broader pattern of colonial consolidation in the Chesapeake region.

References

  1. https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc3500/sc3520/000100/000198/html/lcalvbio.html
  2. https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03194b.htm
  3. https://oldsite.hsmcdigshistory.org/research/history/leonard-calvert/
  4. https://mdroots.thinkport.org/library/leonardcalvert.asp
  5. https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc3500/sc3520/000100/000198/html/198bio.html
  6. https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc3500/sc3520/002100/002167/html/2167bio.html
  7. https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1604-1629/member/calvert-george-157980-1632
  8. https://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/calvert_george_1E.html
  9. https://www.americanantiquarian.org/proceedings/44806993.pdf
  10. https://www.heritage.nf.ca/articles/exploration/calvert-avalon-colony.php
  11. https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/educ/essay/html/simantel.html
  12. https://sites.rootsmagic.com/Worland/individual.php?p=410
  13. https://digitalcommons.law.umaryland.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1411&context=mlr
  14. https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/speccol/sc3500/sc3520/000100/000198/pdf/lccomm2.pdf
  15. https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/01glance/chron/html/chron16.html
  16. https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc5300/sc5339/000114/000000/000099/unrestricted/20090069e.pdf
  17. https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/explorers/sited7.htm
  18. https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc2200/sc2221/000003/000000/pdf/25328.pdf
  19. https://www.hsmcdigshistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/A-Brief-History-of-SMC.pdf
  20. https://www.americanhistorycentral.com/entries/maryland-colony-facts/
  21. https://www.americanrevolution.org/maryland-colony/
  22. https://mdroots.thinkport.org/interactives/growingcolony/docs/overview.pdf
  23. https://theclio.com/entry/141549
  24. https://www.mdhistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/MHMSpring2015.pdf
  25. https://trinity.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Cook-Jesuits-Native-Americans-July-2025.pdf
  26. https://www.greenbeltnewsreview.com/news-stories/piscataway-people-of-maryland-the-original-greenbelters/
  27. https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/speccol/sc5500/sc5590/html/calvert_indians.html
  28. https://mdroots.thinkport.org/library/williamclaiborne.asp
  29. https://chroniclesofamerica.com/southern-colonies/william_claiborne_and_kent_island.htm
  30. https://www.historyreconsidered.net/maryland
  31. https://scholarworks.wm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3078&context=honorstheses
  32. https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/speccol/sc3500/sc3520/002100/002177/html/mbrent2.html
  33. https://usgennet.org/usa/md/state/wills/01/calvert.html
  34. https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/speccol/sc3500/sc3520/000100/000198/pdf/lcinven2.pdf
  35. https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc2900/sc2908/000001/000001/html/am1--253.html
  36. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/22580089/leonard-calvert
  37. https://www.hsmcdigshistory.org/clues-to-early-maryland-23-what-do-you-do-with-a-dead-royal-governor/
  38. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=968
  39. https://www.hsmcdigshistory.org/clues-to-early-maryland-22-the-mulberry-tree-and-maryland-legends/
  40. https://smcm.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/api/collection/SMCM/id/23055/download
  41. https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc5800/sc5881/000001/000000/000088/pdf/msa_sc_5881_1_88.pdf
  42. https://www.hsmcdigshistory.org/research/archaeology-and-architecture/projects/town-center/
  43. https://www.baltimoresun.com/1994/04/06/inside-those-3-coffins-members-of-the-calvert-family/
  44. https://catholicreview.org/some-of-marylands-first-colonists-come-home-as-their-remains-brought-back-for-reinterment-ceremony/
  45. https://www.stpeterclaverchurch.org/history
  46. https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdstatehouse/html/old-house-of-delegates-chamber-poc.html
  47. https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML1022/ML102210249.pdf
  48. https://www.visitstmarysmd.com/about/history/
  49. https://foxbaltimore.com/news/local/gallery/the-history-behind-maryland-day?photo=1
  50. https://www.havenharbour.com/celebrating-maryland-day
  51. https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/36loc/sm/chron/html/smchron.html
  52. https://americanhistorypodcast.net/english-civil-war-7-the-plundering-time/
  53. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-catholic-history/article/jesuit-and-gentleman-planter-ingles-rebellion-and-the-litigation-of-thomas-copley-sj/B6F9B08F3BD2BD2A51FD31C5650C4DC6
  54. https://www.theobserverumd.org/post/how-anti-catholicism-drove-the-development-of-early-maryland
  55. https://www.jstor.org/stable/44210125
  56. https://sos.maryland.gov/mdkids/Pages/Maryland%27s-History.aspx
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