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Thomas Stone
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Thomas Stone
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Margaret Brown Stone

Key Information

Thomas Stone (1743 – October 5, 1787) was an American Founding Father, planter, politician, and lawyer who signed the United States Declaration of Independence as a delegate for Maryland. He later worked on the committee that formed the Articles of Confederation in 1777. He acted as president of Congress for a short time in 1784.[1] Stone was a member of the Maryland Senate from 1777 to 1780 and again from 1781 to 1787.[2]

Early life and education

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Coat of Arms of Thomas Stone

Stone was born into a prominent family at Poynton Manor in Charles County, Maryland. He was the second son in the large family of David (1709–1773) and Elizabeth Jenifer Stone. His brothers, Michael Jenifer Stone and John Hoskins Stone, were also prominent in politics.[3] His uncle was Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer. Thomas read law at the office of Thomas Johnson in Annapolis, was admitted to the bar in 1764, and opened a practice in Frederick, Maryland.[4][5] The Jenifer family was of Swedish origin.[6][7][8]

Career

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As the American Revolution neared, Stone joined the committee of correspondence for Charles County. From 1774 to 1776, he was a member of Maryland's Annapolis Convention. In 1775, the convention sent Stone as a delegate to the Continental Congress. He was re-elected and attended regularly for several years. On May 15, 1776, he voted in favor of drafting a declaration of independence, in spite of restrictions from the Maryland convention that prevented their delegates from supporting it. In June the restriction was lifted, so Maryland's delegates were free to vote for Independence. Previously, Stone had been in favor of opening diplomatic relations with Great Britain and not going to war, as he was not only a pacifist but a conservative reluctant to start a gruesome war.[4][5]

That same year Stone was assigned to the committee that drafted the Articles of Confederation, and he was struck with a personal tragedy. His wife Margaret visited him in Philadelphia, which was in the midst of a smallpox epidemic. She was inoculated for the disease, but an adverse reaction to the treatment made her ill. Her health continued to decline for the rest of her life.[4][5] After Stone signed the Declaration of Independence, he took his wife home and declined future appointment to the Congress, except for part of 1784, when the meetings were at Annapolis.[4][5]

Stone accepted election to the Maryland Senate from 1779 until 1785, at first in order to promote the Articles of Confederation, which Maryland was the last state to approve. But he gave up the practice of law to care for his wife and children. As her health continued to decline, he gradually withdrew from public life. When Margaret died in 1787, he became depressed and died less than four months later in Alexandria, Virginia, reportedly of a "broken heart".[4][5]

Grave of Thomas Stone, September 2009

Stone was buried at his plantation home, which still stands. After his death, the plantation remained in the family for five generations until 1936 when it sold privately. In 1977 the main structure was severely damaged by fire. The National Park Service purchased the property and restored it to its original plans. Habredeventure today is the centerpiece of the Thomas Stone National Historic Site and is operated as a museum by the National Park Service.

Personal life

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In 1768, Stone married Margaret Brown (1751–1787), the younger sister of Gustavus R. Brown (see Rose Hill), thought to be the richest man in the county. Soon after, Stone purchased his first 400 acres (1.6 km2) and began the construction of his estate named Habre de Venture. The family made their home there, and they had three children: Margaret (1771–1809), Mildred (1773–1837) and Fredrik (1774–1793). Stone's law practice kept him away from home, so he brought in his younger brother Michael to manage development of the plantation,[4][5] which utilized slaves for generations.[9]

Legacy and honors

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See also

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Notes

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Thomas Stone

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from Grokipedia

Thomas Stone (1743 – October 5, 1787) was a , planter, and statesman who served as a delegate to the Continental Congress and affixed his signature to the Declaration of Independence. Born at Poynton Manor in Charles County to David Stone and Elizabeth Jenifer Stone, he received a local before studying under Thomas Johnson and gaining admission to the bar in 1764. Stone established a successful legal practice and plantation, owning enslaved individuals as was common among planters of his era, and in 1768 married , with whom he had three children: Frederick, Margaret, and Mildred. Entering politics amid rising colonial tensions, Stone attended Charles County conventions in 1774 and was selected as a Maryland delegate to the Continental Congress, where he initially advocated reconciliation with Britain through measures like the before supporting independence in 1776. On August 2, 1776, he joined fellow Marylanders , , and Charles Carroll in signing the engrossed , committing his life, fortune, and sacred honor to the revolutionary cause. He continued serving in intermittently until 1784 and in the from 1777 to 1787, resigning periods to attend his ailing wife, whose death in June 1787 from complications following left him profoundly affected. Elected to the 1787 Federal Convention but declining due to health, Stone died suddenly four months after his wife's passing while in , and was buried at Habre de Venture in Charles County.

Early Life

Family Background and Childhood

Thomas Stone was born in 1743 at Poynton Manor, a family estate in , near the village of Welcome. He was the second son of David Stone, a planter, and Elizabeth Jenifer Stone, in a large family that included at least one younger brother, Michael Jenifer Stone (1747–1812), who later served as a U.S. congressman. The Stones traced their lineage to prominent colonial roots; Thomas was the great-grandson of William Stone (c. 1603–c. 1660), an English immigrant who served as the proprietary from 1649 to 1655 under Lord Baltimore. This connection placed the family within Maryland's planter elite, though David's holdings at Poynton Manor focused on cultivation rather than vast plantations. Details of Stone's childhood remain sparse, with historical records noting little beyond his rural upbringing amid agrarian life in . He exhibited an early affinity for intellectual pursuits in an era when formal schooling was limited for colonial youth outside urban centers. Thomas Stone received his early education at a local private school near his family's plantation in Charles County, Maryland, where he studied classical subjects including Greek and Latin. This schooling reflected the limited formal educational opportunities available in mid-18th-century colonial Maryland, emphasizing rote learning of foundational texts rather than advanced curricula. In the early 1760s, Stone relocated to Annapolis to pursue legal training through apprenticeship, a standard practice for aspiring attorneys in the absence of formal law schools. He studied under Thomas Johnson, a prominent Annapolis lawyer who later served as Maryland's first elected governor and a fellow signer of the Declaration of Independence. To finance this training, Stone borrowed funds despite his family's relative wealth from tobacco planting, highlighting his determination to enter the legal profession independently. Stone completed his apprenticeship and was admitted to the bar in 1764 at the age of 21. He subsequently established a legal practice, initially circuit-riding between Port Tobacco, Frederick, and Annapolis, where he developed a reputation for meticulous and cautious . This hands-on training under Johnson equipped Stone with practical skills in colonial law, including land disputes and matters common to 's , laying the groundwork for his later political involvement.

Political Ascendancy

Local Political Involvement

Thomas Stone entered local politics in Charles County, Maryland, amid growing colonial resistance to British policies. In 1773, he was chosen to serve on a county committee addressing grievances against the Crown. By 1774, Stone had become a member of the Charles County Committee of Correspondence, established to coordinate with other colonies on matters of mutual defense and communication. That same year, at age 31, he was elected as a delegate from Charles County to the First Maryland Convention, a provincial assembly convened in Annapolis to organize responses to the Intolerable Acts and broader imperial overreach. Stone also participated in the Annapolis Convention, functioning as an interim provincial government to manage local patriot activities. In 1775, amid escalating conflict, Stone received an appointment to Maryland's inaugural Council of Safety, a executive body overseeing preparations and enforcement of non-importation agreements, though he ultimately did not serve. These county-level and provincial engagements, rooted in his legal practice in Port Tobacco, demonstrated Stone's emerging role in fostering organized opposition without initial advocacy for outright .

Selection as Delegate to Continental Congress

In 1775, amid escalating tensions following the , Thomas Stone was selected by the Maryland Provincial Convention to serve as one of seven delegates representing the colony at the Second Continental Congress, which convened on May 10 in . This appointment built on his prior election as a delegate from County to the first Maryland Convention in 1774, where he had demonstrated moderation and legal acumen in provincial deliberations. Stone's rapid elevation from local lawyer to congressional delegate underscored his reputation for prudence and ties to influential figures like mentor Thomas Johnson, though Maryland's instructions to its delegates initially emphasized reconciliation over rupture with Britain. He arrived in that year, participating in sessions through 1778, with re-election confirmed by the convention in December 1775 amid ongoing colonial coordination.

Revolutionary Contributions

Initial Reluctance and Moderation

Thomas Stone, elected as a Maryland delegate to the Continental Congress on November 13, 1775, initially aligned with the colony's cautious stance against declaring from Britain. 's provincial convention explicitly instructed its delegates, including Stone, to pursue reconciliation rather than separation, reflecting the colony's economic stability and preference for amid escalating tensions. In January 1776, Maryland reinforced this position by prohibiting its delegates from voting for independence without further provincial approval, a directive Stone adhered to as he advocated measured steps to avoid precipitous action. As a self-described moderate and peace advocate, Stone favored ongoing negotiations with Britain, supporting efforts like the adopted by on July 8, 1775, which professed loyalty to King George III and sought redress of grievances without rupture. He rarely spoke in debates, preferring behind-the-scenes influence, and expressed personal hope for "a just and honorable reconciliation" as late as April 1776, viewing immediate as risking unnecessary war given Britain's military strength. Stone's reluctance stemmed from his deliberate temperament and youth—he was 32 at the time—contrasting with more radical delegates, though he remained committed to colonial rights and opposed royal overreach. This moderation positioned him alongside figures like , prioritizing constitutional remedies over revolution until diplomatic avenues closed.

Shift to Support for Independence

Thomas Stone arrived in as a delegate to the Second in 1775 with instructions from the Convention to pursue reconciliation with Britain and to oppose . A proponent of peaceful resolution, Stone endorsed the in July 1775, which sought to affirm loyalty to King George III while addressing colonial grievances, though it was rejected by . In January 1776, 's assembly explicitly prohibited its delegates from supporting separation from , reflecting the colony's divided sentiments and Stone's own aversion to war. As British military pressures mounted, including the failure of reconciliation efforts and escalating hostilities, Maryland's stance evolved. On May 15, 1776, Stone voted in to authorize drafting a , defying lingering restrictions from his colony's convention. By late May, Maryland's delegates, including Stone, abandoned opposition to non-importation agreements as a signal of shifting priorities toward self-reliance. The decisive change occurred in June 1776, when the Maryland Convention rescinded its prohibition, granting delegates discretion to vote for independence amid growing consensus that peaceful overtures had failed irrevocably. On July 2, 1776, Stone joined his colleagues in affirming Richard Henry Lee's resolution for , enabling the colony's unanimous support. At age 33, he was the youngest of 's delegates to cast this vote, marking his transition from moderation to commitment to the revolutionary cause, influenced by both provincial policy shifts and the perceived inevitability of conflict. This alignment positioned Stone to contribute to subsequent committees refining the Declaration, which he signed on August 2, 1776.

Key Committee Roles and Signing the Declaration

During his tenure in the Second from 1775 to 1778, Thomas Stone participated in substantive committee work, most notably as a member of the committee appointed to draft the . This body, formed in June 1776 with one delegate from each colony, sought to outline a permanent union among the states as military pressures from Britain intensified and loomed. Stone's involvement reflected his legal acumen and commitment to intercolonial coordination, though he was not among the principal drafters like of . The committee's initial draft, completed by July 12, 1776, laid groundwork for confederation but required revisions over subsequent years. Stone's support for independence culminated in his vote affirming Richard Henry Lee's resolution on July 2, 1776, aligning Maryland's delegation with the majority after initial reservations. He then signed the engrossed on August 2, 1776, as one of 56 delegates, positioning his name among 's representatives in the document's formal affirmation of separation from Britain. At 33 years old, Stone was the youngest signer from , underscoring his emergence as a capable figure in revolutionary deliberations despite his reticence in debate. His signature affirmed the colonies' collective resolve, drawn from the committee of five's draft primarily authored by .

Post-War Public Service

Ratification of Articles of Confederation

Thomas Stone served on the Committee of Thirteen in the Continental in 1777, which was charged with drafting the , the first proposed constitution for the united American states. Although he did not affix his signature to the document upon its completion, his participation reflected his support for a confederated union amid the Revolutionary War. Maryland proved the most reluctant state to ratify the Articles, delaying approval due to disputes over western land claims, particularly Virginia's extensive holdings in the region, which Maryland viewed as a threat to equitable among states. Stone, recognizing the risk to national cohesion, secured election to the in 1779 primarily to advocate for , leveraging his congressional experience to argue for despite local opposition. Maryland's assembly had tied to Virginia's of its western territories, a condition unmet until Virginia's legislative act in late 1780. In the , Stone employed reasoned persuasion to overcome resistance from agrarian interests wary of centralized authority, ultimately contributing to the assembly's approval on February 2, 1781, making the 13th and final state to ratify, thereby activating the Articles on March 1, 1781. His efforts ensured the provisional government's functionality during the war's critical phase, though the Articles' weaknesses later prompted calls for revision.

Declined Offices and Focus on Private Life

Following his service in ratifying the , Thomas Stone limited his public engagements while serving in the until approximately 1785. In that year, he retired from his legal practice and withdrew from broader public duties to prioritize family care, amid his Margaret's declining . Stone's final notable public acts included a brief presidency of the Confederation Congress in November 1784 and Maryland's representation at the Conference in March 1785, after which he eschewed further commitments. Maryland selected him as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention in 1787, but Stone declined the appointment due to Margaret's illness; her death in June intensified his grief, solidifying his retreat from political life. This shift allowed Stone to devote his remaining months to private estate management at Haber de Venture and personal recovery, reflecting his longstanding preference for domestic tranquility over extended public service.

Personal Life and Demise

Marriage, Family, and Plantation Management

Thomas Stone married , the youngest daughter of prominent physician Dr. Gustavus Brown, on February 2, 1768. , born in 1751, brought a substantial that enabled the couple to acquire land near Port Tobacco, Maryland. The marriage united Stone with a well-connected , as her father was a leading medical figure in the colony. The couple had three sons: Frederick, born around 1777; Thomas Jr.; and Gustavus. Stone prioritized family life, expanding their home to accommodate his growing household, reflecting his devotion to domestic stability amid public duties. managed household affairs while Stone balanced legal and political commitments with paternal responsibilities. In December 1770, Stone purchased the 442-acre known as Habre de Venture (also spelled Haberdeventure) from his uncle, Daniel Jenifer, using proceeds partly from his wife's dowry. He constructed the main house in 1771, developing it into a tobacco-producing estate typical of Charles County planters. Stone owned enslaved individuals, with tax records indicating holdings that supported operations, including field labor and domestic service; during periods of absence, such as his time in Annapolis, his brother Michael Jenifer Stone oversaw management. The estate's productivity relied on this labor system, yielding crops for export and sustaining the family's wealth.

Grief, Illness, and Death

Margaret Stone, wife of Thomas Stone, died on June 3, 1787, at the age of 36, following complications from an unskillful inoculation treatment. Stone, who had been at her bedside during her suffering, was profoundly grief-stricken by her death. Unable to recover emotionally, Stone neglected his own health in the ensuing months. His physicians advised a sea voyage to or to aid recuperation, prompting him to embark for the latter. However, while awaiting ship departure in , he contracted a severe illness, likely a bacterial , and died on October 5, 1787, at the age of 44. Stone's remains were interred in the garden of his Habre de Venture estate in . Contemporary accounts and later historical assessments attribute his rapid decline primarily to unrelieved grief over his wife's passing, marking a poignant end to his life after years of .

Historical Assessment

Achievements and Influence

Thomas Stone's most prominent achievement was his role as a signer of the Declaration of Independence on August 2, 1776, as one of Maryland's delegates to the Second Continental Congress, where he had voted for independence on July 2 despite initial provincial instructions to oppose it. At age 33, he was the youngest member of Maryland's delegation, and his endorsement helped solidify the colony's support for separation from Britain. Earlier, in 1775, Stone had signed the Olive Branch Petition seeking reconciliation with King George III, reflecting his initial preference for peace before aligning with the revolutionary cause. In Congress, Stone served on key committees, including the Charles County Committee of Correspondence in 1774 to facilitate intercolonial communication and the committee tasked with drafting the in 1776, contributing to the framework for the first national government. He was re-elected to the Continental Congress in 1783 and briefly acted as its chairman in 1784, while in the —where he served from 1777 to 1787—he advocated for ratification of the Articles in February 1781 and participated as a commissioner in interstate negotiations over jurisdiction with . Stone's influence, though understated compared to more vocal Founders, stemmed from his consistent and commitment to constitutional governance, embodying the resolve of lesser-known delegates who collectively advanced American independence and early federal structures. His participation in foundational documents and committees underscored a pragmatic dedication to and union, leaving a legacy preserved through sites like Haberdeventure, now a National Historic Site, and recognition in the Signers Memorial in .

Criticisms and Limitations

Thomas Stone's initial reluctance to support , stemming from instructions by the Maryland Convention to oppose it until January 1776, drew implicit critique from more ardent revolutionaries who viewed such caution as hesitancy amid escalating British aggression. Stone himself expressed concerns over precipitous action, writing that "the proper way to affect this is not to move too quick," reflecting a preference for over immediate rupture, which some contemporaries saw as overly conciliatory given the colonies' deteriorating relations with . This moderation, while principled, arguably prolonged Maryland's alignment with the patriot cause, as the state's delegates operated under strictures against until external pressures shifted provincial policy. Postwar, Stone's repeated declinations of prominent roles—such as of the Maryland General Court in 1781, a seat on the Court of Appeals in 1782, and the presidency of the Continental Congress in 1784—have been interpreted by historians as a limitation on his potential influence during the Confederation's fragile years. Opting instead for private plantation management at Habre de Venture, Stone prioritized family and estate affairs over sustained public engagement, contributing to his relative obscurity among Founding Fathers despite his signature. This withdrawal, while consistent with his reticent disposition described by peers as "naturally of an irritable temper" yet courteous, meant he exerted minimal impact on debates over the Articles of Confederation's or early constitutional formation, leaving Maryland's efforts to others. Stone's involvement in , as a planter who owned enslaved laborers to sustain his operations, represents a moral and systemic limitation shared by many contemporaries but emblematic of the era's contradictions with revolutionary ideals of . No records indicate abolitionist leanings or manumissions during his lifetime, aligning him with the whose economic reliance on bound labor undermined the universality of the independence principles he endorsed. His early death on October 5, 1787, at age 44—precipitated by grief over his wife passing in 1783 and subsequent health decline—further curtailed any opportunity for later redemption or adaptation to evolving antislavery sentiments, rendering his legacy one of unfulfilled potential rather than expansive leadership.

References

  1. https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc3500/sc3520/001200/001202/html/1202bio.html
  2. https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/S000963
  3. https://www.nps.gov/people/thomas-stone.htm
  4. https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/declaration/bio47.htm
  5. https://ancestralfindings.com/thomas-stone-the-signers-of-the-declaration-of-independence/
  6. https://www.dsdi1776.com/signer/thomas-stone/
  7. https://npshistory.com/publications/thst/index.htm
  8. https://www.revolutionary-war.net/thomas-stone/
  9. https://constitutioncenter.org/signers/thomas-stone
  10. https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc3500/sc3520/001200/001202/html/1202extbio.html
  11. https://blueridgechristiannews.com/founding-fathers-thomas-stone/
  12. https://www.nps.gov/thst/learn/park-brochure.htm
  13. https://preservationmaryland.org/maryland-signers-of-the-declaration-of-independence/
  14. https://constitutingamerica.org/90day-dcin-thomas-stone-of-maryland-lawyer-continental-congress-delegate-committee-of-correspondence-member-declaration-of-independence-signer-guest-essayist-ron-meier/
  15. https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/a-reluctant-revolutionary.htm
  16. https://briandcolwell.com/who-was-thomas-stone-a-brief-biography-of-a-declaration-of-independence-signer/
  17. https://thehistoryjunkie.com/thomas-stone/
  18. https://wheninyourstate.com/maryland/the-reluctant-founding-father-marylands-thomas-stone/
  19. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:Thomas_Stone_and_Slavery
  20. https://americanfounding.org/entries/second-continental-congress-may-20-1776/
  21. https://josephsmithfoundation.org/thomas-stone/
  22. https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/articles-of-confederation
  23. https://www.ushistory.org/declaration/signers/stone.html
  24. https://www.founderoftheday.com/founder-of-the-day/stone
  25. https://reginajeffers.blog/2016/10/20/thomas-stone-signer-of-the-declaration-of-independence/
  26. https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/thomas-stone-s-haberdeventure.htm
  27. https://www.womenhistoryblog.com/2009/01/margaret-brown-stone.html
  28. https://apps.mht.maryland.gov/medusa/PDF/Charles/CH-5.pdf
  29. https://pubs.nps.gov/eTIC/STMA-WEFA/THRI_442_133510_0001_of_0120.pdf
  30. https://www.nps.gov/thst/learn/historyculture/upload/508_THST-Final-508-3.pdf
  31. https://npshistory.com/publications/thst/hfr.pdf
  32. https://www.facebook.com/ThomasStoneNationalHistoricSite/posts/death-and-burial-of-margaret-stone-part-1in-1776-margaret-stone-of-charles-count/3032951973410073/
  33. https://npplan.com/parks-by-state/maryland-national-parks/thomas-stone-national-historic-site-park-at-a-glance/thomas-stone-national-historic-site-thomas-stone-biography/
  34. https://www.taraross.com/post/tdih-thomas-stone-signer
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