Life of Charles Carroll of Carrollton

By Lewis Alexander Leonard

Charles Carroll played a big part in the drama of American Independence, a far bigger part than is popularly supposed. School histories dismiss him with a few lines and most histories give larger space to men who played for minor parts. For this reason historical justice has never been fully accorded to Charles Carroll. This book corrects that injustice. Its author, a Marylander by birth, with the zeal and enthusiasm of a native son for his own heath, its traditions and its men of note, has given years to the research needed to unearth such a mine of historical knowledge. And with him it has been a labor of love. His forbears were intimately connected with the Carrolls and so Mr. Leonard has more than musty old records for the source of his inspiration. I believe that he has done simple justice to the name and fame of Charles Carroll and nothing more. The great pity is, it was not done years ago.

George Washington had no truer, no stauncher friend than Charles Carroll, though the world has partially blinked the fact. Others of the Colonial fathers might waver here, and falter there, but Charles Carroll always upheld the hands of Washington as Aaron and Hur upheld the hands of Moses in his battle with Amalek. In this country Charles Carroll saw the Promised Land for which sages had sighed and philosophers had dreamed and for it he risked his all on the turn of the Revolutionary die, and his all was more in worldly goods than any other signer of the Declaration of Independence.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Barakaldo Books
• Release date: Jun 14, 2022
• ISBN: 9781839747960

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Although in most cases we have retained the Author’s original spelling and grammar to authentically reproduce the work of the Author and the original intent of such material, some additional notes and clarifications have been added for the modern reader’s benefit.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1

DEDICATION 5

ILLUSTRATIONS 6

SOURCES 7

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 8

PREFACE 9

INTRODUCTION 11

THE MARYLAND CARROLLS 15

CHAPTER I — THE PROVINCE OF MARYLAND AS THE FIRST CARROLL FOUND IT 17

CHAPTER II — THE FIRST CHARLES CARROLL IN THE PROVINCE OF MARYLAND 21

CHAPTER III — DOWNFALL OF THE PROPRIETARY GOVERNMENT OF MARYLAND 25

CHAPTER IV — CHARLES CARROLL OF ANNAPOLIS IN THE PROVINCE OF MARYLAND 30

CHAPTER V — STUDENT LIFE AT LE GRAND—LAW AND LOVE IN LONDON—AN INTERESTING LETTER 35

CHAPTER VI  — PREPARING FOR HIS RETURN TO THE HOME OF HIS CHILDHOOD 42

CHAPTER VII — RETURNS TO MARYLAND AND BECOMES CHARLES CARROLL OF CARROLLTON 46

CHAPTER VIII — CHARLES CARROLL OF CARROLLTON IN THE CHARACTER OF THE FIRST CITIZEN 50

CHAPTER IX — RUMBLINGS OF COLONIAL DISCONTENT—THE CASE OF THE PEGGY STEWART 55

CHAPTER X — MEETING AND WORK OF THE FIRST CONTINENTAL CONGRESS 58

CHAPTER XI — NEWS FROM ENGLAND—TRIP OF THE COMMISSIONERS TO CANADA 63

CHAPTER XII — DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE—THE NEW CONSTITUTION FOR MARYLAND 69

CHAPTER XIII — SIGNING OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, AND THE MEN WHO SIGNED 75

CHAPTER XIV — WORK IN STATE AND NATIONAL LEGISLATION—DEATH OF FATHER AND WIFE 80

CHAPTER XV — WITH WASHINGTON AND THE ARMY AT VALLEY FORGE—THE BREWING OF A CONSPIRACY 86

CHAPTER XVI — THE CONWAY CABAL. CHARLES CARROLL OF CARROLLTON FOILS THE CONSPIRACY TO DISPLACE WASHINGTON 91

CHAPTER XVII — THE PEACE OF PARIS AND CONDITIONS LEADING TO THE FRENCH ALLIANCE 97

CHAPTER XVIII — FURTHER DETAILS OF THE FRIENDSHIP OF, AND ALLIANCE WITH FRANCE 100

CHAPTER XIX — ROBERT MORRIS WITH THE AID OF CARROLL AND OTHERS SAVES THE FINANCIAL SITUATION 105

CHAPTER XX — THE WAR NEARING AN END—MR. CARROLL’S INTEREST IN THE MARYLAND LINE 109

CHAPTER XXI — EARLY DAYS OF PEACE—THE NEW GOVERNMENT—MR. CARROLL A UNITED STATES SENATOR 112

CHAPTER XXII — RESIGNS AS A SENATOR OF THE UNITED STATES THAT HE MAY REMAIN A SENATOR OF MARYLAND—THE INDIAN COMMERCE 117

CHAPTER XXIII — ATTENTION TO THE ESTATE—DEATH OF HIS SON CHARLES OF HOMESTEAD 122

CHAPTER XXIV — ORGANIZING THE B. & O. R. R.—LAFAYETTE’S VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES IN PRIVATE LIFE 125

CHAPTER XXV — BIRTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE U.S. NAVY 129

CHAPTER XXVI — LOUIS LE GRANDE COLLEGE WHERE THE SPARK OF LIBERTY WAS FANNED INTO A FLAME—CARROLL AND LAFAYETTE 133

CHAPTER XXVII — BENEVOLENT AND BUSINESS INTERESTS—AN INTERESTING LETTER FROM GENERAL WASHINGTON-CLOSING OF A GREAT CAREER 138

CHAPTER XXVIII — THE CARROLLS OF THE PAST AND OF TODAY 147

CHAPTER XXIX — DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE JULY 4, 1776 151

(REPORTED DRAFT) 151

(ENGROSSED COPY) 154

APPENDIX — THE JOURNAL 158

LIFE OF CHARLES CARROLL of CARROLLTON

By

LEWIS A. LEONARD

of The Times-Union, Albany, N. Y., Editorial Staff

Mr. Carroll was as good as he was great.—J. H. B. Latrobe

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DEDICATION

TO THE MEMORY

of

A useful citizen, an able statesman and a loyal friend—to the Memory of

HON. JOHN LEE CARROLL

Former Governor of Maryland

This Book is respectfully dedicated by one who knew his virtues, appreciated his friendship and recognized his great ability

ILLUSTRATIONS

Charles Carroll of Carrollton

The Carroll Arms

Doughoregan Manor, Home of the Carrolls

Entrance to the Manor

Interior of the Manor Home

The Chapel at Doughoregan Manor

St. Charles College Founded by Charles Carroll of Carrollton

Hon. John Lee Carroll, Governor of Maryland in 1876

The Letter of Gen. Washington to the Catholics of America

Fac-Simile Copy of the Declaration of Independence

SOURCES

The unpublished letters of Charles Carroll of Carrollton.

Archives of the State of Maryland, printed by authority of the Legislature of the State under the direction of the Maryland Historical Society.

The Calvert papers.

Maryland records, Colonial and Revolutionary, County and Church, copied by Dr. Gains Marcus Brumbaugh.

Ridgley’s annals of Annapolis.

Letters, papers and personal interviews with Mr. J. H. B. Latrobe, private secretary to Charles Carroll of Carrollton.

History of Maryland, the Colonial period by John Leeds Bozman.

County histories and other local histories of Maryland, and other States.

Life and letters of Charles Carroll of Carrollton by Miss Kate Mason Rowland.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The thanks of the author for valuable suggestions, information and assistance in research work and in other ways are due and hereby tendered to

Former Governor Martin H. Glynn of New York.

Mr. William G. Roberts of Cincinnati, O.

Former Governor Edwin Warfield of Maryland.

Mr. Gamble Latrobe of Baltimore, Md.

Miss Virginia Scott MacTavish of Rome, Italy.

Mrs. Herbert D. Robbins of New York.

Mr. John E. Semmes of Baltimore, Md.

Miss Jennie M. Davis of New York.

Mr. Charles Bancroft Carroll of Doughoregan and now an officer of the U.S. navy.

Miss Lizzie Commerford of Middlefield, Conn.

Mr. Frank L. Tolman of Albany, N. Y.

Mr. George G. Champlin of Albany, N. Y.

Miss Jessie F. Wheeler of Troy, N. Y.

Mr. Harry G. Michener, President of The Bank of North America, Philadelphia, Pa.

PREFACE

TO THE

LIFE OF CHARLES CARROLL OF CARROLLTON

BY FORMER

GOVERNOR MARTIN H. GLYNN

OF NEW YORK

This, in my opinion, is a book which should be in the library of every lover of American history.

Charles Carroll played a big part in the drama of American Independence, a far bigger part than is popularly supposed. School histories dismiss him with a few lines and most histories give larger space to men who played for minor parts. For this reason historical justice has never been fully accorded to Charles Carroll. This book corrects that injustice. Its author, a Marylander by birth, with the zeal and enthusiasm of a native son for his own heath, its traditions and its men of note, has given years to the research needed to unearth such a mine of historical knowledge. And with him it has been a labor of love. His forbears were intimately connected with the Carrolls and so Mr. Leonard has more than musty old records for the source of his inspiration. I believe that he has done simple justice to the name and fame of Charles Carroll and nothing more. The great pity is, it was not done years ago.

George Washington had no truer, no stauncher friend than Charles Carroll, though the world has partially blinked the fact. Others of the Colonial fathers might waver here, and falter there, but Charles Carroll always upheld the hands of Washington as Aaron and Hur upheld the hands of Moses in his battle with Amalek. In this country Charles Carroll saw the Promised Land for which sages had sighed and philosophers had dreamed and for it he risked his all on the turn of the Revolutionary die, and his all was more in worldly goods than any other signer of the Declaration of Independence.

Charles Carroll was a democrat by nature as well as by name. His opinions prove it, his acts prove it. Educated in the atmosphere of France wherefrom came the great champions of Modern Democracy, Charles Carroll fought in America for what he learned in France. Lafayette, DeGrasse, Vergennes, and DeVal were all educated as Carroll was educated and as they thought on Democracy, so thought Charles Carroll.

The world will never know how much the United States owes to Charles Carroll for the help we received in France in the Revolutionary War. Benjamin Franklin and Charles Carroll were always the closest friends and he who thinks as he reads can easily discern that the men who helped Franklin most in France were the men responsive to the old associations of the Carrolls in France.

Of Charles Carroll it can be said that his history is the history of the Maryland of his day and from Maryland his influence radiated far and wide throughout the land.

In the old method of general historical writing where one man attempted the impossible task of writing history in its entirety, the work and worth of men like Charles Carroll did not loom up in their proper prospective. In such impressionistic history they were dwarfed by the splendor of those performing more spectacular parts. But under the monograph system sponsored by Lord Acton of Cambridge University, such historical injustice is fast passing away. This book is such a monograph. It is a valuable contribution to American history. It does justice to a man to whom Americans owe an ineffable debt of gratitude.

I have watched this book grow since pencil first touched its paper; and, if others get as much pleasure from its perusal as I have from its companionship, they will have in it a happy acquisition.

MARTIN H. GLYNN.

INTRODUCTION

CHARLES CARROLL of Carrollton easily ranked next to Washington in the value of the services rendered the patriot cause in our Revolutionary struggle.

He devoted more of his time and more of his money to the cause of the people than any other patriot.

He spent more time with Washington at army headquarters than any other civilian, and was more closely identified with the purposes, impulses and activities of the great commander than any other man in or out of the army.

He served the people in more different positions of responsibility and usefulness than did any other man, and never failed in a single instance, to measure up to the highest standard of statesmanship and patriotism.

During the critical year of 1776 he was a member of Congress, a member of the Maryland Assembly, Member of the Convention to draw a new constitution for the state, member of three different provincial committees, member of the War Board charged with the conduct of the war, and a commissioner from the United States to Canada. And in every position he was either the most active, or one of the most active in the work. In addition to these duties that year, he was the most successful man in his county in collecting coin to be sent to the soldiers in Canada, and was superintending the erection of saltpeter works for producing gun powder. It is not necessary to add that he gave every moment of his time to the public.

He was the richest man that signed The Declaration of Independence, the first man that signed, the most useful man that signed, the only Roman Catholic that signed, and the last man to die of those who signed it.

These are a few of the many reasons that have convinced me that full justice has never been done to the memory of the noblest citizen of my native state.

The work of preparing this book is in pursuance of a long cherished purpose. The Carroll history and traditions have been familiar to me from the time of my early youth. My grandfather and his father were closely associated for a great many years with Charles Carroll of Carrollton in an important business enterprise; and my father knew the famous signer as well as a boy of thirteen would be likely to know an elderly man. It was in this way that my knowledge of, and interest in the Carroll family commenced as soon as I was old enough to give thought to such affairs. The feeling that I ought put in shape the facts at my command grew as I saw others better qualified for the work pass away.

During the winter of 1865-66 I was a law student in the office of I. C. W. Powell, an eminent lawyer of Easton, Md. The firm of Johnson & Kerr of Baltimore attended to Court of Appeals business for Mr. Powell, and I was a great deal in their office. Mr. Reverdy Johnson was a United States Senator from Maryland, and his son-in-law, Mr. Charles Kerr, a native of our county, was a close friend of Mr. Powell and of Mr. J. H. B. Latrobe. In this way I made the acquaintance of Mr. Latrobe. He had office room with Johnson & Kerr, and was busy at the time revising his law book, Justice Practice in Maryland and I helped him whenever I could in this work. Mr. Latrobe was for many years private secretary to Charles Carroll of Carrollton, and wrote the life of Mr. Carroll for Sanderson’s Lives of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence. This work as prepared by him made 85 pages of manuscript and would have been about 85 pages in Sanderson’s book. But after Mr. Carroll had cut out all he thought ought to be cut out, and Sanderson had cut out all he thought ought to be cut out, but 21 pages were left. This presented but a meagre and inadequate telling of a great story. Mr. Latrobe explained that Mr. Carroll was living at the time and added, You know, no man’s biography can be written properly during his life time. Mr. Latrobe read me the original manuscript two or three times and commented on various phases of it. He also had very full notes of Mr. Carroll’s work in connection with our relation with France. It was his intention to write a volume on the French Alliance, and with that purpose in view he had secured valuable papers original and copies from France. My interest in the matter by reason of the association of my family with the Carrolls made Mr. Latrobe the more ready to talk to me on the subject. At that time Mr. Latrobe appeared to me to be the ablest, best posted and most versatile man I had ever met. Literally, he seemed to know everything on every subject, and to be able to tell it in a most entertaining manner. Each time I met him, he had a new fund of entertaining information. It is not too much to say that no man in my entire life ever impressed me as did Mr. J. H. B. Latrobe. Sometimes I have thought it might be merely my boyish admiration for an older man who seemed to take me so fully into his confidence; yet when I recall the things he said, the subjects he discussed, the information he imparted; I am still impressed with the belief in his great ability. It was from this man who was so close to Charles Carroll of Carrollton for so many years, and who loved him so well, that I drew the inspiration that impelled the writing of this book. One day in speaking of the venerable signer, I asked how he ranked as compared with Senator Johnson. He did not directly answer the question, but said after a pause, I know of no man of the present generation who could anywhere near rank with him in the essentials of real greatness. He had unusual opportunities and he made the most of them. I think of Mr. Carroll as Burke said of Pitt, ‘You couldn’t go under a shed with him out of the rain, without feeling that you were in the presence of greatness.’ Then he reverently added, and what is more Mr. Carroll was as good as he was great. It was mainly to give an idea of the value of this opinion that I told so fully what manner of man Mr. Latrobe actually was. When I next saw him after that winter, some years had elapsed. His son, Gen. Ferdinand C. Latrobe, was Mayor of Baltimore for the second, third or fourth time, but his father seemed as vigorous, entertaining and lovable as ever. I expressed the hope that if he did not write the things he had in mind, he would leave his papers so that his son could do so; but he replied, Ferdinand is too busy with the present and future to care much about the past. However the papers have fallen into competent and loving hands; and besides the use that has already been made of them the country is to have a life of that most able, estimable and lovable of men, J. H. B. Latrobe. That he wrote history, invented a stove, experimented with electricity and chemistry, and was one of the best lawyers of the state, being for years attorney for the B. & O. Railroad, is pretty good evidence of his ability and versatility. His father was a man of great worth and experience and the son had fully lived up to the opportunities that had been afforded him.

Reading the voluminous correspondence of Charles Carroll of Carrollton, one is impressed with the great industry, ability and usefulness of the man, but is still more struck with the vein of genuine piety that runs through his busy career. He never forgot his religion, never faltered in his abiding faith in God. As I read, I caught myself repeating Mr. Latrobe’s remark of years ago, He was as good as he was great.

Mr. Carroll’s life has never been written. The twenty-one pages in Sanderson’s Lives tell but little, and told that before his career was ended. The valuable work of Miss Kate Mason Rowland is devoted mainly to making a record of the Carroll letters and documents and in that way represents great labor: and is a work that will be used by scholars in all times. It was in no sense intended as a commercial enterprise, but was issued in a small edition at the expense of the family for their own satisfaction; as well as for the use of future historians. These, with some short sketches mainly in state histories and religious books, comprise all that has been told of a man who certainly deserves to rank as one of the very greatest of his own or any other age.

In telling the life story of one whose time was so fully given to the public, it is necessary to recount much of the history of the days in which he lived. Any one doing this kind of work will be struck by the many discrepancies encountered in what he had been led to consider reliable authorities. Where such differences are found, it is necessary to go back to original sources of information when this can be done; and where this is not possible, one must be guided by the weight of authority taken in connection with all the surrounding circumstances. This I have endeavored to do. I realize too, the danger of writing history not found in the school books; being fully aware that the most confident critics are those whose knowledge of history is derived from the books they read at school. A historian once said, After one has spent weeks trying to settle a point to his satisfaction, he is likely to meet a man at dinner who can tell him all about it in five minutes with one hand tied behind him.

Studying Mr. Carroll carefully and weighing his letters, documents and the records of his whole life as seen by his co-temporaries one is likely to think of him much as Mr. Latrobe did. Endowed with a fine mind he had every advantage which good health, great industry and unlimited means could give. When he returned to Maryland in his twenty-sixth year to take his place in the Province, he not only knew books; but he had studied men and conditions in the principal countries of Europe, and he was a well educated man in a much broader sense than is implied by that term today. The position of leadership which he won as First Citizen on entering public life, he held to the end of his career.

In personal appearance Mr. Carroll was a small man, with bright blue eyes, and clean cut rather sharp features. It was noted that one of Maryland’s signers was the smallest man physically of the group, and another the largest. Mr. Carroll weighed about 125 pounds and Chase standing six feet two weighed over 250; and the two were the closest and most inseparable of friends.

Though associated so closely and so prominently with colonial and revolutionary days Mr. Carroll’s long life brought him closer to the present generation than one would think., He had not been dead thirty years when the civil war began. Many of the old people of my younger days, had met him and some like Mr. Latrobe, Judge Chambers, General Tench Tilghman, Governor Thomas and Governor Sam Stevens knew him well.

LEWIS A. LEONARD.

ALBANY, N. Y., December 1, 1917.

THE MARYLAND CARROLLS

During the revolutionary period of the province of Maryland there were six members of the Carroll family in active political work on the side of the patriots.

They were Charles Carroll of Annapolis, and his son Charles Carroll of Carrollton; Daniel Carroll, who was a member of the Maryland assembly, president of the Senate, member of Congress and one of the makers and signers of the federal constitution; Rev. John Carroll one of the United States Commissioners to Canada and the first Bishop and first archbishop in this Country. He was the brother of Daniel and cousin of Charles Carroll of Carrollton. Then there was Charles Carroll, Barrister who was a member of Congress, of the State Senate and of various Colonial and State Committees. The sixth Carroll, was Henry James Carroll who married Elizabeth Barnes of Kingston Hall, Somerset county. He was the son of Henry Carroll of Susquehanna Manor in St. Mary’s but moved to the Eastern shore just before the breaking out of the revolution and was an active patriot in that part of the State. His grandson Thomas King Carroll, was governor of Maryland in 1830-1831.

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LIFE OF CHARLES CARROLL OF CARROLLTON

CHAPTER I — THE PROVINCE OF MARYLAND AS THE FIRST CARROLL FOUND IT

The government which Lord Baltimore gave to the Colony of Maryland was not only the most liberal and the fairest that the world had known up to that time, but it was peculiar and novel as well as most fascinating. It was the fascination of this government as well as its liberality that caused settlers from all directions to flock to the province.

George Calvert, the first Lord Baltimore, was no novice in either statecraft or the work of planting a colony. He had the advantage of experience in both lines of work before the Maryland undertaking was considered.

Although his conversion to the Catholic faith had caused the forfeiture of his official positions, it in no way seemed to lessen the regard and confidence that his Sovereign had in him. It was, therefore, mainly by reason of his high standing, lofty character and great ability that he was enabled to secure a concession or charter for the territory, which became the Province of Maryland; of a nature different from any concession that had ever been made. He became the absolute owner of the territory. All titles had to come from him. He arranged the plan of government and was the source of all power, and the maker of all laws. No one, not even the King had to be consulted in the management of the Province and its people.

Although George Calvert, the first Lord Baltimore, died before any of his plans could be put into operation, the whole scheme was the result of his experience and deep thought.

Previous to the Maryland charter, Lord Baltimore had established a settlement in Newfoundland. First, this was merely an estate, then a settlement and finally a colony. This effort was a kind of experimental school. He called the settlement Avalon and its capital city was Annapolis; the first Annapolis. Though the climate was hard, and the soil rough and unproductive, the colony flourished, till news of the beautiful location, rich soil, and mild climate of the Maryland concession caused dissatisfaction and made many of the colonists want to move south. They were humored in this desire and nearly two hundred of them were brought down the coast under command of Nathaniel Leonard, cousin of Lord Baltimore, who had succeeded John Wyatt as Governor of Avalon. These reached Maryland two months after the Ark and the Dove had brought Lord Baltimore’s first settlers to the Chesapeake, and there formed the first considerable accession to the new colony. But Avalon survived the loss of so