Charles Carroll (1775 - 1825)

Born 2 Mar 1775 in Annapolis, Anne Arundel, Maryland

Ancestors

Husband of Harriet (Chew) Carroll — married 17 Jul 1800 in Maryland, United States

Descendants

Died 3 Apr 1825 at age 50 in Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Susan O'Carroll [send private message]

Biography

Charles Carroll was a Maryland colonist.

Name

Name: Charles Carroll Of Homewood (1775)

Given Name: Charles

Surname: Carroll Of Homewood (1775)^[1]

Charles Carroll of Homewood (1775-1825) was the only son of Charles Carroll 'of Carrollton', the last living signatory to the Declaration of Independence and Mary Darnall known as Molly.

Birth

Birth Date: 2 MAR 1775^[2]

Parents of Charles of Homewood:

Husband: Charles Carroll Of Carrollton

Wife: Mary Darnall known as Molly

Child: Charles Carroll Of Homewood]]

Marriage:

Date: 5 JUN 1768

Place: Annapolis, Maryland^[3][4]

Education

Charles was sent to the Academy of English Jesuits in Liège, Belgium, at the age of 10 in 1785. He returned home in 1795, fluent in French.

Marriage

Charles married Harriet Chew in 1800 when he was 25 years old. It had been said that earlier, Charles had been in love with Nellie Custis, the granddaughter of Mrs. Washington. General Washington had attended Sophia Chew's wedding in 1787 but it is not certain whether he attended Harriet's. Charles's father, Charles Carroll 'of Carrollton' was unable to attend the wedding as it was five days travel during the hot season and would have been too fatiguing for him in his sixties. Charles and Harriet had 7 children and John Lee Carroll, Governor of Maryland was one of their grandchildren.

Marriage:

Date: 17 JUL 1800^[5][6]

Husband: Charles Carroll Of Homewood

Wife: Harriet Chew^[7]

Child: Charles Carroll (1801-1862)

Married Mary Digges Lee.

[[Carroll-2573|]ohn Lee Carroll]J, (1830-1911), Governor of Maryland,

Child: Elizabeth Carroll b.1802, Maryland; d. Maryland.

Child: Mary Sophia Carroll b. 1802, Maryland; d. 1846.

Child: Benjamin Chew Carroll b. 27 September 1805

Child: Benjamin Chew Carroll b. 1806.

Child: Harriet Carroll b. 1808, Maryland

Child: Lousia Catherine Carroll, b. 1809, Maryland

Property

Charles Carroll was gifted 130 -140 acres just north of Baltimore, by father on his marriage, as well as $10,000 to build a home there. Charles is known for building the renowned Homewood House and he became very focused on making it outstanding. The house was built to a Palladian inspired plan, with 5 parts, comprising a main block with wings and harmonious proportions. It was built in a fusion of Georgian and Federal styles and has a 4 columned portico at the entrance. Formally landscaped gardens surrounded the house as well as fruit orchards, wheatfields and slave quarters. He chose luxurious and extravagant materials, eventually blowing the cost out to $40,000 and in 1803, his father refused to contribute any further funds. Their relationship deteriorated ^[8] and the house was not completed until 1808. It passed to Charles' son Charles Carroll of Doughoregan, before his death and his grandson John Lee Carroll, Governor of Maryland, was born at Homewood in 1830. In 1839, Charles' son, Charles Carroll of Doughoregan sold Homewood to a Baltimore merchant, Samuel Wyman, who lived in the house until 1865. During this time, an Italianate mansion was built on the property and named "Homewood Villa." In 1897, Homewood House became the first Gilman School, known initially as The Country School for Boys. In 1902 the property was donated to Johns Hopkins University by the Wyman family, along with a large endowment. 1916 the mansion became the University Faculty Club and in 1936, Homewood was converted to offices for the university president and deans. In 1954, Homewood Villa was demolished by the university and Homewood House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. Funds were donated to the university by Robert G. Merrick in 1973, to operate the house as a musem, and and became a National Historic Landmark in 1976. In 1987, Johns Hopkins University opened Homewood to the public as Homewood Museum. It is furnished to reflect its 19th century heritage. ^{[9] [10]}

Drinking

Charles of Homewood was known as a heavy drinker, with a reputation for consuming 2 quarts of spirits per day and within less than 10 years of his marriage, was alcohol dependent. By 1809 he was apparently drinking before breakfast and was at risk of destroying himself. It is noted that a nephew of his, John Eager Howard Jr, writing to his parents about Charles Jr asked "What will be the end of this it is impossible to say, we can't get him to shoot himself, so must bear with his degradation." [Source needed]. Exhibits in Homewood Museum reflect the significant role that alcohol played within the house. ^[11]. The quantity of alcohol related artifacts including a 19th century bottle of champagne unearthed around the house also reveal information about the drinking culture during Charles Carroll's time at Homewood. ^[12]

His behaviour became unstable and violent. [Source needed] and both the Chew and Carroll families were concerned for the welfare of his wife Harriet and their five children. By 1814, Charles was drinking 'continuously' and for the safety of his family, his father Charles Carroll Senior (of Carrollton) advised Harriet "to take separate chamber". [Source needed]. In 1816 he secured a house for Harriet and the children in Philadelphia. The couple were permanently separated that year. Charles Carroll of Carrollton provided for Harriet and children in the sum of $4000 a year and offered her furniture and silver from Homewood. Charles of Homewood's condition deteriorated further through the years and in 1824 his father bought Homewood from him and covered the expenses. ^[13] By 1825 Charles was deemed "not in a fit condition to receive his daughters" for a visit [Source needed] and he died from cirrhosis of the liver in April that year.

Death and Burial

Charles died of alcohol related causes in 1825, a month after his 50th birthday. he was not buried with his Carroll relatives at Doughouregan Manor in Ellicott city, Maryland and the whereabouts of his grave was unknown for many years. His headstone was discovered in 1961 when excavating to build a shopping center in Parole, Maryland, southwest of Annapolis. An expedition led by the Hopping Funeral Home of Annapolis was focused on locating and disinterring Charles' remains and reburying them in the Carroll Gardens at Spa Creek. A cemetery caretaker from St Mary's, James Durner, who was involved in the excavation was interviewed on 16 April 1983. He revealed to the press that Charles Carroll’s remains that after digging first at the foot of the headstone location and then, 360̊ all around the headstone location, only a single casket handle was found. The conclusion was that Charles Carroll of Homewood's remains and his wooden casket had “long since disappeared. The casket handle was re-buried in the full-size grave that had been prepared in the gardens of Charles Carroll House on Spa Creek in Annapolis, MD. ^[14]

Death Date: 3 APR 1825^[15]

Burial:

Cemetery: Charles Carroll House of Annapolis Cemetery

Place: Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, Maryland, USA

Plot: Garden

Will

Homewood House was no longer part of Charles' estate when he died. It had been bought from him by his father in 1824, the year before he died and given to Charles Carroll Jr's only surviving son, Charles Carroll V (1801-1862).

Note

Note: Sources:

1. Lee Richards research

2. Colonial Families of U. S., Vol. I, II

Sources

1. ↑ Source: #S390
2. ↑ Source: #S390
3. ↑ Source: #S390
4. ↑ Source: #S148
5. ↑ Source: #S390
6. ↑ Source: #S147
7. ↑ http://www.ronulrich.com/rfuged/fam01231.htm
8. ↑ https://tclf.org/charles-carroll-jr
9. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homewood_Museum
10. ↑ https://househistree.com/houses/homewood-house
11. ↑ https://www.jhunewsletter.com/article/2010/09/homewood-house-exhibit-explores-historical-drinking-33424
12. ↑ https://www.baltimoremagazine.com/section/fooddrink/evening-of-traditional-beverages-returns-showcasing-sparkling-wines/
13. ↑ Homewood House By Catherine Rogers Arthur, Cindy Kelly, JHU Press, page 106
14. ↑ FindAGrave:Find a Grave memorial for Charles Carroll of Homewood
15. ↑ Source: #S390

• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/43245446/charles-carroll
• Source: S390 Abbreviation: GEDCOM file submitted by Joanie's Family Tree. Imported on 25 September 2012. Title: GEDCOM file submitted by Joanie's Family Tree.
• Princes of Ireland, Planters of Maryland. a Carroll Saga, 1500- 1782, Ronald Hoffman in Collaboration with Sally D.Mason, published for the Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture, Williamsburg, Virginia by the University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill and London, 2000
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Carroll_of_Carrollton
• https://www.chronicle.com/article/at-home-with-history/

Acknowledgments

Charles Carroll of Homewood was created by Eowyn Langholf through the import of Charles Carroll.ged on Jun 10, 2014.