Thomas Smythe III (1730 - 1819)

Born 12 Apr 1730 in Trumpington, Kent , Maryland

Husband of Margaret (Hands) Smythe — married 11 Oct 1764 in Kent, Maryland

Descendants

Died 29 Mar 1819 at age 88 in Trumpington, Kent, Maryland, United States

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Biography

SMYTH (SMITH, SMYTHE), THOMAS (1730-1819).

BORN: on April 12, 1730, in St. Paul's Parish, Kent County; probably elder son. NATIVE: third generation. RESIDED: in Chestertown, Kent County, at least until after the Revolutionary War; lived on his plantation, probably in Eastern Neck, Kent County, in later years.

FAMILY BACKGROUND.

• FATHER: Thomas Smith (ca. 1710-ca. 1741/42), son of Thomas Smith (1656-1719).
• MOTHER: Mary Ann (ca. 1712-by 1734), daughter of Thomas Ringgold (by 1672-1711). *STEP-MOTHER: Mary Frisby (1713-?). AUNT: Martha Smith (1712-?), who married Richard Gresham(?-ca. 1773). BROTHER: James (1732-?). BROTHER OR HALF BROTHER: William. HALF BROTHER: Charles (1736-?). SISTERS OR HALF SISTERS: Hannah (1734-?); Mary. HALF SISTER: Martha (?-1799), who married Emory Sudler (1725-ca. 1797). FIRST COUSINS: William Ringgold (ca. 1723-1789), a possible legislator; Thomas Ringgold (1715-1772); Sarah Ringgold, who married Alexander Williamson (ca. 1712-1760).

MARRIED first, his first cousin Sarah (1730-1761), daughter of Richard Gresham (?-ca. 1773) and wife Martha Smith (1712-?). Sarah was the granddaughter of Thomas Smith (1656-1719). She was the niece of Thomas Smith (ca. 1710-ca. 1741/42). MARRIED second, on October 11, 1764, Margaret (1745-1794), daughter of Thomas Bedingfield Hands (?-ca. 1768) and wife Sarah (1721-1754). Her brother was Thomas Bedingfield Hands (?-1811). Her sister was Elizabeth.

CHILDREN. SONS Richard Gresham (?-by 1795), a merchant; William (ca. 1777-1819), who married Mary H. Perry, daughter of William Perry (1746-1799); Dr. James, of Baltimore City; Thomas Smyth, Jr. (1757-1807); and Henry (?-by 1818). DAUGHTERS Maria (1784-1823), who married in 1806 Dr. Thomas Willson (1778-1859); Elizabeth (?-by 1818), who married (first name unknown) Nichols; and Sarah, who married in 1788 Matthew Tilghman (1760-1801).

PRIVATE CAREER.

• EDUCATION: literate; by the terms of his father's will in 1741/42, Thomas was to be apprenticed to James Calder (ca. 1695-1755), a lawyer.
• RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION: Anglican, Chester Parish. Kent County.
• SOCIAL STATUS AND ACTIVITIES: Esq., by 1771; third generation legislator. *OCCUPATIONAL PROFILE: merchant, 1764-at least 1785; planter; ship builder. *ADDITIONAL COMMENT: Smyth owned his own shipyard and was deeply involved in ship construction during the Revolution. He communicated on a regular basis with the Council of Safety about the purchase of supplies, rigging, and sail cloth, and offered to have his seamstress make tents out of sail cloth for the 9th Company of Light Infantry, which his son commanded.

PUBLIC CAREER.

• LEGISLATIVE SERVICE: Conventions, Kent County, 1st, 1774, 4th, 1775, 5th, 1775, 6th, 1775 (elected, but declined to serve), 9th, 1776.
• OTHER PROVINCIAL/STATE OFFICE: Councils of Safety, Eastern Shore, 1st, 1775, 2nd, 1776, 3rd, 1776, 4th, 1776.
• LOCAL OFFICES, sheriff, Kent County, 1762, 1771-1774; Chester Parish Vestry, Kent County, 1769-1771; justice, Kent County, appointed 1768-1769, 1771, 1777; manager of a lottery to raise funds to build a market house in Chestertown, 1773; justice, Orphans' Court, Kent County, appointed and resigned, 1777; Committee of Observation, Kent County, elected, 1776; commissary of troops, Kent County, appointed 1777; commissary to collect clothing and draft horses, appointed 1782.
• MILITARY SERVICE: called major in April 1776.
• STANDS ON PUBLIC/PRIVATE ISSUES: manumitted two slaves to be effective at his death; specified that any slaves sold by his executors should be kept within the state, and if possible within the county.

WEALTH DURING LIFETIME.

• PERSONAL PROPERTY: assessed Value £3,091.0.0, including 64 slaves and 220 oz. plate, 1783; assessed real and personal value, $4,910, 1807; assessed real and personal value, $5,081, 1819.
• LAND AT FIRST ELECTION: 1,027 acres in Kent County, plus 4 lots and a water mill in Chestertown, Kent County (505 acres inherited from his father); controlled 1,226 acres in Kent County, plus an unknown number of lots in Chestertown, 1772-1778, as a guardian for the heirs of Richard Gresham (?-ca. 1773), his father-in-law; Thomas was given the use and profits of Greshan's entire estate for six years and the use of heir Thomas Gresham's portion until he reached 19 years of age in ca. 1791.
• SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN LAND BETWEEN FIRST ELECTION AND DEATH: Owned 1,550 acres in Kent County, plus 2 lots in Chestertown, and controlled 893 acres, plus an unspecified number of lots in Chestertown for the heirs of Richard Gresham, 1783. He sold 197 acres, plus several lots in Chestertown, by 1786. From 1787 to 1792, he used his property several times as collateral for payment of debts. By 1792 he had declared bankruptcy under the Act of Assembly for Insolvent Debtors, his total land holdings at that time being 500 acres. By 1808 he had recovered the 500 acres, plus his personal property.
• WEALTH AT DEATH. DIED: On April 29, 1819, at his seat in Kent County after a short illness.
• PERSONAL PROPERTY: TEV, $10,040.16 (including 20 slaves, books); FB, estate overpaid $35.69.
• LAND: ca. 511 acres in Kent County. ^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ Edward C. Papenfuse et al. A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature. http://aomol.msa.maryland.gov/000001/000426/html/am426--756.html

• Member of the Board of Visitors of Washington College
• Builder of Wide Hall in Chestertown
• 1768 Will of Mary Granger names Thomas Smythe, son in law

Upper Shore Genealogical Society. Tombstoning in Kent County MD. Vol. 2 P125. Thomas Smythe. Trumpington Cemetery.