Saint Mary's beacon., 1914-06-18
= Chapter From Seushesn
Maryland Hls1oruv



Masyiass tiisaersy
Continued from second page).
OF Prince Georges, ex-nember Of Con-
gress and former Comptroller of the
Currency.
10 was Southern Maryland who gave
to the world Rodger Brooke Taney of
Calvert county; Attorney General.
Secretary Of the Treasury, and Chief
Justice OF the United States: the only
son of Maryland who ever held that
exalted position, and whose decision
in the Dred Scott case electrofed the
nation.
Other sons of Southern Marylfnd
who have distinguished themselves by
services at various times as Cabinet
officers. were Stoddert, Secretary of
the Navy; the eloquent Pinckney O
Anne Arundel, and and that intellec-
tuai giant Reverdy Johnson, born in
Annapolis, was Attorney General,
twice U. s. Senator, and Minister TO
the Court OF ST. James, and than whom
Maryland has given the country NO
greater SON.
Therehave been in the United States
Senate from Southern Maryland, the
great Charles Carroll of Carrollton,
Richard Potts, born in Upper Marl-
boro, William Pinkney, Joseph Kent,
Thomas c. Pratt, and the brilliant
William ID. Merrick of Charles.
AT the close of the Revolution, South
ern Maryland contained q scant fifth
of the white population of the State,
and a hundred years later had only a
tenth, yet of the 80 Governors elected
during that century, eleven were
natives of Southern Maryland. They
were Thomas johnson and Joseph
Kent of Calvert: George Platter, that
brilliant lawyer and member of Con-
gresss and James Thomas from st.
Mary's; Charles sent John Hoskins
Stone, and Prince Georges gift to the
State, were Thomas Sim Lee, Benjamin
Ogle of Bel Air, SON of q Colonial
Governor, Samuel Sprigg or North
ampton, Thomas c. Pratt, Robert
Bowie, an officer of the Revolution,
and Oden Bowie, whose gift of leader
ship, during the dark days of the Civil
War held the Democratic party intact,
and leading it to victory, received the
largest majority ever given q candi-
date for Governor in this State.
Among that host of Southern Mary
landers who have filed exalted posi-
tions can be mentioned, William Tur-
nor Wooton OF Prince Georges, Mary
lands Secretary of State who narrow
ly missed being Governor; Judge VIM.
G. ID. Worthington, who was born In
Anne Arundel, was the first Minister
of the United States to Venezuela,
Special Agent TO Greece and first Ter
ritorial Governor of Florida; Richard
/. Bowie, Chief Justice of the Court OF
Appeals, member of Congress from the
9Th District, and the last candidate
nominated for Governor by the Whie
party; and Judge VIM. M. Merrick OF
Charles, Member of Congress and
Chief Justice of the District of Colum-
bia.
Southern Maryland furnished q
large portion of the MALTA which met
the British in the war of 1872 al
Bladensburg, and later helped to de-
feat them at North Point, where the
old Fifth Regiment of Baltimore so
so gallantly upheld the glory of the
Maryland Line.
In the war with Mexico men from the
lower counties fought at Monterey,
and at Palo Alto under Ridgely and
Ringold, turned the tide of battle to
victory.
The history of Southern MARYLAND
during the titanic struggle of the Civil
War is known to all. The formation
of the Planters Guard in Prince
Georges, clad in all the panoply of
waving plumes and gorgeous epaulets,
commanded by Captain John Contee.
was but prelude to the grim reality.
Many Southern Marylanders died for
the lost cause, leaving their bones on
an hundred battle fields, while on the |
sea Rapheal Semmes of Charles coun-
ty commanded the Alabama, that
terrible scourage to the shipping of
the North.
The southern counties have furn-
ished gallant array of soldiers, law
yers and statesmen, but her sons who
served the Prince of Peace were no
less notabls. The first Bishop of the
Episcopal Church consecrated in
America, and distinguished for his
eioquence and lofty character, was
Thomas John Claggett, born near
Nottingham. The first Archbishop OF
the Catholic Church In America, was
Jonn Carroll, born in Upper Marlboro.
He founded the University of George
town, ID. c., and laid the corner stone
OF the Baltimore Cathedral. Benjamin
Contee, soldier of the Revolution,
Member of Congress and Episcopal
Divine, who divided the votes for
Bishop with Claggett, was born near
Nottingham. Parson Weems, of Cal
vert, who wrote the life of Washing
ton, and the Rev. Walter Dulany Ad-
olson of Oxon Hill, intimate friend of
Washington, were some o: 1he eminent
churchmen from Southern Maryland.
AS warriors and statesmen, jurists,
priests or masters in commerce and
finance, the men of the southern coun-
ties in successive generations have led
in thought and action. Their indomi-
table resolution and genius for leader
ship have left their impress on their
country's history and have gloriously
demonstrated the valor, worth and
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