[CALVERT-L] Leonard Calvert
by Mike and Christi Brogan
A little interesting reading for you all who haven't read it before. This
also from the MD archives:
CALVERT, LEONARD (ca. 1606-1647)
BORN: ca. 1606 in England; second son.
IMMIGRATED: in 1633/34 as a free adult.
RESIDED: in St. Mary's County.
FAMILY BACKGROUND. FATHER: Sir George Calvert, 1st Lord Baltimore (1578/79-
1632). MOTHER: Anne (1579-1622), daughter of George Mynne. BROTHERS:
Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Lord Baltimore (1605-1675); George (1613-1634);
Francis; Henry; and John (1618-1618/19).
HALF BROTHER: Philip Calvert (1626-1682). SISTERS: Anne; Dorothy;
Elizabeth; Grace 1614-?); and Helen (1615-1655). MARRIED possibly Anne
Brent. CHILDREN. SON: William Calvert (ca. 1642/43-1682), who married in
1661/62, Elizabeth, daughter of William Stone (ca. 1603-ca. 1659/60).
DAUGHTER: Anne (1644-ca. 1714), who married first in 1664, Baker Brooke
(1628- 1678/79), second, ca. 1680, Henry Brent (?-1693), and third, Richard
Marsham (?-1713).
PRIVATE CAREER. EDUCATION: literate, probably had considerable schooling.
RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION: Catholic.
SOCIAL STATUS AND ACTIVITIES: Sailed to Maryland as governor with the first
two ships of immigrants, 1633; returned to England in 1641/42 and 1643/44,
during which time he fathered his two children, who were probably
illegitimate. OCCUPATIONAL PROFILE: placeman; planter; engaged in some
trade with the Indians.
PUBLIC CAREER. PROVINCIAL OFFICES: governor, 1633-1647. OUT OF COLONY
SERVICE: prothonotary and keeper of writs in Connaught and Thomond, Ireland,
1621. STANDS ON PUBLIC/PRIVATE ISSUES: Calvert had a very difficult task in
the initial years of settlement of steering a middle ground between the
demands of various groups in colony, especially the Jesuits, and his
responsibilities as chief executive officer for his brother; he was
generally more lenient to special interest groups in Maryland than his
brother wished.
WEALTH DURING LIFETIME. LAND AT FIRST ELECTION: 3,000 acres in 1634.
WEALTH AT DEATH. DIED: on June 11, 1647. LAND: patents or certificates for
ca. 9,000 acres.
Source: Edward C. Papenfuse, et al., A Biographical Dictionary of the
Maryland Legislature,
1635-1789, Vol. I, A-H, (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1979),
p. 190.
Christi