Benjamin Contee
Encyclopedia
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. He was an officer in the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, a delegate to the Confederation Congress, and member of the first United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
.
Early life
Contee was the son of Col. Thomas ConteeThomas Contee
Col. Thomas Contee of "Brookefield", near Nottingham, Prince George's County, Maryland. American Patriot, militia man, politician, planter.-Married:Thomas married Sarah Fendall in 1751 in Charles County, Maryland...
(1729–1811) and Sarah Fendall (1732–1793). He was born at "Brookefield", near Nottingham, Prince Georges County, Maryland, the home of his father, and original home of his ancestor, Maj. Thomas Brooke, Sr.
Thomas Brooke, Sr.
Major Thomas Brooke, Sr., Esq. was a colonial lawyer, planter and politician of Calvert County, Maryland, where he served in the appointed positions of Burgess, High Sheriff and Chief Justice.-Early life and education:...
, Esq. (1632–1676).
Military and political career
At beginning of the Revolutionary WarAmerican Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, Contee entered the Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
, rising to the rank of captain of the 3rd Maryland Regiment
3rd Maryland Regiment
-Summary:The 3rd Maryland Regiment was organized on 27 March 1776 of eight companies from Anne Arundel, Prince George's, Talbot, Harford and Somerset counties of the colony of Maryland. The regiment was authorized on 16 September 1776 for service with the Continental Army and was assigned on 27...
, which proved to be one of the army's elite units until its near annihilation at the Battle of Camden
Battle of Camden
The Battle of Camden was a major victory for the British in the Southern theater of the American Revolutionary War...
.
After the war he was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates
Maryland House of Delegates
The Maryland House of Delegates is the lower house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland, and is composed of 141 Delegates elected from 47 districts. The House chamber is located in the state capitol building on State Circle in Annapolis...
, where he served from 1785 to 1787. He served as a delegate to the Confederation Congress from 1787 to 1788, and the third district of Maryland in the U.S. Congress
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from 1789 to 1791. Along with his brother Alexander Contee (1752–1810), he became a merchant of London, at their stores in Nottingham, Queen Anne
Queen Anne, Prince George's County, Maryland
Queen Anne in Prince George's County, Maryland is a former seaport on the Patuxent River in Maryland.-Geography:Queen Anne is located at 38°53'55" North, 76°40'42" West . Most of the town's former waterfront area is now part of Patuxent River Park, owned and operated by the Maryland-National...
and Upper Marlboro
Upper Marlboro, Maryland
Upper Marlboro is a town in and the county seat of Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The live-in population of the town core proper was only 648 at the 2000 census, although Greater Upper Marlboro is many times larger....
. He was declared insolvent due to “mishaps in trade”. After having served in Congress, he went to Europe and traveled through Spain, France, and England.
Marriage and children
On April 8, 1788, he married his cousin, Sarah Russell Lee (1766–1810). Sarah was born at "BlenheimBlenheim (Maryland)
"Blenheim", was the once historic estate of the Lees in Charles County, Maryland. It was owned by Capt. Philip Lee, Sr., Hon., Esq. ....
" in 1766, and died December 6, 1810 at "Bromont", near Newburg, Charles Co., Maryland. Sarah was the daughter of Philip Thomas Lee (1736–1778) and Ann Russell (d. 1777) of England. The Contee's children were Sarah “Sallie” Elinor Contee (1789-ca. 1815), Philip Ashton Lee Contee, Sr. (1795–1842), Edmund Henry Contee (1799–1832), and Alice Lee Contee (1803–1868), who married Gov. Joseph Kent
Joseph Kent
Joseph Kent , a Whig, was a United States Senator from Maryland, serving from 1833 until his death in 1837...
.
Episcopal minister
On his return to America he completed his study in theologyTheology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
and was admitted to holy orders in 1803 by Rev. Thomas John Claggett
Thomas John Claggett
Thomas John Claggett was the first bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America to be consecrated on American soil and the first bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland.-Early family life:...
, Bishop of Maryland
Episcopal Diocese of Maryland
The Episcopal Diocese of Maryland forms part of Province 3 of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. It is made up of the northern and central Maryland counties of Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Calvert, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Howard, and Washington...
, a neighbor, friend, helper and patriot of the Revolution. That same year he became rector of William & Mary's, Charles County. He was a distinguished minister of the Episcopal Church and for several years the incumbent of Port Tobacco
Port Tobacco Village, Maryland
Port Tobacco, officially Port Tobacco Village, is a town in Charles County, Maryland, United States. The population was 15 at the 2000 census, making Port Tobacco the smallest incorporated town in Maryland....
Parish, Charles County, Maryland
Charles County, Maryland
Charles County is a county in the south central portion of the U.S. state of Maryland.As of 2010, the population was 146,551. Its county seat is La Plata. This county was named for Charles Calvert , third Baron Baltimore....
. He was a native of Prince George's County and brought up in the church. In 1808, he added Trinity, and in 1811, St. Paul's, Prince George's Co., Maryland, to his charge. He continued as a Judge of the Orphan's Court, and was always in the Standing Committee.
Property
Benjamin resided briefly in the mid 1790's at “BlenheimBlenheim (Maryland)
"Blenheim", was the once historic estate of the Lees in Charles County, Maryland. It was owned by Capt. Philip Lee, Sr., Hon., Esq. ....
”. At the time of his death he was living at the glebe house of Trinity Parish near Allen’s Fresh. Benjamin and his wife, were more than likely interred in the Contee cemetery at “Locust Hill” just outside Port Tobacco, which has been destroyed. If not there, than they were buried in the original Christ Church cemetery in Port Tobacco, which is now covered by swamp.