Jesse Wharton (Maryland)
Encyclopedia
Jesse Wharton was the 7th Proprietary Governor
of Maryland
during a brief period in 1676. He was appointed by the royally chartered proprietor of Maryland, Charles Calvert, 3rd Baron Baltimore
. Following his death, Wharton was briefly succeeded by Cecilius Calvert, infant son of Charles Calvert, before the next Governor, Thomas Notley
, was appointed.
in 1670. He quickly became a successful planter and politician in the colony, holding several political offices and amassing 11 slaves and more than 3000 acres (1,214.1 ha) before his death only six years after his arrival. Once in the colony, Wharton married Elizabeth Sewall, the daughter of a politically prominent local settler named Henry Sewall. Wharton became a member of the Governor's Council in 1672 and became the Deputy Governor in 1676, with de facto gubernatorial authority, for a brief period before his death. At the time, the nominal Governor of the colony was Cecilius Calvert, the infant son of the colony's proprietor. In reality, the Governor's Council led by Wharton ruled the colony, and he is listed by the Maryland State Archives as having been a colonial governor. Wharton's appointment passed over four more senior members of the Council, including Philip Calvert.
The appointment came at a dangerous time for the colony, when threats from both within and outside its settlers loomed. Settlers on the western shore feared an attack from hostile Native Americans, and earlier that year the colony had armed some friendly tribes in preparation for just such an eventuality. Next door in Virginia, Bacon's Rebellion
threatened the colonial order itself. These twin crises reached a peak in July, when the rebellion in Virginia succeeded in toppling its colonial government and settlers on the western shore were warned to arm themselves against an imminent native attack. In the midst of this crisis, and only a little more than a month after assuming office, Wharton died. He had only governed the colony from Charles Calvert's departure on June 16, 1676 until he named Thomas Notley
as his successor just prior to his death in July of the same year. Upon his death, he left behind one son, Henry Wharton, and his wife, Elizabeth. She later remarried a man named William Digges.
Proprietary Governor
Proprietary Governors were individuals authorized to govern proprietary colonies. Under the proprietary system, individuals or companies were granted commercial charters by the King of England to establish colonies. These proprietors then selected the governors and other officials in the colony....
of Maryland
Province of Maryland
The Province of Maryland was an English and later British colony in North America that existed from 1632 until 1776, when it joined the other twelve of the Thirteen Colonies in rebellion against Great Britain and became the U.S...
during a brief period in 1676. He was appointed by the royally chartered proprietor of Maryland, Charles Calvert, 3rd Baron Baltimore
Charles Calvert, 3rd Baron Baltimore
Charles Calvert, 3rd Baron Baltimore, 2nd Proprietor and 6th and 9th Proprietary Governor of Maryland , inherited the colony in 1675 upon the death of his father, Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore. He had been his father's Deputy Governor since 1661 when he arrived in the colony at the age of 24...
. Following his death, Wharton was briefly succeeded by Cecilius Calvert, infant son of Charles Calvert, before the next Governor, Thomas Notley
Thomas Notley
Thomas Notley was the 8th Proprietary Governor of Maryland from 1676 through 1679. He was appointed to succeed Jesse Wharton by the colony's proprietor, Charles Calvert, 3rd Baron Baltimore...
, was appointed.
Life
Wharton emigrated to Maryland from the English colony in BarbadosBarbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
in 1670. He quickly became a successful planter and politician in the colony, holding several political offices and amassing 11 slaves and more than 3000 acres (1,214.1 ha) before his death only six years after his arrival. Once in the colony, Wharton married Elizabeth Sewall, the daughter of a politically prominent local settler named Henry Sewall. Wharton became a member of the Governor's Council in 1672 and became the Deputy Governor in 1676, with de facto gubernatorial authority, for a brief period before his death. At the time, the nominal Governor of the colony was Cecilius Calvert, the infant son of the colony's proprietor. In reality, the Governor's Council led by Wharton ruled the colony, and he is listed by the Maryland State Archives as having been a colonial governor. Wharton's appointment passed over four more senior members of the Council, including Philip Calvert.
The appointment came at a dangerous time for the colony, when threats from both within and outside its settlers loomed. Settlers on the western shore feared an attack from hostile Native Americans, and earlier that year the colony had armed some friendly tribes in preparation for just such an eventuality. Next door in Virginia, Bacon's Rebellion
Bacon's Rebellion
Bacon's Rebellion was an uprising in 1676 in the Virginia Colony in North America, led by a 29-year-old planter, Nathaniel Bacon.About a thousand Virginians rose because they resented Virginia Governor William Berkeley's friendly policies towards the Native Americans...
threatened the colonial order itself. These twin crises reached a peak in July, when the rebellion in Virginia succeeded in toppling its colonial government and settlers on the western shore were warned to arm themselves against an imminent native attack. In the midst of this crisis, and only a little more than a month after assuming office, Wharton died. He had only governed the colony from Charles Calvert's departure on June 16, 1676 until he named Thomas Notley
Thomas Notley
Thomas Notley was the 8th Proprietary Governor of Maryland from 1676 through 1679. He was appointed to succeed Jesse Wharton by the colony's proprietor, Charles Calvert, 3rd Baron Baltimore...
as his successor just prior to his death in July of the same year. Upon his death, he left behind one son, Henry Wharton, and his wife, Elizabeth. She later remarried a man named William Digges.