Thomas Sprigg Wootton
Encyclopedia
Dr. Thomas Sprigg Wootton (c. 1740-1789) a member of the Maryland Constitutional Convention, was the founder of Montgomery County, Maryland
, by introducing a bill in the Maryland General Assembly
on September 6, 1776 to divide Frederick into three counties---Frederick, Montgomery, and Washington. These were the first counties in America to be established by elected representatives. The names selected for the new counties also broke with tradition. Earlier counties had all been named for old world figures such as Prince George and Queen Anne, but these were named after two popular Americans of the time—George Washington and Richard Montgomery
.
The Thomas Sprigg Wootton High School
in Rockville, Maryland
is named after him.
Montgomery County, Maryland
Montgomery County is a county in the U.S. state of Maryland, situated just to the north of Washington, D.C., and southwest of the city of Baltimore. It is one of the most affluent counties in the United States, and has the highest percentage of residents over 25 years of age who hold post-graduate...
, by introducing a bill in the Maryland General Assembly
Maryland General Assembly
The Maryland General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland. It is a bicameral body. The upper chamber, the Maryland State Senate, has 47 representatives and the lower chamber, the Maryland House of Delegates, has 141 representatives...
on September 6, 1776 to divide Frederick into three counties---Frederick, Montgomery, and Washington. These were the first counties in America to be established by elected representatives. The names selected for the new counties also broke with tradition. Earlier counties had all been named for old world figures such as Prince George and Queen Anne, but these were named after two popular Americans of the time—George Washington and Richard Montgomery
Richard Montgomery
Richard Montgomery was an Irish-born soldier who first served in the British Army. He later became a brigadier-general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and he is most famous for leading the failed 1775 invasion of Canada.Montgomery was born and raised in Ireland...
.
The Thomas Sprigg Wootton High School
Thomas Sprigg Wootton High School
Thomas Sprigg Wootton High School or Wootton High School is a high school in Rockville, Maryland. Its namesake is Thomas Sprigg Wootton, a former member of the Maryland Constitutional Convention and the founder of Montgomery County. The school was founded in 1970 and is part of the Montgomery...
in Rockville, Maryland
Rockville, Maryland
Rockville is the county seat of Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It is a major incorporated city in the central part of Montgomery County and forms part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. The 2010 U.S...
is named after him.