Stones of Poynton Manor – Thomas Stone

When we think of the men who gathered that hot July day in 1776 to put their signature on the foundational document of the Declaration of Independence, many notable men come to mind. But each of the fifty-six men who signed were equally putting their lives on the line, whether they were notable or not. Each were representatives of their distinctive colony and all had to work together long and hard to settle within themselves and to settle together what needed to be done to form this new nation. But it was also imperative that each settled in his mind the risk he and his family were taking by agreeing to sign this document. This action would be considered nothing short of treason and punishable by death.

We remember the notable men easily, John Hancock, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin. But not many remember Thomas Stone of Maryland and others like him. The Maryland delegation included Charles Carroll, Samuel Chase, and William Paca.

Thomas Stone by Robert Edge Pine ~ 1780 (Public Domain)

Thomas Stone was a mild-mannered intellectual who practiced law before being nominated to serve in the Continental Congress. Although he was a pacifist at heart and would have rather worked out a peaceable agreement with England, it became evident that war was inevitable. It was then that he fully supported independence. Not only did Thomas Stone sign the Declaration of Independence, but when the Continental Congress realized the urgent need to set up a national government, he was selected to serve on the committee that wrote the Articles of Confederation in 1777. The Articles were our country’s first functioning constitution.

Thomas was the grandson of Governor William Stone, the first Proprietary Governor of Maryland. He was born at William’s 5,000 acre estate, Poynton Manor near Port Tobacco, Maryland in 1743.

After starting his law practice he married Margaret Brown, a young woman from a very prominent family in the area. Her father, Gustavus, was a physician and a close friend of George Washington.

Margaret Brown Stone by Robert Edge Pine ~ 1780 (Public Domain)

Thomas Stone bought an estate and they made their home at Habre de Venture near Poynton Manor. He wanted a quiet life of practicing law and farming, but the needs of the Congress and his law office kept him away much of the time.

Habre de Venture

He traveled on horseback or by carriage between his home in Port Tobacco to his law office in Frederick, Maryland seventy five miles away. His service in the Maryland Congress in Annapolis was a trip of fifty miles. And when duty called in Philadelphia for his service in the Continental Congress, the one hundred and sixty mile journey could take a couple of days.

To make the time away from his family less, he purchased a home in Annapolis where much of his public service was carried out. The large brick home on Hanover Street is still a home today.

While serving in Congress he desired to have his wife near him in Philadelphia. But since small pox was spreading throughout the colonies, he encouraged her to be inoculated before traveling. But the effects of the vaccination weakened her system to the point that she was never completely healthy again.

With his wife’s weakened condition and the demands of family life, he frequently turned down opportunities for public service except when they were nearby in Annapolis.

Over the next few years his wife’s health continued to decline and people saw less and less of Thomas.

Margaret died in June of 1787 at age 36. Thomas was so griefstricken that he did not go and represent Maryland at the convention of delegates working on the new constitution. In fact, he would succumb to his grief of losing his beloved wife — dying four months later on October 5, 1787 at the age of 44.

The grave of Thomas Stone at
Habre de Venture near Port Tobacco, Maryland

Thomas Stone is my second cousin, seven generations removed. His grandfather, Governor William Stone, is my 9x great grandfather. I’m very proud of Thomas’ role in the founding of our country.

The author at Habre de Venture at the Thomas Stone National Historic Site