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Maryland: Governors: 1634-1689

Lieutenant General of the Province of Maryland
25 Mar/4 Apr 1634 - 15/25 Apr 1643 Leonard Calvert
15/25 Apr 1643 - 6/16 Sep 1644 Giles Brent
6/16 Sep 1644 - 1645 Leonard Calvert 
1645 - 1646 office vacant [1]
1646 Edward Hill [2]
Dec 1646 - 9 (or 10) / 10 (or 20) Jun 1647 Leonard Calvert 
10/20 Jun 1647 - Mar/Apr 1649 Thomas Greene [3]
Mar/Apr 1649 - 29 Mar/8 Apr 1652 William Stone [4]
Council of Maryland [5]
29 Mar/8 Apr 1652 - 28 Jun/8 Jul 1652  
Lieutenant General of the Province of Maryland
28 Jun/8 Jul 1652 - 22 Jul/1 Aug 1654 William Stone 
Commissioners [6]
22 Jul/1 Aug 1654 - 24 Mar/3 Apr 1658  
Lieutenant General and Chief Governor of the Province of Maryland
24 Mar/3 Apr 1658 - Oct/Nov 1660 Josias Fendall
Oct/Nov 1660 - 26 Nov/6 Dec 1661 Philip Calvert [7]
26 Nov/6 Dec 1661 - 4/14 Mar 1676 Charles Calvert [8]
Absolute Lord and Proprietary of the Provinces of Maryland and Avalon
4/14 Mar 1676 - Jun/Jul 1676 Charles Calvert, Baron Baltimore 
Lieutenant General and Chief Governor of the Province of Maryland
Jun/Jul 1676 - Jan 1679 Cecil Calvert [9]
Absolute Lord and Proprietary of the Provinces of Maryland and Avalon
Jan 1679 - May/Jun 1684 Charles Calvert, Baron Baltimore  [10]
Lieutenant General and Chief Governor of the Province of Maryland
May/Jun 1684 - 1/11 Aug 1689 Benedict Leonard Calvert [11]
  1. Calvert was compelled to flee to Virginia after a group of rebels seized the fort and the governor's residence at St. Mary's. A provisional government was likely established, though no documentary evidence survives concerning its composition or official style.
  2. Hill was appointed by a commission issued by Governor Calvert in Virginia on 30 Jul/9 Aug 1646 to serve during his absence. However, Hill later asserted in a letter to Governor Greene that his authority derived from "His Lordship’s Council," arguing that Calvert's departure invalidated his power to appoint a successor, and that the Council acted out of necessity for public safety. Hill appears to have exercised authority until Calvert's return and forcible restoration to office by the end of 1646.
  3. Greene was said to have been named governor by Leonard Calvert on his deathbed on 9/20 Jun 1647. In the absence of a written will, the Council accepted the testimony of an eyewitness—who also served as Calvert's executrix—and proclaimed Greene as governor on 10/20 Jun 1647.
  4. Stone's commission was issued on 6/16 Aug 1648 in England. The date of his assumption of office is unknown, but he called the Assembly which sat satrting from 2/12 Apr 1649, and the first exatant document which he signed is dated 26 Apr 1649 (Old Style).
  5. The commission of Governor was declared "void and null" and the government was entrusted to the Council of Maryland by a proclamation of the Commissioners of the Council of State of the Commonwealth of England issued on 29 Mar/8 Apr 1652. The Commissioners restored Stone on 28 Jun/8 Jul 1652.
  6. The Commissioners, appointed by Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell for "Reduceing and Settling" of Maryland and Virginia, appointed a group of Maryland commissioners to govern the colony on 22 Jul/1 Aug 1654 who served until the surrender of administration to Fendall, holding a commission from the Proprietary.
  7. Philip Calvert's commission was issued on 24 Jun/4 Jul 1660 in England. The date of his assumption of office is unknown, but the first exatant document which he signed is dated 31 Oct 1660 (Old Style). There is a record of his swearing-in as governor and chancellor in the Court's proceedings on 11/21 Dec 1660, but it is not clear whether it was the first oath-taking.
  8. Charles Calvert's commission was issued on 14/24 Sep 1661 in England. He took the oath of office at the Court's meeting held on 26 Nov/6 Dec 1661, and inherited the title of baron and succeeded to the proprietorship of Maryland after the death of his father, Cecil Calvert, in England on 30 Nov/10 Dec 1675. The formal proclamation of Charles in Maryland took place on 4/14 Mar 1676. After attending a meeting of the Council on 19/29 Jun 1676, he departed for England sometime before 6/16 Jul 1676.
  9. Cecil Calvert was a minor when he was appointed governor by his father, Charles Baron Baltimore, on 16/26 Jun 1676. Actual administration devolved upon:
    Deputy Lieutenant and Deputy Governor
    Jun/Jul 1676 - Jul/Aug 1676
    Jesse Wharton

    Wharton died between 27 Jul/6 Aug 1676 and 1/11 Aug 1676.

    Jul/Aug 1676 - 17/27 Apr 1677
    Thomas Notley
    Lieutenant General and Chief Governor of the Province of Maryland
    17/27 Apr 1677 - Jan 1679
    Thomas Notley 

    Notley was named deputy governor by the will of Wharton read in Council on 1/11 Aug 1676 when Notley took the oaths. He was commissioned as governor by the Proprietary on 14/24 Oct 1676 and took the oath in Open Court on 17/27 Apr 1677.

  10. Charles returned to Maryland attending his first Council on 8/18 Jan 1679. He ruled the colony until his return to England (last known document is dated 24 May 1684 Old Style).
  11. Benedict Calvert was a minor when he was appointed governor by his father, Charles Baron Baltimore, on 1/11 May 1684. Actual administration devolved upon:
    Deputies Lieutenants
    May/Jun 1684 - 2/12 Nov 1684
    George Talbott
    May/Jun 1684 - 3/13 Oct 1688
    Nicholas Sewall
    May/Jun 1684 - 14/24 Dec 1684
    John Darnall
    May/Jun 1684 - 24 Feb/6 Mar 1686
    Vincent Lowe
    May/Jun 1684 - 3/13 Oct 1688
    Henry Darnall
    20/30 Jun 1684 - 3/13 Oct 1688
    William Digges
    20/30 Jun 1684 - 23 Dec 1687/2 Jan 1688
    William Stevens
    20/30 Jun 1684 - 24 Jan/3 Feb 1687
    William Burges
    20/30 Jun 1684 - 3/13 Oct 1688
    Thomas Taillor
    28 Nov/8 Dec 1685 - 3/13 Oct 1688
    Clement Hill
    10/20 Nov 1686 - 3/13 Oct 1688
    Edward Pye
    Deputy and President of the Council
    3/13 Oct 1688 - 1/11 Aug 1689
    William Joseph

    Joseph was appointed by the Proprietary to preside in Council and Provincal Court and took the oaths on 3/13 Oct 1688.

Last update: 25 Jul 2025
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