Thomas Stone

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Thomas Stone

Thomas Stone (1743–October 5, 1787) was an American planter who signed United States Declaration of Independence as a delegate for Maryland. He later worked on the committee that formed the Articles of Confederation in 1777, and became President of Congress in 1784.

Thomas was born into a prominent family at Poynton Manor in Charles County, Maryland. He was the second son in the large family of David (1709-1773) and Elizabeth Jenifer Stone. His brothers Michael and John also had important political careers. Thomas read law at the office of Thomas Johnson in Annapolis, was admitted to the bar in 1764 and opened a practice in Frederick, Maryland.

In 1768 Stone married Margaret Brown (1751-1787), the youngest daughter of Dr. Gustavis Brown, thought to be the richest man in the county. Soon after he purchased the first 400 acres (1.6 km²) and began the construction of his estate named Habredeventure. The family would make their home there, and they would have three children: Margaret (1771-1809), Mildred (1773-1837) and Fredrik (1774-1793). His law practice kept him away from home, so he brought his younger brother Michael to his home to manage development of the plantation.

John Trumbull's famous painting is usually incorrectly identified as a depiction of the signing of the Declaration. What the painting actually depicts is the five-man drafting committee presenting their work to the Congress. Trumbull's painting can also be found on the back of the U.S. $2 bill.^[1]

As the American Revolution neared, Stone joined the Committee of correspondence for Charles County. In 1775 the Maryland convention sent him as a delegate to the Continental Congress. He was re-elected and attended regularly for several years. On May 15, 1776 he voted in favor of drafting a declaration of independence, in spite of restrictions from the Maryland convention that prevented their delegates from supporting it. In June the restriction was lifted, so Maryland's delegates were free to vote for Independence.

That same year Stone was assigned to the committee that drafted the Articles of Confederation, and he was struck with a personal tragedy. His wife Margaret visited him in Philadelphia, which was in the midst of a smallpox epidemic. She was vaccinated for the disease, but an adverse reaction to the treatment made her ill. Her health continued to decline for the rest of her life. After signing the Declaration of Independence, he took his wife home and declined future appointment to the Congress. (He would serve for part of 1784, when the meetings were at Annapolis.)

Stone did accept election to the Maryland Senate from 1779 until 1785, at first in order to promote the Articles of Confederation, which Maryland was the last state to approve. But he gave up the practice of law to care for Margaret and their growing children. As her health continued to decline, he gradually withdrew from public life. He turned management of the plantation over to his brother. When Margaret died in 1787, he became depressed and died less than four months later in Alexandria.

Thomas was buried at his plantation home, which still stands. Habredeventure today is the centerpiece of the Thomas Stone National Historic Site, and is operated as a museum by the National Park Service. It is located at 6655 Rose Hill Road, Port Tobacco Village, Maryland, 20677.