Samuel Ogle Explained

Samuel Ogle
Office1:5th, 7th, and 9th Governor of Restored Proprietary Government
Term Start1:1731
Term End1:1732
Predecessor1:Benedict Leonard Calvert
Successor1:Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore
Term Start2:1733
Term End2:1742
Predecessor2:Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore
Successor2:Thomas Bladen
Term Start3:1746/47
Term End3:1752
Predecessor3:Thomas Bladen
Successor3:Benjamin Tasker Sr.
Birth Date:c. 1694
Birth Place:Northumberland, England
Death Place:Annapolis, Maryland
Profession:politician
Residence:Belair Mansion, Collington, Maryland,
what is now known as Ogle Hall in Annapolis, Maryland

Samuel Ogle (c. 1694 – 3 May 1752) was the 16th, 18th and 20th Proprietary Governor of Maryland from 1731 to 1732, 1733 to 1742, and 1746/1747 to 1752.

Background

The Ogle family was quite prominent for many centuries in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, England. He was the eldest son of Samuel Ogle (1659–1719), Member of Parliament for, and commissioner of the revenue for Ireland, by his second wife, Ursula, daughter of Sir Robert Markham, 2nd Baronet, and widow of Altham Annesley, 1st Baron Altham.[1] The Ogles descended from the Barons Ogle, an ancient Northern English Family allied with the Manners of Rutland, Cavendish's of Newcastle, Barons de Ros, and ancient Norman House of Percy.[2]

Governorship

Samuel Ogle became a captain of a cavalry regiment in the British Army. Appointed as Provincial Governor of Maryland by Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore on 7 December 1731, he was dispatched to Colonial America in 1732.[3]

Cresap's War

See main article: article and Cresap's War. Under Ogle's leadership Maryland quickly became engaged in a border dispute with Pennsylvania.[4] Several settlers were taken prisoners on both sides and Penn sent a committee to Governor Ogle to resolve the situation.[4] Rioting broke out in the disputed territory (now known as Cresap's War) and Ogle appealed to the King George II for resolution.[4]

Faced with this situation, Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore arrived in Maryland and assumed charge of the colony in December 1732.[4] Upon Calvert's arrival, Ogle retired from the governorship[3] for the first time. He would do this twice more. He resumed the governorship in 1733.

The border dispute would not be settled until 1767 when the Mason-Dixon line was recognized as the boundary between Maryland and Pennsylvania.[5]

Return to England

In 1740, Ogle was dispatched to England following England's declaration of war against Spain and left Benjamin Tasker Sr. with power of attorney and "the task of supervising the construction of a new house at Belair."[6]

In 1741, Ogle married the much younger Anne Tasker (1723–1817), daughter of Benjamin Tasker Sr. and Anne Bladen.[3]

Belair and Horse Racing

In 1743, Benjamin Tasker built the Belair Mansion on a 7000acres tobacco plantation in Collington, Maryland, now known as Bowie, Maryland on behalf of Ogle. Upon his return to the Province, Ogle founded the "Belair Stud," a stable of thoroughbred horses at Belair that would continue in operation for more than 200 years. A lover of his native country's popular sport of thoroughbred horse racing, Ogle is credited with introducing the sport to North America, staging the first English-style race at Annapolis, Maryland in 1745.[6]

Death and legacy

Samuel Ogle died in 1752 and was interred at St. Anne's Episcopal Church in Annapolis. He and his wife Anne had five children: Anne, Samuel, Benjamin Ogle who became Governor of the State of Maryland, Mary and Mellora.[3]

Samuel Ogle Junior High School (now Middle School) in Bowie, Maryland, was named after him.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ogle, Samuel (1659–1719), of Bowsden, Northumb., History of Parliament Online. 11 September 2014.
  2. Warfield, The Founders of Anne Arundel and Howard Counties, Maryland, 1905, p. 248–250.
  3. Book: Richardson , Hester Dorsey . Side-lights on Maryland History: With Sketches of Early Maryland Families . Williams and Wilkins Company . 1903 . Baltimore, Maryland . 190–193 . 0-8063-0296-8 .
  4. Book: Warfield , Joshua Dorsey . The Founders of Anne Arundel And Howard Counties, Maryland . Kohn & Pollock . July 1905 . Baltimore, Maryland . 0-8063-7971-5 . 208.
  5. Bayliff, William H. The Maryland-Pennsylvania and the Maryland-Delaware boundaries. Annapolis : Maryland Board of Natural Resources, 1959.
  6. Book: Baltz , Shirley Vlasak . A Chronicle of Belair . Bowie Heritage Committee . 1984 . Bowie, Maryland . 14–19 . 85165028.