Charles Carroll

Ancestor Number

A019753 »

Date of Birth

September 20, 1737

Place of Birth

Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, Maryland

Date of Death

November 14, 1832

Place of Death

Baltimore, Baltimore County, Maryland

Spouse(s)

Mary Darnall

Children

Elizabeth, Mary, Louisa Rachel, Charles of "Homewood," Catharine "Kitty," Eliza

American Revolution Service

Signer of the Declaration of Independence

State of Service

Maryland

Donor

Carrollton Manor Chapter and Mary Carroll Caton Chapter; Society of the Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Idependence

Among the founding fathers, Charles Carroll of Carrolton, Maryland, is a little-known revolutionary who played an important role in establishing the fledgling country’s new government “of the people, by the people and for the people,” promoting religious freedom as “all men are created equal.”

Charles Carroll was born in 1737, the only child of wealthy, Catholic landowners, Charles Carroll of Annapolis and his wife, Elizabeth Brooke. Charles and his cousin, John Carroll, were educated at a Jesuit school in Cecil County, Maryland. John Carroll would later become the first American Catholic Bishop while Charles continued his education in Paris and studied law in London.

Copy from the Original owned by the Maryland Historical Society

Carroll County created by an act of the Georgia legislature in December 1826, proudly bears the name of Charles Carrolll, of Carrollton.

Charles Carroll house and grounds on Spa Creek, Annapolis, MD. Credit to G J Gibson Photography LLC.

Mary Carroll Caton, painted by Robert Edge Pine (from the Frick Digital Collections).

Grave marking of Mary Carroll Caton; daughter of Charles Carroll.

The Senate Chamber: Maryland State House. By Richard E Brooks, 1905.

Plaque for the signers of the constitution from Maryland. Credit to Cardinell, John D.

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After spending 16 years abroad, Charles returned home and he married his cousin, Mary “Molly” Darnall.

They were blessed with seven children: Elizabeth (1769), Mary (1770) wife of Richard Caton, Louisa Rachel (1772), Charles of “Homewood” (1775) husband of 1. Harriet Chew and 2. Elizabeth Oswold; Catharine “Kitty” (1778) wife of Robert Goodloe Harper and Eliza (1780).

In colonial days, Catholics were unable to participate in politics or hold office. This did not prevent young Charles from making his opinions known. In 1773, he wrote a series of letters to the Maryland Gazette under the pseudonym “First Citizen” arguing that the colonies should have the right to regulate their own taxes. He was especially critical of the high salaries paid to local public officials.

His participation in the burning of the Peggy Stewart also known as the Annapolis Tea Party was seen as an act of defiance against King George.

Charles Carroll of Carrollton was elected one of the four delegates from Maryland to attend the 2nd Continental Congress (1776, 1777-1780). At the age of 37, Charles Carroll was the only catholic to sign the Declaration of Independence.

Charles Carroll has the distinction of being the last surviving signer of the Declaration of Independence, dying in 1832, at the age of 95, at the home of his daughter, Mary Carroll Caton.