DATE: 3 December, 1792
CREATOR: Carroll, Charles (1737-1832)
LANGUAGE: English
SCOPE: This letter was written to John Morrow of Shepherd’s Town, VA (now Shepherdstown, WV) concerning a loan payment that Mr. Morrow is late on.
EXTENT: One letter with addressee information.
TRANSCRIPTION:
Annapolis 3rd December 1792
Sir
I answered your letter of the 13th of last October on the 21st of that month & requested you to pay the balance of the £300 ? a carry thru the 25th Oct 1792? £169 due to me for Rich’d Lawson & Co, Merchant of Baltimore Town by the last of October; you had not paid it on the 22nd of last month. I expect to receive interest on the £169 from the 25th of last October unless? speedily paid. I shall proceed to enforce the decree. When men make promises I expect they will comply with them. You promised to pay the residue? of the £300 ? ___? by the last of October __ I am respectfully
Sir
Your most hum Servt
Ch. Carroll of Carrolton
Letter is addressed to:
Annapolis Dec 3rd for’d 12/2
To: Mr John Morrow
Shepards Town
Virginia (Now West Virginia)
(Letter a Gift of James E. Yeatman)
HISTORY:
Charles Carroll (1737-1832), known as Charles Carroll of Carrollton to distinguish him from his similarly-named relatives, was a wealthy Maryland planter and an early advocate of independence from Great Britain. He served as a delegate to the Continental Congress and later as a first United States Senator for Maryland. He was the only Catholic and the longest-lived signatory of the Declaration of Independence, dying at the age of 95.
Carroll was the grandson of Charles Carroll the Settler who emigrated from Ireland. The Settler had just one son, also named Charles (born 1702). To distinguish the father from the son the son was known as Charles Carroll of Annapolis. Our Charles Carroll was born in 1737, in Annapolis, Maryland, the only child of his father and Elizabeth Brooke (1709-1761).
He began his formal education at the age of 8, when he was sent to attend the English Jesuit College at St. Omer in Artois, France. The school was founded to educate English subjects who were Catholics. He graduated the College of Louis the Grande in Rheims at age 17. He continued practical studies in Europe until, at age 28 (c 1765) he returned to his Annapolis home. His father granted Carrollton Manor to his son. It is from this tract of land that he took his title, "Charles Carroll of Carrollton"...
For an extended history on the subjects of this letter, please view a PDF document.
Keywords from this document include Charles Carroll, English Jesuit College at St. Omer, Annapolis MD, Continental Congress, Declaration of Independence, John Marrow, George Washington, James Rumsey, Potomoc River, pole-boat
Biographical Note:
Charles Carroll of Carrollton was one of the four signers of the Declaration of Independence from Maryland. Although his family had great wealth and land holdings, they were barred from entering public office because of their Catholic faith. Carroll was first educated in secret at a Jesuit school located on the Eastern shore of Maryland and then sent abroad to Paris to complete his education in classical studies. Carroll then went to London to study English law and was subsequently admitted to the Inner Temple in London. After the death of his mother in 1765, Carroll returned to Annapolis and became involved in local politics. When he was elected to the 2nd Maryland Convention in 1774, it effectively ended the ban on Catholics in Maryland politics. After the Revolutionary War, he continued to participate in local and state politics, becoming one of the first U.S. senators from Maryland in 1789.
After his retirement from political life in 1800, Charles Carroll focused heavily on business and industry ventures. He was one of the founders of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company and served on the board of directors of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.
Charles Carroll was the last surviving member of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.
SPECIAL THANKS:
Special thanks to Roman Beuc, St. Louis Mercantile Library Docent, for transcribing the letter as well as researching and compiling an extended history on the topic.
ACCESS:
A PDF copy of the letter is available for research purposes: Charles Carroll of Carrollton Letter.pdf
For an extended history on the subjects of this letter, please view a PDF document.
This collection is available for on-site use only in the Rare Book and Manuscripts Reading Room. Some of the material in Special Collection M-020 may be photocopied, digitally scanned or photographed, subject to condition. Researchers are advised to call ahead concerning changes in hours due to University intersessions and holidays. The St. Louis Mercantile Library is located on levels one and two of the Thomas Jefferson Library building.
In observance of security procedures, certain services may not be available shortly before the daily closing time.
Preferred Citation: When citing the material from this collection, the preferred citation is: From the Special Collections of the St. Louis Mercantile Library at the University of Missouri – St. Louis.
