THOMAS STONE.

THE patriots who conducted our revolution, were generally men of exceeding modesty. Notwithstanding the importance of their actions, many of them are now distinguished in recollection by little that is peculiar in character or conduct. The diversity of talent and disposition, was not always discernible among men drawn forth from the privacy of domestic life, by the same public emergency, and moving with such unanimity as prevented any one from standing out conspicuously before the rest.

Where all were ready to go forward, there could scarcely be any leaders; and in so harmonious an assembly as the first congress, the particular characteristics of each member were not easily to be inferred from his votes.

It has happened, therefore, that some of those excellent persons returned to the shades of private life when their noble task had been performed, and were, in a measure, overlooked by their compeers, whose attention was engrossed by the events of an anxious period, involving their own safety as well as the freedom and honour of their country.

In such instances, however, the immediate friends of the retiring patriot have generally cherished the remembrance of such peculiarities as belonged to him; and however undiversiVOL. IV.-R

fied with striking incidents may have been the tenor of his life, there is still something to be told of him to gratify a rational curiosity.

Few distinguished names have faded more rapidly from public view than that of THOMAS STONE; yet none are remembered with more unqualified respect by a circle of surviving friends, whose exalted characters give an unmeasured value to their approbation.

He was lineally descended from William Stone, the governor of Maryland, during the protectorate of Oliver Cromwell, and was the son of David Stone, of Pointon Manor, Charles county, Maryland.

His mother was a sister of Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer, a gentleman of distinction under both the proprietary and state governments, being for many years lord Baltimore's agent in the province, a member of the executive council, and one of the judges of the provincial court; and subsequently president of the state senate, delegate to congress, and a member of the convention which formed the federal constitution.

He was born in the year 1743, and was remarkable in early youth for the zealous pursuit of knowledge, and untiring industry, which continued to distinguish him through the whole of his life.

It is asserted, that in his boyhood, at the age of fifteen, his anxiety to acquire a classical education was so great, as to induce him, contrary to the prejudices of his father, who set little value on an acquaintance with Greek or Latin, to be removed, at his own earnest entreaty, from an English school to the school of a Mr. Blaizedel, a Scotchman, who taught the learned languages. This school was about ten miles distant from his father's residence; but it was his constant habit, until he had made himself conversant

with Latin and Greek, to rise at dawn, saddle his horse, and appear in school with the other pupils. An opportunity of acquiring this education, was the only inheritance which he' ever received from his parents; although his father, was possessed of a large estate in land. According to the opinion then entertained of the rights of primogeniture, Pointon Manor became the property of Samuel, the elder son, of a former marriage; and Thomas, when removed from the school of Mr. Blaizedel, found himself under the necessity of borrowing money in order to prosecute the study of law. This he did in the city of Annapolis, under the auspices of Thomas Johnson, for whom he ever afterwards manifested a filial regard. He commenced the practice of the law in Frederick town, in Maryland, and after two years he removed to Charles, county in the same state. During these two years, he liquidated the debt contracted while acquir ing his legal education; and in the year 1771, previous to his removal, he married Margaret Brown, the youngest daughter of Dr. Gustavus Brown, of that county. The only property which this lady possessed, was the sum of one thousand pounds sterling. He was married in his twenty-eighth year, and his practice at that time was neither extensive nor lucrative. Great expectations were, however, entertained of him at this time. His decorous deportment, his great industry and attention to business, his steady, and perfectly correct habits, his manly and independent conduct, and above all, the opinion that was generally possessed, of his inflexible and incorruptible integrity, inspired hopes, that were never disappointed, that he was destined to be an honour and ornament to his profession and his country. After his marriage, he purchased a farm, near the village of Port Tobacco. Upon this farm his family, with four of his infant brothers, resided

during the revolutionary struggles. This was the most arduous period of his life. The farm which he had purchased was extensive, but the soil was thin; the courts of justice were partially closed to his professional exertions; and his time and talents were called to the aid of his suffering country.

The following letter, dated the twenty-eighth of April, 1775, was written at Annapolis, while he was a member of the Maryland assembly, and was addressed to Mrs. Stone:

"We have this day received a confirmation of the unhappy contest between the king's troops, and the people of New England; and I am afraid it is too true. This will reduce both England and America, to a state which no friend of either, ever wished to see; how it will terminate God only knows. My heart is with you, and I wish it was in my power to see you, but many gentlemen insist that I should stay to assist in deliberation on those important affairs. I wish to do my duty, and shall be obliged to stay here longer than I expected, but I hope to see you on Sunday, if nothing

new occurs.

"We have accounts, that numbers of people are killed on both sides; which I am apprehensive, will preclude all hopes of a reconciliation between this and the mother country: a situation of affairs, which all thinking men must shudder at. "I wished to have heard from you, by post, but presume you thought I would be in Charles before this.

66 "People here seem to feel very severely on the present occasion. I have determined to act according to the best of my judgment, rightly; but, in the important and dangerous crisis to which we are reduced, the best may err. Pray God preserve you, and bless our little ones. We are like to see times, which will require all our fortitude to bear up against.