Charles Carroll, who would later
become known as Charles Carroll of Carrollton, senator and Signer of the
Declaration of Independence, was every bit as brave and selfless as his
accomplished ancestors.
Quite befitting ancestry for an American revolutionary, Charles Carroll
of Carrollton descended from revolutionary Irishmen once known as the
O'Carrolls. It is said that the O’Carrolls trace their ancestry to the
early Irish kings, the Ó’Cearbhaill chiefs of Éile. It is also said that
Charles Carroll’s line descends from Irish rebels. While this
speculation is supported by certain genealogical records, it is
confirmed that Charles Carroll’s grandfather, Charles Carroll, known as
Charles the Settler, immigrated to Maryland in 1659. A friend of Lord
Baltimore, Charles the Settler hoped that Maryland would provide refuge
from the anti-Catholic sentiments that pervaded Ireland.
Shortly after arriving, the Settler established himself as a man of
wealth and social prominence. Charles the Settler held numerous
prestigious positions in the new world, including, Attorney General,
Register of Land and Receiver General of Customs. The land grants
received by Charles the Settler in 1706 enabled his son, Charles Carroll
of Annapolis, to develop the family domicile, Doughoregan Manor.
Construction on Doughoregan Manor began in 1725 and the manor was
subsequently run in a way that made the estate was not only
self-sufficient but also profitable.
From the very moment that Charles Carroll of Carrollton entered the
world, on September 20, 1737 he was destined for greatness. As he grew
older, he understood that his father, Charles of Annapolis, would settle
for nothing less. The elder Carroll wanted nothing more than for his son
to become a productive and upstanding Marylander, and it was through a
Catholic education that he would develop into such a citizen. Charles
Carroll was initially home-schooled because Maryland severely restricted
the rights of its Catholic citizens. He was then sent to Bohemia
Manoracross the Chesapeake Bay. There, he was introduced to the children
of other prominent Maryland Catholics.
When young Charles was deemed academically prepared, his trunks were
packed and he made the long journey to St. Omers School in France. At
twelve, Carroll may have been academically prepared, but it is highly
unlikely that he could fully comprehend the reality that he would not
set foot on his native soil for another fifteen years. Although he must
have faced periodic bouts of homesickness, Charles bloomed academically
and socially at St. Omers. He demonstrated particular gifts for the
French language, literature and philosophy. St. Omers unarguably
provided Charles a very solid Jesuit education as well as valuable
social contacts. A high percentage of Charles’ classmates and peers were
Catholic boarding students sent from the colonies. Charles maintained
lifelong friendships with the other Marylanders in his year.
During his son’s absence from the manor, Charles of Annapolis was
careful to keep the younger Charles abreast of the progression of the
political situation in the colonies. He wrote frequently to describe the
advancements of both the British and the French who at that time were
engaged in constant battles known as the Seven Years War. Since religion
was a huge component of the war, the Catholic Carrolls were especially
concerned with how the war between the Catholic French and the
Protestant British would translate into additional discrimination
against the Catholic colonists. Unfortunately, they were right to worry,
since heightened anti-Catholic sentiments were the direct cause of
blatant discrimination in the form of professional restrictions, stamp
taxes and, later, a double tax on property.
As Charles Carroll of Carrollton aged he became increasingly aware of
how religion, philosophy and politics were all indicative of a society’s
evolution. After completing his lower studies at St. Omers, Carroll
performed collegiate studies in France that included philosophical
studies in Paris, poetry in Rheims and Roman law in Bourges. As a young
litterateur, Charles was enamored with the humanities, especially the
philosophical writings of Locke and Montesquieu . It was Montesquieu,
and later Voltaire, whose writings ignited an early passion for the
republican ideals which would be the foundation of his revolutionary
beliefs.
After completing his higher education in France, Charles Carroll moved
to London to continue his legal studies. Unfortunately, Carroll's
English legal studies were severely limited by his Catholicism. In
London, as in Maryland, Catholics were not permitted to address the
court. Instead, Carroll attended private tutoring, periodic lectures at
Westminster and Parliamentary meetings. Charles Carroll gained practical
experience through observation. He gained insight into the British
parliamentary system as well as a unique understanding of how the
British dealt with the growing problems presented by the colonies.
Through his observations Charles Carroll of Carrollton came to deplore
the excesses of the English system and the corruptions present in the
Parliament. His resistance to the British constitutional monarchy paired
with his extensive theological and philosophical studies formed his
early belief that Maryland the other colonies "will, and must be
independent." He wrote these prophetic words as early as November of
1663, a date that left many years for his revolutionary thoughts to
foment. In large part due to his correspondence with his father, Charles
Carroll became increasingly aware that parliamentary restrictions on the
colonies would become a point of division between the colonies and the
motherland. So concerned that this would be the case, Carroll began
closely monitoring the voting records in the House of Commons.
In May 1764, Charles Carroll went so far as to send his father a copy of
the American Act, which included the provision of the Stamp Tax. He also
began sending his father literature and legal documents pertaining to
the restriction and excessive taxing of Colonial Catholics.
"Considerations on the Penal Laws against Roman Catholics" was among the
documents sent. According to Reverend Charles Goodrich, who in 1856
wrote "Lives of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence" it can
be "inferred" that Carroll's"mind was made up at an early day as to the
course duty required him to take.” Furthermore,"Charles returned from
Europe filled with the "great spirit into the controversy between the
colonies and Great Britain." (Goodrich).
Carroll returned to the colonies in late 1764, and briefly shifted his
attention from politics to his personal future and fortune. After
sixteen years abroad, Carroll was forced to acclimate to the realities
inherent to the life of a wealthy, Catholic colonist. With his father’s
support, Charles Carroll built his own Maryland manor, Carrollton,
though he never actually used the manor as a full-time residence. While
continuing to live at Doughoregan Manor Charles Carroll established
himself within Maryland’s society. His social outings also served him
well in his search for a wife, a topic that caused Carroll great
anxiety. A prudent and financially aware young man, Carroll was
particularly concerned with finding a humble, yet interesting woman with
whom he could share a modest and happy life. Following the tragic death
of his fiancee, Rachel Cook, Charles found a match in his cousin Mary
Darnall. They married on June 5, 1768 and had seven children before
Mary's death in 1782. Unfortunately, only three lived beyond infancy:
Mary, Kitty and Charles Jr. who became known as Charles Carroll of
Homewood.
In addition to preparing him for the social climate of his adult life,
the elder Charles Carroll had indeed provided an adequate introduction
for his son to develop and manage Carrollton Manor. In addition to a
household staff, the Carrollton property contained orchards, livestock,
a cedar mill and even a small factory for making clothes. The huge staff
proved logistically difficult because Carroll’s legal skills did not
easily translate into managerial skills. It was actually the employment
of over three hundred slaves that caused Charles Carroll more difficulty
because he expressed personal discomfort at the notion of human slavery.
Even so, Carroll did slowly grow accustomed to leading the Annapolis
property, Carrollton and Doughoregan Manors and it is clear that despite
signing his name “Charles Carroll of Carrollton” Carroll actually
preferred Doughoregan Manor. Charles spent much of his adult life in at
Doughoregon and at the Annapolis property. He was responsible for the
significant expansion that took place in Annapolis during the 1770’s.
Doughoregan Manor
Carroll’s marketing creativity and his propensity toward cultivating
business contacts served him well in his partnership with the
politically minded social group known as the Independent Whigs. In his
early discussions with the group, Carroll expressed his strong belief
thatthe Maryland State Charter removed the colonial Marylanders from the
jurisdiction of the British parliament. He believed, instead, that they
were subject only to the loyalty and fealty to the British crown. Even
so, he strongly believed it necessary to limit a government’s power,
particularly in relation to religion.
Carroll’s Catholicism prevented him from becoming a practicing attorney
in Maryland; however, it did not prevent him from informally entering
the political arena. In 1773, Charles Carroll's political and religious
opinions were spotlighted in the Maryland Gazette when he engaged in an
“anonymous” debate with Daniel Dulany regarding the taxation of the
Marylanders. Carroll was bitterly against these taxes and he believed
these “fees” were nothing more than badly masked taxes that had been
illegally placed on the colonists. Despite the fact that his wrote under
the pseudonym, First Citizen, his identity was not a secret and Dulany
mercilessly questioned First Citizen's ties to Catholicism. Even in the
face of unwarranted character attacks, Charles Carroll maintained his
sense of decorum and Carroll rose to the debate. He argued for the
expansion of religious freedom and against the bigotry of anti-Catholic
laws.
More specifically, he argued for the separation of church and state. In
1773, the lower house protested and the fixed fees were defeated shortly
thereafter.
As evidenced by his actions as First Citizen, Charles Carroll was
vehemently against the excesses of the crown and he strongly supported
the cause of his fellow colonists. His reaction to the Maryland version
of the Boston Tea Party, which occurred when a British vessel arrived in
the Chesapeake Bay, supports this contention. When Carroll was asked for
advice about how to address the ship it is said that he replied,
“Gentlemen, set fire to the vessel and burn her, with her cargo, to the
water's edge."(Bartlemas)
Carroll’s revolutionary voice was formally recognized in 1774 when he
was asked by Benjamin Franklin and Samuel Chase to seek aid from Canada.
While his efforts in Canada were unsuccessful, his notoriety in Maryland
proved useful. In 1775, Carroll became a delegate to the Revolutionary
Convention in Maryland and he was instrumental in convincing Marylanders
to vote on behalf of independence. Due largely to the combination of his
French language fluency and Catholic ties, Carroll was sent to Canada
again in 1776, right before he was named delegate to the Continental
Congress, on July 4, 1776.
When given the opportunity to sign the Declaration of Independence, on
August 2, 1776, Charles Carroll reportedly replied that he would sign
"most willingly." Historical legend claims that when Carroll initially
signed only as "Charles Carroll," John Hancock challenged his dedication
to the cause. Hancock audaciously suggested that "Charles Carroll" was a
common enough name that Carroll could escape persecution by claiming a
case of mistake identity. Without argument, Carroll made the designation
"of Carrollton," at which point another member was said to have
whispered, "there goes another million", in reference to the vast sum
that Carroll stood to lose by signing.
Charles Carroll remained on the Continental Congress from 1776 until
1778 and he was a member of the Board of War from 1776-1777. He declined
re-election to the Continental Congress, but served in the US Senate
from 1789 to 1792. In this position, Carroll participated in the joint
Senate-House committee that approved and finalized the wording for the
Bill of Rights to the US Constitution. When new laws were enacted to
prevent members from serving at both the national and state levels,
Charles Carroll followed his loyalty to Maryland. He gave up his
national position in favor of the Maryland State Senate. Carroll's
tenure as a Maryland Senator lasted from 1777-1800. Carroll acted as
Senate president and was instrumental in the ratification of a State
constitution, which ensured religious freedoms.
Charles Carroll was deeply involved in Maryland state politics and he
must have been quite proud to host the official Maryland Celebration for
Peace and Independence, in 1783. Held at his property in Annapolis, the
celebration was described as an “elegant and plentiful dinner provided
for the celebration of Peace on Carroll's Green;...sheep, calves and
whole ox were roasted, liquor in proportion...(April 24, 1783 Maryland
Gazette).
Upon his retirement, Carroll dedicated himself to his family, his
business interests and the management of his land holdings, which
consisted of as much as 80,000 acres in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New
York. The former included investments in the Patowmack Company, which
established a canal system in the Potomac and Shenandoah Valleys, and
its successor the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company. Carroll was also a
member of the first board of directors of the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad.
In 1801, Charles Carroll gave a $10,000 wedding gift to his son, Charles
Jr., so that Charles could establish a family manor as both he and his
father had done. Unfortunately, Charles Jr. did not share the same
affinity for business as his predecessors and, even worse, Charles Jr.
had a strong tendency toward the drink. It is rumored that Charles Jr.
consumed up to two quarts of brandy per day. The construction of the
manor, Homewood, lasted years. It was finally completed in 1808.
Homewood ended up costing the outrageous sum of $40,000, which was a
constant source of disagreement between father and son.
Aside from his troubles with his son, Charles Carroll of Carrollton
lived out his days peacefully. He briefly came out of retirement in 1828
to lay the cornerstone for the Baltimore & Ohio railroad. Charles
Carroll died in 1832, at the age of 96. He was the final signer to pass
away. He is interred in the family chapel at Doughoregan Manor, beneath
the pavement beside the altar in the manor house's chapel.
Today, Charles Carroll of Carrollton is best known for being the only
Catholic signer and the last living signer. There are numerous cities
and counties named in his honor and his family manors remain standing.
Doughoregan Manor, in Howard County near Baltimore, remains with the
Carroll family. A structure that is comparable to Monticello and Mt.
Vernon in its elegance, Doughoregan Manor has retained 1,400 of its
original acres. It is closed to the public.
The Annapolis property was acquired by the Catholic Church in 1852 and
the beautiful St. Mary’s church was constructed on its grounds. Over
1,000 acres from the original property are still owned by the Carroll
family and the Carroll home is currently open to the public while
undergoing renovations. Carrollton Manor, on the other hand, was sold in
pieces or leased out to tenants. The main structure fell into disrepair
and the Carroll family eventually sold the property in 1923. Homewood
Manor, the home that caused such discord between father and son, is now
a historical museum located on the campus of the Johns Hopkins
University.
There are numerous other memorials to Charles Carroll throughout the
eastern United States. These memorials include the counties that bear
his surname in twelve states, the elementary and middle schools named
after him, the Carroll Gardens in Brooklyn and even a residence hall at
the University of Notre Dame. His likeness can be found in paintings
depicting the Signers of the Declaration of Independence, such as the
one that hangs in the Rotunda of the National Archives Building. In this
well-known painting, by Barry Faulkner, Carroll sits in the front row,
the third from the left. A statue of Charles Carroll, created by Richard
E. Brooks, resides in the Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol.
Bibliography
Allaire, Joseph L. South Atlantic Bulletin "Foreign Languages and the
Founding Fathers" 42.1 (1977): 310
Barthelmas, Della Gray, "The Signers of the Declaration of
Independence," 1997
Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. "Charles Carroll."
15 November 2007 <http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=C000185>
"The Catholic Encyclopedia" Volume III: 1908.
“Charles Carroll” <www.wikipedia.org>
15 November 2007
Ferris, Robert G. “Charles Carroll of Carrollton.” Signers of the
Declaration United States Department of the Interior National Park
Service. 1973: 43-45
Goodrich, Charles A., "Lives of the Signers of the Declaration of
Independence," 1856 (Internet ref.:
ColonialHall.com
link: Biographies of the Founding Fathers.)
Hanley, Thomas O’Brien. Charles Carroll of Carrollton: The Making of a
Revolutionary Gentleman. Chicago: Loyola University Press, 1982.
“Maryland Gazette” April 24, 1783
