Thomas Greene (governor) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Thomas Greene Esq.
2nd Proprietary-Governor of Maryland
In office 9 June 1647 – 26 April 1649
Preceded by	Leonard Calvert
Succeeded by	William Stone
Personal details
Born	1610 Bobbing Manor, Bobbing, Kent, England
Died	by 20 January 1652 (aged 41–42) St. Mary's County, Maryland
Resting place	St. Mary's County, Maryland
Spouse	Ann Cox Winifred Seybourne
Signature

Thomas Greene (born 1610 in Bobbing, Kent, England; died before January 20, 1652, in St. Mary's County, Maryland) was an important early settler in the Maryland colony. He served as the second Governor of Maryland from 1647 to 1649. A governor in a "proprietary colony" was like a leader chosen by the colony's owner, not by the king.

Early Life and Arrival in Maryland

Thomas Greene was the son of Sir Thomas Greene and Lady Margaret Webb. His father was made a knight by King James I in 1622.

Thomas Greene traveled from England to Maryland in 1634. He came on one of the first ships, either the Ark or the Dove. Maryland was founded in 1634 as a safe place for English Catholics and other groups seeking religious freedom. By 1637 or 1638, Greene was already a key leader among the moderate Catholics in the colony.

Becoming Governor

In 1647, Maryland's first governor, Leonard Calvert, became very ill. Just hours before he died, he chose Thomas Greene to take his place as governor. At this time, Greene was one of the few original settlers still active in the colony's leadership. Many others had either died or returned to England.

Greene had been a member of the colonial council, so he knew a lot about the colony's challenges. He quickly worked to make the colonial army stronger. This was important because there were threats from the Nanticoke and Wicocomico Native American tribes. He also made sure soldiers were paid and appointed a new army commander. These steps were needed because the army had been busy fighting against William Claiborne from Virginia.

Greene also appointed some Catholics to government jobs. However, he found it hard to increase Catholic influence in the colony. The colonial assembly, which was mostly Protestant, passed laws that were not favorable to the colony's owner, Lord Baltimore.

Later Years and Political Changes

By 1648, Lord Baltimore replaced Thomas Greene with William Stone. Greene was a Catholic and supported the King of England (a "royalist"). Some historians believe Stone, who was a Protestant and supported the English Parliament, was chosen to make the Protestant majority in Maryland happy.

After being removed as governor, Greene served as Deputy Governor under Stone. In November 1649, while Governor Stone was away in Virginia, Greene used his position to publicly declare Maryland's support for Prince Charles. This happened after Prince Charles's father, King Charles I, had been executed by the Parliament in England during the English Civil War.

Governor Stone quickly returned and canceled Greene's declaration. But this event was enough to make the English Parliament send Protestant leaders to help oversee the colony. These leaders appointed a Protestant council, which caused confusion about who was in charge. This council also canceled the Maryland Toleration Act, which had protected religious freedom in the colony. It even stopped Catholics from worshiping openly. Governor Stone tried to get back control by force, but he was defeated in the Battle of the Severn.

Family Life

Thomas Greene married Anne Gerard in 1634. Anne was also a passenger on the Ark or Dove. Their wedding was one of the first Christian marriages in Maryland. They had two sons:

• Thomas Greene (born 1635, died around 1665)
• Leonard Greene (1637–1688), who married Anne Clark and had children.

Thomas Greene later married Winifred Seybourne on April 2, 1643. Winifred came to Maryland in 1638. She was a woman of some wealth, as she paid for her own journey to the colony. Thomas and Winifred had two sons:

• Robert Greene (1646–1716)
• Francis Greene (1648–1707)

The house known as Green's Inheritance was built by Francis Caleb Green. It was built on land that was given to Thomas Greene's sons in 1666. This historic house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.

Images for kids

• 

  Thomas Greene's signature.