William Paca facts for kids

Quick facts for kids William Paca
Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Maryland
In office December 22, 1789 – October 13, 1799
Appointed by	George Washington
Preceded by	Seat established by 1 Stat. 73
Succeeded by	James Winchester
3rd Governor of Maryland
In office November 22, 1782 – November 26, 1785
Preceded by	Thomas Sim Lee
Succeeded by	William Smallwood
Personal details
Born	(1740-10-31)October 31, 1740 Abingdon, Province of Maryland, British America
Died	October 13, 1799(1799-10-13) (aged 58) Wye Plantation, Queen Anne's County, Maryland
Resting place	Wye Plantation Queen Anne's County, Maryland
Education	University of Pennsylvania (B.A., M.A.) Inner Temple read law
Signature

William Paca (October 31, 1740 – October 13, 1799) was an important person in the early history of the United States. He was one of the Founding Fathers and signed both the Continental Association and the United States Declaration of Independence. Paca was a delegate from Maryland to the First Continental Congress and the Second Continental Congress. He also served as the governor of Maryland and later became a district judge.

Early Life and Education

William Paca was born on October 31, 1740, in Abingdon, Maryland, which was then part of British North America. He started school in Philadelphia in 1752. Later, he attended the College of Philadelphia, which is now the University of Pennsylvania. He earned his first degree there in 1759.

Paca also received a Master of Arts degree from the same university in 1762. He studied law in London at the Inner Temple and with Stephen Bordley. In 1761, he became a lawyer. He began his own law practice in Annapolis in 1763.

Paca's Family

William Paca's father was John Paca, a wealthy farmer. His mother was Elizabeth Smith. William was the second son in his family and had five sisters. In 1763, he married Mary Chew. They had three children, but only their son, John Philemon, lived to be an adult.

William Paca's Political Career

Paca was very active in politics during a time of big changes in America. From 1767 to 1774, he was a member of Maryland's local government. He was chosen to represent Maryland at the Continental Congress from 1774 to 1779. This was a very important group that helped lead the American colonies toward independence.

In 1776, William Paca bravely signed the United States Declaration of Independence. This document declared that the American colonies were free from British rule. After that, he continued to serve Maryland in various roles:

• He was a member of the Maryland Senate from 1776 to 1777, and again from 1778 to 1780.
• He worked as a judge for the Maryland General Court in 1778.
• From 1780 to 1782, he was a judge for the Court of Appeals in Cases of Capture.
• Paca served as the governor of Maryland from 1782 to 1785.
• In 1786, he was a member of the Maryland House of Delegates.
• He helped start Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland, in 1786.
• In 1788, he was a delegate to the Maryland State Convention. There, he voted on whether Maryland should approve the new Constitution of the United States.

Paca was good friends with another young lawyer named Samuel Chase. They both strongly opposed the British Stamp Act of 1765. They even helped start the Sons of Liberty group in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. This group worked to protest British taxes and rules.

Federal Judicial Service

After the United States became independent, William Paca continued to serve his country. President George Washington chose him to be a judge for the United States District Court for the District of Maryland. He officially became a judge on February 10, 1790.

As the first federal judge for Maryland, Paca made important decisions. One famous case was called Betsey. In this case, Paca believed that his court did not have the power to decide what happened to ships captured by foreign privateers (private ships allowed to attack enemy ships). However, the Supreme Court later disagreed with him. They decided that federal courts did have the power over such cases. Even though his decision was overturned, Paca's opinion in the Betsey case was the first time a District Court judge's opinion was published. It showed his deep understanding of law.

Death and Legacy

William Paca served as a federal judge until he died on October 13, 1799. He passed away at his home, Wye River, in Queen Anne's County, Maryland. He was buried in his family's cemetery there.

In 1783, Paca was made an honorary member of The Society of the Cincinnati. This society was formed by officers who fought in the American Revolution. They recognized his "abilities, merit, patriotism." He also served as the vice president of the Maryland Society from 1784 to 1787.

Paca's home in Annapolis, called the Paca House and Garden, is now a historic landmark. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. The William Paca Club in New Providence, New Jersey, is named after him. Also, Paca-Carroll House at St. John's College is named for him and another signer of the Declaration, Charles Carroll.

Alleged Italian Ancestry

There has been some discussion about whether William Paca had Italian ancestry. Some people have suggested his family name might have originally been Italian. For example, a cardinal from Baltimore once thought there might be a connection between Paca and an Italian family named Pecci.

However, historical records show that William Paca's father and grandfather were born in Maryland. His great-grandfather, Robert Paca, was born in England in 1632. Robert Paca came to Maryland by 1651. While some spellings of his name like "Peaker" or "Peca" exist, there's no clear evidence of "Pecci" or "Pacci" in early records. If the Paca family did have Italian origins, they were very far back in time.

See also

• Colonial families of Maryland
• Memorial to the 56 Signers of the Declaration of Independence