Benjamin Contee

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Benjamin Contee (1755 – November 30, 1815) was an American Episcopal priest and statesman from Maryland. Benjamin was the son of Col. Thomas Contee (1729-1811) and Sarah Fendall (1732-1793).

Benjamin was born at "Brookefield", near Nottingham, Prince George's Co., Maryland, the home of his father, and original home of his ancestor, Maj. Thomas Brooke, Sr., Esq. (1632-1676).

Contents 1 American Revolution 2 Marriage 3 Episcopal Minister 4 Property 5 Children 6 Ancestry 7 References 8 External links

[edit] American Revolution

At beginning of the Revolutionary War, Benjamin entered the army. In 1776 he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant of the Third Maryland Battalion of the Flying Camp which was formed from the lower part of the Western Shore. He was later promoted to a Captain.

At the expiration of his term of enlistment he was elected to the legislature, where he served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates from 1785-1787. He served as a delegate to the Continental Congress from 1787-1788, and the third district of Maryland in the U.S. Congress from 1789-1791. Along with his brother Alexander Contee (1752-1810), he became a merchant of London, at their stores in Nottingham, Queen Anne and Upper Marlboro. In 1787, he was elected to congress, where he served until 1791. He was declared insolvency due to “mishaps in trade”. After having served in Congress, he went to Europe and traveled through Spain, France, and England.

[edit] Marriage

On April 8, 1788, he married his cousin, Sarah Russell Lee (1766-1810). Sarah was born at "Blenheim"" in 1766, and died December 6, 1810 at "Bromont", near Newburg, Charles Co., Maryland. Sarah was the daughter of Philip Thomas Lee (1736-1778) and Ann Russell (d. 1777) of England. Philip was in turn the son of Hon. Richard Lee III "Squire" (1706-1789) and Grace Ashton (1712-1789).

[edit] Episcopal Minister

On his return to America he completed his study in Theology and was admitted to holy orders in 1803 by Rev. Thomas John Clagett, Bishop of Maryland (1743-1816), a neighbor, friend, helper and patriot of the Revolution. That same year he became rector of William & Mary's, Charles County. He was a distinguished minister of the Episcopal church, for several years the incumbent of Port Tobacco Parish, Charles County, Maryland. He was a native of Prince George's County and brought up in the church. In 1808, he added Trinity, and in 1811, St. Paul's, Prince George's Co., Maryland, to his charge. He continued as a Judge of the Orphan's Court, and was always in the Standing Committee.

[edit] Property

Benjamin resided briefly in the mid 1790's at “Blenheim”. At the time of his death he was living at the glebe house of Trinity Parish near Allen’s Fresh. Benjamin and his wife, were more than likely interred in the Contee cemetery at “Locust Hill” just outside Port Tobacco, which has been destroyed. If not there, than they were buried in the original Christ Church cemetery in Port Tobacco, which is now covered by swamp.

[edit] Children

1. Sarah “Sallie” Elinor Contee (1789-ca. 1815), who never married.

2. Philip Ashton Lee Contee, Sr. (1795-1842), who married 1) Ann Russell Clerklee (1797-1837), daughter of James (Clerk) Clerklee (1750-1819) and Margaret Russell Lee (1774-1818). 2) Sarah Fendall Kent (ca. 1819-1871), daughter of Gov. Joseph Kent, Sr., Col., Dr. (1779-1837) and Eleanor Lee Contee Wallace (1782-1826). Sarah married secondly, Maj. James F. Blake.

3. Edmund Henry Contee (1799-1832), who married Eleanor Russell Clerklee (1799-1847), daughter of James (Clerk) Clerklee (1750-1819) and Margaret Russell Lee (1774-1818).

4. Alice Lee Contee (1803-1868), who married Gov. Joseph Kent, Sr., Col., Dr. (1779-1837), son of Daniel Kent, Sr. (1754-1805) and Anne Weems Wheeler (1761-1823). Joseph married first, Eleanor Lee Contee Wallace (1782-1826), daughter of Alice's aunt, Eleanor Lee Contee (1758-1786).

[edit] Ancestry

Benjamin was the son of Col. Thomas Contee (1729-1811) and Sarah Fendall (1732-1793).

Sarah was the daughter of Benjamin Fendall I, Esq. (1708-1764) and first wife, Eleanor Lee (1710-1759).

Thomas was the son of Alexander Contee (1693-1740) and Jane Brooke (1702-1779).

Jane was the daughter of Col. Thomas Brooke, Jr., Hon. (1660-1730), Governor of Maryland, and his second wife, Barbara Dent (1676-1754).

Alexander was the son of Dr. Peter Contee (d. 1714) and his first wife, Catherine.

[edit] References

• Fendall, Douglas Allen. The Descendants of Governor Josias Fendall (for a detailed list of references click the link).

• (attained from several sources including: "Across the Years in Price George's County").

• "Clergy in Maryland of the Protestant Episcopal Church, Since the Independence of 1783".

[edit] External links

• Contee’s Congressional biography

Preceded by no one

U.S. Congressman, Maryland's 3rd District 1789—1791

Succeeded by William Pinkney