Thomas Bladen

Thomas Bladen (23 February 1698 – 2 February 1780) was a colonial governor in North America and politician who sat in the British House of Commons between 1727 and 1741. He served as the 19th Proprietary Governor of Maryland from 1742 to 1747.

Early life

Bladen was born in Maryland in 1698, the eldest son of William Bladen (1672–1718) of Annapolis, who came to Maryland in 1690, and his wife Anne Van Swearingen. Among his siblings was Anne Bladen (wife of Benjamin Tasker Sr., also a Governor of Maryland).

Thomas was the grandson of Nathaniel Bladen (an attorney who was steward to Thomas Osborne, 1st Duke of Leeds) and Isabella Fairfax (daughter of Sir William Fairfax of Steeton). He was the nephew of Colonel Martin Bladen, Commissioner of the Board of Trade and Plantations.

Bladen travelled early to England in 1712, where he was educated at Westminster School. He disposed of his Maryland property on his father's death in 1718.

Political career Bladen was returned as Member of Parliament (MP) for Steyning at the 1727 British general election by the Duke of Chandos at the request of his uncle Martin Bladen. He voted with the Government. At the 1734 British general election he stood for parliament at Amersham, where he was defeated then and at a by-election in February 1735. He was returned as MP for Ashburton at another by-election on 20 February 1735. He was defeated at the 1741 British general election. He also saw military service as a colonel.

Life in Maryland In 1742, Bladen returned to Maryland as provincial Governor, on the recommendation of his brother-in-law, Lord Baltimore. He was the first governor to be born in the Province. He negotiated with Pennsylvania authorities for the settlement of the Maryland–Pennsylvania boundary.

Upon his arrival in Maryland, the Legislature awarded him £4,000 to build himself a residence, which was £1,000 more than his predecessor.

Bladen quickly became an unpopular governor, and aunt to Caroline Calvert Eden (wife of Governor Sir Robert Eden, 1st Baronet, of Maryland). Soon after his marriage he acquired the Glastonbury Abbey estate from the Duke of Devonshire for £12,700, reportedly after beating him at dice. Together, they were the parents of two daughters:

Barbara Bladen (1733–1821), who married Gen. The Hon. Henry St John (1738–1818), MP and brother of Frederick St John, 2nd Viscount Bolingbroke, in 1771. Harriet Bladen (1735–1821), who married William Capell, 4th Earl of Essex (1732–1799), becoming the Countess of Essex and the ancestress of the 6th and subsequent earls.

Bladen lived at Leyton Grange in England where he died in 1780 and was buried in the churchyard of St Mary's Leyton.