The original church was constructed between 1742 and 1745, and is one of the earliest Episcopal churches in Southern Maryland. With the adjacent cemetery, St. Simon's Mission, and St. Simon's Cemetery, it forms part of the St. Thomas' Episcopal Parish Historic District.
The church was completed on December 25, 1745, and was unofficially known as "Page's Chapel," as the landowner, Daniel Page, had been contracted to erect the structure. In 1850, St. Thomas' became its own parish and undertook Gothic Revival renovations and expansion under the direction of New York City architect, John W. Priest, an associate of Andrew Jackson Downing. In 1888, the frontal bell tower was erected in memory of Bishop Thomas John Claggett, first Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church consecrated in the United States. Recent restoration work, in 1954, was based on the specifications of the original 1740s building contract, but retained Priest's Gothic Revival additions. The church is surrounded on all sides by a cemetery, which contains the graves of many prominent citizens and old county families. A fence and cast iron gate posts with Gothic designs was installed in 1907.[2]
One of the original founders and benefactors of St Thomas's church was Benedict Swingate Calvert (1730-1788) who was a MarylandLoyalist during the American Revolution. He was the son of Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore, the third Proprietor Governor of Maryland, (1699–1751), and may have been the grandson of King George I of Great Britain. His mother's identity is not known and, as he was illegitimate, he was not able to inherit his father's title or estates, which passed instead to his half brother Frederick Calvert, 6th Baron Baltimore (1731–1771). He spent most of his life as a politician and planter in Maryland, though Frederick, by contrast, never visited the colony. Calvert became wealthy through proprietarial patronage and became an important colonial official, but he would lose his offices and his political power, though not his land and wealth, during the American Revolution. He is buried beneath the chancel of the church along with his wife Elizabeth Calvert (1731 – 1788) and daughter Eleanor Calvert (1757/1758 – September 28, 1811).[3][4]: 22
^Susan G. Pearl (July 2000). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: St. Thomas' Church" (PDF). Maryland Historical Trust. Retrieved August 1, 2015.
^Letters of George Washington Retrieved July 31, 2010
^Emma K. Young (October 2009). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: St. Thomas' Episcopal Parish Historic District" (PDF). Maryland Historical Trust. Retrieved August 1, 2015.
External linksedit
St. Thomas' Church, Prince George's County, Inventory No.: PG:86A-7, including photo in 2000, at Maryland Historical Trust website
Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) No. MD-631, "St. Thomas' Church, 14300 St. Thomas' Church Road at Croom Road, Croom, Prince George's County, MD", 9 photos, 4 data pages, 1 photo caption page, supplemental material
St. Thomas Parish, Diocese of Washington
December 15, 2023
thomas, church, upper, marlboro, maryland, thomas, church, episcopal, church, rural, setting, located, croom, prince, george, county, maryland, four, congregations, that, have, constituted, parish, thomas, episcopal, diocese, washington, others, including, chu. St Thomas Church is an Episcopal church in a rural setting located at Croom Prince George s County Maryland It is one of four congregations that have constituted the parish of St Thomas in the Episcopal Diocese of Washington the others including the Church of the Atonement in Cheltenham the Chapel of the Incarnation in Brandywine and St Simon s Mission also in Croom St Thomas ChurchU S National Register of Historic PlacesU S Historic districtContributing propertySt Thomas Church Front View December 2008Show map of MarylandShow map of the United StatesLocation14300 St Thomas Church Rd near Upper Marlboro MarylandCoordinates38 44 56 N 76 45 24 W 38 74889 N 76 75667 W 38 74889 76 75667Area18 8 acres 7 6 ha Built1742Built byPage DanielArchitectural styleGeorgian Gothic RevivalNRHP reference No 00001504 1 Added to NRHPDecember 13 2000The original church was constructed between 1742 and 1745 and is one of the earliest Episcopal churches in Southern Maryland With the adjacent cemetery St Simon s Mission and St Simon s Cemetery it forms part of the St Thomas Episcopal Parish Historic District Contents 1 History 2 Gallery 3 References 4 External linksHistory editThe church was completed on December 25 1745 and was unofficially known as Page s Chapel as the landowner Daniel Page had been contracted to erect the structure In 1850 St Thomas became its own parish and undertook Gothic Revival renovations and expansion under the direction of New York City architect John W Priest an associate of Andrew Jackson Downing In 1888 the frontal bell tower was erected in memory of Bishop Thomas John Claggett first Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church consecrated in the United States Recent restoration work in 1954 was based on the specifications of the original 1740s building contract but retained Priest s Gothic Revival additions The church is surrounded on all sides by a cemetery which contains the graves of many prominent citizens and old county families A fence and cast iron gate posts with Gothic designs was installed in 1907 2 nbsp Benedict Swingate Calvert one of the founders of St Thomas Church painted by John Wollaston c1754 One of the original founders and benefactors of St Thomas s church was Benedict Swingate Calvert 1730 1788 who was a Maryland Loyalist during the American Revolution He was the son of Charles Calvert 5th Baron Baltimore the third Proprietor Governor of Maryland 1699 1751 and may have been the grandson of King George I of Great Britain His mother s identity is not known and as he was illegitimate he was not able to inherit his father s title or estates which passed instead to his half brother Frederick Calvert 6th Baron Baltimore 1731 1771 He spent most of his life as a politician and planter in Maryland though Frederick by contrast never visited the colony Calvert became wealthy through proprietarial patronage and became an important colonial official but he would lose his offices and his political power though not his land and wealth during the American Revolution He is buried beneath the chancel of the church along with his wife Elizabeth Calvert 1731 1788 and daughter Eleanor Calvert 1757 1758 September 28 1811 3 4 22 The church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000 1 Gallery edit nbsp St Thomas Church Side View December 2008 nbsp St Thomas Church Claggett Memorial December 2008 nbsp St Thomas Church Historic Marker December 2008References edit a b National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service July 9 2010 Susan G Pearl July 2000 National Register of Historic Places Registration St Thomas Church PDF Maryland Historical Trust Retrieved August 1 2015 Letters of George Washington Retrieved July 31 2010 Emma K Young October 2009 National Register of Historic Places Registration St Thomas Episcopal Parish Historic District PDF Maryland Historical Trust Retrieved August 1 2015 External links editSt Thomas Church Prince George s County Inventory No PG 86A 7 including photo in 2000 at Maryland Historical Trust website Historic American Buildings Survey HABS No MD 631 St Thomas Church 14300 St Thomas Church Road at Croom Road Croom Prince George s County MD 9 photos 4 data pages 1 photo caption page supplemental material St Thomas Parish Diocese of Washington Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title St Thomas 27 Church Upper Marlboro Maryland amp oldid 1169562799, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
