Smallwood, William

Extract

Smallwood, William (1732–14 February 1792), officeholder and soldier, was born in Charles County, Maryland, probably on his father’s estate, “Smallwood’s Retreat,” on Mattawoman Creek. He was the son of Bayne Smallwood, a prominent planter and delegate to the lower house of the Maryland General Assembly, and Priscilla Heabard (Heaberd). Smallwood was educated in England at Kendall and Eaton, and served in the Seven Years’ War upon his return to Maryland. His political career began in 1761, when he was elected to the lower house of the General Assembly. He represented Charles County in the House of Delegates until 1774, and served on the Arms and Ammunition Committee during most of his years in the assembly. Locally, Smallwood served as a Charles County justice in 1762, and from 1770 to 1773, and was a member of the vestry of Durham Parish Anglican church from 1775 to 1776....