Charles Carroll, Barrister.
Charles Carroll, termed “The Barrister,” to distinguish him from his eminent namesake, Charles Carroll of Carrollton, with whom he is often confounded, was of Irish descent and was descended from the elder branch of the Carroll family, in Maryland, thus being derived from the family of Ely O’Carroll of Ireland. About 1681 the estates of the O’Carrolls in Ireland were confiscated to the Crown, the family being accused of being royalists. This confiscation was the cause of the emigration of the first ancestor of Charles Carroll, Barrister, also a Charles Carroll, to Maryland. He accumulated a large landed estate, having friends at Court, in the Calverts, which consisted of large tracts on the Eastern Shore, in Frederick County, in Anne Arundel County, in and near the site of the City of Baltimore, on Carroll’s Island, at Mount Clare near Baltimore’s original site; and at other points. The Plains, an estate near Annapolis, Claremont, for many years the residence of Hon. Carroll Spence, later Minister of Turkey, and The Caves, an estate owned for generations by the Carrolls and last held by Gen. John Carroll, which was located in Baltimore County, were also included in the possessions of this thrifty Gael. This Carroll was in religion a Protestant, as were all of his descendants, including The Barrister, which gave him great advantages politically as well as commercially, under the Colonial Government. He was a Physician by profession and was known as Dr. Charles Carroll. He married Dorothy Blake, daughter of Charles Blake, of an ancient English family and had by her several children, who were Charles Carroll, Barrister, Mary Clare Carroll, ancestress of Gen. John Carroll of “The Cave” and John Henry Carroll, who died without issue.
At an early age, young Carroll was sent to Portugal, where he was educated at a college in Lisbon under the immediate tuition of the Rev. Edward Jones. At ten years of age, his parents removed him to England, where he studied at Eton and matriculated at the University of Cambridge, where his education was completed. Mr. Carroll afterwards studied law at the Middle Temple, London. He returned to Maryland in 1746, where because of his thorough familiarity with general affairs both in Europe and in this country, he made an early entrance into public life. Thus he became one of the people’s trusty guides in the stormy days, before and during that Revolution which accomplished so much for the welfare of mankind. Being a talented speaker and writer as well, he was placed on all important committees and had occasion to prepare many public documents which were in their day influential and are therefore historic. One of these papers, the Declaration of Rights which was adopted by the Maryland Convention, November, 1776, was drawn by him and is a powerful as well as uncompromising elucidation of the rights of the people as well as arraignment of the English tyrant King George III. He was appointed one of the Committee on Correspondence of the Maryland Convention of 1774. The first Constitution and Laws of the State of Maryland was also drawn by him and in August, 1775, he was selected as one of the Committee of Safety. Mr. Carroll was also one of the members of the Maryland Convention which assembled at Annapolis in 1775 and served on a committee which on January 12, 1776, prepared instructions for the guidance of the first Maryland Deputies to the Continental Congress. In 1776, he was selected President of the Maryland convention held at Annapolis, on May 25th of that year, and was also elected a member of the committee of Safety of that year. At this Convention over which he presided the final acts of the separation of Maryland from England was accomplished, in the deposition of Governor Robert Eden and the notification of that personage that the public quiet and safety demanded, in the judgment of the Convention, that he leave the Province. Mr. Carroll was also an active member of the Convention which met at Annapolis on June 23, 1776, and which declared the Colonies free and independent States. At the Convention which assembled at Annapolis on August 17, 1776, he was also a prominent figure and was on August 18 chosen one of a committee to draft a Charter of Rights and a Constitution for Maryland.
On November 10, 1776, he was elected to Congress as the successor of his more famous relative Charles Carroll of Carrollton, by whom he was overshadowed in reputation but not in patriotism or abilities or in services to his country. When the State Government was formed he was appointed Chief Justice, but he declined the honor. He was then elected to the first Senate of Maryland, where he rendered distinguished service. Mr, Carroll was justly regarded as being next to Daniel Dulany, Jr., Maryland’s greatest lawyer. He was indirectly descended, as were all of the Carrolls of Maryland, from Daniel Carroll of Ely, who presented twenty sons all equipped and armed to the Earl of Ormond for service under Charles I. Mount Clare, his home, was a favorite resort of General Washington before and during the Revolution, and there is a copy of a picture extant, showing the illustrious patriot and Mr. Carroll going on a fishing excursion, from the latter’s mansion, their objective point being the waters of the Chesapeake, which were easily accessible from Mount Clare. This mansion is now incorporated in the limits of Carroll Park, in the southwestern section of Baltimore.
Mr. Carroll at his death left his estates to his nephews, Nicholas and James MacCubbin, the sons of his sister Mary Clare Carroll, on the condition that they took their mother’s maiden name, “Carroll,” and that only and use the coat of arms forever after. The will was dated August 7, 1781. The MacCubbins accepted the requirements of the will and their names were changed by special act of the Legislature of Maryland in 1783 and approved by the Governor William Paca. These Carroll-MacCubbins left a numerous progeny, which has intermarried and is connected with many of the leading families of the State. Among the men of this branch who have distinguished themselves in the public service may be mentioned Hon. James Carroll, who was a member of Congress and also ran for Governor against Governor Platt. He afterwards served as a Judge of the Orphans Court, and was a highly educated and accomplished man. Hon. Charles Carroll Spence of Baltimore was also a scion of the family, who became distinguished. He represented Baltimore in the Maryland Legislature in 1845 and was later appointed by President Buchanan to effect the ratification of a treaty between the United States and Persia. Subsequently he was sent as United States Minister to Turkey, filling the post with distinction. Gen. John Carroll of the Caves is also a scion of the family and is a well known citizen of Baltimore County. He was a member of the Maryland Legislature of 1860, when only 22 years of age and was Chief of Cavalry in Maryland, with the rank of Brigadier General in 1870.