Thomas Greenfield was born in early 1648, in Carleton, Gedling Parish, Nottinghamshire, England. The actual birth date of Thomas Greenfield is not known, but he was baptized on February 19, 1648. Thomas was the youngest of seven sons of Robert and Anne (Bailey) Greenfield. He was literate and had attended Cambridge University in England before coming to America.
Thomas Greenfield emigrated from England to the Maryland Colony in the year of 1669, at the age of 21, being transported by Thomas Trueman (Truman), Esquire.
About 1677, Thomas married Martha Trueman (Truman), third daughter of Dr. James and Ann (Storer) Trueman (Truman). Dr. James and Thomas Trueman (Truman), who had transported Thomas Greenfield, were brothers. The Trumans were also from Nottinghamshire and were already allied by intermarriage with the Greenfields.
The area where Thomas Greenfield lived in the late 1600's was in Calvert County, Maryland, near the Patuxent River. Thomas Greenfield became very wealthy and influential in southern Maryland. Some of the positions he held in Calvert County before it became Prince George's County was Burgess for Calvert County to the Assembly in Annapolis from 1672-1696, Justice of Calvert County 1689-1692, and again in 1694, and he was one of the first vestrymen of St. Paul's Parish in 1691.
At a session of the General Assembly of the province held at Annapolis May 8, 1695, an act was passed entitled "An Act for the Division and Regulating Several Counties within this Province and Constituting a County by the name of Prince George's County within the same Province." The act also specified new boundaries for St. Mary's and Charles Counties, which were also to lie between the Patuxent and Potomac Rivers, and appointed Mr. Robert Mason and Mr. James Keech for St. Mary's County, Mr. John Bayne and Mr. James Bigger for Charles County, Mr. William Hutchison and Mr. Thomas Greenfield for Prince George's County, to have the surveyors of the counties run out the lines and bounds for these three counties, on or before April 23, 1696. The two commissioners appointed for Prince George's County were chosen to represent both parent counties, Mr. Hutchison being from the Charles County side and Mr. Greenfield from the Calvert County side. Thomas Greenfield now lived in the southeastern part of the new Prince George's County.
On March 3, 1696, Thomas Greenfield was appointed the first High Sheriff of the new Prince George's County. Thomas Greenfield was a vestryman of St. Paul's Parish, and he had served Calvert County as a delegate to the General Assembly, therefore his appointment to the important and lucrative position of Sheriff of Prince George's County was more or less in the nature of a reward for his faithful service to the Crown as delegate. On April 23, 1696 he was sworn in as sheriff. The lucrative office of sheriff was considered the most important office of the county and was much sought after. The sheriff received 10 per cent of the annual levy for collecting it, plus certain fees. The first court for the new county was held in Mount Calvert on April 23, 1696. The court ordered Sheriff Greenfield to have a cage, pillory, whipping post, and stocks erected, which was done at a cost of 4,600 pounds of tobacco. While Sheriff of Prince George's County, he was criticized for his highhanded behavior.
Thomas Greenfield served as High Sheriff of Prince George's County until 1699. In that year he was elected delegate to the General Assembly and served until 1708. During this same period he also served as a justice of the Provincial Court. In 1708 he was appointed a member of the Council and was named as Colonel of the Maryland Militia. He served as a member of the Council until his death September 8, 1715, at the age of 67.
During his lifetime Thomas Greenfield was the executor or witness on 19 different wills in Colonial Maryland. In 1694, he subscribed 1200 pounds of tobacco for free schools. He was an influential person; active in his community, and in colonial politics, active in his church (Episcopal), and was well thought of by his peers.
Thomas and Martha had seven known children that lived to adulthood: Thomas Truman, James (my line), Ann, Martha, Truman, Elizabeth and Joan.
Thomas Greenfield wrote his will in Prince George's County on August 7, 1715 and died on September 8, 1715. His will was proven on November 7, 1715. Col. Thomas Greenfield died at "Billingsley's Point" in Patuxent Hundred, but he was buried in the family cemetery on the tract "Retaliation" in Mattapany Hundred. This tract of land called "Retaliation" is the same as their plantation "Magoonskin", named after an Indian village.
From 1679 to 1714, Thomas Greenfield received fourteen patents or land grants. He bought and sold many other tracts of land. It is difficult to estimate how many acres he owned, even at his death, for most of the tracts had names, but the acreage was not given. He had given much of his land to his children before his death in 1715. At his death he owned 2,309 acres of land and had stewardship of 4,800 acres.
In a deposition taken at Charles County, Maryland on March 5, 1716, it is revealed that in 1709 Colonel Greenfield had intended to ship 20 hogsheads of tobacco to London aboard the ship "Vine", but declined to do so because of the "Vine's" condition. It was a wise decision because the "Vine" sank on the homeward voyage.
The family cemetery is located on what was known as "Magoonskin" Plantation. Four flat gravestones (we were told that the stones had been shipped from England):
Here lies the body of Col. Thomas Greenfield, late one of his Majesties Honourable Councell of Maryland, who died the 8th of September Anno 1715 in the 67th year of his age.
Here Lyeth Interred the Body of Martha wife of ___as Greenfield___ This ___ber 171_. (She died February 16, 1738 according to the Greenfield Bible. Her will probated 1739-Library of Congress. Noting the partly legible tombstone date, the will date, and the age of the daughter when she died, Col. Greenfield may have had two wives named Martha or the partial date refers to the husband's death.)
Here Lyeth Interred the Body of Elizabeth Parker the Daughter of Col. Thomas Greenfield and Martha his wife. She departed this life the 2 Day of August 1715 aged 19 years. "A Dutiful child is the Glory of the Mother."
To the memory of James Truman Greenfield who died 6th April 1760 Aged 32 years. (Grandson)
(Note: Helen Ridgely wrote in her book Historic Graves of Maryland and The District of Columbia that Martha, wife of Col. Thomas Greenfield, was the daughter of James Trueman, testator of 1672. She also stated that during her trip through the County in 1906 she was shown a Bible which took up the parable of the Greenfields where the gravestones left off, containing entries of Wilkinsons, Trumans, Greenfields, Addisons, Smiths, and others.)
EDUCATION: literate, attended Cambridge University.
RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION: Anglican.
SOCIAL STATUS AND ACTIVITIES: Gent., by 1691: Esq. from 1697; attorney in fact by 1677 for Thomas Truman (ca. 1625-1685), whose estate he managed for almost two decades; a founder and leading figure of Prince George's County.
OCCUPATIONAL PROFILE: planter.
PUBLIC CAREER LEGISLATIVE SERVICE: Lower House, Calvert County, 1692-1693 (Laws 1; Aggrievances 2), 1694-1695 (Accounts 3, 4: resigned after 4th session to become sheriff), Prince George's County, 1699-1700 (elected to the 3rd session; Elections and Privileges 4), 1701-1704 (Elections and Privileges, chairman 1), 1704-1707 (Aggrievances 1, 4, 5; chairman 1, 4; Elections and Privileges, chairman 3); Upper House, 1708A, 1708B-1711, 1712-1714, 1715.
OTHER PROVINCIAL OFFICES: justice, Provincial Court, 1699-1707 (quorum, 1704-1707); Council, 1708-1715; assistant judge, Court of Chancery, 1714/15.
LOCAL OFFICES: justice, Calvert County, 1689-1696 (quorum, 1692-1696; St. Paul's Parish Vestry, Calvert County, 1693-1696; coroner, Calvert County, 1694, sheriff, Prince George's County. 1695/96-1699.
MILITARY SERVICE: major, 1694; colonel, 1707-1715.
STANDS ON PUBLIC/PRIVATE ISSUES: recommended by Lord Baltimore for appointment to the first royal Council, but he was not actually appointed until Gov. John Seymour sought an alternative to the Addison-Brooke clique in Prince George's County in 1708; he was criticized for his highhanded behavior while sheriff of Prince George's County.
WEALTH DURING LIFETIME: LAND AT FIRST ELECTION: 1,299 acres in 1692, with stewardship of an additional 4,800 acres; 1,586 acres in 1706, with stewardship of an additional 2,500 acres.
WEALTH AT DEATH: DIED: will probated on November 7, 1715.
PERSONAL PROPERTY: TEV. £459.8.4 sterling. LAND 2,309 acres.
From his biographical sketch in the book A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature (1634-1789), first volume, Maryland Hall of Records, Annapolis, MD.
The directions to Thomas Greenfield's grave: See link
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