Thomas Stone

https://www.nps.gov/thst/index.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Stone_National_Historic_Site The Thomas Stone National Historic Site, also known as Haberdeventure or the Thomas Stone House, is a United States National Historic Site located about 25 miles (40 km) south of Washington D.C. in Charles County, Maryland. The site was established to protect the home and property of Thomas Stone, one of the 56 signers of the United States Declaration of Independence. His home and estate were owned by the Stone family until 1936. In 1776, Thomas Stone and 55 others signed the Declaration of Independence. In doing so, Stone risked his home, his family's security, and even his life to support the Declaration of Independence's promise of freedom. Thomas Stone NHS is located on Rose Hill Road, between U.S. Highways 225 and 6, four miles west of LaPlata, MD. Visitor Center Hours Thomas Stone National Historic Site is open Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. From LaPlata- Take Maryland Route 6 (From the South) or 225 (From the North) for three miles. Turn left (From the North) or right (from the South) onto Rose Hill Road. Mansion at Haberdeventure 5 part Mansion at Haberdeventure Mansion at Haberdeventure Stone Family Cemetery Small family cemetery with grave markers Stone Family Cemetery Outbuildings Roof of horse barn with tobacco barn and corn crib in background Outbuildings Nature Trail System Leaf covered nature trail Nature Trail System Tenet House Tenet House with shadow of tree limbs Tenet House NPS Geodiversity Atlas—Thomas Stone National Historic Site, Maryland Each park-specific page in the NPS Geodiversity Atlas provides basic information on the significant geologic features and processes occurring in the park. Links to products from Baseline Geologic and Soil Resources Inventories provide access to maps and reports. historic farm buildings An Unpopular Case Learn how the Harrison vs. Lee trial established Thomas Stone as one of the major trial lawyers in Maryland. Despite suffering defeat in the unpopular case, Stone's skill as a lawyer led Maryland to select him to represent the colony in the Continental Congress and ultimately led him to become one of 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Port Tobacco Courthouse Scouting with Colonel Stone It is 1776 and you have joined the First Maryland Regiment with Captain John Hoskins Stone, brother of a signer of the Declaration of Independence! Stone has given you a horse to go on reconnaissance. (This means you are searching the area for threats or problems.) Decide what you will name your horse and what you will take with you! Colonel John Stone Riddle Me This In the 18th-century, riddles were seen as both entertainment and as a way of proving that you were smart. Thomas Stone, as a lawyer trained in studying clues and facts, probably could have solved the following animals riddles. Can you? Fox writing a riddle with a quill pen Haber…de…What? Thomas Stone National Historic Site was commonly referred to as Haberdeventure. What does that mean? Read on to uncover the meaning of the unique name of Thomas Stone's home. Mansion at Haberdeventure A Reluctant Revolutionary? Was Thomas Stone a "reluctant revolutionary?" Since Thomas Stone was a moderate and was more cautious than others, he has often been labelled with this description. Read on to find out how this term does not accurately describe Thomas Stone. Painting Thomas Stone sitting at desk in the East Room from Harpers Ferry Center A Commemorative Engraving Benjamin Owen Tyler's engraving was considered the "first correct copy," enabling individual Americans to possess a reproduction of the Declaration of Independence. This copy was designed to look like the famous handwritten version with the signature of Thomas Stone and the 55 other signers. 1818 Tyler Engraving of Declaration of Independence The Maryland 400 With their gallant sacrifice to save the rest of the Continental Army, the Maryland 400 earned a reputation for themselves, and saved a revolution. Lord Stirling and the Maryland 400 Thomas Stone's Haberdeventure On December 13, 1770, Thomas Stone purchased a 442 acre plantation with an unique name. This would be his home until he moved to Annapolis in the mid-1780s. Daffodils in field by the Thomas Stone House A Labor Intensive Crop Planting, curing and drying tobacco was a labor intensive task for those who had to tend to the crop. Discover how the tobacco plant played such an important role in 18th-century Maryland. Illustration of two people holding a tobacco leaf The Early Owners of Haberdeventure Learn about the people who owned the land prior to Thomas Stone, signer of the Declaration of Independence. A old field colored with golden plants William Stone Arrives in the New World William Stone came to Virginia from England in 1628. He was appointed as governor of Maryland in 1648 due to his Protestantism. Stone served during a time of religious conflict in the colony, leading to his removal from office, defeat in battle and imprisonment. Upon his release, Stone was awarded property in Charles County, where he built Poynton Manor. Stone's descendants included a Maryland governor, a U.S. Congressman, and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. First page of the Religious Toleration Act From Potapaco to Port Tobacco While exploring the area around modern Charles County, Captain John Smith encountered an Native American village, which he listed as “Potopaco.” The natural resources, the strategic position, and farming potential, led Europeans including Catholics, Anglicans, and Puritans to settle in the area. The mixture of Native American and European, as well as the different religious and cultural value systems led to tensions and conflict that raged for more than a century. Father White Baptizes Indian King Stained Glass, St Ignatius Church Interior The Mob and the Peggy Stewart Growing tensions between the colony of Maryland and Britain over British treatment of the American colonists, turned violent in October, 1774 with the burning of the Peggy Stewart, a ship carrying tea and other items that Maryland's officials banned from the colony. The burning of the Peggy Stewart and its cargo of tea was one of a series of colonial actions against the British government. Within six months of the destruction of the Peggy Stewart, warfare began. Burning of the Peggy Stewart with seven men in a boat beside it The Peggy Stewart House The Peggy Stewart House has had numerous owners with different ties to the American Revolution. On October 7, 1973, the property was listed by the National Park Service as a National Historic Landmark. Postcard illustration of the two story brick house with a white porch and windows and black shutters The March of Maryland’s Macaroni Early in the Revolutionary War, the British taunted the Americans by singing a version of the song, "Yankee Doodle" with the lyrics of “Stuck a feather in his cap And called it macaroni.” The British suggested that the Americans were fools (or doodles) to think that the addition of feathers to the attire of unsophisticated Americans made them special. Learn what a "macaroni" was, and how Americans took an insulting song and made it their own. Yankee Doodle a fifer and two dummers John Hoskins Stone and the Revolutionary War While forgotten by most people today, John Hoskins Stone is one of Maryland's great Founding Fathers. Stone helped establish the famed First Maryland Regiment, which turned the tide in many battles in the Revolutionary War. As Maryland's governor in the 1790s, he established standards in policy that modern governors still follow today. American Revolution Minute Men Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer, Thomas Stone's uncle, was one of Maryland's most important Revolutionary figures. A member of the Maryland Senate, Jenifer was appointed to the Continental Congress and ensured Maryland's troops were well supplied during the Revolutionary War. His best-known contribution to American History came in 1787 when he became one of 39 men to sign the United States Constitution. a gentleman in colonial clothing Resilient Forests Initiative - Managing Deer Impacts A healthy forest needs to have enough tree seedlings and saplings to regenerate the forest canopy after a disturbance. Analysis of NPS I&M and other long-term datasets makes it clear that many eastern national parks lack adequate tree regeneration due to decades of over browsing by white-tailed deer. Deer impacts I&M Networks Support Resilient Forest Management NPS Inventory and Monitoring Networks have been tracking forest health in eastern national parks since 2006. This monitoring information can guide resilient forest management and support parks in adapting to changing conditions through the actions described below. Forest health monitoring Managing Resilient Forests. A Regional Initiative Forests cover tens of thousands of acres in eastern national parks and these critical resources face a range of interacting stressors: over-abundant white-tailed deer populations, invasive plant dominance, novel pests and pathogens, among other threats. The Resilient Forests Initiative will help parks address these issue collectively. Forest health monitoring Series: Managing Resilient Forests Initiative for Eastern National Parks Forests in the northeastern U.S. are in peril. Over-abundant deer, invasive plants, and insect pests are negatively impacting park forests, threatening to degrade the scenic vistas and forested landscapes that parks are renowned for. With regional collaboration, parks can manage these impacts and help forests be resilient. This article series explores tools available to park managers to achieve their goals. Healthy forests have many native seedlings and saplings. Resilient Forests Initiative - Managing Invasive Plants & Pests Park forests are threatened by invasive plants and pests. Strategically tackling invasive plants to protect park’s highest priority natural resources and planning around forest pests and pathogens are important actions in managing resilient forests. Forest Regeneration 2022 Freeman Tilden Award Recipients View recipients of the National Park Service Freeman Tilden Awards, which recognize outstanding contributions to the practice of interpretation and education by NPS employees. Two women work with a tree while a young man records audio. Shaping the System Under President Jimmy Carter President Jimmy Carter oversaw one of the largest growths in the National Park System. Explore some of the parks that are part of the legacy of the presidency of Jimmy Carter, who served as the 39th president of the United States from January 20, 1977, to January 20, 1981. Historic photo of Jimmy Carter walking through a crowd at Harpers Ferry Haberdeventure English-made woolen rose blankets (which were usually plain white, with multi-colored compass roses embroidered on the corners, and the ends blanket-stitched) Cream wool blanket with embroidery in the bottom right corner Updated Species Database Will Help Boost Amphibian Conservation Across the National Park System To steward amphibians effectively, managers need basic information about which species live in parks. But species lists need constant maintenance to remain accurate. Due to recent efforts, the National Park Service now has an up-to-date amphibian species checklist for almost 300 parks. This information can serve as the basis for innumerable conservation efforts across the nation. A toad sits on red sand, looking into the camera. Project Profile: Managing Resilient Eastern Forests The National Park Service will improve the ecological health of eastern forests in 38 parks using an array of management techniques. The NPS has selected forest ecosystems of high ecological and cultural value across multiple parks from Virginia to Maine that are at greatest risk of forest loss due to chronic and interacting stressors. Person gazes up at a tall tree Inventory & Monitoring Partnerships Aim to Improve Park Forest Health from Coast to Coast From coast to coast, the NPS Inventory and Monitoring Division is helping park managers improve the health and function of forest ecosystems. From promoting resilient forests in the Northeast, to conserving whitebark pine in the West, to protecting Hawaiian forest birds from avian malaria, scientific partnerships are helping parks to share information, leverage funding sources, and work together for outcomes that extend beyond what any park could accomplish on its own. Four people, one in NPS uniform, stand in a forest. Three look upward through binoculars.

National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Thomas Stone IN National Historic Site Maryland CONG RESS. T homas Stone started building his home Haberdeventure in the 1770s as a place to raise his family. A modest family man then, Stone showed promise as a lawyer and local political figure. But soon Stone stepped onto a far larger stage. In 1776 Thomas Stone signed the Declaration of Independence—and wrote himself into history. Stone spent the rest of his life in 1 public service. Haberdeventure, "dwelling place of the winds," stayed in the Stone family until the 1930s. Part of the National Park System, it commemorates 3 this signer of the Declaration of Inde<3 pendence and honors his life. JULY A. x77e. mounted. The next year the Maryland Convention chose him for the Second Continental Congress. When it met on May 10,1775, the colonies were effectively at war. By 1776 Maryland stood for independence from Great Britain. Had colonists not won the Revolutionary War, Thomas Stone could have been hunted down and hanged as a traitor to the British crown. And Stone, deliberative by nature, did not take lightly his change of heart: from loyal subject to American revolutionary. Independence, much less nationhood, was a fragile hope in 1776. What Stone signed was "The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America." The u in united was not capitalized. Nationhood—a United States of America—still lay in the future. Believing in peace, Stone had nevertheless come to see the colonies' escalating conflict with the British as the issue of freedom. But there was no script to follow. This was purely improvisation. 2 O I Thomas Stone was born at Poynton < Manor, near Port Tobacco, in Charles County, Maryland, in 1743. Little is known of his youth, but his education, as befit affluent young men of his day, emphasized Greek and Latin languages and philosophy. This early training later influenced his study of law. By 1765 Stone was practicing law as a circuit rider between Port Tobacco, Frederick, and Annapolis. " . . . we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor!' As you look at Haberdeventure today, try to imagine Thomas Stone and his wife Margaret agonizing over putting everything they owned on the line —their home, the plantation, the slaves, and even Thomas's neck—against such a fragile hope of freedom for America. Stone was known to weigh all options in making decisions—a trait he carried into politics. At age 31 he was chosen as a member of the Charles County Committee of Correspondence, charged with keeping in touch with the other colonies, as tensions with Great Britain . . . my heart wishes for peace... But war, anything is preferable to a surrender of our rights. — Thomas stone, APNI 24,1776 Thomas Stone's w r i t i n g desk symbolizes his role as a signer of the Declaration of Independence and one of the drafters of the Articles of Confederation, which governed the colonies from 1776 t o 1789, when the Constitution was adopted. His work as a lawyer had prepared him t o serve on the committees of correspon- dence t h a t kept the colonies informed of political developments leading up t o the revolution. Stone barely lived t o see the new nation emerge, dying in 1787, age 44. ALL PHOTOS NPS/MARK MUSE EXCEPT AS NOTED Visiting the Stone Plantation Haberdeventure supported 25 to 35 people, including slaves and Thomas Stone's extended family. He enlarged the original 442-acre plantation to 1,077 acres. Wings are connected to the central block of the house by structures called hyphens, in an unusual arc resulting in a five-part colonial house. Fire destroyed the center block in 1977, and the home has been restored to its earliest known configuration, as seen in a 1902 photograph. The house was opened to the public in 1997. Used as a christening bowl by the Thomas Stone family, this large Chinese export porcelain bowl was in the Stones' home in Annapolis, Md., where the family lived when Thomas died in 1787. Stone's signet ring is shown below. 18th-century Plantation Life Thomas Stone bought Haberdeventure as a country home more than for agricultural purposes. Cultivated since the 1680s, the depleted soil could not produce tobacco, the cash crop then. Stone grew grains and livestock and had gardens and orchards, mostly for the plantation residents, not for market. That was typical in the 1700s. Livestock included chickens, cattle, oxen, sheep, and hogs. Flax and cotton were grown for making cloth. Old photos show apple, peach, cherry, pear, and plum trees, but we don't know when they were planted. (Outdoor photos were not common until the late 1800s.) Thomas Stone moved his wife and family to Annapolis in 1783, leaving a brother to manage the plantation. After Stone died in 1787 it passed down through five generations of Stones until it was sold in 1936. About Your Visit The site, at 6655 Rose Hill Road, four miles west of La Plata, Md., is op