Thomas Plater –– born May 9,1769 in Annapolis, Maryland, died May 1, 1830, in Poolesville, Maryland –– was the son of George Plater III, governor of Maryland. Married Martha Lingan 1790. Their children were born 1791-1799.
1794, Lt. Col. of Montgomery County militia during the Whiskey Rebellion. (Scharf, History of Maryland, v.I)
Thomas Plater, 12 slaves in 1798 Assessment
He was Congressman from Montgomery County, Federalist party, March 1801, to March, 1805 (Biographical Dictionary of American Congress), after which he resumed the practice of law.
Maria Green Deveraux, a descendant of Ann Green of Rosedale, said Thomas Plater was handsome, stern, morose, and disagreeable on account of a gouty affection of his head.
Plater bought Greenwood in 1806. His daughter Ann married George Peter of Georgetown in November, 1809.
Martha Plater died July 22, 1814.
Plater is listed as a Director of the Bank of Columbia (Intelligencer March 27, 1817)
For Sale -Greenwood, my residence in DC; spacious dwelling house; 35 acres. -Thomas Plater (Intelligencer, March 13, 1819)
To rent or sell, my beautiful country seat, Greenwood, my late residence, adjoining Georgetown, DC. -Thomas Plater (Intelligencer, Sept. 27, 1819)
For sale or rent, my residence on Gay street, Georgetown; the house is large, 5 rooms each floor, and basement story for servants. Thomas Plater (National Intelligencer, Aug. 23, 1824)
Died on September 13 in her 23rd year, Miss Martha Plater, daughter of Thomas Plater of Georgetown, complaint seemed to be pulmonary, excruciating pain for two weeks. An aged parent bereaved of his child, a brother and sisters of their dearest companion. She received communion one short hour before she breathed her last. (National Intelligencer, September 15, 1824)
Private Residence for Sale: having retired to the country I wish to dispose of my house and lot, late my residence on Gay street, Georgetown, now occupied by Mrs. Decatur. Thomas Plater (National Intelligencer, March 1, 1828)
Plater’s second wife was Evelina Buchanan, and they lived at Montevideo, near Poolesville, where he died in 1830. According to John Rousby Plater’s DC will, Thomas died indebted to his brother.
Thomas Plater’s name appears on a list of lot owners in Georgetown’s Old Presbyterian burial ground, but there was also a family burial ground at Greenwood. (Helen W. Ridgeley, Historic Graves of Maryland and the District of Columbia, 1908, pp. 249,251)
“Died: at his residence in Montgomery County, Col. Thomas Plater, age 66, for a long time until a few years past, a resident of this district. Funeral will take place at Greenwood, his former residence, now Mr. Schwartz’s, just above Georgetown, this afternoon.” (National Intelligencer, May 3, 1830)
Is funeral synonymous with burial?
The real estate transfers that preceded residential development took place starting in 1884, but the house was apparently still standing in 1898. If there was a burial ground, and if it was removed, that would probably have been the moment.
Plater died with large debts. Farmers and Mechanics Bank sued heirs of Thomas Plater for $7000. Thomas Plater’s heirs included: Evelina Plater, his widow, and her son, Thomas Plater the younger, an infant; Maria Stull (Mrs. John Stull); Rebecca Walford; Jane Williams (Mrs. Elisha Williams); and James L. Plater. (National Intelligencer, Mar. 25, 1831)
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Carlton Fletcher
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