Jonathan Plowman Jr.

Jonathan Plowman Jr. (1717-1795) was a member of the Revolutionary City Council of Baltimore, Maryland, having pledged allegiance to the newly-formed United States in 1778. He was a City Councilman, Justice of the peace, city developer and successful merchant, owning ships and land in a place where, ironically, his father had come in chains as an indentured servant. Many references may be found of Jonathan Plowman Jr. in the Maryland Archives, as he participated in city business and ran afoul of the British.

Father's arrival in America

1700, Jonathan Plowman age 12 ,of Yorkshire, England arrives on the ship Robert and Elizabeth sent by agent M. Ralph Williamson to Jamestown to be an indentured servant.
1710 Jonathan Sr. moves to Baltimore, Maryland once his ten years of servitude were up. There he begins his new life as a free man.
1714 he marries Ann Vickory Stevenson in February.
1715 They had a daughter Rachel on February 22,
1717 Jonathan Jr. was born on February 25
1718 or maybe alittle later their youngest a boy John was born.
1747 Jonathan Sr., died on March 30 at age 59.

(Note: All dates are given according to the calender system active at the time of events which means the Julian calendar for dates before September 1752 and our current Gregorian calendar system for dates after September 1752 when Britian and it's colonies around the world adopted it.)

Marriage and children

1740 In August, Jonathan Plowman Jr. married Elizabeth (last name unknown) and they had several children together .
1749 Showing the closeness of the relationship with his cousin, Dr. John Stevenson, Jonathan Jr. named his firstborn "Stevenson"
1751 son James was born who likely served in the Hand in Hand 4^thBattalion 33^rd class for the state of Maryland.
1754,December 23 son Jonathan III, named for himself and his father Jonathan Sr. would share his birthday with younger brother Richard.
1756,December 23 son Richard was born, Richard served during the Revolutionary War as an Ensign belonging to the Soldiers Delight Battalion of the Militia in Baltimore County.
1759 son Edward was born on March 12,
1760's son John and his only daughter Sarah were born with dates of birth unknown to us today.

Merchant, Land Developer and City Councilman

Jonathan Plowman Jr. and his cousin, Dr. John Stevenson, bought and sold land with his brother John Plowman as a partner. Jonathan Jr. and Dr. Stevenson later began to trade in indentured servants. By the 1750s and 1760s the two were the largest importers of indentured servants to the Americas. Jonathan Sr. may have told Jonathan Jr. and his nephew Dr. Stevenson that he saw it as a great opportunity to bring more people to America to eventually realize the American dream and make some money while they were at it. It is also possible Jonathan Jr. waited for his father to pass before beginning to deal in indentured servants. Either way they were very successful at it.

Jonathan Plowman Jr's appointment to the Baltimore city council is found in the Maryland Archives in a petition to the Maryland General Assembly to enlarge Baltimore by 80 acres that were owned by Jonathan Plowman Jr., Isaac Vanbebber, and John Deaver and appoint them to the city council.

The commissioners of the said Baltimore-town, and Jonathan Plowman, Isaac Vanbebber, and John Deaver, who are hereby appointed commissioners for the purposes herein mentioned, or the major part of them, do, with the consent of the proprietors of the said eighty acres of land or thereabouts, by virtue of this act, at any time they shall see convenient before the twentieth day of October next, cause the said eighty acres of land or thereabouts, to be surveyed, and laid out into lots, streets, lanes and alleys, in such manner as to them shall seem convenient; and any person or persons that shall build or improve on the said eighty acres of land or thereabouts, after the same shall be laid out into lots, as by former laws relating to the said town are directed, and purchase the same from the proprietor or proprietors.

Donation of land for church

Jonathan Plowman Jr. was also a good Christian man who gave generously to establish a church in Baltimore on February 27, 1770. This fact would have never been known were it not for an act the state of Maryland passed on January 22, 1829 to incorporate Particular Baptist Gunpowder Church in Baltimore County. Jonathan Plowman Jr. conveyed to John Davis, pastor, John Whitaker and Samuel Lane, Particular Baptists, a piece or parcel of land, contented for fifteen acres, for the sole use of a meeting house for the worship of God, forever. An interesting side note is that in 1858 a Joshua Plowman, who may have been a great or great, great grandson of Jonathan Plowman Jr., was appointed as one of the trustees of the church.

Unresolved questions

A question that has not been answered is why Jonathan Plowman Sr. (the father) was sent to America as an indentured servant. One might reason that obviously Jonathan Plowman Jr. was a Particular Baptist. So could his father have been one too and the reason for deportation to America be religious persecution? It remains unknown at this time.

British provocation

Jonathan Jr., his brother John, and his cousin Dr. John Stevenson, were singled out to be taxed by the British to pay for the French and Indian War. On June 22, 1769 Jonathan Plowman Jr. was one of the signers of Maryland's Resolution of Non-Importation in which he and other merchants like him promised, along with other colonies, to avoid importing items that were being taxed by Act of Parliament, for the Purpose of raising a revenue in America. With few exceptions, they were to avoid purchasing most things listed as from Britain or Europe except for those produced and manufactured in Ireland.

In October 1770 the British Assembly in Annapolis ordered the arrest of Jonathan Plowman Jr. and several others for failing to show up to explain why they signed a petition that they the Assembly decided was offensive to them. The petition was to not enact a law to hold Baltimore's election in the town of Joppa. Smallpox was raging in Baltimore, so instead of delaying or taking other measures insuring the right to vote, they instead moved the election for Baltimore away from Baltimore. Which meant many would be unable to vote for their own town's government. The Assembly decided to swing around its power and ordered all the signers to come to Annapolis to explain their signatures on what they called a "false and scandalous Petition that reflected on the Honour, Justice and Impartiality of the House and highly derogatory of its Rights and Privileges". Some decided to go and say "not me I was in Pennsylvania at the time" while others said they were in bed sick and the wife brought the petition for his signature and signed because others signed first. Jonathan Plowman Jr. apparently did not go, and what happened to this warrant is still unknown except that he would continue on to hit yet another confrontation with Britain.

In 1771 the British took one of Jonathan's ships as punishment for trying to export a product not permitted by the British. George Washington was asked to intercede on Jonathan Plowman Jr's behalf by the Honorable Daniel Dulany Esq, who had been mayor of Annapolis from 1764-1765. The letter to Neil Jameson reads:

"Annapolis, September 24, 1771.

Sir: At the particular request of the Honble Danl. Dulany Esq., I address this Letter to you, a certain Mr. Plowman of Baltimore has, unfortunately, had his Vessel seized by the Boston Frigate, if it should be condemnd, I have to request the favour of you to facilitate the purchase of it and render any Service you can in behalf of the proprietor. I have no great right to take this Liberty, but you will be good enough, I hope, to excuse the freedom taken by Sir, etc."

Justice of the Peace

Another passage found in the Maryland Archives tells the story of Robert Moreton, a customs/tax collector. Apparently the Merchants of Baltimore did not like the fact that he seized the cargo and ship Speedwell. The story is that the ship Speedwell came up from Turk Islands and apparently against Moreton's order began to unload, because of the merchant's insistence to get the goods ashore. Moreton then informed the Captain that he had just forfeited the ship and cargo and went to Annapolis to file the papers. Upon Moreton's return a great number of Merchants and Masters of Vessels came down to the boat with clubs and staves with intention to kill, and on that night tarred and feathered two men, who occasionally worked with Moreton, and brought them to Moreton's door with torches in their hands, and made them damn all Custom House Officers. At the same time the mob broke the door down, broke the windows, and forced Mrs. Moreton to take them all over the house and cellar to see if they could find Mr. Moreton. They searched every house for Moreton with their faces being black'd and disguised in sailors jackets and trousers, but most of them were the principal Merchants in Baltimore and Fells Point). When they could not find Moreton, they beat a drum and played a fife up to Town, beating the men all the way there, and then they tied one to the stern of a boat and towed him along till he was nearly drowned.

On Friday April 30, 1773 Mrs. Moreton dispatched a letter by a messenger to Annapolis which upon receipt in the evening of the same day Moreton saw the Governor, filling him in, and praying his protection and support. The Governor gave him a letter addressed to "Mr. Plowman a Merchant and a Justice of the Peace at Baltimore —" The Mob assembled again on May 1, 1773 set on burning down the house. A gentelman took pity and argued not to hurt the wife and innocent children so they put aside their intentions, but they did decide to tar and feather that man and drag him through the water instead. Moreton did return to Baltimore, but because his house was being watched Moreton went to a friend's home outside town who hid him. Mrs. Morton sent for Jonathan Plowman, Jr. and gave him the letter written by the Governor. Jonathan Plowman Jr. went to the coffee house and read it to the town. Afterwards Mr. Plowman returned with several others and told her that her husband could come home. But she told her husband not to since people still looked for him even forcing the Marshal to come look for him because they would tar and feather him if he didn't. Mr. Moreton fled to Boston, but then missed a court date to testify against one John Pitts for shooting Mr. Ross the Goaler.