William Grason was Governor 1839-1842 and State Senator of Maryland, (Federalist; anti-Jacksonian Democrat after 1828) along with many other political activities. William Grason 1788-1868 was born at the family farm known as 'Eagle's Nest' on the Wye River in 1788, in Queen Anne's County, Maryland.
His tombstone records his date of birth as March 11, 1788. The names of both of his parents are unknown, but he is believed to be the son of Richard Grason, a farmer, also known as 'Commodore Grason.'
In March 1801, he was admitted to St. John's College, but he did not graduate. He next entered the United States Navy as a midshipman, but his naval career seems to have been only of short duration. During the War of 1812, he served as a 3rd sergeant in the 38th Maryland Regiment under Colonel William H. Nicholson at the Battle of Queenstown, August 13, 1813 on the Chester River and he attained a commission as a lieutenant on Sept. 12, 1813.
On October 12, 1813, Grason married Susan Orrick Sulivane of the Dorchester County Sullivane family. They stayed at the Sulivane family residence, later known as the Edmondson House and "Liberty Hall", from the time of their marriage in 1813 until their removal to the future governor's family home county in Queen Anne's County in about 1814.
Gaining an interest in politics, he was elected as an Anti-Jacksonian candidate for a seat in the Maryland House of Delegates in 1828 and re-elected the following year. In 1831, he was chosen as a senatorial elector from the Eastern Shore. In 1833, he was considered as a candidate for the nomination as congressman, but Richard B. Carmichael was instead nominated and elected. In 1835, Grason made his second attempt to secure a seat in Congress, but in the general election he was defeated by James A. Pearce, the Whig candidate. In 1837, Grason was re-elected to the Maryland House of Delegates.
In the gubernatorial election of 1838, with candidates exclusively from the Eastern Shore District, the Democrats nominated William Grason and the Whigs named John Nevitt Steele of Dorchester County. Grason defeated Steele by a state-wide margin of 311 votes. He was inaugurated as governor on January 7, 1839. During his term he confronted the payment of Maryland's debts, primarily because the State had indulged in the all-too-lavish subsidizing of internal improvement projects, without additional taxation to pay off the debt.
His term ended on January 3, 1842, and he returned to his farm in Queen Anne's County. In 1850, the Democrats of Queen Anne's County chose him to be a delegate to the State Constitutional Convention and in the same year he was elected to the Maryland State Senate. He was defeated for election to the Maryland State Senate in 1856.
Grason died at his home near Queenstown, Maryland on July 2, 1868, at the age of 81, and he was buried on his own land, now called 'Wye River Farm' in Queen Anne's County.
His tombstone records his date of birth as March 11, 1788. The names of both of his parents are unknown, but he is believed to be the son of Richard Grason, a farmer, also known as 'Commodore Grason.'
In March 1801, he was admitted to St. John's College, but he did not graduate. He next entered the United States Navy as a midshipman, but his naval career seems to have been only of short duration. During the War of 1812, he served as a 3rd sergeant in the 38th Maryland Regiment under Colonel William H. Nicholson at the Battle of Queenstown, August 13, 1813 on the Chester River and he attained a commission as a lieutenant on Sept. 12, 1813.
On October 12, 1813, Grason married Susan Orrick Sulivane of the Dorchester County Sullivane family. They stayed at the Sulivane family residence, later known as the Edmondson House and "Liberty Hall", from the time of their marriage in 1813 until their removal to the future governor's family home county in Queen Anne's County in about 1814.
Gaining an interest in politics, he was elected as an Anti-Jacksonian candidate for a seat in the Maryland House of Delegates in 1828 and re-elected the following year. In 1831, he was chosen as a senatorial elector from the Eastern Shore. In 1833, he was considered as a candidate for the nomination as congressman, but Richard B. Carmichael was instead nominated and elected. In 1835, Grason made his second attempt to secure a seat in Congress, but in the general election he was defeated by James A. Pearce, the Whig candidate. In 1837, Grason was re-elected to the Maryland House of Delegates.
In the gubernatorial election of 1838, with candidates exclusively from the Eastern Shore District, the Democrats nominated William Grason and the Whigs named John Nevitt Steele of Dorchester County. Grason defeated Steele by a state-wide margin of 311 votes. He was inaugurated as governor on January 7, 1839. During his term he confronted the payment of Maryland's debts, primarily because the State had indulged in the all-too-lavish subsidizing of internal improvement projects, without additional taxation to pay off the debt.
His term ended on January 3, 1842, and he returned to his farm in Queen Anne's County. In 1850, the Democrats of Queen Anne's County chose him to be a delegate to the State Constitutional Convention and in the same year he was elected to the Maryland State Senate. He was defeated for election to the Maryland State Senate in 1856.
Grason died at his home near Queenstown, Maryland on July 2, 1868, at the age of 81, and he was buried on his own land, now called 'Wye River Farm' in Queen Anne's County.
William Grason was Governor 1839-1842 and State Senator of Maryland, (Federalist; anti-Jacksonian Democrat after 1828) along with many other political activities. William Grason 1788-1868 was born at the family farm known as 'Eagle's Nest' on the Wye River in 1788, in Queen Anne's County, Maryland.
His tombstone records his date of birth as March 11, 1788. The names of both of his parents are unknown, but he is believed to be the son of Richard Grason, a farmer, also known as 'Commodore Grason.'
In March 1801, he was admitted to St. John's College, but he did not graduate. He next entered the United States Navy as a midshipman, but his naval career seems to have been only of short duration. During the War of 1812, he served as a 3rd sergeant in the 38th Maryland Regiment under Colonel William H. Nicholson at the Battle of Queenstown, August 13, 1813 on the Chester River and he attained a commission as a lieutenant on Sept. 12, 1813.
On October 12, 1813, Grason married Susan Orrick Sulivane of the Dorchester County Sullivane family. They stayed at the Sulivane family residence, later known as the Edmondson House and "Liberty Hall", from the time of their marriage in 1813 until their removal to the future governor's family home county in Queen Anne's County in about 1814.
Gaining an interest in politics, he was elected as an Anti-Jacksonian candidate for a seat in the Maryland House of Delegates in 1828 and re-elected the following year. In 1831, he was chosen as a senatorial elector from the Eastern Shore. In 1833, he was considered as a candidate for the nomination as congressman, but Richard B. Carmichael was instead nominated and elected. In 1835, Grason made his second attempt to secure a seat in Congress, but in the general election he was defeated by James A. Pearce, the Whig candidate. In 1837, Grason was re-elected to the Maryland House of Delegates.
In the gubernatorial election of 1838, with candidates exclusively from the Eastern Shore District, the Democrats nominated William Grason and the Whigs named John Nevitt Steele of Dorchester County. Grason defeated Steele by a state-wide margin of 311 votes. He was inaugurated as governor on January 7, 1839. During his term he confronted the payment of Maryland's debts, primarily because the State had indulged in the all-too-lavish subsidizing of internal improvement projects, without additional taxation to pay off the debt.
His term ended on January 3, 1842, and he returned to his farm in Queen Anne's County. In 1850, the Democrats of Queen Anne's County chose him to be a delegate to the State Constitutional Convention and in the same year he was elected to the Maryland State Senate. He was defeated for election to the Maryland State Senate in 1856.
Grason died at his home near Queenstown, Maryland on July 2, 1868, at the age of 81, and he was buried on his own land, now called 'Wye River Farm' in Queen Anne's County.
His tombstone records his date of birth as March 11, 1788. The names of both of his parents are unknown, but he is believed to be the son of Richard Grason, a farmer, also known as 'Commodore Grason.'
In March 1801, he was admitted to St. John's College, but he did not graduate. He next entered the United States Navy as a midshipman, but his naval career seems to have been only of short duration. During the War of 1812, he served as a 3rd sergeant in the 38th Maryland Regiment under Colonel William H. Nicholson at the Battle of Queenstown, August 13, 1813 on the Chester River and he attained a commission as a lieutenant on Sept. 12, 1813.
On October 12, 1813, Grason married Susan Orrick Sulivane of the Dorchester County Sullivane family. They stayed at the Sulivane family residence, later known as the Edmondson House and "Liberty Hall", from the time of their marriage in 1813 until their removal to the future governor's family home county in Queen Anne's County in about 1814.
Gaining an interest in politics, he was elected as an Anti-Jacksonian candidate for a seat in the Maryland House of Delegates in 1828 and re-elected the following year. In 1831, he was chosen as a senatorial elector from the Eastern Shore. In 1833, he was considered as a candidate for the nomination as congressman, but Richard B. Carmichael was instead nominated and elected. In 1835, Grason made his second attempt to secure a seat in Congress, but in the general election he was defeated by James A. Pearce, the Whig candidate. In 1837, Grason was re-elected to the Maryland House of Delegates.
In the gubernatorial election of 1838, with candidates exclusively from the Eastern Shore District, the Democrats nominated William Grason and the Whigs named John Nevitt Steele of Dorchester County. Grason defeated Steele by a state-wide margin of 311 votes. He was inaugurated as governor on January 7, 1839. During his term he confronted the payment of Maryland's debts, primarily because the State had indulged in the all-too-lavish subsidizing of internal improvement projects, without additional taxation to pay off the debt.
His term ended on January 3, 1842, and he returned to his farm in Queen Anne's County. In 1850, the Democrats of Queen Anne's County chose him to be a delegate to the State Constitutional Convention and in the same year he was elected to the Maryland State Senate. He was defeated for election to the Maryland State Senate in 1856.
Grason died at his home near Queenstown, Maryland on July 2, 1868, at the age of 81, and he was buried on his own land, now called 'Wye River Farm' in Queen Anne's County.
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