Home > George Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore

He was born in Yorkshire, England and educated at Trinity College. In 1606 he was made a clerk of the crown in Connaught province, Ireland and was made a clerk of the Privy Council in 1608. In 1609 he became a Member of Parliament and was knighted in 1617 for service to King James I of England in matters foreign and domestic. Calvert became Secretary of State in 1619.

In 1620, Calvert purchased a tract of land in Newfoundland between Fermeuse and Aquaforte on what is now the Avalon Peninsula. In 1621, Calvert sent Edward WynneEdward Wynne was Proprietary Governor of Ferryland colony from 1621 to 1626. Born in Wales, he was appointed by George Calvert, (later Lord Baltimore) to establish the colony and in August 1621 he landed at Ferryland with 12 men. The colonists had complet and a group of WelshFor alternate meanings, see Wales (disambiguation Wales ( Welsh: Cymru pronounced /"k@mrI/ SAMPA, km IPA, 'Kumree' approximate pronunciation) is one of the four nations comprising the United Kingdom (the other three being England, Scotland and Northern Ir colonists to found a settlement at FerrylandFerryland in Newfoundland is part of the Avalon Peninsula on the southern shore of the island south of St. It was established as a station for migratory fishermen in the late 16th century but had earlier been used by the French, Spanish, and Portuguese.. The new colony grew and became the first successful permanent BritishThe word Britain is used to refer to the United Kingdom (UK): i. the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (from 1927), the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland ( 1801- 1927) or the United Kingdom of Great Britain ( 1707- 1801). settlement on the island. Calvert was granted a royal charter in 1623 and his land grant was extended from Ferryland to Petty Harbour and from Conception Bay to west of Placentia Bay and was given the name Province of Avalon.

Calvert converted to CatholicismThis article considers Catholicism in the broadest ecclesiastical sense. See Catholicism (disambiguation) for alternative meanings Catholicism has two main ecclesiastical meanings, described in Webster's Dictionary as: a) "the whole orthodox Christian chu in 1625Events March 27 Prince Charles Stuart becomes King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland. June 13 Marriage of Charles I of England and Henrietta Maria, Princess of France and Navarra. The English Parliament refuses to vote Charles I the right to coll and, shockingly, announced it publicly. Since Catholics could not hold civil office, Calvert resigned as Secretary of State. His service in that post was a failure, as he failed in attempt to negotiate a marriage between the heir to the thorne (the future Charles I of England) and Maria, daughter of Philip III of Spain. However, in 1625 Calvert was given the title of Baron Baltimore as a reward for his loyalty to the king.

Calvert travelled to the colony in 1627 and 1628 took over as Proprietary Governor of Avalon from his agent. He brought two Catholic priests with him with the intent of making the colony a haven for persecuted Catholics. One of the priests founded at Ferryland the first Catholic mission on British North American soil. In 1628 Calvert brought his wife and eldest son, Cecil Calvert, with him to settle but Calvert became disenchanchanted due to a harsh winter which killed ten settlers and afflicted many others with scurvy as well as constant harassment of the colony by French pirates and criticism by Puritans for his covertly establishing a Catholic colony.

He applied for a new royal charter for what was to become the Province of Maryland and set out for the territory in 1629 leaving his son in charge of Avalon. Calvert died in April 1632, two months before his royal charter was officially granted.

See also: British colonization of the Americas