William Paca

William Paca was a prominent Founding Father, lawyer, and politician from Maryland. He is best remembered as a signer of the Declaration of Independence and as the third Governor of Maryland. A key figure in the American Revolution, Paca also served as a delegate to the First Continental Congress and the Second Continental Congress, and later as a federal judge appointed by President George Washington.

Early life and education

Born on his family's estate, Abingdon, in the Province of Maryland, he was the son of John Paca and Elizabeth Smith. He received a classical education at the Philadelphia Academy before enrolling at the College of Philadelphia, which later became the University of Pennsylvania. Graduating in 1759 with a Bachelor of Arts, he then studied law in Annapolis under the tutelage of Stephen Bordley and was admitted to the Maryland bar in 1761. His early legal practice in Annapolis and Baltimore quickly established him among the colony's elite, and he married Mary Chew, daughter of a wealthy Virginia planter, further cementing his social standing.

Political career

Paca's political career began in the Maryland General Assembly, where he served as a representative from Annapolis. He emerged as a leading voice against British policies, particularly the Stamp Act and the Townshend Acts. In 1771, he was elected to the Upper House of the Maryland General Assembly, but his growing revolutionary sentiments soon placed him in opposition to the proprietary government. He was elected as a delegate to the First Continental Congress in 1774 and was subsequently re-elected to the Second Continental Congress, where he served alongside fellow Marylanders Samuel Chase, Thomas Stone, and Charles Carroll of Carrollton.

Signer of the Declaration of Independence

As a member of the Second Continental Congress in 1776, he voted in favor of the Lee Resolution for independence and affixed his signature to the engrossed Declaration of Independence in August of that year. His role was crucial in securing Maryland's support for independence, as he worked to overcome initial hesitancy from the more conservative elements of the Maryland General Assembly. During the Revolutionary War, he served on several important congressional committees dealing with military and naval affairs, helping to manage the war effort against Great Britain.

Governor of Maryland

After the war, Paca served as the third Governor of Maryland from 1782 to 1785. His administration focused on stabilizing the state's finances, supporting the ratification of the Treaty of Paris, and addressing issues related to Loyalist property. He was a strong advocate for the Articles of Confederation but later supported the new United States Constitution. As governor, he also signed the 1784 law that chartered Washington College in Chestertown. Following his gubernatorial term, he served as a member of the Maryland Senate and was a delegate to the Maryland Ratification Convention of 1788, where he voted for ratification.

Later life and death

In his later years, President George Washington appointed him as a Federal District Judge for the District of Maryland in 1789, a position he held until his death. He retired to his estate, Wye Hall, in Queen Anne's County, Maryland, where he devoted time to agricultural pursuits. He died at Wye Hall on October 13, 1799, and was initially buried there; his remains were later reinterred in the family cemetery at Wye Plantation. His legacy is honored by numerous landmarks, including the William Paca House in Annapolis, which is a preserved historic site and museum.