Samuel Sprigg (

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1783 – April 21, 1855) served as the 17th Governor of the state of

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

from 1819 to 1822.

Background

Little is known of Sprigg's early life. He was possibly born in Washington County or

Prince George's County ) , demonym = Prince Georgian , ZIP codes = 20607–20774 , area codes = 240, 301 , founded date = April 23 , founded year = 1696 , named for = Prince George of Denmark , leader_title = Executive , leader_name = Angela D. Alsobrook ...

, although conclusive proof has not been found. His father was Joseph Sprigg and was married several times. He was likely born to his father's third wife, Margaret Elzey Weems between 1781–1783. After his father's death in 1800, he was adopted by his uncle, Osborn Sprigg. He would eventually inherit Osborne's Prince George's County estate of Northampton. On January 1, 1811, Sprigg married Violetta Lansdale, daughter of Thomas Lancaster Lansdale and Cornelia Van Horne. They eventually had two children.

Political career

Sprigg joined the

Democratic-Republican Party The Democratic-Republican Party, known at the time as the Republican Party and also referred to as the Jeffersonian Republican Party among other names, was an American political party founded by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison in the early ...

at time when there was a Democratic-Republican resurgence in the state against the

Federalists The term ''federalist'' describes several political beliefs around the world. It may also refer to the concept of parties, whose members or supporters called themselves ''Federalists''. History Europe federation In Europe, proponents of de ...

. He was elected Governor by the

Maryland General Assembly The Maryland General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland that convenes within the State House in Annapolis. It is a bicameral body: the upper chamber, the Maryland Senate, has 47 representatives and the lower chamb ...

on December 13, 1819, running against

Charles Goldsborough Charles Goldsborough (July 15, 1765 – December 13, 1834) served as the 16th Governor of the state of Maryland in the United States in 1819. Early life Goldsborough was born at "Hunting Creek", near Cambridge in Dorchester County, Maryland, a ...

. His administration was marked by partisan bitterness between the Democratic-Republicans and Federalists. Specific issues were State constitutional reform and direct election of the state government (both opposed by the Federalists). Both of these efforts were defeated during Sprigg's administration, but would pass later. His administration was very concerned with providing infrastructure to the western part of the state, embracing the construction of roads as well as completion of the

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, abbreviated as the C&O Canal and occasionally called the "Grand Old Ditch," operated from 1831 until 1924 along the Potomac River between Washington, D.C. and Cumberland, Maryland. It replaced the Potomac Canal, wh ...

. Under his administration, the charter of the

Potomac Company The Potomac Company (spelled variously as Patowmack, Potowmack, Potowmac, and Compony) was created in 1785 to make improvements to the Potomac River and improve its navigability for commerce. The project is perhaps the first conceptual seed plan ...

to complete the canal was canceled due to poor performance and given to a new enterprise, the

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, abbreviated as the C&O Canal and occasionally called the "Grand Old Ditch," operated from 1831 until 1924 along the Potomac River between Washington, D.C. and Cumberland, Maryland. It replaced the Potomac Canal, wh ...

. He served on the Board of Directors for the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company. He was re-elected to the Governorship, first in 1820 and again in 1821. Sprigg retired from the Governor's office and from politics on December 16, 1822.

Death and legacy

Sprigg died on April 21, 1855, and was buried at St. Barnabas Church in

Upper Marlboro, Maryland Upper Marlboro, officially the Town of Upper Marlboro, is the seat of Prince George's County, Maryland. Aso of the 2020 census, the population was 652. although Greater Upper Marlboro is many times larger. Etymology Upper Marlboro was establ ...

, but was moved to Oak Hill Cemetery in Georgetown.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sprigg, Samuel Governors of Maryland 1780s births 1855 deaths Burials at Oak Hill Cemetery (Washington, D.C.) Maryland Democratic-Republicans Democratic-Republican Party state governors of the United States Sprigg family