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Walter Dulany (died 1773) was a politician in Colonial Maryland, who was

mayor of Annapolis The Mayor of Annapolis is the chief political figure in the city of Annapolis, which is the capital city of Maryland. The mayor is elected to a four-year term. List of Mayors of Annapolis *1708–1720 Amos Garrett *1720–1721 Thomas Lar ...

from 1766 to 1767. His family house and land at Windmill Point later became the location for the United States Naval Academy.

Early life

Dulany was the second son of

Daniel Dulany the Elder Daniel Dulany the Elder (1685–1753) was a prominent lawyer and land-developer in colonial Maryland, who held a number of colonial offices. In 1722 Dulany wrote a pamphlet entitled ''The Right of the Inhabitants of Maryland, to the Benefit of th ...

and his wife Rebecca Smith.Warfield, J. D., p. 184, ''The Founders of Anne Arundel and Howard Counties, Maryland''
Retrieved November 2010 On June 30, 1753, Walter Dulany bought a house in Annapolis from one Simon Duff, described as "sixty five feet in length and twenty one feet in breadth, to which is a good cellar, garden, and all necessary out-houses, delightfully situated, near a good landing". Dulany paid £250 for his new house, "wherein the said Simon Duff now liveth". The Dulany family would live there from 1753 to 1808.Soley, James Russell, p. 127, ''Historical Sketch of the United States Naval Academy'' (1876)
Retrieved November 2010

Politics

Politically, Dulany was a

Loyalist Loyalism, in the United Kingdom, its overseas territories and its former colonies, refers to the allegiance to the British crown or the United Kingdom. In North America, the most common usage of the term refers to loyalty to the British Cro ...

, like his father and older brother Daniel Dulany the Younger. He served as Mayor of Annapolis from 1766 to 1767. He was also Judge for probate of wills, and succeeded his father as Commissary General. Indeed, it was claimed that the office of Commissary General was "almost hereditary" within the Dulany family.Warfield, J. D., p. 215, ''The Founders of Anne Arundel and Howard Counties, Maryland''
Retrieved November 2010

Coming of revolution

In 1766, the year he became Mayor, Dulany became embroiled in a war of words with Samuel Chase, a vocal opponent of the Stamp Act and later a signer of the

American Declaration of Independence The United States Declaration of Independence, formally The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen States of America, is the pronouncement and founding document adopted by the Second Continental Congress meeting at Pennsylvania State House ...

. In an open letter dated July 18, 1766, Chase attacked Dulany,

Michael MacNamara Michael MacNamara (? – November 4, 1767) was an Irish-American lawyer and politician in Colonial Maryland, who had three terms as mayor of Annapolis. He was a Loyalist, his interests aligned with those of the ruling Calvert family, the Baron ...

, John Brice, George Steuart (1700–1784), and others for publishing an article in the Maryland Gazette Extraordinary of June 19, 1766, in which Chase had been accused of being: "a busy, reckless incendiary, a ringleader of mobs, a foul-mouthed and inflaming son of discord and faction, a common disturber of the public tranquility". In his response, Chase accused Dulany and the others of "vanity ... pride and arrogance", and of being brought to power by "proprietary influence, court favour, and the wealth and influence of the tools and favourites who infest this city."Sanderson, John J, p.67, ''Biography of the Signers To the Declaration of Independence'', Volume 5, published by R W Pomery (1823).
Retrieved January 21, 2010 In particular, Chase accused Dulany of electoral impropriety:

You were re-elected by mere chance, but upon a petition from the citizens, complaining of an undue election, you were again discharged from the house, and another gentleman chosen in your room, I was unfortunately of that number who were of opinion your election was void, and voted accordingly. This, Sir, is the cause of your resentment against me ...

The Dulany family were loyal to the Crown during the Revolution and as a result most of their extensive estates were confiscated after the war. Walter's son, Walter Dulany the younger, appealed to the

American Loyalist Claims Commission American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

in Great Britain for restitution.

Family

Dulany married Mary Grafton, daughter of Richard Grafton. They had seven children: * Walter Jr., * Daniel, * Grafton Lloyd, * Rebecca, * Mary, * Margaret, and * Catherine, who married Horatio Sharp Belt on July 23, 1783.

Death and legacy

Walter Dulany died on September 20, 1773.Maryland Archives http://www.msa.md.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc3500/sc3520/000300/000373/html/373bio.html In 1808 the younger Walter Dulany sold his family house at Windmill Point to the United States Government, which assigned the house to the commander of

Fort Severn Fort Severn, in present-day Annapolis, Maryland, was built in 1808 on the same site as an earlier American Revolutionary War fort of 1776. Although intended to guard Annapolis harbor from British attack during the War of 1812, it never saw act ...

which was subsequently built there. After 1845 the house was occupied by the various superintendents of the United States Naval Academy.

References