William Hemsley (January 23, 1737 – June 5, 1812) was an American planter and political leader from

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 ...

. He represented Maryland in the

Continental Congress The Continental Congress was a series of legislative bodies, with some executive function, for thirteen of Britain's colonies in North America, and the newly declared United States just before, during, and after the American Revolutionary War. ...

in 1782 and 1783. Hemsley's entire life was closely connected with his family's plantation, Clover Fields Farm, in

Queen Anne's County Queen Anne's County is located on the Eastern Shore of the U.S. state of Maryland. As of the 2020 census, the population was 49,874. Its county seat and most populous municipality is Centreville. The census-designated place of Stevensville i ...

on Maryland's Eastern Shore. The family had been established there and in Talbot County for several generations. His career in public service was similar to that of many prominent planters. He was a county official in both counties at various times and served as a colonel in the militia of Queen Anne's County during the Revolutionary War. He was a delegate to the

Maryland State Convention of 1788 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 it ...

, to vote whether Maryland should ratify the proposed

Constitution of the United States The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, in 1789. Originally comprising seven articles, it delineates the natio ...

. Hemsley was first elected to the Maryland state senate in November 1779. He would serve in that body until 1781. Then in 1782–1783, he served in the Continental Congress in

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

. He was again elected to the state senate in 1784 but declined that election. He would serve again from 1786 to 1789. Although re-elected again in 1790, he did not serve. He was a member of the Maryland Convention that ratified the

United States Constitution The Constitution of the United States is the Supremacy Clause, supreme law of the United States, United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, in 1789. Originally comprising seven ar ...

on April 28, 1788. His later years were spent running the family plantation. He died there on June 5, 1812, and was buried in the family's cemetery on the farm, near

Queenstown, Maryland Queenstown is a town in Queen Anne's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 664 at the 2010 census. Geography Queenstown is located at (38.989086, -76.156645). According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total are ...

. His son, William Hemsley Jr., also served in the state senate in 1799–1800.

References

External links

Expansion and Refinement: the Crafting of a Power House – Cloverfields Preservation Foundation
* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hemsley, William Continental Congressmen from Maryland 1737 births 1812 deaths Maryland state senators People from Queen Anne's County, Maryland American planters 18th-century Maryland politicians