William Murdock (1720October 17, 1769) was a

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-born

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statesman in colonial

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 ...

. During the tensions leading up to the

American Revolution The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revolut ...

he was an important spokesman for the rights of the colonists. He was a delegate representing Maryland in the

Stamp Act Congress The Stamp Act Congress (October 7 – 25, 1765), also known as the Continental Congress of 1765, was a meeting held in New York, New York, consisting of representatives from some of the British colonies in North America. It was the first gath ...

of 1765. Murdock was the son of Reverend George Murdock, who brought his family from Scotland to

Prince George's County, Maryland ) , 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. Alsobroo ...

, in British America about 1726. When protests over the Stamp Act resulted in calling a

Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of a ...

of the several colonies in

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, the Maryland Assembly sent Murdock as one of its delegates. His voice and experience were an important factor in the

Declaration of Rights and Grievances In response to the Stamp and Tea Acts, the Declaration of Rights and Grievances was a document written by the Stamp Act Congress and passed on October 14, 1765. American colonists opposed the acts because they were passed without the consideration ...

produced by that Congress. Murdock married Anne Addison, and the couple had eight children before she died in 1753. Murdock died on October 17, 1769, at his home, ''Padsworth Farm'', in

See also