Rosalie Stier Calvert
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Rosalie Stier Calvert (February 16, 1778 – March 13, 1821) was a plantation owner and correspondent in nineteenth century
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 ...
. A collection of her letters, titled ''Mistress of Riversdale, The Plantation Letters of Rosalie Stier Calvert'', was published by the
Johns Hopkins University Press The Johns Hopkins University Press (also referred to as JHU Press or JHUP) is the publishing division of Johns Hopkins University. It was founded in 1878 and is the oldest continuously running university press in the United States. The press publi ...
in 1991. The letters range in date from 1795 to 1821, and illuminate the life of Calvert's plantation household, including the events leading up to and during the
War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...
.Callcott, Margaret Law, ''Mistress of Riversdale: The Plantation Letters of Rosalie Stier Calvert''
Retrieved August 17, 2010


Early life

Rosalie-Eugénie Stier was the daughter of a wealthy
Antwerp Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504,
burgher, Henri-Joseph Stier (1743–1821) and his wife Marie-Louise Peeters. The Stier family fled the
Low Countries The term Low Countries, also known as the Low Lands ( nl, de Lage Landen, french: les Pays-Bas, lb, déi Niddereg Lännereien) and historically called the Netherlands ( nl, de Nederlanden), Flanders, or Belgica, is a coastal lowland region in N ...
in 1794 as a French army invaded their home city. Once in America, the family's fortunes recovered from the disasters of European war. Rosalie Calvert became one of the richest women in America, amassing a large fortune, much of which she managed herself, and she owned one of the largest art collections in the country.


Riversdale

Rosalie Calvert lived at the Riversdale plantation, a five-part, large-scale late
Georgian Georgian may refer to: Common meanings * Anything related to, or originating from Georgia (country) ** Georgians, an indigenous Caucasian ethnic group ** Georgian language, a Kartvelian language spoken by Georgians **Georgian scripts, three scrip ...
mansion with superior
Federal Federal or foederal (archaic) may refer to: Politics General *Federal monarchy, a federation of monarchies *Federation, or ''Federal state'' (federal system), a type of government characterized by both a central (federal) government and states or ...
interior, built between 1801 and 1807. Also known as Baltimore House, Calvert Mansion or Riversdale Mansion, it is located at 4811 Riverdale Road in Riverdale Park,
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 ...
. It was designated a
National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...
in 1997. Once the manor house and centerpiece of a plantation, Riversdale was built in 1801 by Henri Joseph Stier, who lived in the Brice House in
Annapolis, Maryland Annapolis ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Maryland and the county seat of, and only incorporated city in, Anne Arundel County. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east o ...
immediately prior to building Riversdale. Stier planned the house in 1801 to resemble his Belgian residence, the Chateau du Mick. Four years later, Stier returned to the
Low Countries The term Low Countries, also known as the Low Lands ( nl, de Lage Landen, french: les Pays-Bas, lb, déi Niddereg Lännereien) and historically called the Netherlands ( nl, de Nederlanden), Flanders, or Belgica, is a coastal lowland region in N ...
, leaving the unfinished Riversdale to be completed by his daughter, Rosalie Stier Calvert and her husband,
George Calvert George Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore (; 1580 – 15 April 1632), was an English politician and colonial administrator. He achieved domestic political success as a member of parliament and later Secretary of State under King James I. He lost m ...
, the son of
Benedict Swingate Calvert Benedict Swingate Calvert (January 27, 1722 – January 9, 1788) was a planter, politician and a Loyalist in Maryland during the American Revolution. He was the son of Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore, the third Proprietor Governor of Mar ...
, who was a natural son of
Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore, (29 September 1699 – 24 April 1751) was a British nobleman and Proprietary Governor of the Province of Maryland. He inherited the title to Maryland aged just fifteen, on the death of his father and gran ...
.


Family life

Rosalie and George Calvert had a large family, though four of their children died in infancy or in childhood. Their son
Charles Benedict Calvert Charles Benedict Calvert (August 23, 1808 – May 12, 1864) was an American politician who was a U.S. Representative from the sixth district of Maryland, serving one term from 1861 to 1863. He was an early backer of the inventors of the ...
established the
Maryland Agricultural College 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 ...
, now the
University of Maryland, College Park The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland. Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the University System of Mary ...
, on part of the Riversdale property. Another son,
George Henry Calvert George Henry Calvert (January 2, 1803 – May 24, 1889) was an American editor, essayist, dramatist, poet, and biographer. He was the Chair of Moral Philosophy at the newly established College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Baltimor ...
(January 2, 1803 – May 24, 1889) was a noted editor, essayist, dramatist, poet, and biographer. *Caroline Maria Calvert (1800–1842), married on June 19, 1823, Thomas Willing Morris of
Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
.Callcott, p.376 *
George Henry Calvert George Henry Calvert (January 2, 1803 – May 24, 1889) was an American editor, essayist, dramatist, poet, and biographer. He was the Chair of Moral Philosophy at the newly established College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Baltimor ...
(1803–1889), essayist, dramatist, poet, and biographer. * Marie Louise Calvert (1804–1809), died in childhood. * Rosalie Eugenia Calvert (1806–1845), married Charles Henry Carter (1804–1892). *
Charles Benedict Calvert Charles Benedict Calvert (August 23, 1808 – May 12, 1864) was an American politician who was a U.S. Representative from the sixth district of Maryland, serving one term from 1861 to 1863. He was an early backer of the inventors of the ...
(1808–1864), was a
U.S. Congressman The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...
who founded what is now the
University of Maryland, College Park The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland. Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the University System of Mary ...
, chartered in 1856. *Henry Joseph Albert Calvert (1810–1820) *Marie Louise Calvert (1812–1813), died in infancy. * Julia Calvert (1814–1888), married Richard Henry Stuart (1808–1889). * Amelia Isabella Calvert (1817–1820), died in infancy.


Washington/Custis relations

The Calverts were related, through the marriage of George Calvert's sister, to
George George may refer to: People * George (given name) * George (surname) * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Washington, First President of the United States * George W. Bush, 43rd Presiden ...
and
Martha Washington Martha Dandridge Custis Washington (June 21, 1731 — May 22, 1802) was the wife of George Washington, the first president of the United States. Although the title was not coined until after her death, Martha Washington served as the inaugural ...
. George Calvert's sister,
Eleanor Calvert Eleanor Calvert Custis Stuart (1757/1758 – September 28, 1811), born Eleanor Calvert, was a prominent member of the wealthy Calvert family of Maryland. Upon her marriage to John Parke Custis, she became the daughter-in-law of Martha Dandridge ...
, married Martha Washington's son,
John Parke Custis John Parke Custis (November 27, 1754 – November 5, 1781) was an American planter. He was a son of Martha Washington and stepson of George Washington. Childhood A son of Daniel Parke Custis, a wealthy planter with nearly three hundred enslaved ...
, who was born in 1754 to Martha and her first husband
Daniel Parke Custis Daniel Parke Custis (October 15, 1711 – July 8, 1757) was an American planter and politician who was the first husband of Martha Dandridge. After his death, Dandridge married George Washington, who later became the first president of the Unite ...
. John Parke Custis and Eleanor Calvert Custis had four children before his death:
Elizabeth Parke Custis Elizabeth (Eliza) Parke Custis Law (August 21, 1776 – December 31, 1831)"Obituary: Elizabeth Parke Custis Law", ''Richmond Enquirer'', 3 January 1832 was the eldest granddaughter of Martha Washington, Martha Dandridge Washington and a step-grandc ...
(1776),
Martha Parke Custis Martha "Patsy" Parke Custis (1756 – June 19, 1773) was the stepdaughter of George Washington who died from an epileptic seizure at the age of 17, fifteen years before he was elected as the first president of the United States in 1788. She was ...
(1777),
Eleanor Parke Custis Eleanor Parke Custis may refer to: * Eleanor Parke Custis Lewis (1779–1854), known as Nelly, step-granddaughter of George Washington * Eleanor Parke Custis (artist) (1897–1983), American painter and photographer {{disambig ...
(1779), and
George Washington Parke Custis George Washington Parke Custis (April 30, 1781 – October 10, 1857) was an American plantation owner, antiquarian, author, and playwright. His father John Parke Custis was the stepson of George Washington. He and his sister Eleanor grew u ...
(1781). Rosalie Calvert and George Calvert were thus aunt and uncle to Martha and George Washington's four Custis grandchildren. Rosalie was close to her Custis nieces whom she referred to by their married names Mrs. Law, Mrs. Peter and Mrs. Lewis,Callcott, pp.55, 57, 72, 87, 92, 130, 168, 367 and she spent a lot of time with Eliza Law, who once lived at Riversdale for almost a year.Callcott, p. 177 Rosalie kept her Belgian relatives informed about Eliza Law's controversial separation and divorce from her husband, Thomas Law.Callcott, pp. 92, 97, 111, 168, 200, 240 In her letters to her family in Belgium, Rosalie reported that George Washington Parke Custis was building
Arlington House Arlington House may refer to: *Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial *Arlington House (London) a hostel for the homeless in London, England, and one of the Rowton Houses *Arlington House, Margate, an eighteen-storey residential apartment bloc ...
, a mansion "that will be seen from all points of Washington,"Callcott, p. 70 and she also informed them of his marriage to Mary Lee Fitzhugh in 1804.Callcott, p. 89 When Rosalie Calvert died in 1821, her niece Eleanor Lewis wrote that "I loved her as much as any connection I possessed."Callcott, p. 367


Death and legacy

She died on March 13, 1821, according to her physician, "of a general dropsy affecting the whole system",Callcott, p.365 and is buried in a family cemetery north of the mansion. Rosalie Calvert was an indefatigable correspondent and a collection of her letters, titled ''Mistress of Riversdale, The Plantation Letters of Rosalie Stier Calvert'', was published by the
Johns Hopkins University Press The Johns Hopkins University Press (also referred to as JHU Press or JHUP) is the publishing division of Johns Hopkins University. It was founded in 1878 and is the oldest continuously running university press in the United States. The press publi ...
in 1991, edited by Margaret Law Callcott. The letters range in date from 1795 to 1821, and illuminate the life of Stier's plantation household during the events leading up to and during the
War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...
.


References


Callcott, Margaret Law, p.390, ''Mistress of Riversdale: The Plantation Letters of Rosalie Stier Calvert''
Retrieved August 2010


Notes


Gallery

Image:Riversdale 1.jpg, Riversdale, July 2007 Image:Riversdale_Manor_3.jpg, Riversdale Manor in July 2007 Image:Calvert Cemetery Nov 2008.JPG, Calvert Family Cemetery in November 2008 Image:Calvert Cemetery Plaque Nov 2008.JPG, Plaque Commemorating the Calvert Family Cemetery in November 2008


External links


Calvert Family Tree
Retrieved Jul 10 2013
Riversdale website
Retrieved October 2010

Retrieved February 2013 *, including photo in 2003, at Maryland Historical Trust. Retrieved October 2010 * {{DEFAULTSORT:Calvert, Rosalie Stier Rosalie 1778 births 1821 deaths Businesspeople from Antwerp