Jonathan Plowman Jr. (1717–1795) was a spy and a privateer during the American Revolutionary War. His spying activities were as part of a group of Revolutionaries who reported on British troop movements. After the war broke out and trade with Britain was halted, Plowman and other merchants of Baltimore became privateers. They took their merchant ships and sent them out to raid and plunder British commerce enriching themselves and Baltimore. His resistance to British rule began earlier than that when, as a prominent merchant in Baltimore, Jonathan Plowman Jr. signed the non-importation agreement along with other merchants throughout the 13 colonies in a united effort to resisted British taxation.GenealogyInc His sons fought against British forces on the battlefield as members of both the regular army and the Maryland Militia. Jonathan Plowman Jr's many accomplishments ranged from a town commissioner member,Maryland Online Archives Volume 203 page 68 an attorney,Maryland Online Archives Volume 702 page 125 and justice of the peace.Maryland Online Archives, Volume 63 page 428
He was also a FreemasonMasonic Lodge Roster and a developer laying out streets and lots and having the land added to Baltimore. Most of all he was a successful merchant, and owned at least one ship named PokomokeBaltimore Historical Magazine page 20 and trading in goods including indentured servants. Plowman's own father was shipped to the United States at age 12 as an indentured servant. Jonathan Plowman Jr. became a member of the town commission of Baltimore, Maryland, prior to and served during the American Revolution. Many references to Jonathan Plowman may be found in the Maryland Archives, as he participated in town business and ran afoul of the British more than once. Jonathan Plowman Jr. usually signed "Jon" Plowman on documents such as the records of the many indentured servants he imported to the Americas.National Park Service
Father's arrival in America
January 27, 1701 (1700 O.S.), Liverpool, England a young 12-year-old Jonathan Plowman of Yorkshire, England found himself boarding the ship Robert and Elizabeth as an indentured servant the ship's captain known as a 'Master' was Ralph Williamson. The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, page 44 The ship was bound for Jamestown, Virginia. Records from Jamestown, Virginia do not record his landing there. It wasn't uncommon for ships to not sale out of every single indentured servant and so the ship would move on to other colonial cities such as Baltimore, Maryland. At age 12 he may not have been a very attractive indentured servant. The next record of Jonathan Plowman Sr. is in Baltimore County, Maryland. Root Web Once in Baltimore County he met Ann Stevenson Vickory,name correction, maiden name and married name had been reversed a widow two years younger than him who also was born in England. She had a young son named Richard Stevenson Vickory(bef 1711-1737) from her first marriage to John Vickory then deceased.Maryland Calendar of Wills, Vol 3, p 216 Will of John Vickory of Baltimore Co Md 5 Nov 1711; 12 Jan 1711 They were married in February 1713 O.S. (1714 N.S.).Genforum Plowman One year later on February 22, 1714 O.S. (1715 N.S.)they had their first child together, a daughter named Rachael Plowman who would go on to marry her cousin Richard King Stevenson. On February 25, 1716 O.S. (1717 N.S.) their son and subject of this article Jonathan Plowman was born. A third child, a son named John Vickory Plowman, was born about 1718. On March 30, 1747 at age 59 Jonathan Plowman Sr. died. By this time Jonathan Plowman had started his own business as a merchant in the newly created town of Baltimore established in 1729.
(Note: Dates marked O.S. for Old Style are from the Julian calendar which applies for dates before September 1752. Our current Gregorian calendar system for dates after September 1752 when Britain and its colonies around the world adopted it is translated for dates predating this by N.S. or new style.)
Early life
Jonathan Jr. was born in 1717, the same year a law of prejudice was passed imposing a tax of £20 shilling tax per Irish servant called Papist. The sole purpose of the law was to limit Irish immigrants, but Jonathan Plowman obviously was not influenced by this since his best friend and business partner Dr. John Stevenson was born in Ireland. By age 11 (1728) Jonathan Plowman was most likely sent out by his parents to kill squirrels and crows. The local government, in an effort to encourage the elimination of animals considered pests, including wolves, squirrels and crows, required every taxable person to produce three scalps or crow's heads to the justice of the peace or be taxed 2 pounds of tobacco per missing scalp. By age 12 (1729) Jonathan would witness the founding of the town of Baltimore on the northern side of the Patapsco River. divided into 60 lots and divided by streets. He may have even been picking out where he would put his merchant business some day. At age 13 he would have gotten to witness the construction of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, the church where 10 years later he would marry.
Maryland Militia service
In the mid-1760s at nearly 40 years of age he participated in the Maryland Militia. In the Maryland archives appears a request to pay Jonathan Plowman for his service on the Frontier dated January 20, 1767. This would be at the time right after the French and Indian War during a time when the Indians AKA Native Americans were quite upset over the loss of their ally the French. There were countless skirmishes between English colonist and the Natives.
Marriage and children
In August 1740 Jonathan Plowman married Elizabeth Crull at St. Paul's Church in Baltimore. St. Paul's was at the time the church in Baltimore where one would go to have a big public wedding. The church, which is still standing, was located on the highest point overlooking the harbor and was described as a "choice piece of property". Nine years later, and two years after the death of his father, Jonathan Plowman and Elizabeth had their joy restored with the birth of their first child, Stevenson Plowman, on June 27, 1749. His best friend was Dr. John Stevenson and his mother's maiden was also Stevenson, but no relation is thought to exist. Several more sons would follow starting two years later on September 24, 1751, when James Plowman was born. James would go on to serve in the Revolution in the Hand in Hand 4th Battalion 33rd class for the state of Maryland.Maryland Archives, Volume 18 page 371 Three years later, on February 13, 1754, Jonathan III named for his father and grandfather was born. A couple years later, Richard Plowman was born on December 23, 1756. Richard also served during the Revolutionary War as an Ensign belonging to the Soldiers Delight Battalion of the Militia in Baltimore County.Maryland Archives, Volume 48 page 71 Some 2½ years later on March 12, 1759 another son was born whom they named Edward Plowman. Sometime later at an unknown date they would see the birth of their youngest son John, named for his uncle, and finally the birth of their only girl Sarah.
Merchant and land developer
During the 1750s and 1760s Jonathan Plowman and Dr. John Stevenson were the leading suppliers of indentured servants to Hampton Mansion. Through the 1750s and 1760s Jonathan Plowman signed "Jon Plowman" on the receipts of the many indentured servants that arrived in America from England. In the book "History of Baltimore City and County" it refers to Jonathan Plowman calling him a "variety store-keep" Besides the merchant business, he also did land deals. His brother John Plowman was also involved in some of these land deals as well as having his own land deals.Maryland Online Archives, Volume 0061 Stevenson was the best friend and had the same last name as Jonathan Plowman's mother. Stevenson did not arrive in America until 1734 at age 16 from Ireland. Ann Vickory Stevenson, Jonathan Plowman's mother, was born in England in 1690. There is a slight outside chance they would be related, but it can't be substantiated.
Charitable works including donation of land for church Jonathan Plowman, a God-fearing man and devout Christian as most were in that time, donated land to establish a church near Baltimore. The Particular Baptist Gunpowder Church was established after the donation of this land on February 27, 1770. Jonathan Plowman conveyed to pastor John Davis, John Whitaker and Samuel Lane, Particular Baptists, a parcel of land, containing , for the sole use of a meeting house for the worship of God, forever. This fact was recounted in an act the state of Maryland passed on January 22, 1829 to incorporate Particular Baptist Gunpowder Church in Baltimore County.Maryland Online Archives, Volume 540 page 17 In the 1850s Jonathan Plowman's grandson Joshua Plowman member of Black Rock Particular Baptist Church was appointed as one of the trustees to oversee the sale of the land which Jonathan Plowman Jr. had donated to build the Particular Baptist Gunpowder Church. The church meeting house had fallen down and the congregation broken up and all the appointed trustees were dead. Maryland legislator approved an act to allow the take over by Black Rock Baptist Church the nearest church of the same faith to sell the property and use the funds from the sale for its own needs.Maryland Online Archives, Volume 0061
On July 16, 1763, Plowman and others organized a lottery to raise 510 pounds for completing the market house, buy two fire engines and a parcel of land to enlarge the wharf and build a new one.
In April 1767, Jonathan Plowman was part of a mission of mercy. Francophone settlers living in the town of Fredrick town and having been neutral during the French and Indian War now found themselves persecuted by their Anglophone neighbors. The 200 men, women and mostly children wanted to leave for French settlements on the Mississippi River. They did not have the means to pay for the trip. The ships Virgin and Pocomoke owned by Jonathan Plowman and Peter Hulbert were used on the voyage to transport the 200 passengers and baggage. The voyage was publicly funded as a mission of mercy. The text does not identify which ship belonged to Jonathan Plowman and which to Peter Hulbert.Maryland Historical Magazine Page 20
Baltimore town commissioner
In 1773, Plowman was appointed a town commissioner as part of a bigger deal to add of land on the east and southeast side of the then borders of the town of Baltimore.
The commissioners of the said Baltimore-town, and Jonathan Plowman, Isaac Vanbebber, and John Deaver, who are hereby appointed commissioners for the purposes herein mentioned, or the major part of them, do, with the consent of the proprietors of the said eighty acres of land or thereabouts, by virtue of this act, at any time they shall see convenient before the twentieth day of October next, cause the said eighty acres of land or thereabouts, to be surveyed, and laid out into lots, streets, lanes and alleys, in such manner as to them shall seem convenient; and any person or persons that shall build or improve on the said eighty acres of land or thereabouts, after the same shall be laid out into lots, as by former laws relating to the said town are directed, and purchase the same from the proprietor or proprietors.
His personal conflict with the British