St. Mary's City in St. Mary's County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Andrew White, Apostle to Maryland
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), August 30, 2019
Fathers Andrew White and John Althum, Jesuit priests, arrived in Maryland in 1634 with the first Maryland colonists. A Briefe Relation of the Voyage unto Maryland, authored by Father White, is the earliest account of the founding of the colony. After arriving in what would become St. Mary's City, White took over an Indian longhouse, which served as the first chapel.
Under the system established by Lord Baltimore, colonists received the right to take up land in exchange for bringing servants to Maryland. The Jesuits transported many indentured servants to the colony over the next several years and thus obtained extensive land holdings. They constructed a wooden chapel sometime in the mid-1630s near this location. An Act for Military Discipline (1638) directs the militia to gather at "the Chappell yard neere the fort." Archaeology in the Chapel Field has discovered artifacts from the early years of habitation relating to this chapel.
In 1645, Richard Ingle invaded Maryland, bringing the English Civil War to the colony. He may have burned the first chapel. Father White, then 66, was transported back to England in chains and remained in prison until January, 1648. Although he pleaded to return to Maryland, he never did, and died in England in 1656.
[Sidebar:]
Among Father White's many efforts with the local Algonquin-speaking Indians was the creation of a catechism in Piscataway. Only fragments are preserved but it shows that White was a gifted linguist.
Erected by Historic St. Mary's City.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Churches & Religion • Colonial Era • Native Americans. A significant historical month for this entry is January 1648.
Location. 38° 10.994′ N, 76° 25.715′ W. Marker is in St. Mary's City, Maryland, in St. Mary's County. Marker can be reached from Point Lookout Road (Maryland Route 5) 0.4 miles west of Rosecroft Road, on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 16721 Point Lookout Rd, Saint Marys City MD 20686, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Shock Troops of the Counter-Reformation (here, next to this marker); "…buried…in a most solemn manner" (here, next to this marker); Project Lead Coffins (here, next to this marker); Putting Together the Pieces (here, next to this marker); The "Priests' House" (here, next to this marker); Sacred Ground and Holy Buildings (here, next to this marker); The Chapel Architecture (here, next to this marker); An End of Freedom but Persistence of Faith (here, next to this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in St. Mary's City.
Credits. This page was last revised on November 21, 2022. It was originally submitted on September 2, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 287 times since then and 30 times this year. Photo 1. submitted on September 2, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.