The Minor Family of Somerset

Name Prefix:<NPFX> Col.

albot County Free Library
The Worties of Talbot

The Lloyds of Wye
EDWARD LLOYD (III)
THE COUNCILLOR
1711-1770
The third son ofEdward Lloyd (II) the President, and of Sa
rah Covington the Quakeress, was Edward Lloyd (III) who may be d
istinguished by the agnomen, the Councillor, because of his havi
ng held a seat in the Governor's Council for a great numberof y
ears. He was born May Sth, 1711, probably at Wye House, the plan
tationof his father. Of his education, academic and professiona
l, nothing whateveris known. He may have been a pupil at King W
illiam's School at Annapolis, inflourishing condition during hi
s minority, and then sent to England, in conformity with the cus
tom of wealthy planters, for the completion of his studies.As h
is father died when he was in early youth, and as his mother soo
n married Mr. James Hollyday, an accomplished gentleman and dist
inguished lawyer, his education was doubtless directed by him; a
nd it is very probable, under the same capable man, he acquire
d that knowledge of the low which qualified himfor the efficien
t discharge of those duties to which he was called at an early p
eriod of his life and in which he was engaged almost to the da
y of hisdeath.
Upon reaching his majority and coming into possession of hi
s estatehe engaged actively in planting, and from a letter of H
enry Callister, stillextant, dated Aug. 5th, 1747, it is probab
le he made ventures in trade or comerece," as was not unusual wi
th large proprietors. It is to be inferred thatas the wealth o
f the family continued to augment that the agricultural as wel
l as the commercial enterprises of Colonel Lloyd, for he too wa
s the recipient of such provincial titles as the Proprietary wa
s justified in bestowing,and such as he might claim by a kind o
f hereditary privilege, were prosecutedwith success. From whats
oever source derived his pecuniary means were such as enabled hi
m to maintain a style of living suitable to the dignified positi
on which he held in the colony, for the maintenance of which hi
s official compensation was inadequate.
At an election held Dec. 15th, 1737, Mr. Edward Lloyd (III
) was chosen one of the Delegates from Talbot County to the Gene
ralAssembly having as his coadjutors elected at the same time
, Mr. Nicholas Goldsborough, Mr. William Thomas, Jr. and Mr. Rob
ert Lloyd.30 He held his seat inthe Lower House until 1740, whe
n he was called by Governor Samuel Ogle to beone of the Honorab
le Council of Maryland, of which body Col. Matthew Tilghman War
d was President and Hon. Samuel Charnberlaine was a member, bot
h of Talbot county and kinsman of Mr. Lloyd. Mr. James Hollyday
, the husband of Mr.Lloyd's mother, and formerly of the same co
unty, was also a member. This statement will serve to show how n
early certain families monopolized the officesand gave to the g
overnment of the Province something of the character of an oliga
rchy. Mr. Lloyd, who now was made Colonel, held his seat at th
e CouncilBoard for a great number of years, resigning on accoun
t of ill health Nov. 16th, 1769, to be succeeded by Col. Willia
m Fitzhugh, of Calvert county. To recite the part taken by Colon
el and Honor- able (for thus it is written) Lloyd, in the publi
c affairs of the colony from the time when he entered the Hous
e of Delegates until his resignation of his seat as Councillor w
ould be to relate the history of Maryland for thirty-two years
. This period may be characterized as one of peaceful growth an
d prosperity, notwithstanding the Spanishwar in progress when C
ol. Edward Lloyd (III), surnamed the Councillor, wentinto offic
e, the French and Indian War which was begun and completed durin
ghis incumbency, and the premonitory thunders of the war of th
e Revolution which were heard before his resignation; and notwit