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Margaret Brent was born around 1600 and was one of the thirteen children of Richard Brent, lord of Admington and Stoke, and his wife, Elizabeth Reed, daughter of Edward Reed, lord of Tusburie and Witten, all of Gloucester, England.
The Brents of Stoke traced their ancestry to Ode Brent, knight (1066), while Elizabeth Reed's family claimed descent from William the Conqueror.
The abundant resources of the new world lured Margaret and her sister Mary to accompany their brothers Giles and Fulke Brent to St. Mary's, Maryland, in November 1638. Blood relationships or political affiliations secured to the Brent pioneers unusual favors in large land grants and high offices.
Margaret, bent upon individual independence, came to Governor Leonard Calvert, who later married her sister Anne, armed with letters from Lord Baltimore claiming for the Brent sisters portions of land as large and privileges as great as had been given the first arrivals. Having brought over five men and four maid servants, the sisters were entitled to 800 acres of land under the colonization inducements offered to women. Through their letters they received much larger grants.
On October 4, 1639, Margaret obtained from the Assembly a patent for 701/2 acres in St. Mary's, which she called "Sister's Freehold. " This was the first grant recorded at St. Mary's and Margaret was the first woman of Maryland to hold land in her own right. Later she obtained a tract of 1, 000 acres and from time to time accumulated more land as she transported little groups of men and women.
Forceful and fearless, she aided Governor Calvert in suppressing the Claiborne Rebellion by assembling an armed group of volunteers to join his forces on his return from Virginia in August 1646. He proved his confidence in her ability by appointing her his executrix. The Provincial court appointed her attorney for Lord Baltimore, that she might collect rents and take care of both estates. In this capacity she entered more law suits than any one in the colony.
Because of her heavy responsibilities, she appealed to the Assembly, January 21, 1648, for voice in their counsels and two votes in their proceedings, one for herself as a landowner and the other as attorney for Lord Baltimore. Governor Greene refused her plea. Resenting this action she followed her brother Giles Brent's example and established a new home called "Peace" in Westmoreland County, Virginia, in 1650. With vast property in both states, as lady of the manor she held court leets annually with feasts and frolics for her people.
On December 26, 1663, she made her will. The exact date of her death like that of her birth is not definitely known. Her will was admitted to probate May 19, 1671.
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Margaret Brent grew up in a Roman Catholic family.
Quotations:
Margaret stated in her request to the Maryland General Assembly:
"I've come to seek a voice in this assembly. And yet because I am a woman, forsooth I must stand idly by and not even have a voice in the framing of your laws. "
Of queenly dignity, keen intelligence, ready sympathy, and great womanly charm, this Portia of Maryland possessed a broad vision far beyond her day.
