Thomas John Claggett, the first to use the double "g" in spelling his
family's name, was born in October, 1743, near Nottingham in Prince
George's County He graduated from Princeton
University in 1764. In 1792, at Trinity Church in New
York City, he became the first Episcopal bishop of
Maryland and was the first bishop of that faith consecrated in America.
Bishop Claggett was appointed
Chaplain of the United States Senate in 1800 and, in
1810, he founded Trinity Episcopal Church in Upper
Marlboro. He died at his home near Croom in August
1816. In 1898, Bishop Claggett was re-interred at the
National Cathedral. A memorial marker was erected
on the grounds of his home church, St. Thomas,
Croom, in 1932.
Prince George's County: 