The agitation in the colonies couldn't have come a worse time for Thomas. Two brothers, three sisters and a nephew had recently moved in with him and his family of five. With all these people, Haberdeventure was cramped for space. The west hyphen (the room connecting the west wing to the main house) was used primarily as a dining room, but also had to be used as a bedroom. Thomas was responsible for feeding and clothing these people and when the Maryland Convention elected him to the Continental Congress in 1775, he faced a considerible financial strain. The Congress was being held in Philadelphia, a three-day journey away, and he wasn't paid to attend. Every minute that he was in Congress was a minute less he away from earning money at his law practice.