Audio
Buildling a Home - Winds of Revolution Audio Tour - Stop 3
Transcript
Surrounding you is a portion of the 442-acre plantation known as Haberdeventure and Hanson’s Plains Enlarged, which Thomas Stone purchased in December 1770 for 400 pounds—approximately $100,000 today. Just two years earlier, Stone had married Margaret Brown, whose father, Dr. Gustavus Brown, was one of the most prominent physicians in the British Colonies. Although Stone came from a respected family and was a skilled lawyer, some believe that Margaret's inheritance helped finance the land purchase.
The house began construction in the early 1770s. Initially, the central block of the house was intended for Thomas Stone, his wife, and their three children: Margaret, Mildred, and Frederick. A separate kitchen building was also constructed.
Unfortunately, shortly after these two buildings were completed, Thomas Stone's father and two older siblings passed away. As the oldest surviving son, Thomas suddenly found himself responsible not just for his wife and children, but also for as many as five of his siblings, along with the rest of their households, who all would now live at Haberdeventure.
While the original house build was quite large, it would not be large enough to accommodate the new residents, he needed more space. To accommodate his enlarged household, Thomas connected the house to the kitchen building with a small room called a hyphen, which served as a dining room during the day and could be repurposed as a guest room at night. He also relocated a storage building to the other end of the house to use as additional bedrooms. These modifications are reflected in the current structure you see today.
By the time the house was officially completed in the mid-1770s, it featured six bedrooms for the family, a dining room/guest room, and a kitchen area. As a result, many people could live on the property. The exact number of inhabitants fluctuated over time, but there were often 15 or more residents in the house.
In the mid-1780s, Thomas Stone moved his family to Annapolis, as most of his legal and political duties were centered in the state capital. He purchased the Peggy Stewart House, which became his primary residence for the remainder of his life.
On June 2, 1787, Thomas Stone’s wife, Margaret Brown Stone, passed away in Annapolis. She was taken back to Haberdeventure and buried in the Stone family cemetery on the property, likely becoming the first burial in the cemetery. Today, her grave is the second from the left in the rear row.
Four months later, on October 5, 1787, Thomas Stone died in Alexandria, Virginia, while waiting to board a vessel intended to transport him to the Caribbean in hopes that the warmer climate would improve his poor health. In his will, Thomas requested that "my body may be buried at Haberdeventure near to that of my dear wife according to the rites of the Protestant Church."
Today, Thomas Stone’s grave is located in the back left corner of the cemetery. His inscription reads, "He was an able and faithful lawyer, a wise and virtuous patriot, and an honest and good man.”
Description
Listen as we explore how Thomas Stone and his family lived here at Haberdeventure and how that is still reflected here today.
Date Created
07/02/2025
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