On this day 250 years ago in Baltimore, Maryland, a Committee of Observation for Baltimore County was formed to enforce the boycott of trade with the British issued by the Continental Congress. There were 67 men named to the Committee of Observation.

https://digital.lib.niu.edu/islandora/object/niu-amarch%3A100489

I only recognized two names on the list of the 67 men named to the Baltimore Committee of Observation. Mordecai Gist would become a distinguished Brigadier General in the Continental Army. https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc3500/sc3520/015800/015852/html/15852bio.html.

Charles Ridgely owned a foundry that would produce arms for the Continental Army throughout the Revolution and his mansion located at the site of the site of the foundry has been preserved as a National Historic Site. https://www.nps.gov/hamp/learn/historyculture/captain-charles-ridgely.htm

In writing this blog I researched a few of the other names on the list and found they also made contributions to the Founding of America through military service (a brigadier general in the Maryland militia; Continental Army officers; Maryland legislators; elected officials in Baltimore) although one man turned traitor to America and joined the British Army when they invaded Maryland. All of these men but for the traitor deserve commemoration for the service to America. I wish I had the time to research each one and tell you how they helped to make America free and Independent. I commend that task to the reader.