A groundbreaking genetic study has shed new light on the social dynamics of early Colonial Maryland, revealing that the colony’s founding population was more complex—and potentially more integrated—than historical records previously suggested.
By analyzing the genomes of 49 individuals buried at the Brick Chapel in St. Mary’s City, researchers have identified prominent colonial governors alongside ordinary settlers. Most significantly, the study uncovered the remains of an 8-year-old boy of majority African ancestry who was buried with dignity among the elite, challenging rigid assumptions about race and status in the 17th century.
Unmasking the Founders
St. Mary’s City, established in 1634 as the capital of the British colony of Maryland, was home to hundreds of English settlers fleeing religious persecution. Over the past three decades, archaeologists excavated dozens of burials near the Brick Chapel, including rare lead coffins. However, the specific identities of many interred individuals remained a mystery.
The new study, published in Current Biology, utilized ancient DNA analysis to solve these mysteries. By comparing the skeletal remains to modern genetic databases, such as 23andMe, researchers successfully identified two of Maryland’s most powerful figures:
- Philip Calvert, the fifth colonial governor, who was buried in a lead coffin alongside his first wife, Anne Wolseley Calvert, and an infant son from his second marriage.
- Thomas Greene, the second colonial governor, whose identity had previously been unknown. His identification marks the first time ancient DNA has been used to identify unknown individuals without prior genealogical clues.
“This is the first time that ancient DNA has been used to help identify unknown individuals, without any prior knowledge of who they might have been,” said study first author Éadaoin Harney, a senior scientist at the 23andMe Research Institute.
A Genetic Legacy Across Centuries
The genetic analysis confirmed that the majority of the Brick Chapel population traced their ancestry to western England and Wales. The study also mapped the genetic legacy of these founders into the modern era. Researchers found over 1.3 million living genetic relatives of this colonial population today.
A significant cluster of close relatives—over 200 individuals—traces their lineage to Kentucky. This finding aligns with historical records documenting the migration of Maryland Catholics to Kentucky following the American Revolutionary War, demonstrating how genetic data can verify and illuminate documented historical migrations.
The Boy Buried with the Elite
Perhaps the most poignant discovery involves an 8-year-old boy who died between 1667 and 1704. Genetic analysis revealed he had largely African-derived ancestry (70–75%) with 25–30% European ancestry. Isotope analysis of his bones indicated he was born in America.
Unlike many enslaved people of the era, who were often buried in isolated, unmarked graves, this boy was:
* Wrapped in a shroud.
* Interred in a gable-lidded coffin.
* Buried in the same cemetery as the colony’s distinguished families.
This burial treatment raises critical questions about his status. While he may have been enslaved, his dignified burial suggests a different social standing. Historian Anna Suranyi, who was not involved in the study, noted that the distinction between indentured servitude and slavery was fluid in the 17th century. Some people of African ancestry were treated as indentured servants with longer terms of service, rather than lifelong slaves.
“The fact that the boy with African ancestry was buried in the Brick Chapel cemetery in line with English customs may indicate he was not enslaved,” Suranyi explained.
Indentured Servants and Social Hierarchy
The study also identified two young men in their 20s who died between 1634 and 1667. Chemical signatures suggest they were recent immigrants from Ireland. Unlike the elite, they were not buried in coffins, and their skeletons showed signs of heavy physical labor and poor health.
These markers are consistent with indentured servants, a group that comprised approximately 80% of white immigrants to Colonial America. Indentured servitude was a temporary contract, typically lasting four to seven years, after which servants were expected to integrate into colonial society.
While indentured servants and enslaved people often lived in the same households, burial practices usually reflected strict social segregation. The burial of the African American boy alongside the elite, and the presence of indentured servants in the same cemetery, suggests that social boundaries in early Maryland were more permeable than in later centuries.
Bridging History and Genetics
This research, a collaboration involving the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History and Harvard University, highlights the power of combining archaeology with genetics. While written records provide a rich narrative, they often leave gaps regarding ordinary people and marginalized groups.
“While written records are extraordinarily rich, genetic data can still address gaps in that record and yield surprises,” said study co-author David Reich, a geneticist at Harvard University.
The Brick Chapel findings offer a rare, intimate glimpse into the lives of those who built early America. By revealing the genetic connections between colonial founders and modern descendants, and by highlighting the nuanced social status of individuals like the 8-year-old boy, this study reframes our understanding of race, class, and community in the foundational years of the United States.
In summary, this genetic analysis not only identifies key historical figures but also reveals a more complex social landscape in Colonial Maryland, where racial and class boundaries were less rigid than previously assumed, leaving a genetic legacy that persists in millions of Americans today.
