George Plater

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George Plater portrait by Charles Willson Peale.

George Plater (November 8, 1735– February 10, 1792) was an American planter, lawyer, and statesman from Saint Mary's County, Maryland. He represented Maryland in the Continental Congress from 1778 to 1780, and briefly served as Governor of Maryland in 1791 and 1792.

Plater was born on the family plantation of Sotterly, near Leonardtown, Maryland. His father (also George) had married Rebecca Addison Bowles, the widow of the plantation's founder, in 1729. After receiving his early schooling at home, he attended William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, graduating in 1752. He read law and was admitted to the bar.

Plater was first elected to Maryland's colonial Assembly in 1758, and served as a member for many years. He served on the Governor's Council in 1773 and 1774. As the Revolution neared, he represented St. Mary's County in the Annapolis Convention, which became a revolutionary government. When the ninth convention met in August of 1776, Plater was on the committee which drafted Maryland's first Constitution.

Under the new constitution, Plater served in the Maryland State Senate from 1777 until 1790. Maryland sent him as a delegate to the Continental Congress in 1778, and he represented his state through 1780.

When Maryland held a convention to consider the U.S. Constitution, Plater attended and was the president of the convention when they voted for ratification on April 28, 1788. The following year he was a Presidential elector, voting for George Washington as the first President.

In late 1791 Plater was elected Governor, and took office in December. However, his term was short; he died after less than three months in office.

Plater was an active churchman who served twenty-eight years as a vestryman of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church (which he helped to found and build).

He was married to Elizabeth Rousby, and they had six children: Rebecca, George, John, Thomas, Edward, and Ann. Their son Thomas (1769-1830) would go on to represent Maryland in the United States House of Representatives.

When Plater died on February 10, 1792 in Annapolis, Maryland his body was returned home and buried at Sotterly, which still stands on the banks of the Patuxent River in St. Mary's County. The house is maintained and operated as a museum by a foundation created for that purpose. The property is on Route 245, just outside of Hollywood, Maryland and is open to visitors during the summer (An entrance fee is charged).

Preceded by Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer	President of the Maryland State Senate 1780-1782	Succeeded by Matthew Tilghman
Preceded by Charles Carroll of Carrollton	President of the Maryland State Senate 1784	Succeeded by John Smith
Preceded by John Smith	President of the Maryland State Senate 1785	Succeeded by Daniel Carroll
Preceded by Daniel Carroll	President of the Maryland State Senate 1786	Succeeded by John Smith
Preceded by Daniel Carroll	President of the Maryland State Senate 1787-1788	Succeeded by Daniel Carroll
Preceded by John Smith	President of the Maryland State Senate 1790	Succeeded by William Smallwood
Preceded by John Eager Howard	Governor of Maryland 1791—1792	Succeeded by James Brice