The history of Charles County, Maryland, dates back to 1658, when the region was formally established during the colonial era. Over time, several notable figures emerged from the county, many of whom played important roles in shaping American history.
Before English colonization, the region was inhabited by Indigenous peoples, including the Piscataway. Permanent English settlement in Maryland began in 1634 at St. Mary’s City. As colonial expansion continued, competition for land led to the displacement of Native communities and periods of violent conflict.
By the mid-1700s, expansion had created a society composed primarily of European settlers, Indigenous peoples, and an enslaved population whose forced labor drove the region’s tobacco-based economy. Despite the hardships of slavery, Charles County was the birthplace of two historically significant African American figures: Josiah Henson and Matthew Henson.
One of the county’s early prominent residents was Dr. Gustavus Richard Brown, born in 1747 near Port Tobacco. Brown was a respected physician and one of several doctors who attended President George Washington during his final illness in 1799.
Another notable native was General William Smallwood, a Revolutionary War officer who later served as governor of Maryland from 1785 to 1788.
Josiah Henson: From Enslavement to Abolitionist Leader
Josiah Henson was born into slavery in Port Tobacco in 1789. According to Henson’s autobiography, his father was severely punished by an overseer after defending his wife, an incident that resulted in his father being sold to a plantation in Alabama shortly afterward.
Henson, his mother, and his siblings were later separated through slave auctions. He was eventually purchased by Isaac Riley of Montgomery County after briefly being owned by another enslaver. Over time, Henson gained Riley’s trust and was assigned significant responsibilities, including serving as a “market man,” managing certain business affairs despite being unable to read or write.
After marrying and starting a family, Henson became determined to secure their freedom. When Riley faced financial trouble, Henson was tasked with transporting enslaved people to Kentucky. Upon his return, he learned the agreed purchase price for his freedom had increased dramatically, and he feared being sold farther south.
In 1830, Henson made the decision to escape with his family. Traveling largely at night and receiving assistance from sympathetic individuals along the way, the family followed routes later associated with the Underground Railroad. They eventually crossed the Niagara River into Ontario, Canada.
Once free, Henson helped establish a Black settlement known as Dawn near present-day Dresden, Ontario. The community grew into a refuge for formerly enslaved people seeking safety and opportunity. Henson, who had become a Methodist minister before his escape, continued his religious work while supporting freedom seekers.
His accomplishments earned him international respect, and he met Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle in 1877. Henson died in 1883 at the age of 93, remembered as an abolitionist, minister, and community leader.
Matthew Henson: Arctic Explorer and American Pioneer
Seventeen years before Josiah Henson’s death, another historically important figure bearing the same surname was born in Charles County.
Matthew Henson was born in Nanjemoy in 1866 to freeborn sharecroppers. Following the death of his parents during his childhood, Henson worked from a young age to support himself, including serving as a cabin boy on a merchant ship that allowed him to travel extensively.
Later employed at a Washington, D.C., department store, Henson met naval engineer and explorer Robert Peary, who hired him as a valet in 1887 and soon recognized his skill and determination.
The pair embarked on multiple expeditions, including a journey to Nicaragua and several attempts to reach the North Pole. During these years, Henson learned critical Arctic survival skills from Inuit communities, mastering dog sled operation, navigation, and cold-weather travel.
After nearly two decades of exploration, Peary’s expedition made its final push toward the pole on April 6, 1909. Peary, suffering from the effects of earlier frostbite that had cost him several toes, relied heavily on sled travel and sent Henson ahead as a scout.
Henson later stated that he reached the geographic North Pole first and planted the American flag. Although the expedition was celebrated worldwide, debate persisted over both the team’s claim and competing assertions from explorer Frederick Cook. Most historians ultimately credited the Peary expedition.
Despite his essential role, Henson received far less recognition than Peary at the time. However, his contributions gained broader acknowledgment later in life.
In 1937, he became one of the first African Americans admitted to the prestigious Explorers Club. He was also honored at the White House by Presidents Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower.
Henson died in 1955 at age 88 and was initially buried in New York. In 1988, he and his wife were reinterred at Arlington National Cemetery in recognition of his achievements.
Actress Taraji P. Henson has said in interviews that family records identify Matthew Henson as the half-brother of her great-great-grandfather, making the explorer her great-great-granduncle.
A County Shaped by History
From colonial settlement to groundbreaking achievements in abolition and exploration, Charles County has played a meaningful role in the broader American story. The lives of Josiah Henson and Matthew Henson reflect both the struggles and the enduring contributions of those connected to the region.
Their legacies continue to shape historical understanding while serving as reminders of the resilience required to overcome profound adversity.
