Benjamin Tasker, Sr.

Benjamin Tasker, Sr. (1690 – June 19, 1768) was the 21st Proprietary Governor of Maryland from 1752 to 1753.He also occupied a number of other significant colonial offices, including, on various occasions, being elected Mayor of Annapolis.

Career

Tasker became a naval officer at Annapolis, Maryland in 1719 and served until 1742. He also served in the municipal and provincial government as: member and president of the Governor's Council, 1722–1768; member of the Lower House of the Maryland Legislature, 1715–1717, 1720–1722; member of the Upper House, 1722–1766, 1768; President of the Upper House, 1734–1766, 1768; Annapolis alderman, 1720, 1754–1766; Mayor of Annapolis, 1721–1722, 1726–1727, 1747–1748, 1750–1753, 1756–1757; President of the Council in 1752; acting governor of Maryland, 1753.

In 1731, Tasker was one of the founders of the Baltimore Ironworks Company.

Family

Tasker married Ann Bladen in 1711. They had a number of children.

• Benjamin Tasker, Jr. (1720–1760).
• Anne Tasker (1723–1817), married the much older Samuel Ogle (1694–1752).
  • Elizabeth Tasker (1726–1789) married Christopher Lowndes (1713–1785), merchant of Bladensburg, Maryland.
  • Frances Ann Tasker (1738–1787), married the wealthy planter Robert Carter at the age of sixteen.
  • Rebecca, married Daniel Dulany...... ...
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