Josias Fendall

Lieutenant-General Josias Fendall, Esq. (c. 1628–1687), was the 4th Proprietary Governor of Maryland. He was born in England, and came to the Province of Maryland. He was the progenitor of the Fendall family in America. Biography Early Maryland life and the Battle of the Severn Although records do not mention when Fendall emigrated to the Province of Maryland, it is likely that he entered on board the ship "Golden Fortune", which was commanded by Capt. Tilman, and arrived in Maryland in the latter part of January, 1655. Also on board this ship was William Eltonhead, Esq., who accompanied Fendall on his mission to Patuxent and later was executed following the Battle of the Severn. Eltonhead brought with him letters that blamed Governor William Stone for having resigned his government to the Lord Protector in July, 1654, and accusing him of cowardice in surrendering without striking a single blow. In addition the letters confirmed "that the Lord Baltimore kept his patent and that his highness, the lord protector, had neither taken the lord Baltimore's patent from him, nor his land". This probably instigated Gov. Stone to put into plan what became the Battle of Severn.