Laurence G. Claggett

Laurence Gray Claggett, local dentist and historian, died on September 1, 2009, at home at age 86. He was the son of Thomas John Claggett V, a descendant of the first Episcopal bishop consecrated in America, and Elizabeth Powell Tylor, a descendant of thirteen generations of Quakers in Talbot and Caroline counties. He was born July 20, 1923, in Easton Emergency Hospital. While growing up in the neighborhood across the street, investigating ditches, back streets and the garbage dump with boyhood pals, he forged a lifelong love of things local. After an elementary education in Easton public schools, he graduated from a Quaker high school, George School, in Newtown, PA, then studied two years of chemical engineering at the Johns Hopkins University before enlisting in the Army Air Corps. During World War II Claggett attained the rank of Captain and piloted a B-17 ‘Flying Fortress’ on 35 missions totaling 272 hours over Europe with the 8th Air Force. He did not lose a crewmember or airplane in that time, and was awarded six metals for valor. For three years in high school and college he went undefeated in the pole vault and earned a trip to the 1946 IC4A national track tournament to compete for the University of Maryland in that event. Following in his father’s footsteps, he graduated from the University of Maryland Dental School after the war, and practiced general dentistry in Easton for 35 years. His civic contributions include being a founder and director emeritus of the Talbot County Historical Society, being founder of the Upper Shore Genealogical Society, achieving legacy status at the Chesapeake Bay Yacht Club, being once the longest active member of the Talbot Country Club, and serving the Lions Club, the Maritime Museum and the YMCA. He provided a rent-free house on Dover St. for the first location of the Neighborhood Service Center. An armchair activist, he supported the causes important to him, especially those dedicated to peace, social responsibility and the environment. Talbot County was his passion. He shared this through numerous public lectures, printed articles and authoring five books. The illustrated gazetteer, From Pot Pie to Hell and Damnation, arose from his original research on historical county place names, notably those of waterways. He obtained original deeds to produce a Cadastral History of Baileys Neck, where he resided, and collected pictures and stories to create small volumes about his Quaker ancestors, The Tylors of Talbot and Caroline, and Two Lives Entwined. His postcard collection of Maryland scenes, judged to be the best in the state, illustrated his book images of America: Easton. This collection, available to the public, is now housed at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. Boyhood interests started him on a course of acquiring simple collections-among them matchbook covers, marbles, stamps, maps, coins, postcards, sheet music, artifacts of Talbot County, and books on Maryland history-all pursuits which gave him much joy. Endowed with athleticism and the love of the game, Claggett enjoyed sports and cards. Gin rummy engaged him in daily lunch-hour competitions with his friends, and bridge, with his wife as partner, in local club and charity games. He found true satisfaction in sport on the golf links, withering his opponents with repartee and psychological one-upmanship. His partners found him an unreliable putter. He loved the Third Haven Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends. He joined the Meeting when a young man and attended faithfully the rest of his life. He served there in many capacities, not the lease of which was his spoken ministry in meeting for worship. He espoused Quaker testimonies of simplicity, equality, integrity and peace and practiced them. His marriage to Elizabeth Lorraine Bowman of Easton was entering its sixtieth year. They have five children; a son Laurence Gray, Easton; and four daughters; Elizabeth Claggett-Borne, Cambridge, Massachusetts; Susan Blair Claggett, Easton; Sally Willard Claggett, Annapolis; April Powell Claggett, Dublin, New Hampshire. A brother, Thomas John Claggett VI; a sister-in-law, Harriett Klopfer Claggett; and eleven grandchildren also survive. His parents, two brothers, Walter White Claggett and Ellwood Tylor Claggett, and a daughter Mary Tylor predeceased him.

Laurence G. Claggett

July 20, 1923 - September 1, 2009