by Keith Retallick
Protecting the State House from Lightning
The Lightning Rod on the dome of the State House is the largest ‘Franklin’ lightning rod ever attached to a public or private building in Benjamin Franklin’s lifetime. It was constructed in accord with Franklin’s recommendations and has served the State House and the dome well for at least 208 years, with only one recorded instance of damage caused by lightning. Indeed the dome and the lightning rod passed their first real test when they weathered the severe hurricane of July 1788 without incident.
The lightning rod is of wrought iron painted to protect it from corrosion. It is 28′ tall and 2.5″ square at its maximum thickness. It was in place by the time Charles Willson Peale drew the State House (dated July 1788, but probably drawn in June). A Columbian Magazine article (probably by Peale) refers to the lightning rod as a ‘spire’ and indicates that it is 18′ above the acorn and pedestal which it passes through and which are themselves 10 feet tall. (recent measurements by Orlando Ridout V and information taken from “A Description of the State-House in Annapolis, the Capital of Maryland” from the Columbian Magazine, February 1789.)
The State House Lightning Rod: A Timeline
1773 “… to guard the said Stadt House as far as may be against any Accident from Lightning. Be it further enacted that the said Undertaker shall fix place and secure in the best manner an Iron Rod pointed with Silver or Gold of six feet at least above the Height of the Cupola of the said building and conducted at least six feet in the Ground …” (Chapter 32, Acts of 1773, Laws Liber R.G., 310, 311, MSA, cited by Radoff, 4-1768-86)
1775/09/07: “On Saturday night last we had a most violent storm from the north-east, which for several hours blew a mere hurricane, with heavy rain; the water rose three feet perpendicular above the common tide; a great quantity of the copper on the state-house was torn up, and the market-house blown down; the damage sustained in different parts of the province, we are told, is very considerable.” (Maryland Gazette, September 7, 1775, cited by Radoff, 4-1768-87)
1775/09: “The September Storm of 1775 blew off the roof, the building unavoidably lay open near the whole Winter, in consequence of which, the work of the upper Rooms which was entirely finished, was Totally destroyed.– At another time lightning very much damaged the Dom, repairing of which cost much expense & loss of Time.” (Charles Wallace to Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer, ca. November 1784, 1-105) When the lightning struck is not clear, but the next sentence describes events in 1777 which suggests that the lightning may have struck sometime between September of 1775 and 1777 when the British fleet appeared in the Bay.
1786/03/10: The General Assembly gave its implicit approval to commencing work on Joseph Clark’s dome (4-1768-92) which was ‘to be ‘sixty foot Higher’ then the old one. (1-108; 4-1768-93)
1787/08-1788/06/05: Simon Retalick, ironmaster, is engaged in ironwork on the State House. While there is no account extant for the lightning rod, there are sufficient accounting entries for Retalick to encompass his forging and installing the rod. From one surviving account, it is clear that Retalick worked for 32 days beginning in July 1787 and ending on or about August 25, 1787 on “iron work” for the windows of the State House. Similar sums are paid him in January and June of 1788. Assuming the windows were secured while the dome, cupola, and acorn were under construction, it would seem likely that Retalick completed the lightning rod by the time of the January entry in the accounts, or by June at the latest.
Simon Retallack (or Retalick) was baptized St. Issey Parish March 30th 1752. He was the son of Richard and Elizabeth Retallack. Simon left for the US from the Port of London in July 1774 on the “Peggy Stewart”. He was recorded as 22 years old, a blacksmith, and indented servant. The “Peggy Stewart” was burned in the port of Annapolis MD October 19th 1774. The owner Anthony Stewart was given the choice of burning his ship or being hanged because the ship was carrying 2000 pounds of tea.
On June 24th 1782, Simon Retallack married Elizabeth Miles. The marriage is in the records of All Hallows Parish, Anne Arundel Co, MD. He appears to have died in 1799 as his will was probated on July 10th of that year. His wife Elizabeth was named as the only beneficiary.
Federal District Tax 1798 charged Simon Retallick with a 1-storey frame dwelling 28/28 and 1-frame shop 38/38. The assessment was $250. Ground rent was 12 pounds 12 shillings and 3 pence.
There are a number of mentions of Simon Retallack in the Annapolis court proceedings and Annapolis Corporation minutes for items that a blacksmith would make – hooks, axes, etc. There are also a number of places between 1782-1786 that he was paid by the state for work at the “State House” including the above work on the Lightning Conductor.
On July 25th 1799 the Maryland Gazette recorded the decease of Simon Retallack; estate to be settled and business to be carried on by Elizabeth Retallack and Richard Goodin. The estate showed that Simon had prospered as a Blacksmith. It included quality furniture and household goods (silver spoons, china bowls and dishes, walnut dining table and chairs–and although, it does not list slaves, it does included hand cuffs and leg irons).
Simon’s wife Elizabeth died in 1808 survived, as far as is known, by two children, Simon and Elizabeth. Elizabeth married William Rawlings, and Simon Jr married Sarah Phelps in All Hallows Parish, June 8th 1798. In 1812 he enlisted in the military as a private, U.S. Corps Artillery. He was described at that time as 5 feet 6 inches tall, gray eyes, brown hair, age 37. In 1813, he was sent to Ft. McHenry, MD, and was still there 1816 when he applied for the position of Sgt. He died in 1824.
The first part of this article is prepared by the staff of the Maryland State Archives, © Copyright August 22, 1997, and is used with permission. Image courtesy of the Maryland State Archives.