▁the ▁Cor cor ans ▁were ▁a ▁merchant ▁family . ▁Thomas ' ▁uncle , ▁William ▁Wilson , ▁em igr ated ▁in ▁ 1 7 6 9 ▁to ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁Baltimore ▁in ▁the ▁Province ▁of ▁Maryland ▁in ▁North ▁America . ▁Thomas ▁Jr . ▁em igr ated ▁to ▁the ▁Baltimore ▁himself ▁in ▁ 1 7 8 3 , ▁where ▁he ▁took ▁a ▁position ▁as ▁a ▁cl erk ▁in ▁his ▁uncle ' s ▁import ▁and ▁export ▁business . ▁Over ▁the ▁next ▁few ▁years , ▁William ▁Wilson ▁became ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁biggest ▁im por ters ▁in ▁Maryland . ▁Between ▁ 1 7 8 3 ▁and ▁ 1 7 8 8 , ▁Thomas ▁made ▁three ▁business ▁tri ps ▁ab o ard ▁his ▁uncle ' s ▁merchant ▁vessels , ▁travel ing ▁twice ▁to ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁C ork ▁in ▁Ireland ▁and ▁once ▁to ▁Amsterdam ▁in ▁the ▁Netherlands . ▁ ▁Cor cor an ▁married ▁Hann ah ▁Lem mon ▁of ▁Baltimore ▁in ▁ 1 7 8 8 . ▁That ▁year , ▁he ▁tra ve led ▁south ▁with ▁the ▁intent ▁of ▁sett ling ▁in ▁Richmond , ▁Virginia . ▁Cor cor an ' s ▁first ▁stop , ▁however , ▁was ▁the ▁village ▁of ▁Ge or get own ▁on ▁the ▁northern ▁shore ▁of ▁the ▁Pot om ac ▁River ▁in ▁southern ▁Maryland . ▁Im pressed ▁with ▁the ▁large ▁number ▁of ▁ocean - going ▁vessels ▁dock ed ▁at ▁the ▁port ▁of ▁Ge or get own , ▁Cor cor an ▁decided ▁to ▁for go ▁his ▁trip ▁to ▁Richmond ▁and ▁sett le ▁in ▁Ge or get own .