USA > Delaware > History of the state of Delaware, Volume II > Part 18
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Usher was succeeded in the rectorship by the Rev. Mr. Morrison, who was succeeded by the Rev. Hugh Neill, who in turn was succeeded by the Rev. Charles Inglis. Mr. Inglis arrived as missionary at Dover in 1759. During the years covered by the work of the first three men, the Episco- pal church at Dover and its branches at Duck Creek and Mis- pillion experienced great discouragements. In 1751 the Rev.
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HISTORY OF THE COUNTIES AND HUNDREDS.
Hugh Neill says " Dover Church is in a miserable condition. It looks more like a refuge for wild beasts than a house dedi- cated to the service of God." The two chapels were, presum- ably, in as destitute a condition as the main church.
With the coming of Charles Inglis, a man who seems to have been the greatest among the pioneer missionaries of Kent County, sent out by the venerable society, and who late in life attained to a position of lofty eminence in his church, the good Episcopalian people of Dover, Duck Creek and Mis- pillion seemed to take fresh hope and to rouse themselves to renewed activity. "The Dover Church which lay in a most shocking condition when I came here," says Mr. Inglis, " was repaired." In 1762 the congregation at Duck Creek was moved by the power of his preaching to subscribe liberally to building a " new brick church of larger dimensions," and the Mispillion congregation made an addition to their building. It seems that a fourth church, which Mr. Inglis called St. Paul's, was in process of building on the border of Maryland. Under the rectorship of Mr. Inglis the Duck Creek church was named St. Peter's, and the Mispillion church was named Christ Church, both of which names have been retained by the Smyrna and Milford churches respectively.
The Rev. Charles Inglis having terminated the period of his successful labors in Kent County in the year 1766, the Rev. Samuel Magaw took charge of the church in the same year. During his rectorate the Duck Creek church was com- pleted. With the departure of Mr. Magaw, the church at Mispillion seems to have severed its connection with the Dover and Duck Creek churches, and from that time to the present it has been a separate station.
The Rev. Samuel Magaw served his churches from 1766 until about 1781. During his rectorate, about 1767, Dover church adopted the name Christ Church. The advent of the Revolution absorbed the attention of the people, and the churches consequently suffered. A lapse occurs in their records until the year 1786. From that date the names of
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HISTORY OF THE COUNTIES AND HUNDREDS.
Christ Church, Dover, and St. Peter's, at Smyrna, are inti- mately associated. The Revolution having passed, these churches took steps to revive interest in their work, for they appointed a committee to attend to the securing of " a clergy- man of piety, religion, morality, and sound principles." The outcome was the employment of the Rev. Samuel Roe at a salary of $300.00, two hundred to be paid by the Dover church, and one hundred by the Duck Creek or Smyrna church. Upon the termination of Mr. Roe's rectorship, about 1790, the history of the two churches becomes obscure. The Rev. Robert Pigott was the last clergyman to serve both the parishes of Dover and Duck Creek. From the termination of his rectorship, in 1833, the churches have a separate history.
As to the size of the Episcopal church in these years, we have the statement of Mr. Crawford in 1705 that Dover church had a congregation from thirty upwards as high as two hun- dred. In 1741 the Rev. Arthur Usher says that in his " parish there are three hundred and eighty-two adults of the Church .... My communicants are about thirty-two." In 1743 he says, "In the County there are five hundred and eight of the Church of England." At about 1761 the Rev. Charles Inglis says there are seven thousand souls in the county, and " upwards of one-third are members of the Church of England." The Rev. Samuel Magaw states, in 1769, that his communicants numbered ninety-four. In 1818 about twenty families were attached to Christ Church at Dover.
At a comparatively early date in the religious history of Kent County, the Presbyterians make their appearance. By 1711 a goodly number of that sect were residing in Dover, and it was the Presbyterians, as well as the Friends, whom the Episcopalians designated as the " dissenters," who made such inroads upon their congregations. In 1723 there was a sufficient number of Presbyterians in Kent County to warrant a request to the Presbytery that a minister be sent them who could devote the whole of his time to them instead of a min- ister who could come into the county only once a month.
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HISTORY OF THE COUNTIES AND HUNDREDS.
Down to 1726, however, they were compelled to content them- selves with occasional supplies. But in that year one McCook, a licentiate, was ordered by the Presbytery to "supply the people of Kent, on Delaware, for ordinary (regularly) until the next meeting." On June 8, 1727, Mr. McCook was duly ordained and installed the first regular pastor of the Presby- terians of Kent County.
The exact date of the construction of the various church buildings under Mr. McCook's charge is largely a matter of doubt, as is also the exact date of the organization of the con- gregations themselves. By the year 1727 there were Presby- terian meetings at Dover, Duck Creek, Murderkill, and at a place called St. Jones. Where the St. Jones church was is problematical. There seems to be some authority for its identity with the Dover church. All the facts considered, however, it is more reasonable to believe that it was a distinct church, located probably in what is now " Jones Neck."
Subsequent to the formation of these congregations, the " Three Runs " church in Mispillion, near Milford, was organ- ized. Its name appears of record as early as 1793, when it is spoken of as one of the churches under the pastoral charge of the Rev. Mr. McKee. All of these churches were under the care of one minister, and Dover was the central point for his activities. The church in Dover was the parent church, dat- ing its birth probably to the year 1714 or 1715.
McCook served the people of Kent County until his death in 1729, a little over two years after his installation. The congregations were then served by supplies for two years, when Robert Cathcart was called. He declined to come. The church records are silent from this time down to the year 1758. During this period of silence, though the Presbyterians of Kent County may have been compelled at intervals to con- tent themselves with occasional supplies, yet they had at times resident ministers. From 1734 until his death in 1744, the Rev. Robert Jamison preached near Smyrna, and a part of that time at least in Dover, for in 1743 a deed confirming the
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HISTORY OF THE COUNTIES AND HUNDREDS.
title to the Dover church lot was made to " Robert Jamison, minister," and others. Jamison was probably the first regular minister to officiate in the new church edifice near Smyrna. This building was erected about the year 1733, a little south of the town of Smyrna, on a tract known as Holy Hill, now used as a cemetery. His duties extended to the care of all the Kent County congregations.
Five years after his death, the Rev. John Miller took charge of the congregations, receiving a call from the Dover and Smyrna churches in the year 1749. He served them for over forty-two years. Under his pastorate the old log church in Dover, that stood just south of the present Presbyterian church, was torn down and replaced by a brick one in 1790. John Miller was succeeded by his son, Samuel Miller, who later became the distinguished professor of Princeton Sem- inary. He remained but a short time, for a call from the United Presbyterian congregations of New York induced him to leave Kent County.
Various attempts were made to secure a suitable successor to Mr. Miller. Mr. Francis McMullen Gardner, Mr. McKee, one Mr. Hindman, and the Rev. John C. Brush, served in turn for short periods each, the last of whom was removed because of the erroneous doctrines of Priestly, which he enter- tained. After this date there seems to have fallen upon the Presbyterians of Kent County a depression of spirit. At all events the churches ceased to be active. In 1818 it was recorded that "the congregations of Dover and the Three Runs were for some time extinct." The Smyrna church shared also in the decline of interest, and the Murderkill church en- tirely and permanently succumbed.
In the year 1818, however, there was a general revival. The Rev. Elisha P. Swift resuscitated Dover, and the churches at Three Runs and Smyrna were revived. Dover, however, soon relapsed into its former state, as also did Three Runs and Smyrna. In 1823 there was no Presbyterian church in Dover, and Presbyterians had the privilege of hearing service con-
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ducted by a preacher of their own faith only "once or twice a year, when some missionary passed along." The services at Dover at about this time were conducted in the State house, the church having fallen into a state of decay. But in 1825, through the influence of Mrs. Leah W. Morris, the church was reopened, and regular services held therein. The preacher was probably Rev. Alexander Campbell, who preached also at Smyrna. From 1825 to 1846 Presbyterianism in Kent County, it seems, barely maintained itself. In this period Dover church dwindled so in membership, that about 1831 the Legislature appointed a committee to look after the church property, inasmuch as there was no congregation to do so. The constitutional convention of that year held its sessions in the Presbyterian church, as had the convention of 1792. In 1834 only two members of the Presbyterian church could be found in Dover, but the next year it was reorganized by Dr. John Patton with a membership of ten. But its fortunes con- tinued precarious, the church having only occasional services under the charge of preachers who came and went, until 1844, when the Rev. Thomas G. Murphey came to its assistance. From the time of his coming the church was put on a per- manent basis and has continued an unbroken career down to the present, excepting during the years 1860 and 1861, im- mediately following Mr. Murphey's retirement from the charge.
During these years the church at Smyrna materially de- creased, the Dover pastor ministering also in Smyrna. With the arrival of Mr. Murphey, the Smyrna church, like the Dover church, took a fresh start. It purchased, in 1846, a building from the Methodist Protestants on Mount Vernon street in Smyrna. Mr. Murphey served the Smyrna congre- gation until October 5, 1859. From this date the Smyrna church, originally called Duck Creek, maintained a separate existence from the Dover church.
The history of the Three Runs Church, afterwards known as the Milford Church, during the years last mentioned, is almost unknown. It shared, however, in the revival that
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HISTORY OF THE COUNTIES AND HUNDREDS.
came to Presbyterianism in the county in the year 1818, for in 1819 there was an election of trustees in the Three Runs church. But from that date down to 1849 the church was inactive, probably favored with occasional meetings under the charge of the Dover and Smyrna preacher. From 1849 this church has a separate history of its own.
Methodism did not make its appearance in Kent County until the last quarter of the eighteenth century. The churches of the other denominations, above spoken of, had already at- tained a comparatively firm footing. But it was not long before the Methodists had attained to a remarkable growth. A history of the State, published in 1807, is authority for the statement that " the Methodists compose nearly one-half of the population of the counties of Kent and Sussex." The method of work with the Methodists was characteristic of them, de- cidedly evangelistic. Freeborn Garretson, Francis Asbury, Richard Whatcoat and Thomas Coke, were among the pioneer preachers of this denomination in Kent County. They went about preaching wherever they could gather together an audi- ence; in the open, as when Garretson preached to the mob from the steps of the old academy in Dover in 1778, and Asbury to a congregation of three hundred in an orchard near Smyrna in 1780; or in the homes of people throughout the county, as was done at the home of Judge Thomas White in Mispillion. The church grew rapidly, and meeting-houses soon began to spring up all over the county. In 1779 Thomas Chapel was built ; in 1780 Barratt's Chapel, Bethel Church, White's Chapel, and Green's Chapel at Canterbury. Dover and Severson's followed soon after, and then came Milford and Blackistons and Camden, all before the year 1800. Thus, in about a quarter of a century, Methodism made phenomenal gains, and continued its development until at present the Methodists constitute a large majority of the church-going population of the county.
These churches were, in 1773, a part of the Baltimore cir- cuit, and the preachers in charge were Francis Asbury, Robert
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HISTORY OF THE COUNTIES AND HUNDREDS.
Strawbridge, Abraham Whitworth and Joseph Yearby. The next year the old Kent County, Maryland, circuit, was formed, in which was included all the territory now embraced within the limits of the Wilmington Conference This circuit was divided in 1778, and the Kent County, Delaware, churches were thrown into the new Caroline circuit. In the following year the Delaware circuit was formed. Kent County was within its bounds. In the year 1781 three circuits were formed out of Delaware circuit, namely, Kent, Delaware, and Sussex circuits. In 1782 Kent was merged into Sussex cir- cuit. The whole State of Delaware is now included within the bounds of the Wilmington Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
CIVIL LIST OF KENT COUNTY.
Protkonotaries.
William Rodeney
1693-1702
Charles Kimmey
1842-1846
Benjamin Shurmer
1702-1735
Robert H. Moore
1846-1847
Hugh Durburrow
1735-1736
Samuel Biddle
1847-1851
John Houseman
1736-1738
Alexander J. Taylor
1851-1856
Samuel Chew
1738-1743
Richard N. Merriken
1856-1861
Nicholas Ridgley
1743-1755
William Sharp
1861-1866
John Vining
1755-1770
Benjamin Donoho
1866-1871
Samuel Chew
1770-1777
William D. Fowler
1871-1876
James Sykes
1777-1793
John D. Burton
1876-1881
Joseph Hale
1793-1803
Joseph Burchenal
1881-1891
John Hamin
1803-1805
Stephen K. Betts
1891-1896
Jonathan Pollen
1805-1807
William T. Hutson
1896-1899
James Harper
1807-1810
William Virden
1899-1901
Nathaniel Smithers
1810-1820
William H. Moore
1901-1905
Joseph Smithers
1820-1830
Walter Pardoe
1905-
John H. Ecclestine
1830-1842
Recorders of Deeds.
William Rodeney
1693-1702
Simon W. Wilson
1780-1790
Benjamin Shurmer
1702-1735
Francis Maury
1790-1794
Hugh Durburrow
1735-1736
Simon W. Wilson
1794-1802
John Houseman
1736-1754
John Caton
1802-1805
John Vining
1754-1755
William Russell
1805-1811
Theodore Maurice
1755-1764
Mascal Clark
1811-1813
Caesar Rodney
1764-1775
Archibald McCall
1813-1814
William Berry
1775-1780
John W. Boyer
1814-1815
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HISTORY OF THE COUNTIES AND HUNDREDS.
John W. Maury
1815-1823
Andrew J. Wright
1865-1870
Charles Kimmey
1823-1833
John Slay
1870-1875
Henry M. Ridgely
1833-1837
Andrew J. Wilson
1875-1880
Peter Adams
1837-1838
John C. Gooden
1880-1885
William H. Cooper
1838-1845
Presley Spruance
1885-1890
James B. Ralston
1845-1848
John H. Bewley
1890-1891
Warner M. Cowgill
1848-1851
James Virden
1891-1896
James Legg
1851-1852
James Lord
1896-1903
George M. Collier
1852-1856
David Cooper
1903-1907
George E. Ralston
1856-1860
James H. Aron
1907-
George B. Dickson
1860-1865
Registers of Wills.
Benjamin Shurmer
1702-1735
Henry M. Ridgely
1833-1838
Hugh Durburrow
1735-1736
William H. J. Comegys
1838-1843
John Houseman
1736-1755
Charles Polk
1843-1848
Theodore Maurice
1755-1766
John Raughley
1848-1853
Caesar Rodney
1766-1779
Robert W. Reynolds
1853-1858
Thomas Rodney
1779-1788
Daniel C. Godwin
1858-1863
Francis Maury
1788-1794
James L. Heverin
1863-1868
Thomas White
1794-1795
Moses Harrington
1868-1873
John Laws
1795-1799
John C. Pennewill
1873-1883
Isaac Davis
1799-1804
J. Frank Wilds
1883-1888
Thomas Comerford
1804-1806
James L. Heverin
1888-1891
Nathaniel Smithers
1806-1810
Ezekiel T. Cooper
1891-1896/
James Harper
1810-1815
Charles J. Harrington
1896-1900
John Clark
1815-1820
W. Watson Harrington
1900-1901
Arthur Johns
1820-1828
Daniel M. Wilson
1901-1905
William K. Lockwood
1828-1833
William D. Hudson
1905-
Registers of Court of Chancery and Clerks of the Orphans' Court.
Joseph Hale
1794-1805
John K. Jarvis
1853-1857
Jonathan Pollen
1805-1807
James F. Allee
1857-1862
James Harper
1807-1810
William H. J. Comegys
1862-1863
William P. Russell
1810-1811
William R. Cahoon
1863-1868
Mascal Clark
1811-1813
Alexander J. Taylor
1868-1873
Archibald McCall
1813-1816
Henry Todd
1873-1883
Nathaniel Smithers, Jr.
1816-1821
William H. Hobson
1883-1888
Joseph Harper
1821-1831
Robert O. P. Wilson
1888-1893
Joseph L. Harper
1831-1836
William E. Riggs
1893-1896
Foster Pritchett
1836-1838
James A. Smith
1896-1903
William K. Lockwood
1838-1842
Albert A. Watson
1903-1907
James F. Allee
1842-1848
James Townsend
1907-
John A. Moore
1848-1853
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HISTORY OF THE COUNTIES AND HUNDREDS.
Clerks of the Peace.
John Brinkloe
1680-1686
Thomas L. Hillyard
1833-1838
William Berry
1686-1691
George M. Manlove
1838-1843
Arthur Meston
1691-1693
Liston N. Houston
1843-1848
William Rodeney
1693-1702
Henry Todd
1848-1858
Benjamin Shurmer
1702-1735
John S. Bell
1858-1862
Hugh Durburrow
1735-1744
William N. W. Dorsey
1862-1867 -
Nicholas Ridgely
1744-1755
John S. Jester
1867-1872
John Vining
1755-1770
William A. Moore
1872-1877
Caesar Rodney
1770-1771
"Robert Raughley
1877-1882
Samuel Chew
1771-1777
Cornelius J. Hall
1882-1887
James Sykes
1777-1792
Alfred H. Cahall
1887-1892
Joseph Harper
1792-1805
William M. Dickson
1892-1899
Jonathan Pollen
1805-1807
Robert S. Downs
1899-1903
James Harper
1807-1825
James V. McCommons
1903-1907
Joseph Smithers
1825-1830
Samuel W. Darby
1907-
John Adams
1830-1833
Sheriffs.
Peter Bowcomb
1680-1684
William Clark
1807-1810
Richard Mitchell
1684-1685
Cornelius Battell
1810-1813
George Martin
1685-1686
John Reed, Jr.
1813-1816
John Hill
1686-1694
Enoch Joyce
1816-1819
Arthur Meston
1694-1704
Reuben Anderson
1819-1820
William Wilson
1704-1723
Richard Harrington
1820-1821
Charles Hilyard
1723-1724
Thomas Fisher
1821-1821
William Rodeney
1724-1731
William Saulsbury
1821-1824
John Hall
1731-1735
Thomas Fisher
1824-1827
Daniel Rodney
1735-1739
Nehemiah Clark
1827-1830
Jonathan Raymond
1739-1753
William Burton
1830-1834
John Clayton
1753-1755
Robert W. Reynolds
1834-1836 :
Caesar Rodney
1755-1758
Thomas L. Semple
1836-1838
Thomas Parke
1758-1760
David H. Stayton
1838-1840
William Rhodes
1760-1763
Caleb Wolcott
1840-1842
Daniel Robinson
1763-1764
Alexander Johnson
1842-1844
Thomas Collins
1764-1767
Caleb Smithers
1844-1846
James Wells
1767-1770
Ignatius Taylor
1846-1847
James Caldwell
1770-1772
Alexander Taylor
1847-1848
John Cook
1772-1778
James Green
1848-1850
Philip Barratt
1778-1780
John C. Kersey
1850-1852
Ezekiel Anderson
1780-1780
Henry Pratt
1852-1854
Andrew Barratt
1780-1792
John Reynolds
1854-1856
Ezekiel Anderson
1792-1795
John Green
1856-1858
Risdon Bishop
1795-1800
William A. Atkinson
1858-1860
Brinckle Roe
1800-1804
Purnell Emerson
1860-1862
David Lockwood
1804-1807
John C. Pennewill
1862-1864
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HISTORY OF THE COUNTIES AND HUNDREDS.
William Whitaker
1864-1866
Joseph McDaniel
1886-1898
Purnell Emerson
186€-1868
John W. Fennimore
1888-1890
William Wilds
1868-1870
Amos Cole
1890-1892
Samuel Hargadine
1870-1872
Robert B. Dunn
1892-1893
Charles Williamson
1872-1874
Alfred C. Dann
1893-1894
Peter L. Cooper
1874-1876
Samuel L. Shaw
1894-1899
Benjamin F. Blackiston
1876-1878
John B. Wharton
1899-1901
Francis M. Dunn
1878-1880
Frank Reedy
1901-1903
Thomas T. Lacey
1880-1882
Riley Melvin
1903-1905
John S. Herrington
1882-1884
Frank Baker
1905-1907
James C. Robinson
1884 -1886
William F. Hartnett
1907-
Coroners.
Robert Bedwell
1684-1738
David F. Smith
1844-1846
Thomas Tarrent
1738-1745
T. R. Finsthwait
1846-1848
Nicholas Loockerman
1745-1735
James L. Richardson
1848-1850
William Wills
1755-1760
Robert McBoyer
1850-1852
Jabez Jenkins
1760-1762
James I. Williams
1852-1854
John Gray
1762-1764
William Arthurs
1854-1856
Matthew Manlove
1764-1766
Edward Reed
1856-1858
Solomon Wallace
1766-1769
John Husbands
1858-1860
Jonathan Sipple
1769-1770
John Dorothy
1860-1862
John Smithers
1770-1772
Nathan B. Fleming
1862-1864
Caleb Furbee
1772-1784
Jenifer S. Taylor
1864-1866
Jonathan Clamphitt
1784-179)
Thomas J. Catts
1866-1868
John Chicken
1791-1795
Purnell Thompson
1868-1870
Evan Morgan
1795-1803
James M. Killen
1870-1872
John Wild
1803-1806
Stephen Catts
1872-1874
George Smith
1806-1809
Peter Creadick
1874-1876
Philip Buddy
1809-1812
Henry Ewbanks
1876-1878
George Manlove
1812-18:5
John Wilcuts
1878-1880
Philip Thomas
1815-1818
J. W. Jackson
1880-1882
James Stewart
1818-1821
Amos Hinsley
1882-1884
William Smithers
1821-1824
Zadock L. Butler
1884-1886
George Truitt
1824-1827
Thomas H. Wright
1886-1888
Thomas Causey
1827-1830
John B. Jacobs
1888-1890
John Covington
1830-1832
William Fox
1890-1892
Purnell Hall
1832-1832
John W. Clark
1892-1894
Levi Lister
1832-1834
William D. Walls
1894-1899
Denny Stevenson
1834-1836
David H. Knotts
1899-1901
William Anderson
1836-1838
Charles W. Baynard
1901-1903
Armwell Lockwood
1838-1840
H. H. Abbott
1903-1905
John B. Hodge
1840-1842
William T. Bradley
1905-1907
Israel Peterson
1842-1844
James A. Calloway
1907-
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HISTORY OF THE COUNTIES AND HUNDREDS.
Treasurers of Kent County.
John David
1744-
Robert Wilson
1871-1873
William Betts
William C. Brown
1873-1875
Charles Ridgely
1769-1774
Thomas H. Dorman
1875-1877
Benjamin Vining
1774-1780
William E. Hall
1877-1879
William Jordan
1780-1784
Benjamin C. Cubbage
1879-1881
John Baning
1784-1788
David Rees
1881-1883
Joseph Taylor
1788-1797
James R. Powell
1883-1885
Ebenezer Blackiston
1797-1809
Eben Hughes
1885-1887
Gideon Cullen
1809-
William R. Dickson
1887-1889
William Keith
1853-1855
Daniel M. Ridgely
1889-1891
George M. Manlove
1855-1857
Albert Harrington
1891-1893
William Satterfield
1857-1861
J. Thomas Lowe
1893-1895
Henry Whitaker
1861-1863
James Starling
1895-1897
Martin Harrington
1863-1865
John M. Arthurs
1897-1899
Whiteley W. Meredith
1865-1867
Pennell Emerson
1899-1903
Alexander J Wilson
1867-1869
Benjamin T. Conwell
1903-1907
John M. Voshell
1869-1871
John T. Buckson
1907-
HUNDREDS OF KENT COUNTY.
DUCK CREEK HUNDRED.
Of the nine Hundreds of Kent County, Duck Creek Hund- red first invites attention. The first record of the Hundred appeared in 1685 when the term "Hundred of Duck Creek " is used to define the land lying between Duck creek and the southwest branch of this stream known as Little Duck creek or Leipsic creek, and from the Delaware bay to the Maryland line. Ten years earlier than this, however, on December 15, 1675, land grants were made by Governor Andros which mentioned the territory of the " Duck creek region."
Duck Creek Hundred maintained the above boundaries and territory until 1841, when an Act of the General Assembly changed the northern boundary and added to it part of New Castle County. This addition was the result largely of nat- ural conditions. Duck creek proper is a tortuous stream. After flowing through the meadow lands of Kent County to within sight of the bay it changes its course and runs almost parallel to the bay for thirteen miles and finally joins the Dona river where it empties into the bay. The sharp turn so
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HISTORY OF THE COUNTIES AND HUNDREDS.
near the bay suggested the cutting of a canal from the turn to the bay and on March 14, 1683, a petition of the inhabitants of the Duck creek region was presented to the Council at Philadelphia asking that a way be cut through the marsh. The route was shortened some time prior to 1740. But the main improvement was finished in 1820 under the direction of the Hon. Jacob Stout who cut Leipsic or Little Duck creek through to the bay. This placed what is known as Bombay Hook island, and then part of New Castle County, in the terri- tory lying between Duck creek and the thoroughfare. In 1841 the thoroughfare was made part of the northern bound- ary of Kent County and of Duck Creek Hundred. In 1889 the part of the Hundred lying between the Delaware railroad and the Maryland State line was made part of Kenton Hundred.
The hundred is extremely well watered, in fact, much of the rich meadowland is reclaimed marsh and threaded by numerous streams, branches of Duck creek and its tributaries. Most of these streams or branches take the names of the fam- ilies who first settled anong them, as for instance : Sheeney's branch, Iron's branch, Dawson's branch and Green's branch, the proper names in each case being those of the holders of the title to the land on the banks of the stream.
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