A history of Anne Arundel County in Maryland : adapted for use in the schools of the county, Part 6

Author: Riley, Elihu S. (Elihu Samuel), 1845-
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Annapolis : C.G. Feldmeyer
Number of Pages: 258


USA > Maryland > Anne Arundel County > A history of Anne Arundel County in Maryland : adapted for use in the schools of the county > Part 6


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11. The charge was fierce but brief. "Through the glorious presence of the Lord of Hosts," says the contemporary author, "manifested in and towards his poor, oppressed people, the enemy could not endure, but gave back ; and were so effectually charged home, that they were all routed, turned their backs, threw down


PARAGRAPH 6. (a) What intelligence came from the St. Mary's party to Heamans? (b) On this what action did the Puritans take?


PARAGRAPH 7. (a) How did the St. Mary's men look upon the campaign?


PARAGRAPH 8. (a) What railing speech did the St. Mary's men make to the Puritans?


PARAGRAPH 9. (a) How did the Puritans act the next day?


PARAGRAPH 10. (a) Who fired the first shot? (b) What command did Captain Fuller give? (c) What followed upon the first man being killed?


PARAGRAPH 11. (a) To whom did the Puritans attribute their victory? (b) Who were taken prisoners? (e) How many were killed and wounded on either side?


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A HISTORY OF ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY.


their arms, and begged for merey. After the first volley of shot, a small company of the enemy, from behind a great tree fallen, galled us, and wounded divers of our men, but were soon driven off. Of the whole company of Marylanders, there only escaped four or five, who ran away out of the army to carry news to their confed- erates. Capt. Stone, Colonel Price, Capt. Gerrard, Capt. Lewis, Capt. Kendall (probably Fendall), Capt. Guither, Major Chandler, and all the rest of the coun- sellors, officers, and soldiers of the Lord Baltimore, among whom both commanders and soldiers, a great number being Papists, were taken, and so were their vessels, arms, ammunition, provisions, about fifty men slain and wounded. We lost only two men in the field, but two died since of their wounds. God did appear wonderful in the field, and in the hearts of the people, all confessing Him to be the only worker of this victory and deliverance."


12. However much the Puritans attributed the fate of battle to the Almighty, after the contest was once over, they laid aside His precepts and proceeded to close matters after their own will. Dr. Barber, an author of that period, writing in the interests of the St. Mary's men, says : " After the skirmish, the Governor, upon quarter given him and all his company in the field, yielded to be taken prisoners, but two or three days after, the victors condemned ten to death, and exeented four, and had exeented all, had not the incessant petitioning and begging of some good women saved some, and the soldiers others ; the Governor himself being condemned by them and since begged by the soldiers, some being saved just as they were leading to execution."


13. Those who were executed were Mr. William Eltonhead, Lieut. William Lewis, Mr. Leggett, and John Pedro, a German. Governor Stone, though his life was spared, was treated with great cruelty, and, while in prison, suffering from a severe wound received in the battle, neither his friends nor his wife were allowed to visit him.


14. The year after this battle, the 23d of October, 1656, Lord Baltimore sent instructions to his Lieutenant and Couneil, in which he required the people of Anne Arundel to quietly and peacefully submit to his Lordship's Patents as he used and exercised the same there before the troubles began, viz., in the year 1650, and according to the advice of the said Trade Committee, which had decided that Lord Baltimore was entitled to the government of the Province of Maryland.


15. He added, "His Lordship wills and requires his said Lieutenant and Council that the Law in the said Province instituted, An Aet concerning Religion and passed heretofore there with his Lordship's assent, Whereby all persons who profess to believe in Jesus Christ have liberty of conscience and free exercise of


PARAGRAPH 12. (a) How many prisoners did the victors condemn to death? (b) Who saved some of them from execution?


PARAGRAPH 13. (#) Who were executed? (b) How was Governor Stone treated?


PARAGRAPH 14. (a) What instructions did the Proprietary send to Maryland in October, 1656? PARAGRAPH 15. (a) What instructions did the Proprietary give concerning the free exercise of religion ?


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ROBERT MURRAY,


Late School Examiner, 1904-1905.


WM. S. CRISP,


GEO. T. MELVIN,


F. EUGENE WATHEN,


School Commissioners, 1905, Anne Arundel County.


THENI


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٨ MI .. AND TULAJATIONS.



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A HISTORY OF ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY.


their religion there, be duly observed in the said province by all the inhabitants thereof, and that the penalties mentioned in the said act be duly put in execution upon any offenders against the same, or any part thereof."


16. The Province was restored to Lord Baltimore in March, 1658, he having been deprived of it six years.


CHAPTER FIFTEENTH.


THE STRONG CHARACTERS IN ANNE ARUNDEL FORCE THE HAND OF GOVERNMENT.


1. The strong characters, residing in Anne Arundel, continued to force the hand of goverment to action. In 1681, Lord Baltimore himself, Charles Calvert, then living in the Province, issued what was called a "declaration," in Anne Arundel, the substance of which does not appear to be extant. This affected the people of the Province to such a degree that, when the General Assembly met in November, 1681, they called upon his Lordship for a copy of the declaration. The Upper House replied that it had " received in charge from his Lordship to lett the Lower House know that the frequent clamours of the Quakers in Anne Arundel moved his Lord- ship to this Declaration, and that, for the future, he is fully resolved to publish the proceedings of all Assemblies for the satisfaction of the people of the Province in general."


2. Anne Arundel, in 1682, was mentioned in one of the Acts of Assembly as one of the greater counties of the Province, its name coming in the list immediately after St. Mary's. At the session of Assembly of 1683, the Lower House moved to Lord Baltimore to name a place in which he would have the future assemblies meet that they might make provision for the public buildings. The Lower House was encouraged to make this request by the speech of Lord Baltimore at the opening of the Session, and, more particularly, by his convening the Assembly, and appoint- ing the Provincial Court to be held at the Ridge, in Anne Arundel, near the centre of the Province, for the great ease and general convenience of the inhabitants.


PARAGRAPH 16. (a) When was the Province restored to Lord Baltimore?


PARAGRAPH 1. (a) What did the strong characters residing in Anne Arundel force? (b) What did Lord Baltimore issue in 1681? (c) For what did the Legislature call? (d) What reply did the Upper House make to this demand?


PARAGRAPH 2. (a) How was Anne Arundel mentioned in one of the Acts of 1682? (b) Where had the Provincial Court of the Province been held and the Assembly convened? (c) What had some enterprising citizens of Anne Arundel agreed to do? (d) What reply did the Upper House make to this?


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A HISTORY OF ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY.


Some of the enterprising citizens of Anne Arundel were, at this time, so anxious to have the capital in the county, that they had agreed to erect public buildings, and to wait on the Province for the payment for them. The Upper House in reply to the message of the Lower House in relation to the removal of the capital, said that his Lordship declared " that when a Conveniency shall be provided in South River. in Anne Amndel County, sufficient for the reception of his Lordship and Council and for holding of Assemblies and the Provincial Courts, and the several and respective offices thereon depending, his Lordship will make use thereof for such ends, so long as he shall see convenient." With this reply the matter of the removal ended for the time.


3. Anne Arundel had from its settlement a martial spirit. At the inspection of arms of the Province, in 1678, Anne Arundel was holding, at the time of the enumeration, fifty of the muskets of the public.


4. There was, at the Session of 1683, evidence of great rivalry between the West River and South River sections for the erection of a town. The Lower House was of opinion that, from the reasons offered by the delegation from Anne Arundel, it would be to the convenience of all the inhabitants, living between Herring Creek and South River, to have a town upon West River. The Upper House replied that the Lord Proprietary had reserved the right to erect towns to be equally privileged with the towns named in the Act. Londontown, on South River, was, thereupon, erected into a port of entry, and many lots were sold in the ambitious settlement.


CHAPTER SIXTEENTH.


THE RELIGIOUS ELEMENT IN THE COUNTY AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF ANNE ARUNDEL.


1. By joint contributions of labor and materials, the first church of the Puri- tans in Anne Arundel was built near the Magothy River, in the Third District, upon land adjoining that of Elder William Durand. Mr. Philip Thomas, a strict Puritan,


PARAGRAPH 3. (@) What spirit had Anne Arundel from its settlement? (b) At the inspee- tion of the Province in 1678, how many publie muskets did the county hold?


PARAGRAPH 4. (a) What sections were in rivalry in 1683 for the ereetion of a town? (b) What place did the Lower House say offered the greatest convenience to all the inhabitants? (c) What reply did the Upper House make? (d) What town was thereupon erected into a port of entry?


PARAGRAPH 1. (a) Where was the first church of the Puritans built? (b) From what colony were the Quakers driven? (c) Who welcomed them to Maryland? (d) Where was a Quaker Meet- ing House built? (e) Who lectured in this meeting house in 1672? (f) What place became the centre of the Quaker faith? (g) What is a landmark in West River today?


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A HISTORY OF ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY.


lived on the premises and took care of the meeting-house. Driven from Virginia, the Quakers, or Friends, as they called themselves, took refuge in Maryland. They were welcomed by the Puritans, who, in turn, began to drift towards the belief of the Friends. Philip Thomas was converted to their faith, and, gradually, the Puritan element was absorbed largely in the Quaker faith. At West River a house of worship was built for the yearly meeting of the Friends, and, in 1672, George Fox lectured to large assemblages in the Puritan Meeting-House on the Magothy. West River became a centre of the faith of the Friends, and. the Quaker Burying Ground is one af the landmarks of that section today.


2. In civic affairs the Quakers, also, made themselves felt. Philip Thomas, Thomas Thurston, and Josias Cole, in 1658, petitioned the Council to allow the Friends exemption from military duties, and the privilege of affirmation for an oath. They were put under arrest for addressing such a " presumptions letter" to the government. Thurston was taken, but the return of the sheriff in Cole case was that he was at "Ann Arundell seducing the people and dissuading them from taking the oath of Agreement." In the same year, because the Quakers would "presumptu- ously stand covered" in Court in contempt of an order, the Council, held in Anne Arundel, banished them from the Province, and an order, issued in 1659, by the Council, described the Friends, as " vagabonds and idle persons, known by the name of Quakers." Because they dissuaded the people from complying with the military discipline of the Province, and from giving testimony, and being jurors and holding offices, the Council directed justices of the peace to have the Quakers arrested, "and whipped from Constable to Constable until they be sent out of the Province."


3. In 1683, Annapolis was known as "The Town at Proctors." In 1689, Anne Arundel was reported "as being the richest and most populous "of the whole Province." Indeed, from the very settlement of the county, Anne Arundel took a leading place in the affairs of the Province.


4. In 1654, it was ordered by the Puritan Legislature that the inhabitants of Herring-Creek and the Cliffs pay their levies into Anne Arundel county. The first citizen of Anne Arundel to be naturalized was Anthony Demouderer, who desired an act of the Legislature passed in 1671, giving him naturalization.


5. In 1683, the following ports were established in Anne Arundel Connty : The Town at Proctors ; at South River on Col. William Burgess's Land ; at Herring Creek, on the Town Land. In 1684, another port was made at West River, upon the land of John Hillen, deceased, and the land adjacent thereto.


PARAGRAPH 2. (a) In what other affairs did the Quakers make themselves felt? (b) What petition did Philip Thomas, Thomas Thurston and Josias Cole make to the Council in 1658? (c) What was the result of this memorial? (d) What return was made in Cole's ease? (e) How did an order of the Council describe the Quakers? (f) Because of the Quakers dissuaded the people from performing military and civil duties, what order was given to the justices of the peace?


PARAGRAPH 3. (a) By what name was Annapolis known in 1683? (b) What was reported of Anne Arundel in 1689? (c) From its settlement, what place did Anne Arundel take?


PARAGRAPH 4. (a) What was ordered by the Puritan Legislature of 1654? (b) Who was the first citizen of Anne Arundel to be naturalized?


PARAGRAPH 5. (a) What ports were established in Anne Arundel in 1683? What one in 1684?


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A HISTORY OF ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY.


6. In 1671, the question arose in the Legislature whether Calvert or Anne Arundel County had precedence on the roll of the House of Burgesses. That pre- cedence being decided by the test of the earliest erection into a county, it was declared that the members from Anne Arundel had the precedence. In 1662, one of the delegates from Anne Arundel, Robert Burle, wrote a seditious pamphlet and pub- lished it in the county of Anne Arundel. The Upper House, at the request of the Lower, suspended Burle. Burle then acknowledged his hearty sorrow for the pamphlet, which he claimed he had " committed inconsiderately through infirmity and weakness." Burle was, thereupon, allowed to go to the House and make his acknowledgment of his faults, which was ordered to be entered on the journal.


7. The love of strong drink was apparent amongst the early settlers. In April, 1654, Thomas Belchoir, of Anne Arundel, was given a license to keep an inn or ordinary to "sell beer, wine, strong waters, or any other fitting and wholesome drink, vietualls or provisions." At the yearly meeting of the Friends, at the Ridge, in the Herring-Creek Hundred, the irreligious gathered and ran horse-races and sold and drank strong waters to such an extent that the Friends had to obtain an Act of the Legislature to prevent these obnoxious proceedings. The Legislature, at a later period, passed an Act forbidding the erection of booths for the sale of liquor on holidays.


8. In 1686, Anne Arundel contained three towns of sufficient importance as to require town officers. These officers were at Severn, being Captain Richard Hill, and any two commissioners of the county ; New London, or Londontown, Mr. Edward Burgess, and any two commissioners : at Herring Creek Town, Mr. Thomas Knighton and any two commissioners. The settlers of Anne Arundel were persons of the highest type of character, furnishing both civil as well as military officers for the govern- ment of the Province. In 1669 Samuel Chew, of Herrington, (Herring Town,) was made a member of the Governor's Council and one of the Justices of the Provincial Court. Amongst the dignities of this office was that of being made the Keeper of the Seal of Anne Arundel County. In 1681, Col. William Burgess, was com- mander of the foot soldiers of Anne Arunnel, and Col. Thomas Tailler, of Anne Arundel, commanded the horse of Anne Arundel, Baltimore and part of Calvert Counties.


9. The county had new commissioners appointed in 1685, and out of these, two town commissioners were also taken, to make a legal governing body for the


PARAGRAPH 6. (a) What question arose in 1671? (b) How was it decided? (c) What did Robert Burle, a delegate from Anne Arundel write. in 1682? (d) What action did the Upper House take in the matter? (e) What amends did Burle make?


PARAGRAPH 7. (a) What was apparent amongst the early settlers? (b) What license was given Thomas Belchoir in 1654? (c) Who gathered at the yearly meetings of the Friends? (d) What did the Friends obtain to prevent these gatherings?


PARAGRAPH 8. (a) How many towns had town officers in Anne Arundel in 1686? (b) What were these towns? (c) Who were their Commissioners? (d) Who was made a member of the Gov- ernor's Council in 1669? (e) Who was Commander of the Foot Soldiers in Anne Arundel in 1681, and who of the Horse of Anne Arundel?


PARAGRAPH 9. (a) Who were the Commissioners of the county in 1685?


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A HISTORY OF ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY.


towns. They were Capt. Richard Hill, Major Nicholas Gassaway, Capt. Edward Burgess, Capt. Edward Dorsey, Mr. Henry Ridgely, Mr. Richard Beard, Mr. John Sollers, Mr. Henry Constable, Mr. John Hammond, Mr. Thomas Tench, Capt. Nicholas Greenberry, Mr. James Knighton, Mr. James Ellis.


10. The most important change in the political affairs of Anne Arundel was, when in 1694, the General Assembly changed the seat of government from St. Mary's to Annapolis. The Protestant Revolution in the Province, in 1689, had, without the shedding of blood, taken possession of Maryland in the name of William and Mary, of England, and the inconvenience of reaching St. Mary's to most of the people, with its strong Catholic population, put it in disfavor with the Protestant Revolutionists, and, notwithstanding a vigorous and plaintive protest from the people of St. Mary's, Annapolis was selected as the capital of the Province.


II. Dignified with the seat of goverment, Annapolis put on its honors with the stir of a new vitality. Chapter 2nd, of the Session of 1695, made the name of the capital, Annapolis. The first State House was ordered to be built, and a ferry was established over Severn River. The next year money was voted for a church, a Bridewell was built, a market-house ordered to be erected, a map of Annapolis was made, and it was directed that " an handsome pair of gates be made at ye coming in of the towne, and two triangular houses built for ye rangers." King William's School was established the same year.


12. The foundation of the first State House was laid in Annapolis on April 30th, 1696. In 1704, this State House was burned down. A new one was imme- diately erected, which was torn down in 1772 to make room for the third State House-the present one.


13. An attempt was made in 1707 to burn Annapolis. Richard Clarke was the author of this plot. It created great excitement at the capital. Clarke was charged with treason and a bill of attainder passed. He does not seem to have been appre- hended.


14. On the IOth of August, 1708, Annapolis received its charter as a city, that honor being granted it by the Honorable John Seymour, the royal Governor of Maryland. The City Council at that date was : Mayor-Amos Garrett. Recorder- Wornell Hunt. Aldermen-William Bladen, John Freemen, Benjamin Fordham, Evan Jones, Thomas Boardley and Josiah Wilson.


PARAGRAPH 10. (a) What was the most important change in the political affairs of Anne Arundel? (b) Who had taken possession of Maryland without the shedding of blood?


PARAGRAPH 11. (a) What improvements took place when Annapolis became the seat of govern- ment?


PARAGRAPH 12. (@) When was the foundation of the first State House laid? (b) What hap- pened to this State House? (c) When was the second erected? (d) When the present and third one? PARAGRAPH 13. (4) Who attempted to burn Annapolis in 1707?


PARAGRAPH 14. (a) When did Annapolis receive its charter as a city? (b) Who granted the charter? (c) Who composed its first Council?


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A HISTORY OF ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY.


15. "A Prospect to Annapolis " was laid off May 24th, 1720. It comprised two lots of ground, one called Durand's Place, the other Woodchurch's Rest. It lay on the North Side of Severn.


16. Ten acres ware laid off into half acre lots in Annapolis and donated to tradesmen, to encourage artizans to settle in the city.


CHAPTER SEVENTEENTH.


ANNE ARUNDEL REFUSES TO SANCTION THE OVERTHROW OF LORD BALTIMORE'S GOVERNMENT.


1. There was but one Catholic family in Anne Arundel in 1689. The inhabitants of the county were composed almost entirely of Puritans and Friends, but the dissenting citizens of Anne Arundel did not approve of the Protestant Revolution that overthrew Lord Baltimore's government in 1689. A reason may be found for their loyalty to Lord Baltimore, in that, as Dissenters, they did not desire the ascendancy of the Churchmen in the Province. The county was so much opposed to the Revolution that it declined to send delegates to the Convention called by the Revolutionists to enact laws for the Province.


2. One of the incidents, growing out of this condition of public sentiment, was the arrest of Captain Richard Hill, a leading citizen of Herring Creek, in Anne Arundel. Captain Hill was charged, on the oath of John Hammond, that "at August Court, in the year 1689, at London Towne," with having a great difference with Hammond " concerning the present juncture of affairs here in Maryland, the said Hill was so enraged against the present proceedings here in Maryland, and that he swore he would prevent all such rebellion, and that it was rebellion in the highest degree in those persons that had taken up arms against Lord Baltimore or interest. Thereupon, the said Hill had advised the deponent not to forfeit his lands and estates, if not his life, under pretence of serving, he did not know how a King William (but pray) be not too hasty in serving the Prince of Orange, before von are certain that he is King of England, which is to be questioned whether he


PARAGRAPH 15. (a) What was laid off in May, 1720?


PARAGRAPH 16. (a) What was done to encourage artizans to settle in Annapolis?


PARAGRAPH 1. (a) How many Catholic families were there in Anne Arundel in 1869? (b) Of what faith were the inhabitants of Anne Arundel composed? (c) Of what did not citizens of Anne Arundel approve? (d) What reason may be found for their loyalty to Lord Baltimore? (P) What did the county decline to do?


PARAGRAPH 2. (@) What was one of the incidents growing out of this condition of public senti- ment?


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A HISTORY OF ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY.


is King of England, or not, and swore by his God, if he were so, he could not give account how he could come by the Crown of England by fair play, for he could claim no right, neither by descent, law or justice, and that it was treason to pro- claim the Prince of Orange King of England, and that he would prove when called by good law, and quoted the Lord Coke; and that the said Hill some time after, in the month of September, did meet with the said deponent and did then insist the most of the above said words, with many scurrilous speeches."


3. Captain Hill who was further charged with having taken up arms against the new government in Maryland, had to seek refuge in Virginia. He was, beside, accused of treason to his Majesty. In November, 1690, Captain Hill, with other leading citizens of the Province, presented a petition to the King, reciting that John Coode and his accomplices had seized the government in a tumultuous manner, and plundered the petitioners' estates and imprisoned their persons, and they asked that Coode with one Kenelm Cheseldyne, one of his accomplices, and both then in London, be summoned before the King to answer the complaint. Thomas Knighton, Samuel Chew, Thomas Tailler and Edward Dorsey, citizens of Anne Arundel county, joined with Captain Hill in his remonstrance to the King. Coode and Chesel- dyne made an answer to this remonstrance relating in full the proceedings of the revolutionists in taking possession of Maryland, and denying any knowledge of damage being done to the petitioners. On January Ist, 1690, the Lords of the Committee of Trade and Plantations in England reported to his Majesty, that they were of opinion that Col. Henry Darnell and Captain Richard Hill, who have given bond for their good behaviour for words alleged to have been spoken against your Majesty before your accession to the Crown and the late Act of Indemnity, may be released of their bail, and discharged from any further attendance on that occasion. The King in Council was pleased to approve of the report and ordered the release of Col. Darnell and Captain Hill. Captain Hill retained the confidence of the people of his county, and represented them in the House of Burgesses in the sessions of 1698 and 1699.


4. The revolution left its sting in Maryland, and the chief actors in it did not look upon differences of opinion so lightly when they had an opportunity to vent their ill will. In 1693, Thomas Bland, of Anne Arundel, made petition to Governor Lionell Copley who had been appointed the Royal Governor for Maryland, reciting that the "Petitioner being deeply sensible of our Sovereign Lord and Lady, the King and Queen's Majesties princely bounty and goodness to this, their Majesties Province of Maryland, and more particularly, in placing your Excellency to be ruler and Governor over their Majesties subjects inhabiting the same, by means




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