USA > Maryland > Chronicles of colonial Maryland, with illustrations > Part 29
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in early Maryland. Several of these old relics, in appearance like watch towers, zealously guarding the past, were to be seen in Saint Mary's up to a very recent date. The last of them standing were at "New Town", "Saint Clement's Manor", and "Corn Field Harbor", but they, like their companions, have at last yielded to that ruthless plunderer-time.1
The first will probated in Saint Mary's County, was dated
Will, Zack Bond; Act, 1748, C. 4; Maryland Gazette, September 15th, 1774; Map, Maryland, 1813, Griffith.
1 On the road leading from Leonard-Town to Chaptico and about fifty yards above the "plank bridge" over the fresh of Bretton's Bay, was the old ford, or crossing place. A few rods west of the ford, and about the same distance from the bridge, on the east side of the road, stands a small house on a little hill, and which is known as "Gibbet Hill." It is said that the last execution there was of a negro man, for the murder of a lady and her two daughters. The scene of the tragedy was the residence-, which stood on the Saint Joseph's branch of the same road, a short distance above Shanks' Mill, and about a quarter of a mile north of the "Maryland Spring." As the story is recorded, during the absence of his master, a negro man, Peter, believing that by the death of the family his freedom would be obtained, murdered his mistress and her two daughters, and when caught was lying in wait for his master, who was at Shanks' Mill, and his two sons who were at school, near by. After his trial and conviction, Peter was taken to "Gib- bet Hill" for execution. Tradition says that he was hung up in an iron cage, in front of the public road, and there left to die from starvation. It is also said that the screams of this starving criminal were so dis- tressing, that many persons refused to travel the road. The good sense of the community revolted at the inhumanity of such a method of punishment, and Peter, it is said, was the last criminal in Saint Mary's County who died on the Gibbet .- Saint Mary's, Beacon, Feb- ruary, 24th, 1853. There are many traditions in old Saint Mary's con- nected with the early settlement of the State, and with times of a later date, which if collected and published, would be of great interest. Hardly a neighborhood but has its old story to be recounted by some old dame of a past generation. The old people are passing away, and these old legends with them. It would be well, while yet time, for some lover of legendary lore to gather these old legends and preserve them from irretrievable loss. An Irving would have found in them rich material; and but for some humble chronicler that great "Wizard of the North" could not have given to the world his immortal master- pieces .- J. F. Morgan, in "St. Mary's Beacon."
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September 22nd, 1635. The caption is as follows: "The last will and Testament of Mr. William Smith, made at Augusta Carolina, at Saint Mary's City, in Maryland, anno dmi 1635". The document indicates careful preparation, and strongly marks the religious faith of the testator, at that day not an uncom- mon custom. The clause making reference to this is as fol- lows :
"And further I profess that I die a member of the Catholic Roman Church, out of wch there is noe salvation". As a counterpart to this, the will of Thomas Allen, made soon there- after, indicates very different religious convictions. It provides that the overseers of his will are not to allow his children "to live with a papist". In making further provision for his chil- dren, he directed, that, if his estate proved insufficient to main- tain them, and it should be necessary to put them out to work, they "should not be put to the mortar", or made "mortar boys", thus showing the hard labor attending the then common pro- cess of converting corn into meal and hominy. On the back of his will and of even date, he curiously requests that, should he "die suddenly, and the cause be not directly known, speedy inquiry be made, and that Nick and Marks, Irishmen, at Piny Neck, be questioned as suspicious persons to me best known". This singular feature of his will seems to have been the re-' sult of well founded apprehension, rather than a mere ex- centricity, since shortly afterward he was "found dead upon the sands by Point Lookout in Saint Nicholas Manor, badly shot and mutilated".1
As reflecting upon the interesting question of Colonial life, business pursuits, dress, furniture, etc., the early wills and inventories of Saint Mary's-an unbroken record from 1680 to the present time-are among the richest repositories of "his- toric lore" to be found in Maryland, and are of inestimable value.
In the matter of dress-then a decided badge of rank and station in life-they furnished a ready key. The "cloth suit", "dimity suit", "mohair suit", "leathern suit", "hair skin suit",
1 Archives (Pro. Ct. 1637) 403.
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"plush coats", silk and satin "waiscoats", dimity and velvet "waiscoats", silk "socks", Irish, Dutch and Holland "socks"; silver, gold, cloth and leather "belts"; silver and gold "knee" and "shoe buckles"; silver, gold and leather "hat bands"; hat "feathers" and "plumes"; silk and worsted "hoods", "head cloths" and "scharfs"; "spangled peticoats"; tufted Holland peticoats ; "taffeta suits"; "surge suits"; "silk gloves"; "buck- skin gloves"; "signet rings" and "finger rings", are among the articles of wearing apparel used by men and women during the first fifty years of Colonial life in Saint Mary's. Later reference to "watches", and still later to "wigs", is to be found.
In the matter of furniture, table appointments, etc., may be mentioned, the "parlor bed"; "trundle bed"; the "dresser"; the "chest of drawers"; the "looking glass"; later the "peir glass" and still later the "chimney glass"; silk and worsted "bed curtains"; beds, pillows and boulsters with "conuise ticking" and filled with "feathers", "flock" or "cat tail"; Dutch linen "sheets" and "napkins"; "Holland Blankets"; "dimity coverlets"; "quilted coverlets"; "Turkish rugs"; "forms"; "crickets"; "stools" and "chairs" (the latter not common) ; the "harpsicord" and "spinnet", the "joined dining table" ; brass and iron "and-irons"; silver, brass and iron "candlesticks"; "silver salvers"; "iron knives": "silver knives"; wooden "dishes"; and "platters"; the "silver sack cup"; "sugar tank- ard"; "tea tankard"; "pewter plates"; "pewter dishes"; "pew- ter cups and saucers"; "pewter salt sellers"; "pewter spoons", and pewter household vessels of almost every description. It is worthy of note, that the reign of pewter in early Maryland was practically unbroken for the first forty years, when the silver service made its appearance, and still later, with the in- troduction of tea and coffee, came china cups and saucers, and soon full sets of porcelain table ware. Occasional references are to be found to the "sedan chair", the "bladen" and the "horse chair", but it curiously appears that neither the table fork or the plow are mentioned in the testamentary proceed-
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ings of Saint Mary's County during the first eighty years of its history.
On the 3rd of December 1773, the Maryland Gazette pro- posed and published a plan for consolidating into one institu- tion the free schools of Southern Maryland, of which each County had one.2
The following year, a similar plan, but embracing only the Counties of Saint Mary's, Charles and Prince George, was urged upon the General Assembly of Maryland and passed2- the origin of Charlotte Hall. The Act provided for the sale of the lands and houses of the free schools in the three Counties, the proceeds to be added to the "sums of money which sundry persons have subscribed to further the com- mendable purpose", as well as the money then in the hands of the visitors of the free schools for said counties, and that with said several sums of money, "one school be erected at the place commonly called the Cool Springs, in Saint Mary's
1 The first general school system in Maryland was inaugurated un- der the Act of 1723, which provided for one school in each County; each school to be governed by a board of seven visitors, who were to purchase 100 acres of land as near the centre of their respective Coun- ties as practicable, and with due regard to the boarding of children, and were to have the necessary buildings erected and employ a compe- tent teacher of "grammar, good writing and arithmetic" who was to have the use of the farm and to receive the sum of £20 sterling per an- num. The visitors appointed under the Act of Saint Mary's County, were Rev. Leigh Massey and Messrs. James Bowles, Nicholas Lowe, Samuel Wilkinson, Thomas Waughop, Thomas Trueman Greenfield and Justinian Jordan. (Act, 1723, C. 19). As early as 1671, an effort was made to establish through the Legislature, a "public educational insti- tution" in Maryland, but it was not successful. In 1694, however, an act was passed "for the maintenance of free schools" and the following year another was passed "for the encouragement of learning," both of which provided a "school fund," to be raised by an export duty on furs, etc. In 1704 and again in 1717, this duty was extended to other articles, and in 1719 an Act was passed giving to the public "school fund" the estates of persons who died in the Province intestate and without known legal representatives. In addition, certain fines and forfeitures went to the "school fund." From these various sources a fund had been accumulated by 1723, sufficiently large to purchase a farm of 100 acres and erect a school in each of the twelve Counties in the Province.
2. Act, 1774, C. 14.
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County, to be called Charlotte Hall". The institution was to be governed by a president and twenty-one trustees, who were created a body politic, with right of succession, of whom fif- teen were to constitute a quorum, reduced in 17771 to seven, and in 1783 to five.2
In 1798, the school fund of Calvert was united to Char- lotte Hall. This County thus acquired the right to participate in its management, and became entitled to a representation of seven in its Board of Trustees,3 subsequently, however, the funds which belonged both to Calvert and Prince George were withdrawn from Charlotte Hall for the exclusive use of those Counties, thus leaving the control of the institution to Charles and Saint Mary's.
One of the first official acts of the Trustees, was an effort to get a water mill built there, as will appear from the follow- ing advertisement: "To let, to the lowest bidder, at the Cool Springs in Charlotte Hall, on Tuesday, the fourth day of October, 1774. The building of an overshot water mill at said place. A full meeting of the Trustees for Charlotte Hall, is earnestly requested". Henry Tubman, Clerk.4 The actual ope- ration of the school commenced in 1796.5
Few institutions have established a higher record for honor and usefulness, than Charlotte Hall; none has contributed more in moulding the character and shaping the destiny of the youth of Maryland, and the splendid results which it has achieved in its labors of more than a century, may well be a source of pride and gratification to the people of the State.
1 Act, 1777, C. 3.
2 Act, 1783, C. 19.
3 Act, 1798, C. 92.
4 Maryland Gazette, September 22, 1774.
5 School Records.
6 The first Board of Trustees of Charlotte Hall, was composed of Governor Robert Eden, president; Hon. George Plater, Rev. George Gowndrill, John Reeder, Thomas Bond, Richard Barnes, Philip Key, and Henry Greenfield Sotheron, for Saint Mary's; Rev. Isaac Campbell, Richard Lee, William Smallwood, Francis Ware, Josias Hawkins, George Dent and Dr. James Craig, for Charles; Hon. Benedict Cal- vert, Rev. Henry Addison, Josiah Beall, Robert Tyler, Joseph Sim, Thomas Contee, and Dr. Richard Brooke, for Prince George. (Act,
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In 1798, the General Assembly made Charlotte Hall the subject of a perpetual endowment. The Act provides that the Treasurer of Maryland, "shall be forever hereafter, authorized and required to pay annually, on or before the first day of June, to the president and trustees of Charlotte Hall, the sum of eight hundred dollars".1
It may be interesting to note, that the "Cool Springs", at which this early and successful seat of Academic learning is located, are the oldest known medicinal springs in Maryland, and became historic in the very early annals of the Province.
As early as 1698, Governor Francis Nicholson, "having received an account of some extraordinary cures wrought at ye Cool Springs", in order that their beneficial properties might be availed of by all persons, the legislature appointed trustees "to purchase the land adjoining to ye Fountains of Healing waters, called ye Cool Spring, in Saint Mary's County, for houses to be build on for ye entertainment of such poor, im- potent persons as should resort hither for cure".2
An appropriation of fioo s. was made,ª a building was erected, bibles and prayer-books were furnished and a lay- reader appointed, who was to read prayers twice a week, for which he was to receive twelve pence per day. "His Excel- lency is also pleased to allow to the said people, every Sunday, a mutton, and as much corn as will amount to thirteen shillings a week".4 It was also "ordered, that, the person who reads
1774, C. 14.) The following is a list of the Principals of Charlotte Hall from the beginning of its operations to the present time: Rev. Hatch Dent, elected 1796; Rev. George Ralph, 1799; Hugh Maguire, 1809; Dennis Don Levy, 1810; Rev. William Duke, 1812; Rev. John Ireland, 1813; Nathaniel K. G. Oliver, 1815; John Wade, 1816; Philip Briscoe, 1817; John Miltimore, 1826; Philip Briscoe, 1837; Dr. Charles Kraitsir, 1840, Rev. George Claxton, 1842; Rev. Samuel Callahan, 1846; N. F. D. Brown, 1852; Herbert Thompson, 1875; William T. Briscoe, chairman, 1877; R. W. Silvester, 1887; George M. Thomas, 1892. The following is also a list of the Presidents of the Board of Trustees within the same period: Right Rev. Thomas John Claggett, 1796; Dr. Parnam,
1 Act, 1798, C. 107.
2 Act, 1698, C. 16.
3 Scharf, I, p. 364. 4 Allen's MSS. in Whittingham Library.
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prayers take an account of what persons come thither, who are cured, and of what distempers".1
Governor Nathaniel Blackistone subsequently alluded to the subject in an address to the General Assembly, in which, after enumerating the many blessings for which the people should be thankful, he added, "and for restoring health to us and blessing us with several beneficial and healing springs of water, called the Cool Springs, which by His blessing, have wrought many wonderful and signal cures".2
In this connection it should be noted, that "ye Fountain of Healing Water" still flows, and doubtless possesses the
1799; Major William Thomas, 1812; John Campbell, 1813; Luke W. Barber, 1826; George Thomas, 1837; Gen. William Matthews, 1852; Gen. Walter Mitchell, 1857; Col. Chapman Billingsley, 1871; Col. John Henry Sotheron, 1875, and Col. John F. Dent.
The "Washington Society," organized February 22nd, 1797; whose membership is composed of students elected from Charlotte Hall, enjoys the proud distinction, it is said, of being the oldest surviving literary and debating society in Maryland. On its list of members may be found the names of many of Maryland's most distinguished sons. Motto : "Palmam qui meruit ferat." On October 24th, 1871, the "Stonewall Society" was united with it, and since then it has been known as the "Washington and Stonewall Society." The Society library contains about two thousand volumes, and among them, are some rare and valu- able works.
1 The following is the record of the first proceedings of the Com- missioners appointed to execute this Act.
"NOVEMBER ye 24th 1698
"At a meeting at ye coole Springs by Col: John Coarts Esqr. Captn : Philip: Hoskins: Captn : James : Keech : Captn: John: Beane: Captn: Jacob: Moorelan. and Captn : Ben Halle. appointed trustees by act of Assembly for ye purchasing of fifty Acres of Land of Captn : John : Dent : or anny other person interrested in ye Sd : Land whereon ye Sd : Springs or fountains of healing waters doth lye. for the settleing and building of a house uppon ye Sd: Land; wherein ye sd: foun- tains should be included according to ye sd : act to them directed they ye sd : trustees in pursuance with ye sd. act. did at ye sd. meeting treat with ye sd : Captn : John : Dent : & ye sd. Captn : John : Dent : did make appear before them that ye interest lay in him; whereuppon ye sade
2 Scharf, Vol. I, p. 364.
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same virtue and efficacy which gave to them their early re- nown.
The delegates from Saint Mary's County to the several Provincial Conventions of Maryland, which sounded the key- note of the American Revolution, signed the famous articles "Association of the Freemen of Maryland" and established the "Council of Safety" as the Provincial Government of the State, were Abraham Barnes, Henry Greenfield Sotheron and Jeremiah Jordan, June 1774; John Allan Thomas, Richard Barnes, Jeremiah Jordan and John DeButts, December, 1774; same in July 1775, with John Reeder, Jr., in place of John Allan Thomas; same in December 1775, with John Allen Thomas, in place of John Reeder, Jr .; George Plater, Richard Barnes, John Reeder, Jr., and Athanasius Ford, May 1776; same in June 1776, with Jeremiah Jordan in addition; same in August 1776, with Ignatius Fenwick, in place of Mr. Ford.1
Saint Mary's was quick to respond to the suggestion to elect a "Committee of Safety" and "Correspondence" for the County, and the following is the record of the meeting for that purpose, held December 23rd, 1775:
"SAINT MARY'S COUNTY.
"On public notice being given for the gentlemen, free- holders and others, of the said County to meet at the Court House, at Leonard-Town, on Friday, the twenty-third day of December last. Met agreeable to said notification a consider-
trustees did buy and purchase of him ye sd: Dent fifty Acres of the sade Land wherein ye sd: Springs or fountains of healing waters weere included in compliance with the sd: Act of Assembly to them ye sd : trustees directed for which sd: fifty Acres of Land, they ye sd : trustees weere to pay him the sd: John: Dent: twenty five pounds sterling. And it was likewise ordered by the sd: trustees, that Capt: James Keech, was to send for ye Surveyor of St. marys County to have ye sd : fifty Acres of Land laid out by the last tuesday in march next, and to have a conveyance drawne by the sd survey that ye sd Land may be made over by ye sd Captn John Dent according as ye lawe pre- scribes."-Vestry Records of All Faith Parish.
1 Journal of Conventions.
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able number of the most respectable inhabitants, when it being proposed that, for the more orderly and effectually carrying on the present business, it would be necessary to make choice of a chairman, as also to appoint a clerk to officiate for the day, Mr. Jeremiah Jordan was thereupon unanimously elected to the chair, and Timothy Bowes appointed clerk to the said meeting,
"MR. JEREMIAH JORDAN in the chair. "MR. TIMOTHY BOWES, clerk.
"Several of the proceedings of the continental congress being read, as well as the late resolves of the provincial con- vention, which were unanimously approved of. The chair- man, addressing himself to those assembled, informed them, that the intent and design of the present convention, among many other things, was principally to make choice of a general committee for the country-a committee of correspondence- as also a committee, to meet, if necessary, the provincial committee, to be held at Annapolis, on Monday, the 24th day of April next, in order to carry into execution the association agreed on by the continental congress, as well as the resolves of the late provincial convention. Upon which the following gentlemen were chosen as a general committee for the county, to wit: Mr. William Thomas, Mr. Cornelius Barber, major Zachariah Bond, Mr. William Hammersly, Mr. John Llewellin, Mr. James Eden, Mr. Gerard Bond, Mr. John Shanks, Jun., Mr. John Eden, Jun., Mr. Wilfred Neale, Mr. William Bond, Mr. Meveril Lock, Mr. Richard Bond, Dr. John Ireland, Mr. Cyrus Vowles, Mr. Athanasius Ford, Col. Abraham Barnes, Dr. Henry Reeder, Mr. John Barnes, Mr. Richard Barnes, Mr. Timothy Bowes, Mr. William Williams, Mr. John Fenwick, Mr. John Greenwell (of Ignatius) Mr. Vernon Hebb, Mr. William Watts, Mr. George Guyther, Mr. Ignatius Combs, Mr. John McLean, Mr. John McCall, Mr. John Black, Mr. John DeButts, Mr. William Taylor, Mr. Maffey Leigh, Mr. George Cook, Mr. James Adderton, Mr. Robert Armstrong, Mr. Bennet Biscoe, Mr. Richard Clark, Mr. Edward Fenwick, Mr. Thomas Griffin, Mr. William
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Jenkins, Jun., Mr. Nicholas Sewall, Mr. Nicholas L. Sewall, Mr. William Cavenaugh, Mr. Jenifer Taylor, Mr. Ignatius Taylor, Mr. Robert Watts, Mr. Henry Carroll, Mr. Hugh Hopewell, Mr. Hugh Hopewell, Jun., Mr. John Abel, younger, Mr. Samuel Jenifer, Mr. John Abell, sen., Mr. Edward Abell, jun., Mr. Peter Urquhart, Mr. John H. Read, Mr. Thomas Forrest, sen., Mr. Ignatius Fenwick, (Coles) Mr. John Smith, (Patuxent) Mr. Enoch Fenwick, Mr. John Reeder, Jun., Mr. Thomas A. Reeder, Mr. William Killgour, Mr. John H. Broome, Mr. William Bruce, Mr. Henry Tubman, Mr. Henry G. Sotheron, Mr. Robert Hammit, Mr. Herbert Blackiston, Mr. John A. Thomas, Mr. Jeremiah Jordan, Mr. William Bayard, Mr. Joseph Williams, Mr. Samuel Abell, sen., Mr. Samuel Abell, Jun.
"A general committee for the county elected, the next step taken was making choice of a committee of correspondence when the following gentlemen were chosen, with power for any three or more of them to act as occasion should require, to wit: Col. Abraham Barnes, Mr. Richard Barnes, Timothy Bowes, Mr. Athanasius Ford, Dr. Henry Reeder, Mr. John DeButts, Mr. Jeremiah Jordan, Mr. John A. Thomas, Mr. John Black.
"This business completed, a committee was chosen to meet the provincial committee, to be held at Annapolis, on Monday the 24th day of April next, if necessary, when the following gentlemen were elected for that purpose, to wit: Mr. Jeremiah Jordan, Mr. Richard Barnes, Mr. John Reeder, Jun., Mr. John Barnes, Mr. John A. Thomas, Mr. John De- Butts, Mr. Henry G. Sothoron,
"Signed per "Timothy Bowes, clerk".1
In the "Council of Safety" and in the "Continental Con- gress". Saint Mary's was represented by the Hon. George Plater, elected to the former in 1776,2 and the latter in 1778.3
In addition to its regular quoto of men in service, under
Maryland Gazette, January 5th, 1775.
3 Scharf, 3, p. 753.
2 McMahon, 419.
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requisition, Saint Mary's furnished to the revolution a large independent company, under command of Captain John Allen Thomas.1 This Company became identified with the regular army, and for its valor and efficiency, was honorably mentioned by Major General Wm. Smallwood, in his report of October 1776, to the Maryland Convention.2
In addition to the company of Captain John Allen Thomas, which formed a part of General Smallwood's first battalion, and which went to the front in July 1776, and her quota of men for the Maryland Flying Camp, Saint Mary's the follow- ing year furnished eighteen companies for the Revolution, and the Council of Safety commissioned the following officers to command them. For the upper battalion, composed of nine companies, Jeremiah Jordan, colonel, John Reeder, lieutenant- colonel, John Allen Thomas, (Jr.) major, Charles Jordan, Gerard Bond, John Thomas, Thomas Attaway Reeder, John Mills, James Roach, Edmund Plowden, William Kilgour and William Bond, captains ; John Eden, John Shanks, Francis Mil- lard, John Breen, Thomas Nicholls, James Raper, William Spink, John Edwards and Edward Mattingly, first lieutenants ; Clement Gardner, William Thomas, John Cartwright, William Walton, William Raper, Joseph Stone, Benjamin Edwards and Johnathan Edwards, second lieutenants ; Meveral Lock, Stephen Tarlton, Clement Power, Zachary Hammett, Henry Swann, Joseph Woodward, Wilfred Reswick, Johnson, Sothoron and William Cartwright, ensigns.
For the lower battalions, composed also of nine companies. Ignacius Fenwick, colonel, Vernon Hebb, lieutenant-colonel, Ignacius Taylor, major ; John Armstrong, John H. Abell, John Smith, Ignacius Abell, John Greenwell, John Mackall, Samuel Jenifer, Hugh Hopewell and William B. Smoot, captains ; Alex- ander Watts, Robert Armstrong, Zachary Forrest, Enock Abell, Philip Fenwick, Thomas Jenkins, John Abell, John Asquith and George Gaither, first lieutenants ; Ignicius Combs, William Bennett, Zepheniah Forrest, Barton Abell, Bennett Combs, Ben- jamin Morgan, Richard King, John Chesley and John Lang-
1 Journal of Convention.
2 Annals of Annapolis.
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ley, second lieutenants ; George H. Leigh, Benjamin Williams, John Smith, John Mills, James Williams, Philip Evans, George Asquith, Robert Jarboe and Joshua Tarlton, ensigns.1
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