USA > Maryland > Genealogical and memorial encyclopedia of the state of Maryland, a record of the achievements of her people in the making of a commonwealth and the founding of a nation, Volume I > Part 19
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Motto-Celer et audax.
The Peirce family is descended from George Peirce (or Pearce, as he himself wrote it), who came from the parish of Winscomb, Somerset county, England. He married Ann Gainer of Thornbury, Gloucestershire, on the Ist day of the 12th month (February), 1679. With his wife and three small children he left Bristol, England, the seaport nearest his home, in 1684, and settled in Chester county, Pennsylvania, where a tract of 490 acres was surveyed for him in that year, in Thorn- bury township. This was undoutedly named from the Eng- lish home of his wife to preserve early associations. They had arrived in Phildealphia as early as the 4th day of the 9th month (November), 1684, as on that date he presented two certificates to a meeting of Friends, held at the governor's house. One for himself was from the monthly meeting at Fifrenshay, in the county of Gloucester, and that of his wife was from Thornbury meeting. It is not probable that he settled on his new purchase in that year, as winter had now arrived. His name first appears at Chichester Friends Meet- ing in 1686, after which meetings were sometimes held at his house. He was very strict in attention to religious duties, and also gave some time and means to civil affairs and the im- provement of the country. In the Provincial Assembly of 1706 he represented Chester county, and was one of a com- pany which built "the Concord mill," the first mill erected in his neighborhood. About 1732 he removed to East Marlboro township, where he died in 1734. He obtained a patent of land in that township December 14, 1701, which included Peirce's Park, or "Evergreen Glade," as he named it. This was conveyed to his son in 1725, and thus passed down through several generations of his descendants. Part of the original
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dwelling, which was constructed of brick in 1730, is still stand- ing. To his daughter Betty, and her husband, Vincent Cald- well, he gave two hundred acres adjoining the glade. It sub- sequently passed into the hands of Caleb Peirce, and is now in possession of the latter's great-grandchildren, bearing the name of Cox. Longwood Meeting House and Cemetery are situated on this tract. The children of George and Ann (Gainer) Peirce were: Betty, born September 18, 1680, mar- ried Vincent Caldwell; George, February 23, 1682; Joshua, mentioned below; Ann, March 8, 1686, married (first) James Gibbons, (second) William Pim; Margaret, October 25, 1690, married Joseph Brinton; Caleb, December 21, 1692, married Mary Walter, died January 22, 1797; Gainer, February I, 1695, married Sarah Walter; Hannah, February 21, 1696, married Edward Brinton; John, February 15, 1704, died before 1720.
Joshua Peirce, second son of George and Ann (Gainer) Peirce, was born January 5, 1684, in England, and died Sep- tember 15, 1752, in the eastern part of East Marlboro town- ship, where he made his home through life. He married (first) August 28, 1713, Ann, daughter of Thomas and Mary Mercer, of Westtown, Pennsylvania, and (second) Septem- ber 15, 1722, Rachel Gilpin, of Birmingham, that State. She was descended from Richard de Guylpin, who became the owner of the Manor of Kentmore in 1206, during the reign of King John. The family was long resident in Maryland. Children by first marriage : George, born May 5, 1714, died October 2, 1775, married Lydia Roberts; Mary, March 3, 1717, married William Cloud; Ann, October 20, 1718, mar- ried (first) Caleb Mendenhall and (second) Adam Redd. Of second marriage: Joshua, mentioned below; Dr. Joseph, a distinguished physician, born October 16, 1725, died March 9, 1811 ; Caleb, December 2, 1727, died October 12, 1815, mar-
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ried Hannah Greaves; Isaac, who married Hannah Sellers.
Joshua (2) Peirce, second son of Joshua (1) Peirce, and eldest child of his second wife, Rachel Gilpin, was born Jan- uary 22, 1724, and married Ann Bailey.
Isaac Peirce, son of Joshua (2) and Ann (Bailey) Peirce, was the ancestor of the Maryland branch of the Peirce family. In 1760 he came into possession of a large tract of land in the present District of Columbia, now known as Rock Creek Park, which was purchased by the Government some years since as a national park. This was a portion of land known as "Gift." Soon after settling in Rock Creek valley, he began the con- struction of a mill for grinding cereals, which became one of the landmarks of the locality. The first mill, of frame con- struction, was erected about 1790, and some thirty years later this was replaced by a stone mill which still stands, a stalwart example of the solid architecture of the early nineteenth cen- tury. This quaint old landmark, with its slow moving water- wheel of past days, has been restored by the Government, and is now a picturesque feature of the park. The Peirce mill was always a popular place for the farmers to bring their grain. Sometimes as many as twelve teams could be seen at the stone building waiting for the corn to be ground into meal and the wheat kernels into flour. A like number of horses or mules could also be seen tethered near by, the farmers or their sons having ridden to the mill with the bags of grain slung across their animals' backs. The Peirce mill once brought what was almost a fabulous rental of $125 a month, or $1,500 a year, the owner leasing the property to a tenant and miller. Soon after settling in Rock Creek valley, Isaac Peirce married Elizabeth, daughter of and Amy (Pyle) Cloud. Joshua (3) Peirce, a son of Isaac, built the large mansion on the estate, which has been preserved by the Government as a museum for exhibition of a collection of flora and mineral
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treasures of the park. Joshua Peirce was an enthusiastic horti- culturist, and made a specialty of raising camelias, which at that time were exceedingly rare, and sold for one dollar and two dollars a flower. Both father and son accumulated large fortunes that enabled them to keep the proprety intact until sold as a Government reservation. Another son, Job Peirce, married Sally Harvey. They had but one child, Elizabeth Cloud Peirce, who was the ancestress of numerous residents of Baltimore. Her father died when she was a little girl, so she resided with her grandparents on the Rock Creek estate, and rode to and fro in an ancient coach, whose doors are said to have borne the blazoning of the Peirce arms. She was an heiress, and bewitchingly pretty, and it was during the War of 1812 that she met her fate in the person of a young English- man, Henry L. S. Ould, whom she married, as above noted. Five children were born to them : Elizabeth Jane Peirce, born April 12, 1822, died November, 1825; Pauline Gaither, born September 24, 1823, died March 31, 1826; Henry Peirce, born February 24, 1827, died January 13, 1829; Charles Eugene Eckle, born February 21, 1830, died unmarried, November 16, 1863; Marion Hall, mentioned below.
Marion Hall Ould, youngest child of Henry L. S. and Elizabeth C. (Peirce) Ould, was born July 14, 1834, and died April 24, 1909. He was one of the foremost citizens of Balti- more, and became prominent in business and financial circles. He was second vice-president of the Commonwealth Bank, and vice-president of the Game Wardens' Association. Though he never took active part in politics he always showed great interest in the political happenings of the day and was a lover of sports. He was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Mr. Ould married, June 28, 1855, Mary Susanna Swift, daughter of Daniel Swift of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, and Mary Martin, his wife, of Harford county,
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Maryland. Their children were: Mary Elizabeth, born April, 1856, died May, 1856, and Margaret A., mentioned below.
Margaret A. Ould, child of Marion H. and Mary S. (Swift) Ould, was born June 7, 1857, married, August 1, 1877, Walter B. Swindell, born June 21, 1850, son of William and Henrietta (Mullard) Swindell. Children: 1. Marian Ould, born May 19, 1878, died December 22, 1884. 2. Walter B., born April 1, 1880; married, October 26, 1901, Gertrude Hal- dane de Valasco, daughter of Charles Fernandez and Eliza- beth (Reed) de Valasco, son of Rafael Fernandez and Sarah Jane (Haldane) de Valasco; children : Walter B., born No- vember 14, 1903, died November 16, 1905; Robert Haldane, born January 6, 1907; Margaret, December 20, 1909. 3. Sue Ould, born November 15, 1881 ; married, April 28, 1906, Claude Carlyle Nuckols, born February 26, 1880, son of Samuel Claiborne and Luella (Wasson) Nuchols, of Ver- sailles, Kentucky; children : Claude Carlyle, born April 14, 1907; Margaret Ould, March 30, 1909; Walter Swindell, August 1, 1911; Susannah, November 1, 1913; Samuel Clai- borne, October 15, 1915. 4. Jane, born January 8, 1884; mar- ried Charles Howard Smith of Seattle; children: Frances Townley, born July 30, 1910; Charles Jackson, December 9, 1912. 5. Margaret, born July 12, 1886, married Robert Quincy Baker of Coshocton, Ohio; child: Robert Quincy, born June 15, 1910.
JOHN ANTHONY LECOMPTE RADCLIFFE
THE BALTIMORE CLIPPER marks an era in the in-
dustrial life of Maryland, around which is the fascination of romance. The ships of Maryland sailed the Seven Seas and were found in every harbor in the world. Generations of ship-builders developed a craft which combined speed with sea-worthiness to an unusual degree. The accumulation of family and community experience brought ship-building along the shores of the Chesapeake Bay to an extraordinary state of perfection. The industrial life of tide-water Maryland was dominated by this activity. The successful planter or farmer was usually a ship builder, or at least a ship owner. The slave was frequently useful, not only in the field but also in the ship-yard. The magnificent quantities of virgin oak and other forms of timber afforded sufficient suitable building material. The profits from the sale or rental of the vessels were large since the builder owned often the laborers, and the building materials, and raised nearly all of his food on his plantation or took it from the adjacent waters. The result was production at a minimum cost.
An excellent representative of this type of combination of shipbuilding and planter was John Anthony LeCompte Rad- cliffe. In 1687 Richard Radcliffe, a young Quaker, came to Talbot county, Maryland, via Pennsylvania, from Rosendale, Lancashire, England. He soon became active as a land-owner and ship-builder. In time his grandsons went west or south, and one of his great-grandsons, John Ratcliffe, or Radcliffe, there was the customary early Colonial doubt or indifference as to method of spelling proper names-came to Dorchester and there married Fannie LeCompte, the great-granddaughter of Anthony LeCompte, one of the first settlers in Dorchester county, who had received a patent for land there in 1659. MD .- 17
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This section of Dorchester county lying between the Chesa- peake Bay and the Choptank River early attracted settlers. The records all indicate that the colonists who came there furnished a commingling of types unusual even for those days when the spirit of adventure was uppermost. These first set- tlers intermarried, and to a very large extent their descend- ants continued to live in or near the homes of their fathers.
Fannie LeCompte was descended from a number of these early settlers in this section. For instance, from Dr. Robert Winsmore, presiding justice of the county and probably the first physician or "chyrurgeon" in the county; from Stephen Gary, a man of unusual characteristics to whom reference will be made later; from Charles Powell, son-in-law of Stephen Gary, first lawyer in Dorchester county, and through her mother, Mary Sewell, from a famliy which had been actively connected with the affairs of the county. Their only son was James Sewell Radcliffe, who married Margaret Harris, a descendent of Henry Beckwith, another pioneer of that section of the county. Their oldest son was John Anthony LeCompte Radcliffe, the subject of this sketch.
John Anthony LeCompte Radcliffe was born on February 6, 1818, on a farm which had been inherited by his father from successive generations of LeCompte owners. He inherited the advantages and disadvantages resulting from the fact that his family had lived for generations in a community somewhat isolated, but with traditions of a vigorous and active partici- pation in the affairs of the county. He also inherited a mag- nificent physique and unusual vigor and strength of mind and body. In spite of the fact that one Hill, a few years after the county was settled, had left a small provision in his will for the endowment of a free school in the community, the educa- tional facilities one hundred and twenty-five years later were restricted to the rather scanty opportunities offered by private
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tutors or by teachers paid jointly by a combination of neigh- bors. John Anthony LeCompte Radcliffe's opportunities for education were very limited, but his mind was naturally studious. Throughout his lifetime a considerable part of every day was spent in reading, especially of books on history, theology, philosophy, etc.
Almost every ancestor of John Anthony LeCompte Rad- cliffe had combined farming and ship-building. It would have probably been impossible for him to realize when he first acquired a taste for, or a knowledge of, these occupations. While still a young man he acquired Spocot, a few miles from his birthplace. This had been patented by his grandfather in the seventh generation, Stephen Gary, in 1662. Stephen Gary had selected Spocot from his thirty or more holdings in Mary- land, Virginia and England, as his "home plantation," as he termed it in his will. From there his restless spirit directed his numerous activities. Besides the constant patenting and developing of land, he was always active in the affairs of the colony, several times as high sheriff, as commissioner to or- ganize the county, as judge, etc. He was one of the most vigorous and striking characters in the early history of the county. Spocot has continued to this day in the possession and ownership of his descendants.
John Anthony LeCompte Radcliffe brought Spocot to a high state of development. He owned a considerable number of slaves and large tracts of timber land, and Spocot illustrated to a remarkable extent the type of a self-sufficient little com- munity. Its cotton and wool supplied clothing. Its fertile fields afforded an unusual wide variety of food. The waters of Gary's Creek upon which it bordered furnished sea food of many kinds. Saw and grist mills, iron forges, carpenter shops and a commissary helped to care for the needs of the family and the slaves and for the ship-yard located at Spocot.
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In its shallow river vessels of surprising seaworthiness were built. At least one of the vessels launched there in not over six feet of water is known to have circumnavigated the world.
The work of his farm, the ship-yard, the demands of his family and his lifelong fondness for reading were absorb- ing, but his contributions to the political life of the community were not unimportant. Each time that he ran for office he was elected by majorities which were unusually large in his county. As president of the Board of County Commissioners, as member of the Legislature, and in many other political capacities, his services were helpful.
John Anthony LeCompte Radcliffe was saturated with the traditions of his community, and his lifelong effort was to perpetuate and develop the best of these in harmony with the march of progress. He tried to give his children the advant- age of opportunities similar to those which he had received and better whenever possible. Possibly the predominating characteristic of his life was the desire to be truly helpful to those around him. He was the last in his community to continue the old-fashioned hospitable but expensive method of keeping "open house" throughout the year to which his rela- tives and friends were at all times welcome. It is undoubtedly true that during his lifetime there was no place in Dorchester county where hospitability was so freely, so cordially and so generously extended as at Spocot. On June 8, 1901, he died, full of years, beloved by the community whose interests he had served so well, in fact, better doubtless than by any man who has ever lived there.
He was married twice. His first wife was his cousin, Rebecca Beckwith. Three children by that marriage sur- vived him: Laura, widow of William H. Travers; Nellie, wife of Nicholas Goldsborough Henry; and a son, William W. Also he left a grandson and granddaughter, John Ram-
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say and LeOlin, the son and daughter respectively of a son who pre-deceased him. His second wife was Sophie D. Robinson, widow of A. J. Robinson, and daughter of Thomas Broome Travers, born September 18, 1802, died June 25, 1875. Three children were born to his second marriage, all of whom sur- vived their father, namely: Thomas Broome Travers, James Sewell, and George L. Radcliffe.
THOMAS BROOME TRAVERS
ON the map, the western part of Dorchester county seems to be a part of the mainland. However, for a long time, and in fact so long that the "memory of man runneth not to the contrary," most of this section has been an island separated by a narrow stream called Slaughter creek from the mainland. One of the early settlements in the county was on this island, then considerably larger than at present since much of it has unfortunately been washed away by the stormy waters of the Chesapeake bay. The pioneer settler on this island was Thomas Taylor, after whom the island was named. Shortly afterwards his cousin, William Travers, came there to settle. William Travers died in 1701, devising by his will a consid- erable amount of real estate. One of his sons, Matthew, be- came one of the wealthiest and most prominent men in the county. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Henry Hooper, the second in line of successive generations of Henry Hoopers, who furnished probably the most striking illustration in the history of the county of the passing not only of the surname but of a marked degree of prominence from father to son. A brother of this Elizabeth was Henry Hooper, owner and builder of Warwick Fort Manor. Another sister married John Broome, sometimes spelt Brome, whose prominence per- sonally and that of his family are well known to students of Maryland Colonial history. From both of these daughters of Henry Hooper, Thomas Broome Travers, the subject of this sketch, was descended.
Successive generations of Traverses and other allied families continued to live on Taylor's Island. The status of island, the distance from Cambridge, the county seat, and the almost impossible roads prohibited easy communication with Cambridge and other parts of the county. This isolation
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and the unusual industrial advantages of Taylor's Island re- sulted in the development of a community unique in many respects. Fertility of the soil, large holdings of slaves, big profits from shipbuilding, ownership of vessels trading with "Brazil and The Indies," produced a state of considerable prosperity. The water as well as the land furnished food in abundance. The houses were commodious, although a simple style of architecture prevailed even in the homes of the richest. The dominant families were closely bound to- gether by blood and almost daily association. House parties were large and frequent. Educational provisions were quite good. The children were usually sent to school in Baltimore or taught by tutors in private homes. It is doubtful whether any section of Dorchester county, or of any other county in the colony or State, had in proportion to population so many men of wealth. The loss of slaves, injurious tides, the wash of the sea and other causes brought about serious changes for the worse in the community life of Taylor's Island. In recent years a new era of prosperity has begun to develop.
Thomas Broome Travers was born in 1702, the son of Thomas Broome and Delia Travers. He was born in one of the Travers' homesteads which had been in the family for many generations. He increased his inheritance, which was considerable, by industry and excellent judgment, so that at the time of his death he was one of the wealthiest men in the county. His many farms were well handled. Throughout his life he was constantly building vessels, which from their ocean and bay trade brought in considerable revenue.
Thomas Broome Travers was an excellent representative of the type of business man which in many respects has per- force ceased to exist. Since not a bank existed in the county until the latter part of his life, all of his various operations were conducted without the use of bank checks. Payments
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running up in the thousands of dollars were made and received in gold. Large quantities of gold were frequently kept on hand. For instance, a package containing $4,000 in twenty dollar gold pieces was allowed by him in one case to remain unopened for a period of at least fifteen years. He loaned many thousands of dollars to his friends, always without any form of note or written acknowledgement or receipt.
He was an Episcopalian throughout his life and furnished the larger part of the funds for the building of the Episcopal church now standing on Taylor's Island. This church with its solid walnut pews and other unusual features is an in- teresting survival. It took the place of one of the old Colonial "Chapels of Ease" which had been a matter of interest to students of history. The dramatic scenes illustrated on the coast of Taylor's Island during the Revolutionary War, and especially during the War of 1812, and which have never found proper place in history were matters of keen interest to him, and he endeavored to preserve fitting mementoes of these times, especially in so far as members of his family had par- ticipated.
He married his cousin, Elisabeth Travers, who died at the age of twenty-two, leaving three little daughters. These three daughters survived him. They were Sophie D., widow of John Anthony LeCompe Radcliffe, a sketch of whom pre- cedes this; Mary, widow of William Cator, and Addie, wife of E. L. Griffith. Thomas Broome Travers never married again, but devoted the best of his time and energy to the welfare of his daughters. It was his aim to bridge over the loss to his children of their mother by assuming personally as many as possible of maternal duties and responsibilities. In spite of the engrossing nature of his business enterprises, he followed most closely the details of the daily lives of his daughters. He provided private instruction for them at his
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home, and as soon as they were large enough, he sent them to private school. A little instance illustrating his efforts to see that their desires and plans were properly looked after is seen in the arrangements which he made in regard to the wed- ding cake of his oldest daughter. To insure as much as possi- ble against accident, he sent one of his best sailing vessels to bring the cake from Baltimore and permitted the vessel to have no other mission. Possibly the most distinguishing characteristics of Thomas Broome Travers were the personal attention and interest which he gave to the daily life of his daughters, and his constant efforts to give them the best of training and education. This was carefully done in spite of engrossing business cares.
He died in 1875, leaving one of the largest estates in the county. The best heritage to his many descendants was, how- ever, his reputation for integrity, ability and general worthi- ness.
WILLIAM HADDON MARRIOTT
A TINY miserable-looking stream running through the heart of the City was one of the odd features of Baltimore. This little stream, known as Jones' Falls, was not large enough to be of any commercial value, or to afford any of the simplest advantages or pleasures of a water front. There was enough of it, however, to cause it to be regarded as a general nuisance. From time to time efforts were made by the erection of walis, etc., to protect the adjoining property from the spasmodic tendency of Jones' Falls to overflow its banks. Eventually a more or less comprehensive scheme of retaining walls and bridges was decided upon by the city. The work was en- trusted to a young architect and engineer of the city, William Haddon Marriott, who, with his partner, Charles H. La- trobe, prepared and put into successful execution plans for the work. Imposing bridges, especially at St. Paul and Calvert streets, etc., crossed Jones' Falls and massive retaining walls eventually removed the barrier to traffic which Jones' Falls had occasioned, and attractive terraced gardens designed by Mr. Marriott took the place of the dreary looking shores which had fronted the Falls. The most important growth of the city, that to the north, resulted.
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