USA > Maryland > Caroline County > History of Caroline County, Maryland, from its beginning > Part 10
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PLAIN DEALING.
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CAROLINE COUNTY ALMS HOUSES.
For fourteen years after Caroline's organization we find the Court records filled with such items as these :
Ordered by the court that Nancy P .... be allowed in next year's levy at the rate of 6 shillings for her support.
Ordered that there be levied in the next levy the sum of 20€ to James J. for burying Rebecca S. . finding coffin, sheet etc.
Ordered by the court that 64 Lbs. tobacco a month be paid Mary B .. for support of Levi T. . now 3 years old, or- phan son of Sarah T. now deceased.
In spite of large sums thus granted for this use the poor in the county were not properly cared for. To remedy this, in November 1788 the General Assembly passed a law requiring that there be an alms and work house built at the general expense of the county. The justices were to assess and levy the sum of $300 cur- rent money in each year from 1789 to 1790 to meet this expense. An annual levy was to be made for the run- ning expense of the institution.
William Whitely, Joseph Douglass, Thomas Hard- castle, Joshua Wallace and Henry Downes were appoint- ed trustees to purchase land and erect thereon suitable buildings for the institution. The land selected consist- ed of six acres of a tract known as Lloyd's Regulation about one half mile from Denton on the road which led to Potter's Landing ( Williston). It was purchased from John Cooper and Michael Incas for €18 current money. Of the original buildings we know little except that the main one was a splendidly built brick house surrounded by numerous smaller ones of frame. While the build- ings were being erected, the trustees were authorized to rent a house near the county seat for the reception of the poor and such vagrants as should be committed to their charge.
The trustees were responsible for the good govern- ment of the alms and work houses. The poor were kept in the alms house and such as were able were compelled to work, while the work house lodged the vagrants, beg- gars, vagabonds and disorderly people of the county. They, too, were compelled to work and in case of misbe- havior were at one time subjected to ten lashes of the
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whip. Later, however, this punishment was changed to an extension of time in the institution.
An overseer was appointed with a salary of $75 an- nnally beside food, fuel, and house room for himself and family. He kept a record of all persons committed to his care, all expenses for their support, and such monies as he receiped from their labor. He was also respon- sible for the general management of the place in the ab- sence of the trustees.
When a man or woman was committed to either house he was forced to wear upon the shoulder of the right sleeve of his top garment a badge bearing the Ro- man letters P. C. ent into red or blue cloth. There was a punishment for refusal to wear the badge and a fine for the overseer allowing any one to omit it.
It was found necessary to make some provision for out-pensioners. These were people who could be cared for more conveniently in private homes than in a public institution. An allowance of not more than $30 annually was to be paid each of them and at no time was the num- ber of ont-pensioners to exceed ten. Such orphans as were committed to the poor house were, upon opportun- ity, bound out to tradesmen or mechanies who promised
PRESENT ALMS HOUSE.
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to feed, clothe, and lodge them as well as instruct them in their trade.
In 1823 there was a general feeling in the county that there was not land enough at the Alms-house farm and that a larger tract, properly tilled, would be more satisfactory. Accordingly, the old property was sold at public auction for $505 to Mr. James Dukes and remod- eled by him for private use. The brick building, which is in excellent condition, is still owned by the heirs of the original purchaser. The land purchased for the new farm contained 325 acres, known as the George Garey Farm, the price paid being $2197.581%. Since that time some of the wooded land has been cleared. the timber sold and additional land purchased.
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WHEN TOBACCO WAS KING.
Tobacco played an important part in the early bus- iness transactions of our state. During the Colonial pe- riod no other crop is so often mentioned in Maryland history. Scharf says, "The processes of government, society, and domestic life began and ended with tobacco. Laws were made more or less with reference to this sta- ple-to protect it, maintain its value in price, and to en- hance its each exchangeableness."
In our county, as elsewhere, tobacco came to be used in place of money. Salaries and wages of every kind were paid in this currency, and if it were refused in pay- ment of any obligation, the debt was absolved. It is in- teresting to know that one pound of tobacco would buy three pounds of beef, two pounds a fat pullet, and a hogs- head, when shipped to England, would provide a family with Inxuries for a year.
The culture of this crop was largely responsible for Maryland becoming a slave state. As the wealth of a man was estimated in his annual acreage of tobacco, it naturally became advantageous for the planters to have plenty of cheap labor. One slave could till with ease 6000 hills of tobacco and five acres of corn. Under pressure this amount was sometimes doubled, but it is generally recognized that the Maryland planters were not hard task-masters and usually owned sufficient slaves to prevent the necessity for extreme overwork.
The early settlers were extravagant in everything they did and in nothing more so than in their abuse of the soil for the cultivation of tobacco. New lands proved to be best adapted for this crop and each season virgin soil was broken for its culture. Upon the used land other crops were planted but with no thought for the increase of its fertility. Gradually the land "wore out" and cereals took the place of the "weed" in the field, but never in commercial importance.
During this period tobacco warehouses naturally became places of considerable importance in the county. The one belonging to David Melvill became the most prominent because of its use as a temporary court house. Others were Hughlett's at Bridgetown (Greensboro) ; Richardson's at Gilpin Point; North West Fork at Fed- eralsburg; and Hunting Creek, near Linchester. The
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act authorizing the erection of the Bridgetown Ware- house is typical of those which provided for the others in the county. It is interesting to note the articles nec- essary for inspecting the tobacco :
"BE IT ENACTED by the General Assembly of Maryland, That William Hughlett, of Caroline County, be and he is hereby author- ized to build at Bridgetown a warehouse, for containing and secur- ing tobacco offered for inspection, if in the judgment of the levy court of Caroline county, the erecting of such warehouse would pro- mote the public interest and convenience, and he, the said William Hughlett, or those claiming to hold under him, shall provide and keep constantly in repair, beams, screws, scales, weights, brands and marking irons, and all other things necessary for inspecting tobacco brought into the said warehouse for inspection; and the said warehouse, when erected and finished, shall be deemed a public warehouse, and the proprietor or proprietors thereof may demand, and shall be entitled to receive, one dollar for each hogshead of to- bacco inspected at the said warehouse, before such hogshead shall be removed, as a full compensation for the expense of erecting the said warehouse, and keeping the same in repair, and for the pro- viding of proper scales, weights, brands and marking irons, and all other things necessary for inspecting tobacco and for the payment of the salary or salaries to the inspector or inspectors of the said warehouse, as the proprietor or proprietors of the said warehouse shall agree to pay; and if any tobacco shall remain in the said warehouse above one year after inspection, the proprietor or pro- prietors of the said warehouse may demand, and shall be entitled to receive for each hogshead the further sum of twelve and one-half cents for every month thereafter."
Of such value were the contents of these warehous- es that persons convicted of setting fire to one of them were condemned to suffer the penalty of death without benefit of clergy.
The vestrymen and church wardens of each parish were required to meet at their respective churches be- tween the first and tenth of September each year to nom- inate and recommend to the Governor two or four able and efficient planters well skilled in tobacco to act as inspectors for the warehouses within their parish. The certificates of recommendation thus made were forward- ed to the Governor who then made the appointments. The salaries for inspectors ranged from four to ten thousand pounds of tobacco annually. Each year these men filed with the court their accounts. The following is a copy of one from Hughlett's Warehouse at Bridge- town :
Filed November Term of Court, 1774. The account of James Ginn inspector at Bridgetown, 1774, Caroline County, Bridgetown, Warehouse, Dr.
To inspectors salary in tobacco 4800 1bs.
To 6 1b. Lead at 6p. 3s. To 2 1b. rope 9p. 1 /6. 36
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To a new scale gallows and post, 5 lbs. To 2 new prises at 15 fartherings . 302 To 2 new sweeps, 2 crutches, 2 new tongues and putting in, 15 fartherings 120
To cutting 7 letters in the Warehouse, Brading Iron 7/6 .. 60
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1774 Caroline County Cr.
By 145 crop Hogshead of Tobacco at 20 lbs. per hogshead. 4060 By 15 Transfer Hogshead at 56 lbs. per . 840 By 43 1b. gained by P. C. P. shrinkage at 16 per hundred. 56
Errors Excepted James Ginn 4956
By balance due me, 362 lbs. tobacco 362
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December 14, 1774, then came James Ginn before me, one of his lordship justices of the peace, for the said county, and made oath on the Holy Evangels of Almighty God that this account is just and true as it stand. Stated Sworn before me.
Nath. Potter.
STRANGE MONEY OF LONG AGO.
Tobacco money! How strange it seems! Still for many years colonial people of our own county used to- bacco almost entirely as money. A man used tobacco to pay his taxes, to pay his doctor's bill, to buy his mar- riage license, to buy his Inmber, to pay his workers. to purchase his slaves, to pay the governor of the province and even to pay the preacher's salary. Just a little above Denton stood a tobacco warehouse belonging to David Melvill. The inspector's salary paid in tobacco equalled about $265, as tobacco was valued at 3 or 4 cents a pound. English ships called at Melvill's Land- ing, where the warehouse stood and exchanged their goods for tobacco. No doubt many hogsheads of to- bacco have been rolled down our streets to the Great Choptank in colonial days.
ARTHUR LEE RAIRIGHT.
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THE DUEL BETWEEN DICKINSON AND JACKSON.
The circumstances connected with the famous duel between Andrew Jackson of Tennessee and Charles Dick- inson of Caroline county, Maryland, are herewith given as gleaned from several apparently reliable sources.
Jackson who had been retired from public life was then (1806) living on a farm along the Cumberland Riv- er in Tennessee, about ten miles from Nashville. He had a passion for fine horses and it became a principal branch of his farming business, to raise them from the best stock imported from Virginia and North Carolina. More for the purpose of exhibiting his stock and recommend- ing it to purchasers, than to indulge in the practices common at such places, he brought out his favorite horses upon the race-courses of the day and lost and won in many a well-contested field.
Jackson owned a favorite horse, named Truxton, which he was challenged to run against a horse owned by a Mr. Erwin and his son-in-law, Charles Dickinson. The stakes were to be two thousand dollars on a side, in cash notes, with a forfeiture of eight hundred dollars. The bet was accepted, and a list of notes made out; but when the time for running arrived, Erwin and Diekin- son chose to pay the forfeit. Erwin offered sundry notes not due, withholding the list which was in the hands of Dickinson. Jackson refused to receive them, and de- manded the list, claiming the right to select from the notes described upon it. The list was produced, a selec- tion made, and the affair satisfactorily adjusted. After- wards a rumor reached Dickinson, that General Jackson charged Erwin with producing a list of notes different from the true ones. In an interview between Jackson and Dickinson, the former denied the statement, and the latter gave his author. Jackson instantly proposed to call him in; but Dickinson declined. Meeting with the author shortly after, Jackson had an altercation with him, which ended in blows. Here the affair ought to have ended. But there were those who desired to produce a duel between Jackson and Dickinson. The latter was brave and reckless, a trader in blacks and blooded horses, and reputed to be the best shot in the country. Exas- peration was produced; publication followed publica- tion; insults were given and retorted; until, at length,
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General Jackson was informed that a paper, more severe than its predecessors, was in the hands of the printer, and that Dickinson was about to leave the state. He flew to Nashville, and demanded a sight of it in the print- er's hands. It was insulting in the highest degree, con- tained a direct imputation of cowardice, and concluded with a notice that the author would leave for Maryland, within the coming week. A stern challenge, demanding immediate satisfaction, was the consequence. The chal- lenge was given on the 23d of May, and Dickinson's publication appeared the next morning. Jackson press- ed for an instant meeting; but it was postponed, at the request of the other party, until the 30th, at which time it was to take piace, at Harrison's Mills, on Red River. within the limits of Kentucky. Dickinson occupied the intermediate time in practicing. Jackson went upon the ground firmly impressed with the conviction that his life was eagerly sought, and in the expectation of losing it, but with a determination which such a conviction natu- rally inspired in a bosom that never knew fear. As Dick- inson rode out to the place with a party of friends, he fired at a string supporting an apple and cut the cord in two. It had been agreed that the two men should use pistols and stand eight paces apart facing the same direction and that at the word they should turn towards each other and fire as they chose.
Later, however Jackson and his second Dr. Overton decided it best and agreed that Dickinson shoot first. When all was ready and Overton gave the word, Diek- inson fired and Jackson was seen to press his hand light- ly over his chest while the dust flew from his clothes.
Dickinson at first thought he had missed his man and was seized with terror. Jackson now had his ad- versary at his mercy and slowly pulled the trigger. There was no explosion ; the pistol stopped at half cock which by the rules was not considered a shot. Again Jackson took deliberate aim and fired; the ball severed an artery and Dickinson fell. Jackson with his friend and surgeon, left the ground, and had travelled about twenty miles towards home, when his attendant first dis- covered that the general was wounded, by seeing the blood oozing through his clothes. On examination, it was found that Dickinson's ball had buried itself in his breast, and shattered two of his ribs near their articula- tion with the breastbone. It was some weeks before he
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was able to attend to business. Dickinson was taken 10 a neighboring house, where he survived but a few hours.
The friends of Dickinson, and the enemies of Jack- son, circulated charges of unfairness in the fight, but these were soon put down, in the estimation of candid and impartial judges, by the certificates of the seconds. that all had been done according to the previous under- standing between the parties, and proof that Dickinson himself, though able, to converse, never uttered a single word of complaint before his death.
The Secretary of the Tennessee Historical Society furnishes the following:
"In regard to his ( Charles Dickinson) latter end will say that his remains were buried on the farm of his father-in-law, Mr. Joseph Erwin, then some distance west of Nashville. But the city has so grown in the last fifty years that the grave is now within the bounds of the western district of the city. Until a few years ago it was marked by an old fashioned box tomb, although it had no inscrip- tion whatever. Since the farm has become a part of the city, this tomb has been removed and there is no mark of the grave except that we know exactly its position and are trying to have it perma- nently marked.
In regard to Mr. Dickinson will say that it is now generally admitted that the difficulty with General Jackson grew out of the sporting life of both of them and is attributed largely to differences growing out of a horse race.
I think the verdict of history is that Mr. Dickinson was a young man of promising abilities, but in keeping with the life of the day was high strung, impetuous, and probably imprudent. There is nothing, however, justified with reference to immoral character, no more than was characteristic of life in the South at that time."
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WAR OF 1812.
The War of the Revolution had passed and "politi- cal independence" was an assured fact. Now scarcely more than a quarter of a century had elapsed, when, because of Great Britain's interference with our trade came the demand from our nation for Commercial In- dependence.
The following is the voice of our goverment.
"AN ACT Declaring War between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the dependencies thereof and the Unit- ed States of America and their territories.
BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and House of Representa- tives of the United States of American in Congress assembled, That War be and the same is hereby declared to exist between the U. Kingdom of G. Britain and Ireland and the dependencies there- of and the United States of America and their territories, and that the President of the U. States be and he is hereby authorized to use the whole land and naval forces of the U. States to carry the same into effect and to issue to private armed vessels of the U. States commissions or letters of marque and general reprisal, in such form as he may think proper, and effects of the government of the said U. Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the subjects thereof, June 18, 1812.
Approved,
James Madison.
The military records from the State of Maryland of the War of 1812 were removed from the Adjutant General's office in Annapolis to the War Department at Washington during the Civil War and are not now ac- cessible for private citizens to collect historical data therefrom, therefore the war history of local interest re- lating to Caroline County cannot be fully obtained.
While six thousand soldiers were Maryland's quota, twelve thousand volunteered. Without records, how- ever, for examination, the volunteers from Caroline County cannot be fully named.
Caroline County, true to the spirit of Revolution- ary days, took up the cause and called a citizens meet- ing which was held at Denton. Col. William Whitely, state senator, was made chairman, and Sheriff Robert Orrell secretary; while William Potter, a Federal lead- er, headed the committee on resolutions. The commit- tee of eight appointed to draft the resolutions was also made "A Committee of Correspondence and empowered by the meeting to represent Caroline in any subsequent measures taken by her sister counties in vindication of the national honor."
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Resolutions condemning the attack of the "Leop- ard" were also adopted.
Again when the nominating committee from this electoral district met in Denton, July 21, 1812, they pass- ed resolutions which the following gives in part :
"That an important and awful crisis has now arrived.
"That it is no longer a contest between Federalists and Dem- ocrats but a contest of much more serious nature.
"That the time has now arrived for a line to be drawn be- tween the friends of their country and those who stand up bodly and condemn the measures of government and advocate or palliate the conduct of our implacable enemies."
Then came the call for militia and Caroline respond- ed to the call by contributing to the 12th Brigade, com- manded by Brigadier-general Perry Benson, captain of the Fifth Regiment, Maryland line during the Revolu- tion. Her contribution was the 19th Regiment, also an extra Battlion.
The Regiment and extra Battalions were officered as follows :
Governor Wright appointed Robert Orrell, Lieuten- ant Colonel and commander of the Regiment.
INFANTRY
Name
Rank
Name
Rank
William Potter
Major & Lieut. Col. Major
John Morgan
Lieut.
Nehemiah Townsend
George H. Smith
..
Solomon Richardson
Thomas Manship
John Boone
Adjutant
Henry Willis
Andrew Baggs
Captain
Jesse Collins
66
Selby Bell
Richard Cheezum
Levin Charles
John Jump
Ensign
James Colson
Nathan Russell
Frederick Holbrook
James Shaw
Purnell Fisher
Thomas Andrew Jr.
66
Hugh Taylor
Thomas Silvester
66
Thomas Styll
Jacob Covey
Joseph Talbot
Daniel Cheezum
Thomas Carter
William Bell
Peter Willis
Peregrine Rouse
William Chaffinch
Marcellus Keene
Surgeon
Garretson Blades
Sharles Tilden
Henry Harris
Timothy Caldwell
Thomas H. Douglass
Surgeon's Mate
Emory Bailey
Lieut.
Nathan Whitby
Quartermaster Paymaster
Henry Jump
Alemby Jump James Sangston
William Coursey
James Richardson
66
George Andrew Jr.
Elijah Satterfield
William Turner
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CAVALRY
Name
Rank
Name
Rank
Richard Hughlett
Major Wm. Hardcastle
1st Lieut.
Mitchell Russum
..
Daniel Leverton
William Boone
Henry Nichols
2nd Lieut.
Wm. Hughlett
Captain John Stevens
Samuel Slaughter
Wm. Orrell
66
Thomas Goldsborough
Peter Hardcastle
Thomas Saulsbury
.6
John Stewart
Jemfer Taylor
1st Lieut.
Stephen Fisher
Paymaster Coronet
Of the extra Battalion only two officers are named indicating, probably, that it was as yet incomplete. These officers were Captain Alemby Jump and Lieutenant Sam- uel Culbreth.
While the British were ravaging the Eastern Shore as a whole, wanton outrages were committed at many points along the Bay, and later we will see that Caroline was probably saved by the stern resistance of the Militia along the bay coast.
Among the places suffering from British depreda- tion were:
1 Capture of Mail packet on Bay.
2 Attack on Fredericktown, Cecil Co.
3 Attack on Georgetown, Kent Co.
4 Occupation of Kent Is. by British.
5 Attack on Queenstown.
6 Attack on St. Michaels.
Fleet at Castle Haven.
Caroline County was indirectly connected with some of the above. In the capture of the Mail boat this coun- ty lost a quantity of mail.
When the British fleet set sail from Kent Island and landed at Castle Haven near the mouth of the Choptank River informants said the British were coming north to the Dover Bridge vicinity, from there proceed to ravage the town of Easton and probably all the surrounding ter- ritory. A letter written at Chestertown during that period said, "This day their (British) whole fleet got under way, and stood down the bay, so that we have a little more respite but how long God knows. Report from Kent Island says they intend going up the Chop- tank River at or about Dover ferry."
Why they went no further than Fairhave will never be positively known but remembering the strong ressist- ance of the Militia at St. Michael where a British sol- dier was overheard to say that one officer had been kill-
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ed who was more valuable than the whole town, we may give the bravery of the militia as a probable reason.
Caroline lent her aid to the unfortunate citizens in the bay section by permiting them to drive their cattle inland to the Choptank marshes where they could feed safe from the maranding British.
The war closed. We won in our second bout with the English in spite of blunders, and strange to say when the treaty was made no mention was made of the cause, i. e., Free Trade and Sailor's Rights.
Of the war, Hart says,
"The United States was like a turtle which draws its feet and tail beneath a protecting shell, yet reaches out its hooked jaws to catch its adversary in the most vulnerable part";
while of the Treaty, Tubbs says :
"The best that could be said of the treaty of Ghent was that it was an honorable one."
AN INTERESTING DOCUMENT.
Mr. William A. Stewart holds the Commission is- sued by Gov. Thomas G. Pratt in July 1846 whereby his father, Alexander Stewart, Esq. was appointed captain of a uniform Volunteer Corps attached to the 17th Regi- ment Md. Militia. This Caroline County Corps was known as the "Caroline Stars." The Commission says, "That reposing especial trust and confidence in your Fidelity, Courage, Good conduct, and attachment to the State of Md. and the U. S. you are constituted and ap- pointed captain." Captain Stewart never saw active service, as the Mexican situation was soon well in hand.
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