USA > Maryland > Caroline County > History of Caroline County, Maryland, from its beginning > Part 3
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25
-18-
1 3 Choptank Hundred beginning at Nathaniel Bradley's in Choptank Hundred, and runs with the first line to Tuckahoe Hun- dred, so as to include Francis Orrell's in Choptank Hundred and from thence up Choptank River, and the main branch of the said river to the Dover road and down with the said road to Long Marsh to the head of Tuckahoe Creek and down with the said creek to the said beginning.
4 Bridgetown Hundred beginning at Nathaniel Potter's land- ing on Great Choptank River and running from thence with the main county road that leads to Marshy-Hope Branch, and from the said branch up the said Northwest Fork branch and stream as far as is settled by the inhabitants of the Province of Maryland, and all around as settled as aforesaid, until it intersects the main branch of the head of Great Choptank River, and from thence down the said river branch to Nathaniel Potter's landing on Great Choptank River. 5 Tuckahoe Hundred beginning at Nathaniel Bradley's upon Tuckahoe Creek, and from thence with a straight line to Francis Orrell's on Charles Nichol's plantation on Choptank River, and down with the said river to Vincent Price's and up with Tuckahoe Creek to the said beginning.
The court also appointed in 1774 the following con- stables for the Hundreds as below :
Miscellaneous Orders and Business of the Court:
"The Court ( 1774) appoints Christopher Driver constable of Bridgetown Hundred, Joshua Willis of Great Choptank Hundred, James Cooper of Fork Hundred, and Solomon Mason of Choptank Hundred who respectively took the oath of Government, the oath of Constable, and subscribes the oath of abjuration and repeats and signs the test."
Owing to the indefinite boundaries of the Fork Hun- dred a change was found necessary as Cannon's Ferry proved to be in Delaware. This change made the Fork Hundred so small that the part remaining was in 1776 incorporated in Great Choptank Hundred.
Then the Great Choptank seemed large and unwield- ly for civic purposes, and again, in March, 1780, another change was made separating this Hundred into two parts. The Eastern part became Fork Hundred while the West- ern part retained the name of Great Choptank Hundred. While the names of many of the boundary places have been changed they may be identified by reference to the map of Hundreds.
ELECTION DISTRICTS.
While the hundreds continued as subdivisions from 1774 to about 1800 all elections for county officers in Car- oline County and members of the Assembly of Maryland were held at the county seat, and every voter who had the required qualifications, fifty acres of land, or forty
-19-
ANNES CO.
BULLOCKTOWN
KEENE'S CROSS ROADS
BEARTOWN
1 MEREDITH CROSSROADS OMUD
VMMILL
CAROLINE COUNTY
DURING THE PERIOD-1800-1820. PREPARED FROM RELIABLE SOURCES BY EDWARD M.NOBLE. 2 3 O
SCALE-MILES .
EPISCOPAL CHURCH
BRANCH
OLDTOWN
LEGEND
PURNELL'S SHOPS
OMILL
+ SCHOOL O MILL
=FERRY
OWAREHOUSE (TOBACCO) BRIDGE
MILL BRADLEYSBURG
X6 GREENSBORO x
- HUNDRED'S BOUNDARIES
DIVISION
BOONSBORO
WHITELEYSBURG
- COUNTY ROADS
. TOWNS
3N17
DRIVER'S
BR.
HILLSBORO
HARDCASTLES MILL
CHAPEL
CHAPEL
& CHILTON MILLI
TMETHODIST CHAPEL
DRIVER'S MILZ
NECK MEETING HOUSE
DENTON
PUNCH HALL
TUCKAHOE HUNDRED
AALMSHOUSE
PEARSON'S MILL
DELAWARE
TALBOT COUNTY
BRIDGETOWN HUNDRED
POTTERS
MARSHY HOPE,
LANDING
PRICES WHARF
POTTERS MILL
GILPINS POINT
RIVER
HOWLING CX
FOWLING C'K. MILL
LINE _-
COUNTY ROAD
HOUSTON'S :
BLAIRTOWN
FORK HUNDRED
BLOUMIKE
INOVER
MARSH CK.OR
MEETING HO
METHODIST
CHAPEL
WHARF
SKILLING
MARSILACA
FORK MEETING HO FEDERALSBURG
HUNTING
OR
CAROLINE HUNTING CK. DORCHESTER CHURCH
CH
HUNTING CK. ..
MURRAY'S MILL
ALNAO: COUNTY
-
ROAD
CHOPTANK XE
CROSS ROADS
MELVIN'S WA.
TUCKAHOE CREEK
COUNTY
X WHARVES
A ALMSHOUSE
MASON'S
GINN'S SHOP
RIVER
MILL
+ CHURCH
BOUNDRY LINE )
CHOPTANK HUNDRED
LONG
MARSH
MAP OF
NORTH WEST FORK
MARYLAND
DELAWARE
CHOPTANK
WHARF
HOG CK-
HOG OMILL
LINE
ROAD TO EASTON EDMONSON'S CA.
4
GREAT CHOPTANK HUNDRED
1 ROAD AND
CK
F
JUNTAR AND DIVISION
+ METHODIST MEETING HO.
CONCORD
NINE BRIDGES
pounds sterling in money or personal property, who de- cided to vote was obliged to go there to exercise his rights, not by casting a ballot but viva voce; that is, the voters told the Judge or Judges of the election, the names of the persons for whom they proposed to vote. The Sheriff of the county was then judge of the election and made the official returns of the result. At some period of this method of elections, the polls were kept open four days in succession for the convenience of voters who lived in remote parts of the county.
Finding that the great inconvenience in getting to polling places kept many from voting, the General As- sembly in 1798 enacted a law dividing the counties of the state into election districts of which Caroline County was to possess three. The following year a commission named by the legislature divided Caroline County into the Up- per, Middle and Lower Election distriets which super- seded the several hundreds then in existence. Greens- boro and Denton were the polling places for Ist and 2d districts while the 3rd or Lower district voted at Hunting Creek. In 1805 the voting place of the 3rd dis- triet was removed to "The Walnut Trees" near Hynson and in 1816 returned to Hunting Creek.
Harmony became the election place of the Lower district in 1852, an honor evidently coveted with much eagerness.
The Legislature of 1854 erected district No. 4 which ineluded about all of the territory which is now embraced in the Federalsburg district.
In 1861 the provision was made for dividing Elec- tion district one into two precinets but this Act was re- pealed the following year at which time the county was divided into 5 election distriets with Henderson, Greens- boro, Denton. Harmony and Federalsburg as the respec- tive polling places. This arrangement continued until 1880 when the sixth or Hillsboro election district was organized.
Preston which had been known for some time as Snow Hill became the voting place of the southern por- tion of the Fourth district in 1880 while Harmony con- tinned only as the polling place for the 1st precinct of said district.
In 1894 the section around and including Ridgely having developed rapidly it was found necessary to ereet the Seventh or Ridgely election district while at the same
-21 --
session the Eighth district was formed from parts of the 3rd, 4th and 5th districts and American Corners desig- nated as the polling place.
Somewhat later the 3rd election district having be- come rather unwieldly for voting it was decided to di- vide the same into two polling precincts, an arrangement which still continues.
-22-
LAND GRANTS.
Originally all of Caroline County which lies north and west of the Choptank River lay within the bounds of Kent.
When Talbot county was organized from Kent about 1662 this territory was included. Again in 1707 this part of Caroline was again transferred when Queen Anne county was formed.
Within 23 years after surveys began on Kent Is- land, Thomas Skillington of Talbot had a survey made on the east side of the Choptank River in the Frazier Flats section. This was about March 4, 1663. Shortly thereafter surveys were made on Fowling and Hunting Creeks as well as farther on up the river. Cedar Point the site of Melvill's Warehouse and the first Court House was surveyed for John Edmonson of Talbot in 1665. Likewise were surveys made abont the same time in the Oakland neighborhood then designated as the "Forest of Choptank" and the Marshy Hope section between Smithville and Federalsburg. 'As indicated elsewhere lands were taken up slowly north east of the Choptank because of the uncertainty of the state bom- dary line.
On all lands granted in Maryland by the Lord Pro- prietor to settlers in his province under his "condition of plantation," he reserved an interest in each grant and stipulated an annual land rent to be paid by the grantee for two purposes ; the first was to make the free- holders feel a bond of allegiance to his Lordship, and the second though small in separate changes, yet large in the aggregate,-was his source of personal revenue. The rent was about one shilling (25c) per year on each 50 acres of land granted. These rents called quit-rents were exacted by the Lord Proprietor's government and paid until 1776.
Patent or Land Grant, or How Land Was Originally Given Out By the Proprietor.
Charles, Absolute Lord and Proprietor of the Provinces of Maryland and Avalon, Lord Baron of Baltimore, Etc. To the Persons to whom this Present shall come, Greetings in our Lord God Everlasting. KNOW YE, that Whereas in pursuance of our Instructions to our Govenor and Judge in Land Affairs for the Granting of our Back Lands on the Borders of this our Province,
-23-
bearing date the fourteenth day of June, Seventeen hundred and thirty three, and Registered in our Land Office, Henry Ennalls, deputy surveyor of the county of Dorchester, that by his certificate returned into our Land-Office certified, that he hath laid out for a certain Moore, of said county, a tract of land in said county, on our said borders containing one hundred and thirty acres of said county, a Tract called Calf Path, , and for which land the said Moore has paid the sum of Two pounds, and nine pence half penny sterling.
We therefore hereby Grant unto him, the said Moore all that the aforesaid Tract or Parcel of Land called Calf Path, lying and being in the county aforesaid, and on our said Borders, beginning, (then follow a description of the land) according to the certificate of surveyor thereof, taken and returned into our Land- Office, bearing date nineteenth day of October, seventeen hundred and forty three, and there remaining, together with all Rights, Profits, Benefits and Phivileges thereunto belonging, Royal Mines excepted. TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the same unto him, the said
Moore, his heirs, and assigns, foreevr, to be holden of us and our heirs, as of our Manor of Nanticoke iu free and commons Soccage, by Fealty only for all manner of services.
Yielding and paiyng therefore, yearly, unto us, and our heirs, at our receipt at our City fo St. Mary's the rent of five sihllings, three pence and half penny sterling, in silver or gold; and for a Ine upon every alienation of the said land, or and Part or Parcel thereof, one whole years rent, in silver or gold, or the full value thereof, in such commodities as we and our heirs, or such officer or officers as shall be appointed by us and our heirs, from time to time, to collect and receive the same, shall accept i ndis- charge thereof, at the choice o fus and our heirs, or such officer or officers, aforesaid; Provided that if the said sum for a fine or alien- ation, shallnot be paid unto us and our heirs, or such officer or officers aforesaid, before such alienation, and the said alienation entered upon record either in the Provincial Court, or County Court where the same Parcel of land lieth, within one month next after alienation, then the said alienation shall be void and of no effect. GIVEN under our Great Seal of our said Province of Mary- land. this eighteenth day of March, Anno Dom. seventeen hundred and forty six.
WITNESS our trusty and well-beloved Samuel Ogle, Esquire, Lieutenant General and chief Governor of our said Province of Maryland, Chancellor and Keeper o fthe Great Seal thereof.
-24-
THE MASON AND DIXON LINE.
What is meant by this line? Why does it concern Caroline County? Read and learn. The Mason and Dixon line with its stone markers is the visible record of the treaty made in a territorial war between Pen and Calvert in Colonial days. One historian says, "This dispute had an even date almost with the original grant to Lord Baltimore." This grant it was held covered all the land from the 38° to the 40° parallels and extended to Delaware Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Such being the case it included all the present state of Delaware as well as a strip 15. miles wide along the southern boun- dary line of Pennsylvania.
In the present state of Delaware the Swedes settled first, then the Dutch wrested it from them. Later, in
-25-
1682 a special grant was made from the Duke of York to William Penn giving him the Delaware section. In 1685 this grant was duly confirmed. Proprietary Mary- land refused to submit so that up to the year 1732 there was ceaseless litigation as well as an occasional outrage along the border.
Reverting to the earlier contention we find that in 1681 the "Three Lower Counties," (now Delaware) set- tled the northern boundary separating them from Penn- sylvania as follows: With New Castle for a centre and using a 12 mile radius the arc of a circle was drawn, the line thus made forming the northern boundary then as now.
But the Maryland-Pennsylvania dispute continued and finally in 1750 it was settled by "map," but on real land the location of the boundary was indefinite. Both Penn's heirs, and Frederick, Lord Baltimore, wanted it settled in a manner that would last for all time. The following survey of the Eastern boundary was made lo- cating it definitely.
Recognizing the 38° parallel as the Southern boun- dary of Maryland it was then decided to find on this the middle point between Delaware and Chesapeake Bays and from this run a North line which should form a tan- gent with the New Castle "arc" at its most westerly point. This was done and the line forms the Eastern boundary of Caroline County as well as of the state.
Many interesting facts are connected with the run- ning of this line by the surveyors, most of which are re- corded in a series of letters written by Gov. Sharpe of Maryland to Lord Baltimore.
In a letter dated June 22, 1761, Gov. Sharpe states that the surveyors, running the Maryland-Delaware ling from the "middle point" before mentioned found that on reaching a distance of 25 miles north they were unable to take further observations because they could find no star by which to set their transits. Moreover at the same time they became sickly with Maryland fever from having been so long a time in a dismal part of the coun- try abounding in swamps. [They were in the Hickman and Smithville seetion]. As a result of the letter the sur- vevors were instructed to discontinue for a time.
As a conclusion of the above, Sharpe writes Ang. 17, 1761 stating that on Ang. 9 the surveyors, evidently re- covered from Malaria, were able to make observations
-26-
by Alioth and the Polar Star, accordingly were proceed- ing up the peninsula with the line, believing they would not again be interrupted until they reached Newcastle.
On Sept. 5 they found themselves 44 miles to the north and were hoping to reach Newcastle in October, but it was a case of hope deferred for again on October 22 Sharpe writes that they had been often interrupted by wet and cloudy weather and had not yet extended the line more than 77 miles but believe they lack only 5 or 6 miles of the distance necessary, hence, imagine the re- maining distance can be run in 10 or 12 days. The exact day of completion is not given but the account states that, Nov. 12, 1761, the north and south line has been completed, and they are preparing the tangent ready for the west line.
The fact of 12 days being necessary for the running of a 6 mile line shows the difficulty of the work at that time. Instruments were scarce, and less perfect than now and mayhap surveyors less expert. Moreover in this case the direction of extra work devolved on the sur- veyors. To proceed through the forest it was necessary to open a way. This was done by cutting a roadway or "vista" 8 yards wide along the line to be surveyed, as well as the setting of the stone line marks.
While not connected directly with Caroline County it might be well to here mention the Mason and Dixon line as Maryland's Northern boundary. It was on this line that Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon put their personal work, and for them the entire line was named. Coming over in 1763, they had perhaps even more trials than the surveyors of the North and South Line, for the Indians of Southern Pennsylvania added to their danger.
The East and West Line began 15 miles south of Philadelphia, connecting with the North and South Line at its point of tangency with the Newcastle arc, west along the entire sonthern boundary of Pennsylvania.
And so the historic Mason and Dixon Line was run. It is marked from the "middle point" to the Newcastle tangent and thence to the western limit of Pennsylvania by square mile stones, four snecessive having on one side M and on the other P, while on the fifth stone on the Maryland side has the coat of arms of the Baltimore's and the reverse side that of the Penn's. Such is the story of the Mason and Dixon Line which someone has said, "Next to the Equator is the most widely known line in the world."
-27 --
ROADS, FERRIES, BRIDGES, FENCES AND GATES.
Roads.
Even before the formation of Caroline County, roads and bridges lying within her bounds, had been pro- vided for by this Act passed in September 1704, which was for the benefit of the entire province.
"WHEREAS it is thought convenient, and very much for the benefit of the inhabitants of this province, that roads and paths be marked, and the heads of rivers, creeks and branches, be made passable.
"BE IT THEREFORE ENACTED, by the Queen's most excel- lent majesty, by and with the advice and consent of her Majesty's Governor, Council and Assembly of this province, and the authority of the same, that all public and main roads be hereafter cleared, and well grubbed, fit for traveling, twenty feet wide; and good and substantial bridges made over all heads of rivers, creeks, branches and swamps, where need shall require, at the discretion of the jus- tices of the county courts.
AND, for the better ascertaining what is or shall be deemed public roads, be it LIKEWISE ENACTED, by the authority afore- said, that the justices of the county courts shall set down and as- certain in their records, once every year, what are the public roads of their respective counties, and appoint overseers of the same; and that no persons whatsoever shall alter or change any such public roads, without leave or license of the Governor or Council, or justices of the county courts, upon penalty of five hundred pounds of tobacco.
AND, that all the roads that lead to any ferries, courthouse of any county, or to any church shall be marked on both sides of the road with two notches. And the roads that lead to any county Court house, shall have two notches on the trees on both sides of the road as aforesaid, and another notch a distance above the other two. And any road that leads to a church, shall be marked at the entrance into the same, and at the leaving any other road, with a slip cut down the face of the tree, near the ground. Any road leading to a ferry, and dividing from other public roads shall be marked with three notches of equal distance at the entrance into the same."
In one of these Acts overseers of plantations were required to fell "all dead trees on each side of the main roads, whose limbs hang over the road, to prevent any danger that may happen by falling on travelers."
In November 1798 the Assembly enacted that,
"WHEREAS the present mode of repairing the public roads in Caroline County is found by experience to be expensive, and in- adequate to the purpose intended; and it has been found necessary that proper regulations should forthwith be made for keeping the roads of the said county in due repair; therefore, overseers, not exceeding five in any hundred, shall be appointed."
"AND BE IT ENACTED, that it shall be the duty of the said overseers to keep all the public roads in the said county well and
-28-
sufficiently cleared and grubbed, fit for traveling, twenty feet wide at the least, and to make and keep good and substantial bridges over all the heads of rivers, creeks, branches and swamps, where the same shall be necessary for the convenient and easy passage of travelers, with their wagons, carts, carriages, horses and cattle, and to remove all nuisances which may obstruct or annoy their passage, and well and sufficiently to causeway, all and singular such places in and upon the said roads as shall require the same, at the discretion and by the direction of the said justices; and for this purpose the said justices, or some one or more of them, in their respective neighborhoods, shall be and they are hereby auth- orized and required, from time to time, to superintend the making and repairing of the said roads, bridges and causeways, and to direct and advise the overseers in the execution of this Act."
These overseers had the right when roads needed repair to call upon the inhabitants of the county for the necessary labor. Should those called refuse to go, they must send a substitute or pay a fine of one dollar for each day's absence. That there might be no shirking of work the same fine was imposed if the person attending did not perform a reasonable amount of labor. The own- ers or overseers of slaves were responsible for their at- tendance and work.
An Act to build a bridge and open a road in Caro- line County.
January, 1802.
"WHEREAS it is represented to this General Assmbly, by the petition of sundry inhabitants of Caroline County, that they labor under many inconveniences for want of a bridge over a branch of the Northwest Fork River, at a place known by the name of The Old Bloomery. in said county, and a road to lead from Douglasses mill across the said bridge, until it intersects the main road lead- ing from the Northwest Fork Bridge to Marshyhope bridge; and the prayer of the said petitioners appearing reasonable, therefore,
BE IT ENACTED, by the General Assembly of Maryland, that George Collins, Charles Ross and James Houston, be, and they are hereby appointed commissioners for the purpose of building and completing a new bridge at the same place where the old bridge now stands, over said branch, and the said commissioners, or a majority of them, are hereby empowered to agree and contract with any person or persons, upon the best and cheapest terms they can, to finish and complete the said bridge in a good substantial and workman like manner."
The one hundred and fifty dollars needed for build- ing the bridge was obtained through assessments.
"AND BE IT ENACTED, that the said commissioners, or a majority of them, are hereby authorized and empowered, to lay
-29-
EARLY STEAMBOAT ON THE CHOPTANK.
-30-
out, open and clear, a road at the expense of the petitioners, or any part of them particularly interested therein, or any other persons who may voluntarily offer their assistance, not exceeding twenty four feet in width, to commence at or near Douglass mill afore- said, and to run from thence in the most convenient direction over the Old Bloomery, aforesaid, and through James Houston's lane, or by James Wright's mill, as the said commissioners, or a majority of them, may think most expedient, until it intersects the main road leading from the Northwest Fork bridge to Marshyhope, pro- vided, that the said road shall not go through the garden or meadow of any person or persons without his, her or their consent."
Ferries.
In early Caroline County there were only three bridges of much size-the ones at Greensboro, Federals- burg, and Hillsboro, hence the crossing of the Choptank River below Greensboro had to be made by ferries of which there were about four, as follows: From Melvill's Warehouse across to a point near the Dunning Farm, one from Denton across a little later, from Gilpin's Point to Prices' Landing (Tuckahoe Neck) and from Hog Island (below Dover Bridge) to the Talbot side.
The Court appointed persons to keep these ferries and charge in accordance with the regulated amounts. Tobacco was for a while the chief article of payment as per the following: Court order of Talbot County in 1760: Ordered that if Deborah Nichols doth not keep sufficient boat and hands to transport the inhabitants of this coun- ty from Barker's Landing to Hog Island or from Hog Island to Barker's Landing, and give a good attendance to the said ferry that her allowance next November Court shall be reduced to one-half. (Allowance of 4000 lbs. of tobacco per year.) This amount was paid by the County in addition to the fees paid by everyone outside the county travelling by said ferry.
The rates of non-residents in crossing the Denton Ferry in the year 1800 were as follows: Foot passen- gers 08c, horses 16c, two wheel carriage, horse and pass- engers 35c, four wheel phaeton, horses and passengers 75c, black cattle 12c. Persons that owned land in the county but not residing therein were not charged for fer- riage.
Bridges.
The three bridges in the County were evidently con- structed very early as evidenced by some legislation con- cerning these structures as follows:
-31-
November, 1794.
"WHEREAS the inhabitants of Talbot, Queen-Anne's and Caroline counties by their petition to this General Assembly have set forth that the bridge over Tuckahoe creek is in a ruinous and almost impassable condition and have in their petition stated their advantages that would result by the erection of a new bridge over said creek, about three hundred years below the place of the old bridge, and it appearing that by building the new bridge, as prayed for, and altering part of the public road as may be necessary so as to pass over the same, will shorten the distance for travelers, and add to the convenience and advantage of the said three counties; And whereas the bridge heretofore built was done and kept up at the expense of the said three counties, the said petitioners have prayed for a new one to be erected, and that the sum of one hun- dred and fifty pounds may be levied on the said counties respec- tively for the purpose aforesaid; wherefore to carry the same into effect,
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.