USA > Maryland > Harford County > History of Harford County, Maryland : from 1608 (the year of Smith's expedition) to the close of the War of 1812 > Part 15
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Colonel Smith died from an apoplectic stroke, after three days illness, on Thursday morning, December 17, 1835, faithfully attended by Drs. Gillette and Rob- ert Archer. He was buried on the farm he owned, in a private lot, about one hundred yards from the Churchville road. Smith's Chapel, built on a part of this farm, was erected in his memory. He was a Mason, yet for some reason the Masonic ceremonies at his grave were delayed till the following April, when the "Craft assembled accordingly at the house of Mr. Carvil H. Prigg, in the vicinity of Brother Smith's grave, where the lodge was opened in the first degree, formed in procession and marched to the grave, where the usual ceremonies were gone through with and an
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HISTORY OF HARFORD COUNTY.
appropriate eulogy delivered by Brother Israel D. Maulsby, after which the lodge returned to Mr. C. H. Prigg's and was closed. Those present were I. D. Maulsby, John Wann, C. D. Bouldin, H. Richardson, W. I. McIlhenny, Wm. McC. Jeffery, Robert Miller, Jas. Miller, T. Welch, S. Welch, E. Morrison, B. M. Billingslea, M. G. McComas. The visitors were S. Boyd, T. Courtnay, John Donohoo, Pritchard Loflin, E. Elliott and J. Ergood."
The following is a copy of the return of the Forty- second Regiment of Maryland Militia, as organized by Brig-Gen. Thomas M. Foreman, commanding the First Brigade, encamped at Hampstead Hill, commanded by Col. Wm. Smith :
FIELD OFFICERS.
Lieutenant-Colonel, William Smith, commanding. Major, Joshua Ward.
Major, George McCausland.
STAFF OFFICERS.
Adjutant, William Richardson.
Quartermaster, James Maxwell.
Paymaster, Benjamin Nowland.
Surgeon, Robert H. Archer.
Surgeon's Mate, H. E. Coleman.
COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.
First Company .- Captain, G. W. Lighter ; Lieuten- ant, John Lynton; Second Lieutenant, James Patter- son ; Ensign, David Silver. Rifles, sixty-four privates.
Second Company .- Captain, Andrew Smith; Lieu- tenant, Joseph Ash; Ensign, John Short. Sixty-four privates.
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HISTORY OF HARFORD COUNTY.
Third Company .- Captain, Henry Ruff ; Lieutenant,, Hanson Courtney ; Ensign, Garrett Brown. Sixty-four, privates.
Fourth Company .- Captain Joshua M. Amos ; Lieu- tenant, Thomas Johnson ; Ensign, James Kerr. Fifty- four privates.
Fifth Company .- Captain, Jacob Michael; Lieuten- ant, Zach. Kimble.
Sixth Company .- Captain, John Turner ; Lieutenant, Wm. Amos; Ensign, Philip Doran. Sixty-four pri- vates.
Seventh Company .- Captain, Jas. Rampley ; Lieuten- ant, M. Johnson ; Ensign, Wm. Amos, of Thos. Sixty- four privates.
Eighth Company .- Captain, Joshua Amos ; Lieuten- ant, B. Magness ; Ensign, Benj. L. Amos. Sixty-four privates.
Ninth Company .- Captain, John Smithson ; Lieuten- ant, Solomon Edy; Ensign, Thos. L. Richardson. Sixty-four privates.
Tenth Company .- Captain, John Herbert; Lieuten- ant, W. G. Dove; Ensign, Edward Saunders. Sixty- four privates.
Eleventh Company .- Captain, Frederick T. Amos; Lieutenant, Wm. Forwood; Ensign, John Nevill. Six- ty-four privates.
Total number of privates for the eleven companies, six hundred and ninety-four.
"September 11, 1814 .- This day Capt. John B. Bay- less is permitted to take command of Capt. John Her- bert's company by particular request of both parties."
Ensign David Silver's brother, Benjamin, was the father of Benjamin, Jeremiah, John, William, James
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HISTORY OF HARFORD COUNTY.
and Philip Silver. Israel D. Maulsby was the father of Judge Maulsby, whose portrait hangs in the court- house. He pronounced the Masonic eulogy at the grave of Col. Wm. Smith .*
*Historical Address of Dr. B. L. Smith.
THE ROCKS OF DEER CREEK
CHAPTER XIX.
HAVRE DE GRACE.
ORIGIN OF THE NAME-EARLY DESCRIPTION-ORGANIZATION AS A TOWN-FIRST TOWN COMMISSIONERS-PROCEEDINGS-RETURNS OF ELECTION.
The beautiful city at the mouth of the Susquehanna dates its origin about the time of our Revolutionary War, as the first mention of the name of which we have any record is in a letter from Lafayette to General Washington during the Revolution, and dated at Havre de Grace. It is almost certain that the first settlers at Havre de Grace were followers of the rebel Claiborne, who came here from the Eastern Shore of Maryland. He is said to have had a factory on Palmer's Island, at the mouth of the Susquehanna, where mink, otter, muskrat, beaver and other skins were purchased from the Indians and cured preparatory to their shipment to England.
The settlement continued to grow down to the time of the formation of the county in 1773-4, at which date there were nearly two hundred inhabitants. It had no distinguishing name save that of Susquehanna Lower Ferry. The origin of the name of Havre de Grace seems to be involved in considerable obscurity. One tradition ascribes it to Lafayette, and another to an old French fisherman, who thought it resembled the har- bor of that name in France, a view which is said to
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HISTORY OF HARFORD COUNTY.
have been subsequently confirmed by Lafayette. At all events, we know that the present name of the city was coincident with the visit of Lafayette. A pamphlet published in 1795 says: "Havre de Grace at present consists of about fifty good dwelling-houses; but the ground plot of the town comprehends eight hundred and fifty acres which have been laid out in squares in imitation of the plan of Philadelphia. These squares are now divided into lots, amounting in the whole to forty-five hundred. The principal street is one hun- dred and thirty-two feet wide, and the others seventy. This town is also situated on the post road leading through Philadelphia and Baltimore, sixty-five miles from the former and forty from the latter. The mail arrived six times a week in its passage to these cities, an advantage of no small importance."
The writer gets the distance about four miles too great to Baltimore, but it is fairly accurate for those days. Havre de Grace was first incorporated by the Act of 1785, chapter 55.
The preamble recites that whereas Robert Young Stokes, deceased, did in his lifetime survey and lay out into lots a town at the mouth of the Susquehanna, which he called Havre de Grace, and that it would be to the interest of the owners of the lots to have an organiza- tion as a town, with commissioners, etc. The act ap- points Samuel Hughes, Benedict Edward Hall, Wil- liam Smith (Bayside), Josias Carvil Hall and Gabriel Christie, commissioners, and confers the powers cus- tomary to that day upon the town government.
The first act for the town government named the commissioners as above stated, and provided for the annual election of their successors, but this provision
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HISTORY OF HARFORD COUNTY.
was not observed until after the act of 1811, which directed an annual election, and provided that the com- missioners should serve for one year and no longer. Since that time there have been annual elections in Havre de Grace. Some of the early commissioners did not reside in the town. Col. Samuel Hughes, for in- stance, lived at Mount Pleasant farm, on which Mr. William P. C. Whitaker lately resided, and at least one of the Halls named in the record was never a citizen of the town. The strife for office could not have been great in those days. There is no town record of those who composed the board prior to 1800, except that William Smith was a commissioner in 1799, and although the name of Smith is one of the most fre- quently met with, Havre de Grace has never had a commissioner of that name since 1799.
1800
October 16th the board met.
Commissioners present : Samuel Hughes, Benedict E. Hall and Gabriel Christie.
Roger Boyce was appointed clerk.
The commissioners then elected by ballot James Hall as one of their number in place of William Smith, deceased. The clerk was directed to advertise Market Space for rent. On November 1Ith Market Space was set up at public auction and rented to Alexander Rogers for three years at two hundred dollars per annum.
1801.
April 7 .- Commissioners met at Mrs. Hayward's tavern. Present Samuel Hughes, Gabriel Christie and
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HISTORY OF HARFORD COUNTY.
James W. Hall. Renting of streets was postponed. Mr. Christie resigned his seat as commissioner.
April 14 .- Board met. Present Samuel Hughes, Josias C. Hall and James W. Hall. Abel Murphy was elected commissioner in place of Gabriel Christy, re- signed.
The streets were rented as follows :
Lewis street to James W. Hall for $25.
Fayette street to Barney Boyce for $25.
Congress street to Barney Bartol for $25.
Bourbon street to Abel Warple and Barney Boyce for $25.
Thomas Cofield was to have the preference of the last two streets if he wanted them.
June 15 .- John Dutton was appointed inspector of lumber, John Kindlemeyer was appointed inspector of lumber and Roger Boyce inspector of salted provi- sions.
1802.
March 6 .- Board met. Same members, all being present. Roger Boyce resigned as clerk and William G. Hands was elected, swearing in before Alexander Rogers, justice of the peace. The clerk was directed to apportion, levy and collect the sum of ten pounds on the property of the citizens of the town agreeable to the assessment of the county commissioners, whose valuation shall be his guide and direction.
Samuel Jay was appointed "collector of rents for the streets," and Benedict Edward Hall was requested in his capacity of associate judge of the county to "qual- ify the officers appointed at last meeting."
April 6 .- Mr. B. E. Hall was appointed to rent the
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HISTORY OF HARFORD COUNTY.
streets, the renters' rights to extend only fifty feet back from high-water mark. The clerk was directed to collect rents due the town, as Mr. Jay had refused to accept the office.
1803.
Of five commissioners and clerk all were named Hall, except one, viz : Samuel Hughes.
February 8 .- Jonathan Dorsey was appointed to "execute a supplement to the act entitled an act to prevent the going at large of geese and swine in the town of Havre de Grace."
John Dutton and William McCaskey were appointed assessors of the property of the inhabitants of the town.
April 22 .- Present S. Hughes, B. E. Hall and J. W. Hall. These commissioners proceed to sign their bond to the State of Maryland for the performance of their duties as managers of the Havre de Grace lottery, "for the point of which the following arrangement was made at the joint risque of the commissioners: That the secretary be authorized to deliver any number of tickets under the direction in writing of any of the commissioners, taking down whatever number deliv- ered and to whom."
William McCaskey was inspector of flour and quali- fied before B. E. Hall, judge.
August 5 .- It was resolved "that each commissioner take three hundred lottery tickets, with fifty of tliem each are to be charged on their own account; the rest they are to sell, if possible; if not, to be returned." The clerk was directed to deliver Captain Boyce one book of tickets, and to advertise that the drawing of
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HISTORY OF HARFORD COUNTY.
the Havre de Grace lottery will commence on the first of November next.
Here there seems to have been an interruption of the proceedings. The next record is dated April 2, 1806, and is a different hand writing. Barrick Williams was probably clerk from 1806 until 1809. The proceedings continue.
1806.
April 2 .- Present Roger Boyce, Samuel Jay, Gabriel Christie, who qualified according to law.
Roger Boyce was appointed inspector of fish and salted provisions for this district.
June II .- The board met and ordered the constable of the town to "summon a sufficient number of the male inhabitants of the town of Havre de Grace to remove a nuisance accompanied by the fish troughs of Christian Hoopman, on the morning of the 12th of June instant, agreeable to the form of the Act of Assembly made and provided."
1807.
April 15 .- The clerk was ordered to advertise Mar- ket Space and the fisheries on adjoining streets for rent.
(This was the only meeting held this year, according to the record.)
1808.
(There is no record of any meeting this year.)
1809.
March 31 .- Present B. E. Hall, Roger Boyce, Sam- uel Jay. It was resolved "that Gabriel Christie being
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HISTORY OF HARFORD COUNTY.
dead and Able Marple having withdrawn from his resi- dence to parts beyond the sea, the commissioners pro- ceed to fill up the vacancies, -and have appointed Aquila Hall and Capt. Bennet Barnes, agreeably to the powers in them vested."
April I .- Present the full board. (We copy the fol- lowing entry verbatim :)
"And in pursuance of Powers vested in them by Law, to raise the sum of 5000 dollars, clear of all ex- penses, by Lottery, and having by experience found the total impracticability of effecting it in this place, and conceiving that they are within the spirit and Letter of the Law, have and do now give full power and ample authority to Samuel Hughes and Mark Pringle, Esqrs., to negotiate with Lottery Brokers or others in the city of Baltimore, any plan or scheme which may be law- fully done, under the authority of the Commissioners to raise the above sum of 5000 drs. clear of all charges. Any person or persons with whom the said Samuel Hughes and Mark Pringle may contract with, shall give bond, with security, to be approved by the Com- missioners, to pay the prizes to the fortunate Adven- turers, and all the expenses of the Lottery, as well as the sum of 5000 drs., to the Commissioners, clear of all expenses."
(There are entries of meetings on April 4, April 8, April 15 and April 17, all at Mrs. Sears' tavern, but no business was transacted.)
July 8 .- Present, "the whole body." The clerk was directed to notify Mr. Cornelius Chandlee, in writing, to remove "a nuisance" from his premises within one month. (This "nuisance" was occasioned by stagnant water in Mr. Chandlee's cellar.)
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HISTORY OF HARFORD COUNTY.
September 23 .- Mr. George Poe, of Baltimore, was directed to be sued for amount of rent due the town.
September 27 .- Present, Messrs. Barnes, A. Hall, Jay and Boyce. The following was adopted :
"Resolved, That whereas the said Commissioners did heretofore authorize and empower Samuel Hughes and Mark Pringle, Esqrs., to contract for the drawing of the Lottery for Havre de Grace, that the said Samuel Hughes and Mark Pringle be and are hereby author- ized and empowered to pay as much of the proceeds of said lottery into the hands of Samuel Hughes, Mark Pringle, Paca Smith, William B. Stokes and Aquila Hall, as shall reimburse them for any sum or sums of Money, with interest, which they have or may hereafter advance for the purpose of Erecting a Church in the Parish of Havre de Grace, or so much thereof as they may not have been otherwise reimbursed by other ways and means."
The secretary was directed to advertise "that the law to prevent Hogs and Geese from going at large in the town will positively be put in force on the first day of December next."
December 28 .- Present, Messrs. Boyce, A. Hall, Barnes and Jay.
Public property was rented, as follows: Market Space to Jacob Poe at $100 per annum ; Bourbon street to Christian Hoopman at $25 per annum; Lafayette street to John K. Meyers at $20 per annum.
1810.
January 28 .- The Board met. Present Roger Boyce, Samuel Jay and Bennet Barnes.
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HISTORY OF HARFORD COUNTY.
After paying Barrick Williams $80 for services ren- dered as a clerk it was found that there was cash on hand and held by private persons, available funds to the amount of $713. Samuel Jay was appointed to col- lect this money, and the following resolutions were adopted :
"Resolved, That the above sum of $713 be and is hereby appropriated for the purpose of erecting a mar- ket-house in Havre de Grace.
"Resolved, That Aquila Hall, Roger Boyce and Ben- net Barnes be and they are hereby appointed and em- powered to adopt a plan to fix upon a scite (the most eligible, in their judgment, on any of the public grounds or streets), for the erecting of said market- house, and to receive proposals, and to contract for building of the same.
"Resolved, That any surplus Monies remaining in the hands of the Treasurer after the Cost and Expense of Building the Market-house be deducted, be, and the same is, hereby appropriated as a Fund towards Erect- ing a Schoolhouse in Havre de Grace, and that the said Aquila Hall, Roger Boyce and Bennet Barnes be and are hereby appointed and empowered to adopt a plan, fix on a scite, Receive proposals and contract for the Building of the said Schoolhouse.
"Resolved, That a subscription be opened for the pur- pose of adding to the funds for Building a Market- house, and that the several sums so subscribed for the same be made payable to the Treasurer."
The clerk, Barrick Williams, then resigned his office, and the Board of 1810 adjourned sine die.
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HISTORY OF HARFORD COUNTY.
18II.
There is no record of there having been a board of commissioners in this year. No meeting was held.
1812.
In pursuance of powers vested in them by an act of the Legislature, passed in 1811, the legal voters of the town met on the first Monday in January of this year, and, after choosing judges to conduct the same, held an election for town commissioners. We have not the returns of this election, but know that Messrs. William Coale, Joshua Green, John Milhoof, John Donn and William B. Stokes were the gentlemen chosen. It may be mentioned here also that for several years after this the voters assembled at the polls upon election day and chose their own judges, while the clerk to the com- missioners acted as clerk of the election. Before the town schoolhouse was built, the elections were held at different places-sometimes at Mr. James O'Brien's schoolroom, sometimes at "Mr. Coale's preaching- room" and elsewhere.
The gentlemen named above met on April II, and organized by electing James O'Brien clerk.
On April 14 St. Claire street was rented to Thomas Courtney at $5 per year.
September 15 .- Board met and took measures to col- lect money due the town.
The clerk was directed to "furnish to the commis- sioners by the first day of November an accurate state- ment of the free males, residents of the town, alphabeti- cally arranged."
An ordinance was passed forbidding all persons from
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HISTORY OF HARFORD COUNTY.
enclosing any part of the streets, lanes or alleys of the town.
Also an ordinance forbidding all persons from dig- ging or taking away any earth, sand or gravel stones from any of the streets, lanes or alleys, under a penalty of $5.
October 12 .- An ordinance was passed forbidding the discharge of firearms within the limits of the town, under a penalty of 50 cents for each offence, the prohibi- tion not to apply to the shooting of ducks or other wild fowl "sitting on or flying over the waters in front of the shores of the town."
December 31 .- After auditing the books it was ascertained that the whole amount in the treasurer's hands, and due the town from other persons, was $570.75.
1813.
For the first time we are able to give the returns of a Havre de Grace election. William Coale received 49 votes ; John Donn, 49; Joshua Green, 47; William B. Stokes, 39; Joshua Millhoof, 27; Thomas Courtney, 21 ; James Wood, 18; Charles Foreman, I ; John Dut- ton, I; Platt Whitaker, -. The first five named were elected, who organized March 20 by electing James O'Brien clerk and Joshua Green treasurer. On April I the streets, etc., of the town were rented at public auction until the first of the following January, as follows :
All the land in the addition to Havre de Grace, south of Revolution street, to Mark Pringle, for $19; St. Claire street to Thomas Brown for $5; Fountain and Revolution streets and Market Space were rented
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HISTORY OF HARFORD COUNTY.
together to Jacob Poe for $66.66 2-3; Lafayette street to William Coale for $14; Concord street to Thomas Courtney for $3.33 1-3; Bourbon street to Jacob Poe for $13.66 2-3.
No further business during the year, except paying the clerk $25 salary.
1814.
The election this year resulted as follows: William Coale, 32 ; James Wood, 31 ; John Donn, 29; William B. Stokes, 25; Henry Carver, 17; John Warehan, 3; John Donahue, 3; John Mckinney, I ; John Crawford, 2; Nicholas Suter, I ; William Bell, 1; Ben Hobbs, I; Andrew Rhoads, I; Charles Johnson, I; James Wat- kins, 1 ; Chris. Levy, I; William McCaskey, I; Joshua Green, I ; Thomas Chandlee, I ; George Bartol, I.
Mr. O'Brien was continued as clerk, and on June 25 was directed to write to John Love, Esq., engaging him to "run out the town." John Donn and James Wood were appointed to "hire chain carriers, procure stones and to have the same set up at the four corners of each and every square as soon as the said corners are ascer- tained." The clerk was paid $25, as part of his year's salary, and all the money remaining in the treasurer's hands was pledged to pay for the survey and marking as above ordered.
1815.
At the election this year John Donn received 22 votes : William Coale, 20; William B. Stokes, 18; Henry Carver, 16; Thomas Courtney, 15; James Wood, 14; John Donahue, I; Joshua Green, I; Thomas Chandlee, I ; Ben. Ward, I ; Benjamin Chandlee, I.
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HISTORY OF HARFORD COUNTY.
On January 7 James O'Brien was re-elected clerk. Joshua Green resigned as treasurer, and John Donn was elected to that office.
May 27 .- Thomas Courtney offered to furnish the six hundred stones for the street corners at fifteen cents each, and his bid was accepted. On September II Mr. Courtney was authorized to "haul, set up the stones and dig the holes" for the corner-stones at eight cents each.
Market Space and all the streets and alleys intersect- ing it was rented to John Donn for seven years at $283 per annum.
NOTE-Capt. C. A. Conner furnished the data for the aforegoing sketch o Havre de Grace.
1
CHAPTER XX.
MISCELLANEOUS.
HARFORD PENSIONERS FROM THE REVOLUTION- SOLICITORS OF SUB- SCRIPTION TO ASSOCIATION OF FREEMEN OF MARYLAND- EARLY IRON WORKS-GOVERNOR PACA AND GOVERNOR BRAD- FORD-HARFORD MILITIA COMPANIES-HARFORD STATISTICS, 1798-COURT OFFICERS AND JURIES, 1800-SAME, 1803-1806- NUNCUPATIVE WILL OF JOSEPH BUTLER, LIEUTENANT IN SMALLWOOD'S REGIMENT, KILLED AT BATTLE OF LONG ISLAND -MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE OF JOHN WORTHINGTON AND PRIS- CILLA WILSON, 1769-MY LADY'S MANOR-BEL AIR ACADEMY.
There were in Harford county by the census of 1840 ten persons drawing pensions as soldiers of the Revo- lutionary War. They were Andrew McAdow, Jarret Tracey, Thomas Schivington, William Sloan, Henry Long, John Heaps and Archibald Heaps.
The following named persons were designated by the Harford Committee to solicit subscriptions to the Asso- ciation of the Freemen of Maryland, viz :
Deer Creek Upper-John Donohoo, Wm. Fisher, Jr., and Alex. Rigdon.
Deer Creek Lower-John Winston Dallam.
Bush Upper-William McComas, Jr., John Kean and Robert Harris.
Spesutie Upper-James Moores, (tanner), Bennet Mathews, James Clendenin and David Clark.
Spesutie Lower-Edward Hall, Jacob Forwood, Francis Holland.
HISTORY OF HARFORD COUNTY. 263
Susquehanna-James Horner, John Rodgers, John Rumsey, Samuel Howell and Samuel Bayless.
Gunpowder Lower-Henry Wetherall, John Day, Jr., John Durham, Alex. Cowan, Benjamin Rumsey.
Bush Lower-John Taylor, Gabriel Vanhorn, Wil- liam Bond, Henry Wilson, Jr.
(From a detached paper from the clerk's office, 1776:)
A LIST OF NON-ASSOCIATORS.
Benj. Herbert, Jr., refuses to sign through relig- ious principles.
Richard Hargrove refuses to sign through religious principles.
William Wilson, son of John, refuses to sign through religious principles.
Benj. Harboard refuses to sign through religious principles.
Michael Bocer don't sign by reason he signed before.
Thomas Gilbert don't sign by reason he don't choose it.
Thos. West don't sign by reason it is a mystery to him.
Philip Cummins don't sign by reason he don't under- stand the matter.
John Ward don't sign by reason the Congress don't sign and by reason he thinks that if the English gain the day then the Congress and the great people will turn the scale and say the commonality of people force them to stand in opposition to the English.
John Clark don't sign by no reason he can give.
Ephraim Arnold don't sign for fear it would fetch him into a scrape.
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HISTORY OF HARFORD COUNTY.
Isaac Penrose don't sign for reason he don't choose to fight for liberty and never will.
Benjamin Fleetwood refuses to sign. He says he will go in a vessel, but will not fight by land.
Samuel Gallion says if he should sign he may fetch on himself that he cannot go through.
Richard Spencer says he cannot write nor read, and shall not sign any paper.
At Stafford, at the mouth of Deer Creek, was located an iron forge before the Revolution. It was erected by George Rock in the year 1749, and the same year it passed into the ownership of Onion & Lawson. Stephen Onion was one of the pioneer ironmakers in this country, and was instrumental in the erection of the Principio Iron Works. He came from Stafford- shire, in England, and as the name Stafford dates from this period it is supposed Onion applied it out of com- pliment to his native shire in England.
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