USA > Maryland > Talbot County > History of Talbot county, Maryland, 1661-1861, Volume II > Part 52
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As it "seemed reasonable" to the General Assembly to grant this. prayer, an act was accordingly passed May 14, 1789 authorizing and empowering Mr. Tilghman and Mr. Gordon to transfer the property, according to the tenor of their memorial.
Under the sanction of this act, Mr. Tilghman, on the 12th day of October, and the Rev. Mr. Gordon on the 5th day of the same month, in consideration of one shilling current money of Maryland, "bargained and sold to Thomas Sherwood, William Goldsborough, Samuel Chamber- lain, Howes Goldsborough and Lloyd Tilghman, Trustees of the Alms and Work House, for the time being and to their successors forever, in trust, for an Alms and Work House," the whole property of the charity school, as described in the deed of David Robinson to Thomas Bacon, in 1753. This property continues down to the present time in the possession of the Trustees of the Poor, and is used for the pur- pose expressed in the deed of trust above mentioned.
This account of the Charity Working School of Parson Bacon, has been given with greater elaboration and minuteness of detail than a rigid literary criticism, perhaps, will sanction: but it is conceived that local annals must possess these very qualities if they are to be of any value as historical materials. The authorities which have been
492
HISTORY OF TALBOT COUNTY
relied upon for its compilation are these: The Records of Talbot County; the parish Register of St. Peter's Parish; the files of the Maryland Gazette, at Annapolis; Kilty's Laws of Md .; the unpublished manu- script History of the Parishes of Md., by the Rev. Ethan Allen, and the memoir of the Rev. Thomas Bacon, by the same industrious collector, published in the American Quarterly Church Review, for Oct. 1865.
P. S .- Since the foregoing article was placed in the hands of the printer, the writer has been able to obtain, through the kindness of Dr. Dalrymple, curator of the Archives of the Diocese of Maryland a copy of Dr. Bacon's sermon, preached Oct. 14th, 1750, "for the Benefit of the Charity Working School." To this sermon is annexed a "Copy of the Proposals, Rules, Subscription Roll, and other proceedings relating to the Charity School, intended to be set up in the Parish of St. Peter's in Talbot county, in the Province of Maryland." This appendix is prefaced by these remarks:
The Trustees have thought proper to publish the following Papers, that the nature, intent and foundation of the proposed school may be more generally known; and that well disposed charitable Christians may thereby be encouraged to bestow their Benefactions, where they may be assured of their being laid out to good and pious uses; and where the Subscriptions and contributions are already, by God's Bless- ing so far advanced as they need not doubt of its being carried into Execution.
Such persons as are willing to join in promoting his useful and laud- able design are requested to pay or transmit their benefactions into the Hands of Mr. Jas. Dickinson, of Dover, on Choptank, Merchant, then Treasurer: or if they think proper to become annual subscribers, and live at too great a distance to sign the Subscription Roll, they are desired to signify the same to the said Treasurer by letter, that their names and subscriptions may be inserted upon the List.
This is followed by these six papers, viz: I. "A General Plan," (Already published.) II. "Rules referred to in the Subscription Roll," (already published.) III. "The Subscription Roll," (already published). IV. Minutes of the proceedings of the first general meet- ing of the subscribers held Sept. 29th, 1750, of which an abstract is here presented.
Mr. Bacon reported the subscriptions and benefactions to be as follows, viz:
Currency.
Annual Subscriptions .
£106 16s
0d
Benefactions & Collections .
£ 61 12s 1d
Total
£168 8s 1d
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THE SCHOOLS OF TALBOT
Then were elected as Trustees, and Treasurer, those gentlemen named in the text of this article. The Treasurer gave bond for £200 sterling. "The General Plan" and "the Rules," were adopted as the standing rules and orders for the government of the school, subject to changes at a general meeting of the subscribers. It was resolved that a chairman be appointed at each general meeting: that the next general meeting be held on Easter Tuesday in 1751, and that ordinary general meetings should be held on Easter Wednesday, and the third Tuesday in October of each year without previous notice; that extra- ordinary general meetings might be called by the Trustees, by giving notice ten days before the time selected, at the Parish church, and by advertisement set up at the Court House; that subscription should be paid half yearly on the 14th of January and the 14th of July of each year, to the Treasurer; that the Trustees, with the Rector of the Parish and Treasurer have power to regulate their own times of meeting and to form laws for the regulation of the master, scholars and all other matters relating to the school. At this first meeting Mr. Bacon paid into the hands of the Treasurer £61, 12s, 1d currency. V. "A list of the annual subscribers with their several subscriptions as they stood the 30th of October, 1750." This list is nearly the same as that already published in this contribution, which was derived from Dr. Allen's manuscripts. In order to make them exactly conform it is necessary to add the names of a few subscribers and the amounts of their annual subscriptions, viz:
IN TALBOT COUNTY
£
S d
William Robbins
2
5
0
Zadock Bodfield
0
5
0
William Oxenham
1 5 0
James Woolcott
0 10 0
IN DORCHESTER COUNTY
£
S d
John Casson .
2
0
0
Dr. Jno. Ennals
1 10 0
Total value of annual subscriptions to 30th Oct. 1750 117 16 0
VI. "A list of casual Benefactions, Collections, &c., to the 30th of October, 1750." As this list is much more complete than that already printed from Dr. Allen's manuscript, it is here given in full, and is as follows:
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HISTORY OF TALBOT COUNTY
Received from Mr. Jacob Hindman, Talbot county, six shillings, currency; from Capt. John Williams, Somerset county, two pounds ten shillings, currency; from the Rev. Mr. Pat. Glasgow, rector of All-Hallows, in Worcester county, one pound ten shillings, currency; from Mr. John Hamilton, Dissenting teacher, at Princess Anne's, in Somerset county, one Pistole; from Henry Sowes, Jr., Talbot county, ten shillings, currency; from Master Levin Gale, Talbot county, one pound, six pence, currency; from Master Tubman Sowes, Talbot county, one pound currency; from a gentleman desiring to be unknown, Philadelphia, one pistole; from a lady desiring to be unknown, Talbot county, one German piece of Gold; from Capt. John Coward, Talbot county, one pound, currency; from Mr. John Edge, Talbot county, one pound, currency; from Mr. Pott's, Dorchester county, one pound, currency; from a person desiring to be unknown, Dorchester county, two pounds, currency; from a gentleman desiring to be unknown, Dorchester county, half a pistole; from Mr. Const. Bull, Cecil county, two pieces of Eight; from A. Hamilton, M.D., Annapolis, one pound, currency; from a gentleman desiring to be unknown, Annapolis, one Moidore; from Major Barth, Ennalls, High Sheriff of Dorchester county, one pound, currency; from John Ross, Esq., Annapolis, two guineas; from Dan'l Dulany, Jr., Esq., Annapolis, two pistoles; from Mr. Nich. McGubbins, Annapolis, two guineas; from a gentleman desiring to be unknown, Annapolis, ten pieces of eight; from Mr. Wil- liam Middleton, Annapolis, one pistole; from Mr. Lambert Booker, Talbot county, one pound, currency; from Mr. Phil. Walker, Talbot county, two pounds currency; from Mrs. Walker, ten shillings, cur- rency; from Miss Dickinson, Talbot county, five shillings, currency ; from Major John Dixon, Talbot county, two pounds, currency; from Mr. Nich. Glenn, Talbot county, two shillings and six pence, currency; from Mr. Richard Austin, Talbot county, five shillings, currency; from several worthy benefactors at a charity sermon preached at Princess Anne's town, in Somerset county, the 23rd of August last, three shillings and two pence halfpenny, sterling, four pistoles and a half, eight pieces of eight and a half, one bitt, and four pound eleven shillings, currency ; from the Vestry of St. Peter's, being money collected at the offertory, one chequin, four pieces of eight, and two pounds, eighteen shillings and seven pence, currency; ready money collected in the church on the 14th of October, 1750, at the charity sermon, three shillings, sterl- ing, one German piece of gold, and fourteen shillings, currency-all of which being reduced to the value of current money of this Province, amounts to seventy pounds fourteen shillings, currency.
Annual Subscriptions to the 30th Oct., 1750, value.
£ S d
117 16 0
Benefactions &c., to do value
70 14 0
188 10 0 Total.
495
THE SCHOOLS OF TALBOT
For which several subscriptions and benefactions, the Trustees and other managers for the school return their most hearty thanks to the several charitable Contributors; desiring their prayers and those of all pious Christians for a blessing from Heaven upon their endeavors to promote and establish the present good and useful design.
Well wishers of this sort in Maryland, are requested to note down any useful hints, suitable to the circumstances of this Province, which may occur to them, either relating to the management, employment, or putting out of the children to the greatest advantage, or to the easiest method of supplying them with necessaries, or supporting a greater number with less expense, and to communicate their observations to the Trustees :- who will thankfully receive such kind advices and make the properest use of them. Letters may be directed to the Rev. Mr. Thomas Bacon, Rector of St. Peter's in Talbot county, who is appointed by the Trustees to note down and take care of their proceedings.
The sermon from which the above has been taken was printed in London in the year 1751 by T. Oliver; and it was sold for the benefit of the charity school.
+
THE POOR HOUSE
The short and simple annals of the poor.
GRAY's Elegy.
Behold a record which together binds Past deeds and offices of charity Else unremembered.
WORDSWORTH's Cumberland Beggar.
Social philosophers of every class, whether moralists, economists or statesmen, equally acknowledge to have been baffled in their attempts to solve the problem of pauperism-to determine how far the promptings of humanity for the relief of poverty may be indulged by either indi- viduals or states, without detriment to the welfare of the community. The moralists, in the main represented by the religious teachers, from the time when charity was raised by the greatest of Christian teachers to be the very princess of the virtues, have sought the solution in the practice of a universal benevolence or beneficence. They have made the giving alms to the poor to be more than an obligation to their fellow men; they have made it an act of devotion to the Deity. But this teaching where it has been most successful in its religious influence, has been most injurious in its social; for experience has proved that the more bountiful the charity that piety bestows, the more numerous becomes the class that demands and that receives it. Mendicancy increases in a very exact and direct ratio with liberality. The latest writer on morals. Mr. Herbert Spencer, has pointed out how that unlimited benevolence would lead to universal pauperism, for as long as there shall be a hand to give there will be another hand to receive the benefaction, and continuing to give must end in an inability longer to give. Political economists differ as to their solution of the question in hand, according as their views differ of the offices and functions of government. The school that limits those functions to protecting the citizen in his person, property and opinions, say that the duty of taking care of the old, the infirm and the incapable belongs to individuals, and that the government steps beyond its proper sphere when it assumes any such obligation. This school does not shrink from the consequences of this doctrine, that those who have not friends to help them in their need must perish: and this they regard as the proper and natural cor- rective of pauperism. The other school of economists which regards
496
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THE POOR HOUSE
the State as holding a kind of parental relation to the citizen, claims that poverty is incidental to organized society, and must exist until the demands of society and the wants of the individual coincide. There- fore society, as personified, in its government, ought to take care of those of its members who by age, sickness, or infirmity of whatsoever kind are not able to provide for their own necessities. Finally the statesman who is called to deal with the actual and ever present evil of pauperism, who cannot wait the determination of the moral question of public relief to the poor, and the other questions of the true functions of government-the statesman, who is really a man of expedients and not of principles, for the science of government is as yet far from being an exact science-solves the problem by providing for the merest necessities of the aged, the infirm and helpless; but this in such a scant and meagre manner that while the humane impulses of the community are barely satisfied and the public purse is not severely depleted, pau- perism shall not be made inviting. Indeed, pauperism, by the states- man, is treated much as though it were criminal; and for this there is much justification, for there is a close connection between poverty and crime. But there are many worthy poor, entirely deserving of all the aid they receive either from public bounty or private charity.
The amount of money that is contributed by States, societies and individuals for the support of the poor of this country is immense. The number of the beneficiaries is very large and increasing just in pro- portion as the struggle for life becomes more intense. What sum is annually bestowed by private charity can never be known nor even approximated. The sum contributed by voluntary associations of vari- ous kinds, it would be exceedingly difficult to learn. But an effort is about to be made by the general government to determine what is done by public bodies towards the support of the poor, and the number of persons who are receiving aid from the public treasuries. This information acquired will be embodied in the report of the Superin- tendent of the Census. Mr. F. A. Walker has accordingly addressed a circular letter to the trustees and other officers in charge of the various prisons, reformatories and alms houses within the United States, in which letter are contained certain questions concerning those institu- tions, and the replies to these questions, when properly summarized and compiled, will furnish most valuable information concerning pauperism in this country. One of these circulars has been received by the Trustees of the Poor of Talbot County, and they are collecting information which will enable them to answer the queries propounded to them. In addi-
498
HISTORY OF TALBOT COUNTY
tion to, and in anticipation of what they may say, it is proposed in this paper to give some account of what has been done for the poor of Talbot from the organization of this county to the present time, and par- ticularly of the Poor House, and its management from the beginning. All will not be said that could be said upon this subject, nor even all that is interesting, but as much as assigned limits will permit.
In the primitive condition of human society pauperism is unknown, for the same reason that it does not exist in the societies of brute animals. The weak, the aged, the helpless are left to die from want and exposure. if they be not dispatched by violence. In the earlier years of civilized societies, it is almost equally unknown, but for different reasons. Those who found and form such societies are usually in the very prime and vigor of life, and mostly they are men of courage and self reliance, asking and needing no help. Besides, in new communities the neces- saries of life are few and easily obtained, so the most indolent may gain them with the least exertion, and the most shiftless by the least prudence. But in such communities accident may disable even the young, and sickness may prostrate even the strongest. Then food, however abundant, cannot be provided, shelter, however simple, can- not be constructed, and clothing, however plain, cannot be obtained. Then the man, young and strong as he may have been, must ask aid; and when friends are wanting, as they are apt to be in new countries, he must call for public charity. Without doubt there were those within the limits of this county almost from the very date of its organi- zation, in 1660 or 1661, whose infirmities brought from their old homes, or whose misfortunes incurred here, or whose friendlessness, owing to their being in a new and strange land, made them pensioners upon the public bounty. There may have been others here much less de- serving; others who in the old countries were vagrants and inmates of poor houses or work houses; or worse, for the planters in the early years of our history were not nice as to the character of those they brought over; and at a later day, the British authorities sought to relieve them- selves of the burthen of their poor by shipping them to this colony, or made Maryland the unwilling recipient of many belonging to the criminal classes.1
1 As early as 1733 "An Order of Transportation" is recorded among our records, issued by the Court of Quarter Sessions, of Liverpool, County of Lancaster, Eng- land, directed to Capt. John Bibby to transport to any of his majesties plantations, Elizabeth Gream, Henry Wilkinson, Margaret and Margery his children, Peter Gream, William Gream, Perry Scott and Jane Wilkenson, convicted of petty
499
THE POOR HOUSE
There are records extant in this county of paupers having been returned to England, at the public expense, rather than have them chargeable for a number of years. Thus: in 1713 a levy was ordered by the Court "to Mr. Foster Turbutt, late Sheriff, for 1,000 pounds tobacco, paid for a certain Thomas Ashton's passage to England, the said Ashton being a. poor infirm person, and like to be a charge to this county." The first memorandum, however, that has been discovered of the appropriation of money, or tobacco to a poor person was to one entirely reputable who had received honorable wounds in a conflict with Indians. This was Lieut. William Smith who in 1666 had an allowance of 3,214 pounds of tobacco, and in 1667-8, 1,500 pounds and 500 pounds "for his accommodations." The following minute of the Court may be worth copying:
William Smith, that was wounded by the Indians came to this Court for some releafe, being disabled by his wounds: and the Court upon a former order in that ease providing have ordered that hee have for the present yeare one thousand five hundred pounds of tobacco, and that Mr. Edmundson have five hundred pounds of tobacco for his accommodations, for the time that he was at his house.
But in 1668 there was the first direct appropriation for a pauper, eighteen hundred pounds of tobacco having been given "to Abraham Bishop for keeping the ould man." In the year following 1,493 pounds were given to "Abraham Bishop, an ould man, and in 1670 he again received the county bounty of 1,054 pounds of tobacco. In 1674, 3,000 pounds of tobacco were collected by the sheriff (the sheriff was then, and for more than an hundred years later, the collector of all the taxes, except the Quit rents of the Lord Proprietary, who had "farmers" of his
larceny and vagabondage. This, the earliest record of criminals having been sent to this county, is matched by the latest, which is in the year 1775. In this year a ship arrived in the Chesapeake from Liverpool, consigned to Mr. James Braddock, of Saint Michaels. The Association of Congress having declared that all importations from Great Britain should be suspended, the Committee of Observation for this county, informed Mr. Braddock that the ship would not be allowed to discharge her cargo of merchandize, but that the Captain would be permitted to land the fourteen convicts and two indentured servants, whom he had on board; which he accordingly did, coming into the Eastern bay to do so. It may be that our patriots of Talbot thought these would make good soldiers, even though they were poor citizens. Some of them may have fought at Long Island with Smallwood, or at Cowpens with Howard, and now, as heroes of the Revolution they may be receiving the grateful tribute of our adulation, though history has failed to record their names.
500
HISTORY OF TALBOT COUNTY
revenues derived from a tax on the land) for the support of three children of William Taylor: and in the same year "William Greene, an impotent person " had a levy in his behalf of 1,000 pounds, "Jane Merytt, a poore woman, for 800 pounds" and "Benjamin -" (his name is not legible) "sicke and weake" for the same amount. Placing tobacco at two pence or four cents per pound, these allowances were really liberal considering the poverty of the community. Subsequent to these dates the records are numerous of appropriations for the support of the un- fortunate poor. A noteworthy case was that of 1756, when at the August session of the county court, sitting as a levy court; a petition was pre- sented to the "Worshipfull, the Justices of the Peace, " setting forth that Joseph Bujiale, Fermee and Charles Landree, French neutrals, have each three small children, the oldest of which is not over five years of age, and that Charles Landree has under his care a father and mother, very "antient people;" that they cannot supoprt their families, and "can hardly get bread for themselves." The court allowed to each 500 pounds of tobacco, and subsequently appropriated 750 pounds for the relief of Abraham Landree, Stephen Bujiale and Peter Landree.2
2 It is unnecessary to relate the sad and shameful story of the forcible expa- triation of the Acadians by order of the British Government. This is well-known from history, but even better known from poetry, as the Evangeline of Longfellow has been read by all. In 1755, five ship loads of these neutral French were sent to Annapolis, in this province, and thence they were distributed to the several counties, Talbot receiving her quota. They seem to have been a thriftless people, or they were thoroughly dispirited by their removal from their homes. Besides those persons mentioned in the text, there were several others of these neutral French who in the years following received assistance from the public funds of the county. This act of our County Court, in appropriating tobacco (the cur- rency of the colony of course) for the support of a few of these helpless exiles connects Talbot with this interesting but painful episode in American history. Nowhere else better than here can be inserted a most interesting document of this time, and germane to the subject under consideration. As it sufficiently explains itself, it is here presented without further introduction.
To the Worshipful
JOHN GOLDSBOROUGH, MATTHEW TILGHMAN, Esquires.
POLLARD EDMONDSON and
Representatives for Talbot county in the General Assembly of Maryland.
The Humble address of the Electors, Freeholders of the said county, Sheweth:
That the wretched Acadians, in a manner quartered upon us, are a griev- ance, in as much as we are not at present in a situation and in circumstances, cap- able of seconding their own fruitless endeavors to support their numerous families, as a people plundered of their effects: for though our magistrates have taxed us
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THE POOR HOUSE
It seems that there was no systematic relief for the unfortunate poor for nearly fifty years; further than this, the levies were made in behalf of the necessitous, according to the method of our County Commissioners of giving pensions to those in need, relying upon the assistance of friends and private benevolence to supplement this public charity. In a very large number of cases, however, paupers were placed in the care of particular individuals and allowances granted to these for the support of those under their protection. Besides the slight provision for the pressing necessities of food, clothing and shelter, the county paid liberally for medical attendance; and it is curious to note that the pay of the physician was sometimes made conditional upon the cure of the patient. In 1670 Howell Powell was allowed for the cure and charges of William Smith, probably the same that was wounded by the Indians, 1,200 pounds of tobacco, and Dr. James Benson, one of the earliest of our physicians, was frequently compensated for professional services
sufficiently to feed such of them as cannot feed themselves, they cannot find houses, clothing and other comforts; in their condition needful, without going from house to house begging, whereby they are become a nuisance to a county hardly able to afford necessary comfort to their own poor. And as it is no easy task for a Christian to withstand the importunate cravings of their distressed fellow crea- tures, those amongst us, especially who possess the greatest degree of humanity must, of course, be the greatest sufferers. But this is not all. Their religious principles, in a Protestant country, being dangerous, particularly at this juncture, and their attachment to their mother country, added to their natural resentment of the treatment they have met with, render it unsafe to harbour them in case of any success of the enemy, which visibly affords them matter of exultation on the slightest news in favour of the French and Indians. We therefore pray, that you will use your endeavors to the Assembly to have this pest removed from among us, after the example of the people of Virginia or Carolina, at their own expense, as they request, or otherwise, as the Assembly shall in their wisdom, think fit. We humbly conceive that any apprehensions of their adding to the strength of the enemy, if transported to these colonies, would argue a degree of timidity, not to be approved of: that on the contrary, they would rather be burthensome to their country in their present circumstances, encumbered with their wives and children, whose immediate wants will, for a long time, tax the utmost industry of the few able bodied fathers among them. Besides they need not be discharged without first binding them as strongly as people of their principles can be bound, by an oath of neutrality, for so long a time as may be judged needful. It will have perhaps, this further effect, that since they so earnestly desire to quit his Majesty's protection, in a manner renouncing it, they enfeeble their claim to the restitution and restoration they contend for; a point it would be greatly to the interest of the Colonies to gain with good grace.
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