USA > Maryland > Talbot County > History of Talbot county, Maryland, 1661-1861, Volume II > Part 8
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On the same day, information being made to the Committee, that Mr. Brascup, tavern keeper at Talbot Court House, had on Tuesday, the 23d day of May, served up lamb at his table, he was accordingly called before the Committee to give an account of his conduct, and upon his inform- ing them that he had not purchased more than two or three lambs, which had been assured were yeaned before the 1st of January, and on his promise that he would not, for the future, purchase any more lambs, without a certificate from the seller that they had been yeaned, either
15 Mr. James Braddock was a merchant at St. Michaels, where a square of ground bears his name to this day.
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before the first day of January, or after the first of May, the Committee were satisfied and dismissed Mr. Brascup.
Ordered that the above proceedings be published in the Maryland Gazette. Signed by order of the Committee.
ROBERT WILSON, Cl, pro temp.16
As explanatory of the action of the Committee in the case of Mr. Brascup, it should be stated that the convention of the 8th of December, 1774, unanimously
RESOLVED, That, to increase our flocks of sheep, and thereby promote the woolen manufacture in this province, no person ought to kill any lamb, dropt before the first day of May yearly, or other sheep, after the first day of January next, under four years of age.
The following continues the recital of the affair of the ship Johnston:
The Committee of Observation for Talbot County desire you to pub- lish the following piece of intelligence: On Monday, the 26th June, the ship Johnston, Captain Jones, from and belonging to Mr. James Gildart, of Liverpool, was spoke within Chesapeake Bay, by Capt. Harding, of the schooner Endeavor, when Captain Jones informed Captain Harding that he was from Liverpool, and had on board a quantity of salt. Cap- tain Jones being asked whether he had anything more on board, answered yes, he had a few dry goods. On being further asked how Mr. Gildart (who was well apprized of the Association) would venture to send such articles to America? Captain Jones replied, that three generals and twenty thousand soldiers had been ordered to America some time before the goods are shipped, and that it was not doubted but that all would be quiet by the time they should arrive. Captain Jones en- quired of Captain Harding whether he thought he could land his salt and goods in Georgia; but the next day he came with the ship into the Eastern Bay, landed some servants he had on board, and soon after steered down the bay.
The public are cautioned to be upon the watch, and look out for the ship Johnston, as there is reason to suspect she is still hovering in some part of the bay, and will attempt to land her goods, if she can find a convenient opportunity, notwithstanding the Captains' inquiry whether it was practicable to land them in Georgia.17
The Committee of Observation continued to follow up this matter of the ship Johnston, as we learn from the following:
16 Maryland Gazette, June 8th, 1775.
17 Maryland Gazette, July 13, 1775. As explaining Capt. Jones' inquiry, it may be stated that not till March 1775, did this colony of Georgia appoint delegates to Congress, and not till July of the same year did a committee assemble to ratify the acts of Congress.
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At a meeting of the Committee of Observation for Talbot county on Friday, the 7th July, 1775, James Lloyd Chamberlaine in the chair, Messrs. Thomas Harrison, William Hamilton [Hambleton], Richard Skinner and Hugh Rice, four of the gentlemen deputed to go on board the ship Johnston, and examine her papers and log book, appear and report. That on notice from Mr. James Braddock, agent and factor for Messrs. James Gildart and John Gawith & Company, of Liverpool, merchants, on the night of the 27th of June last, they did in the morning of the 28th get on board the said ship Johnston, then lying in the Western Bay, waiting the return of her boat sent for the said deputation, and did examine her manifest, cocket and log book, by which they found she had on board salt, fourteen convicts, two indentured servants and dry goods as in the annexed schedule, said by Mr. Braddock to be shipped by Mr. James Gildart, on account of the above mentioned Gildart, Gawith & Company, and did give orders for her immediate return, permitting her, however, to lay at Hampton road in Virginia, to take in recruit of bread and water. They further report that Mr. Braddock applied to them for leave to land the convicts and servants; to which they replied, that they could see nothing in the proceedings of Congress relative to convicts or servants, and therefore could give no directions with regard to their being landed, but told him if he chose to do it, it must be at his own risk. On which Mr. Braddock did land the said convicts and servants, when they (the deputation) came on shore, alleging in his justification that servants had a few days before been landed at Annapolis and Baltimore towns, and were there advertised for sale. They further say that they charged Captain Jones of the said ship Johnston, to return immediately to the port of Liverpool without break- ing bulk, which he the said Captain assured them he would do; and when they left him, he stood down the bay. The deputation also say, that Mr. Braddock in their hearing told the said Captain that he must pro- ceed immediately on his return as aforesaid. One of the deputation further saith, he overheard the Captain, in private conversation with Mr. Braddock, remonstrate that he could not land salt at Liverpool; to which Mr. Braddock replied they might do as they would with it, but that he (the Captain) must immediately carry it back to the place from whence it came.
It is the unanimous opinion of this Committee that the said Messrs. James Gildart & Gawith, by sending the said goods to be landed in America, have been guilty of a breach of the 5th resolve of the American Association, viz .: That if any merchant residing in Great Britain or Ireland, shall directly or indirectly ship any goods, wares or merchandize for America, in order to break the said non importation agreement, or in any manner to contravene the same, on such unworthy conduct being well attested, it ought to be made public, and on the same being soon done, we will not henceforth have any commercial connection with such merchants.
RESOLVED, therefore, for ourselves and our constituents, that we will from henceforth break off all commercial connection with the said
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Messrs. James Gildart and John Gawith, and each of them, their agents, factors or storekeepers.
RESOLVED, also, that agreeable to a determination of the Provincial Convention, in December last, no gentleman of the law ought hence- forward to bring a suit whatever for the said Messrs. James Gildart and John Gawith, or for either of their agents, factors, managers or storekeepers, as such.
The proceedings of the several Provincial Conventions were read and unanimously approved of.
Ordered that the proceedings of this day be immediately made public and printed in the Maryland Gazette.
Signed by order, John Bracco, Clerk pro temp.
Following this recital was "A schedule of the goods on board the Johnston, Captain Jones, taken June 28th, 1775," but as this possesses no particular interest, it is omitted.18
It may be well to note here that Mr. Gildart did not fare as favorably from the people of Anne Arundel as from those of Talbot county; for a ship of his, the Totness, Capt. Harding of Liverpool, a few days after the events just related, was burned by the citizens of Anne Arundel while off the mouth of West river, bound for Baltimore.19 It was owing doubtless to acts like this that the Convention then in session passed ordinances limiting the powers and number of members of the Committees of Observation and instituting Councils of Safety to which was delegated supervisory authority over those Committees.
Before the time arrived for the assembling of the Convention in April, 1775, the battles of Concord and Lexington had been fought, and the whole country was aflame with the intelligence, communicated with the utmost rapidity to the Committees of Correspondence in the several provinces and counties. The idea of independence which had been entertained by the more ardent and impulsive began to possess the minds of the most unimpassioned and thoughtful. The Convention meeting under circumstances calculated to encourage the idea, nevertheless instructed its Delegates in Congress to use their efforts to secure "a happy reconciliation of the differences between the mother country and the British Colonies in North America upon the firm basis of con- stitutional freedom," and "not to proceed to the last extremity unless in their judgments they shall be convinced that such a measure is
18 Maryland Gazette, July 13th, 1775.
19 Maryland Gazette, July 20th, 1775.
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indisputably necessary for the safety and preservation of our liberties and privileges." The gentlemen who were to represent the province in the next Congress were men of large wealth and social prominence and were therefore inclined to that conservatism which those having much at risk are disposed to indulge in in times of civil commotion. It is therefore altogether probable that their own sentiments were the same as those of the convention as expressed in its resolves, if indeed they may not have inspired that body with their own feelings and opinions.20 The sum of six hundred pounds was ordered to be collected by subscription under the direction of the Committees of Observation in the several counties, to defray the expenses of the delegates to the ap- proaching congress, who were to be the same as those already appointed. Of this sum Talbot was asked to contribute twenty-four pounds.
On the 10th of May, 1775, the second continental congress met at Philadelphia. This congress is memorable for two circumstances- its notable indecision upon the subject of independency, and for its hav- ing appointed Washington to be commander-in-chief of any forces that might be raised. In truth a majority of the delegates were not in a true sense the leaders of the people who were far in advance of them, as is usual in periods of civil commotion. This majority still indulged the fancy that a reconciliation with the mother country might be effected and advocated a second humble petition to the King. Of this majority Mr. John Dickinson was one. How the Maryland delegation stood affected is not positively known, but in compliance with the instructions of the Convention, it is probable they still favored the employment of expostulation and pacific insistance upon the rights of the colonies. There was a minority however who saw no hope of conciliation, and that nothing remained but either submission or forcible resistance to the British government. Events however were bringing their unanswerable logic to bear upon this hesitating body whose minds were divided by allegiance to their king and devotion to their own country. War had actually begun. Lexington and Concord had been fought, and won. Ticonderoga, only a few hours before the meeting of Congress, had fallen. Information of the dispatch of forces to America for the subjugation of the insurgents of New England had been received. Measures of defense were therefore forced upon the same men who were voting for a
20 Sam'l Chase and Matthew Tilghman were regarded as the most advanced of the Maryland delegation upon the subject of independency, and particularly the former, who, to employ the locution of the late rebellion was a SHRIEKER, not for union but severance.
.
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petition to an angry king and obstinate ministry. Troops were ordered to be mustered and a principal officer was to be chosen. Washington was nominated by Thomas Johnson, of Maryland, and this incomparable man upon whom praise has long been exhasted was chosen commander- in-chief. In all these measures Talbot took her part through her ven- erated and trusted son, Matthew Tilghman, whose weight of character was felt in the deliberations of Congress, if his eloquence was not heard in the debates.
Before the Maryland Convention had assembled on the 26th of July, 1775, of which, as at the former meetings, Mr. Tilghman was the chair- man, the battle of Bunker Hill had been fought, and the question whether the colonies should and would resist by force of arms had been definitely settled. This convention is memorable for its having formed the "Association of the Freemen of Maryland," for the measures it adopted for the civil government of the province during the suspension of the provincial authority, and for the means it devised for arming a force for service in the field. For the details concerning each of these, reference must be made to general histories of the State. It must suffice in this brief account to say that the Associators pledged themselves to each other and to America that they would to the utmost of their power "promote and support the present opposition, carrying on, as well by arms, as by continental association, restraining our commerce." They further agreed, in order that "zeal unrestrained" might not be productive of anarchy and confusion, that they would support the civil power as far as might be consistent with the present plan of opposition, and to protect from injury all persons except those adjudged worthy of punishment by the civil magistrate, the continental congress, our convention, council of safety or committees of observation. It was provided that the names of all persons who refused to subscribe the arti- cles of Association, should be reported to the convention.21 By resolu- tion of the convention forty companies of minute men were ordered to be enrolled and officered, of which companies Talbot was to furnish one. The convention then proceeded to institute a kind of civil government,
21 An original subscription paper, having the articles of the Association of Freemen of Maryland as a caption, now framed and hanging in the Governor's room at Annapolis, of which photographic copies were circulated, bears the names of these associators belonging to Talbot. Mr. Matthew Tilghman heads the list, in which are found the names of James Lloyd Chamberlaine, Nicholas Thomas, which four were delegates to the convention. Then follow the names of Peregrine Tilghman, William Hindman, Richard Tilghman, Jr., James Benson, Francis Baker.
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by the election of a Council of Safety, for the province at large, possessing, however, two sections empowered to sit separately, one for the Eastern and the other for the Western Shore; and by ordering that there should be chosen by the electors of each county a Committee of Observation, whose duties it should be to "carry into execution the Association; and Resolves of the Continental Congress, and Conventions of this province," so far as the same relate to the commercial opposition to the measures of the British ministry. These committees also were authorized and empowered to cause any person reasonably suspected of attempts to produce disunion among the inhabitants in their opposition, to be apprehended and sent for trial before the Council of Safety for the shore upon which the offense was committed. The number of persons constituting this Committee of Observation varied with the number of the inhabitants of each of the counties. It consisted in Talbot of six- teen members. The number of members in the Council of Safety was also sixteen-eight from each shore. By resolution of the convention these gentlemen were chosen to be of this Council of Safety, which had for the time supreme power in the commonwealth:
For the Eastern Shore:
The Hon. Matthew Tilghman,
John Beal Bordley,
Edward Lloyd,
Robert Goldsborough,
James Hollyday,
Thomas Smyth, Henry Hooper,
Richard Lloyd,
Esquires
For the Western Shore:
The Hon Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer,
Thomas Johnston, Jr., Saumel Chase,
William Paca, Robert Alexander,
Charles Carroll, barrister,
Thomas Stone,
Charles Carroll, of Carrollton, Esquires.
Of these two were from Talbot, viz .: The Hon. Matthew Tilghman and Edward Lloyd, Esquire. In conformity with an order of the Con- vention, the electors of Talbot, that is to say, the freeholders and other freemen having a visible estate of forty pounds sterling, or qualified by law to vote for burgesses, assembled at the Court House, and under the inspection of three or more delegates of that county to the Convention, acting as judges, proceeded to elect sixteen discreet and sensible per- sons, from those entitled to vote, to be the Committee of Observation
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HISTORY OF TALBOT COUNTY
for the county. It has already been mentioned that Committees of Observation had been chosen in the several counties, and that this had been done by a spontaneous movement of the people, having no authority in law nor even in the orders of a revolutionary convention. There is no doubt that the resolution directing the election by a popular vote, conducted under certain conditions prescribed, was intended to give to these Committees of Observation a kind of legal status, and to bring them under a kind of legal control. The result of this election has nowhere been recorded, and therefore we remain in ignorance of the names of the gentlemen who were selected for this responsible position. There is a reasonable probability however that in selecting the sixteen committeemen for Talbot, gentlemen who had been already acting in this capacity were chosen by the electors. The only name that is men- tioned in any record thus far recovered is that of Mr. Nicholas Thomas, who in March, 1776, is mentioned as being the chairman of Committee of Observation for Talbot.
But, to return to the proceedings of the Convention of July, 1775. Having ordered the raising of a military force, it became necessary to provide the means of defraying the expense of maintaining it; and to this end it was determined to issue bills of credit. After taking pre- cautions against the forging of such bills as should be emitted, a com- mittee of sixteen gentlemen, eight from each shore was appointed to sign them. Of the eight for the Eastern Shore, the whole were taken from this county doubtless as a matter of mere convenience. These were
Robert Lloyd Nicols, Samuel Sharp, Richard Tilghman, Jr., James Hindman,
Peregrine Tilghman, William Perry, Jeremiah Banning, Joseph Bruff, Esquires,
gentlemen of well-known probity and well established character. Mr. William Hindman, also of this county, and later, a member of Con- gress, was appointed Treasurer for this shore and gave bond payable to Matthew Tilghman, Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer, Charles Carroll, of Carrollton and Edward Lloyd, Esquires, two of whom it will be per- ceived being residents of Talbot. It would seem from a resolution of the Convention, that Mr. Edward Lloyd was custodian of the arms and ammunition for this county, as he was ordered to deliver a sufficient number and quantity for one company of minute men. Before ad- journment upon the 14th of August, these gentlemen were chosen to
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represent the province in continental congress three or more being en- titled to serve: Hon. Matthew Tilghman, and Thomas Johnson, Jun., Robert Goldsborough, William Paca, Sam'l Chase, Thomas Stone and Jno. Hall, Esquires. Provision was made for the choosing by the free- men of the province of five delegates to "any provincial convention to be held for this province, within one year, then next following."
The provincial convention assembled December 7th, 1775. In the meantime, a new election as provided by the convention of July, 1775, had taken place, which resulted in choosing of the same gentlemen who had represented the county heretofore with the addition of Mr. Francis Baker. Mr. Matthew Tilghman was again unanimously elected chairman, or as this officer is called, for the first time president of the convention. It would seem that the Committee of Observation had not been remiss in enforcing the orders of the Continental Congress as embodied in the articles of association, for they gave information of a breach of those articles by a member of their own body, who had also been elected a member of the convention, Mr. Francis Baker. This gentleman appeared before the convention,
acknowledged his offence, and expressed great contrition and sorrow for the same, and prayed a remission of the penalty annexed by Congress to his crime, that he might not be declared an enemy to America, but be permitted to enjoy the rights of a member of this community, on such terms and conditions as this convention may think proper to impose; and promised a strict compliance with all continental and provincial resolutions.
The convention then
RESOLVED, that the seat of Francis Baker be vacated, and that the electors of Talbot county elect another person as a member and com- mittee man for that county, in the room and place of the said Francis Baker, * * * that the said Baker not offering himself for : any office of trust, his offence be not published, nor any proceedings had against him.
In what manner Mr. Baker violated the articles of association is not known, but in all probability he imported or bought goods of British manufacture. There is no evidence that he was wanting in patriotic feeling, as he seems to have enjoyed the confidence of his fellow citizens to such an extent as to have secured his election as a member of the very committee that presented him for punishment, and of the very con- vention that imposed the punishment upon him. The election that had been ordered of a delegate to take Mr. Baker's place resulted in the
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choosing of Mr. Edward Lloyd, who took his seat in the convention January 8, 1776. On the 13th of May Mr. Baker presented a memorial to the convention, "praying a remission of the sentence pronounced against him at the last session of convention, which forbids him to offer himself for any office of trust;" but this petition was rejected. At a later date he presented a similar petition to which a favorable response was given by the convention. Nothing more is known of him, but one annalist speaks of him, upon what authority he does not state, but probably that of family tradition, as "a blatant demagogue, full of wise saws and idle doubts about trusting rich landed proprietors."22 If this characterization may be accepted, Mr. Baker was elected to the convention as the representative of the small farmers, tradesmen and mechanics, between whom and the large planters there subsisted a jealousy, which asserted itself more plainly and positively as the war progressed, and yet more plainly and positively after its close.
Returning from this digression, it may be well enough to note the appointment of Mr. James Lloyd Chamberlaine, by the convention of December, 1775, as a member of a committee to consider the memorial of the court and the petition of the frontier inhabitants of Frederick county and also of the committee:
to examine and report the returns of the Committees of Observation of persons in the several counties in the province who have subscribed or neglected to subscribe the Association directed by the last Convention.
This subscription or non-subscription was the test of the political position to those to whom it was applied. Mr. James Benson was made the supervisor for this county of the manufacture of crude saltpetre, an article the domestic production of which the convention wished to encourage.
The same convention, in January, 1776, resolved that the Province should immediately be placed in the best state of defense, and to this end it was ordered that a body of troops should be raised, eight com- panies of which should be formed into a battalion to be commanded by Genl. Smallwood, and the remainder into independent companies com- manded by their respective captains. These troops might be, as they really were, called regulars of the Province, and formed the nucleus of the afterwards famous Maryland line, of the continental service. No company of Talbot was a part of the battalion. Upon going into an
22 Hon. John Bozman Kerr in his biography, yet unpublished, of Daniel Carroll, "the Commissioner," of Rock Creek.
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election of officers the convention selected Mr. James Hindman to be the captain of the independent company to be raised in Talbot, Mr. Wil- liam Goldsborough to be the First Lieutenant, Mr. Archibald Anderson to be the Second Lieutenant and Mr. Edward Hindman to be the Third Lieutenant. Of the same company Mr. William Frazier was Ensign, but not chosen by the convention. As these were the first soldiers of whom we know anything, who embarked in the war of independence, a brief notice of them is in place. Capt. James Hindman was a son of Jacob Hindman of this county and a brother of the Hon. William Hindman. He was born April 1st, 1741, and was probably a native of Dorchester county. His company was ordered to join the main army under Washington, and took part in the battle of Long Island and those that followed. Later be became Lieut. Colonel of the 5th Battalion of Regulars. Resigning in 1777, he went into the civil service of the State having been made Treasurer of the Eastern Shore after the resigna- tion of his brother William in that year, and was elected to the Legis- lature for four years in succession from 1780 to 1783. In 1786 he was chosen a member of the Executive Council of the State. After the war he was engaged in farming, but subsequently moved to the city of Baltimore where he became a merchant and died Feb. 17, 1830 aged eighty-nine years. Lieutenant Goldsborough born June 2, 1759 was a native of Talbot county, was the son of Mr. John Goldsborough, of Oxford Neck, and a brother of Capt. Greenbury Goldsborough. Little is known of him. Although elected, he seems not to have accepted a commission of Lieutenant at this time, probably on account of his youth, for at the date of the organization of Capt. Hindman's company he could scarcely have been seventeen years of age. Lieutenant Anderson was chosen in his stead to be first Lieutenant. But in 1780 or 81 he was commissioned and going into service, probably served through the south- ern campaign, and was honorably discharged at the disbanding of the army 'in 1783. On the occasion of Shays' rebellion in Massachusetts when it was anticipated that a quota of troops would be demanded of Maryland, Lieutenant Goldsborough offered his services to the Gov- ernor of the State, and asked a commission.23 He was a member of the Society of the Cincinnati, and died unmarried Dec. 22, 1794. Of Lieut. Archibald Anderson less is known than of Lieut. Goldsborough. Of the place and date of his birth and of his parentage we are in entire ignorance. It is known however that he participated in the battles of Long Island and those that succeeded in that campaign, and with
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