USA > Maryland > Anne Arundel County > Annapolis > The Ancient City.: A History of Annapolis, in Maryland, 1649-1887 > Part 9
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 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46
76
"'THE ANCIENT CITY. "'
This slumber, that deceived the hopeful, suddenly ended with the flames flaring into the ceiling, darting from the roof, and leaping to the tower. The faithful bell, that had not ceased from the beginning of the fire to peal its own requiem, broke the stilly atmosphere with its doleful knell, the crackling timbers joined the dirge, the pitiless heat, sweeping through the organ, touched its keys with fiery fingers and made it sing its own death song, whilst a passing steamer's sympa- thizing bell and faithful women's tears attended the unexpected calamity. In a few hours only the bare walls of St. Anne's remained.
The laborers employed to remove the rubbish from the site of St. Anne's unearthed a tombstone bearing the following inscription :
"HERE LYETHI THE BODY OF JOHN THIE ELDEST SON OF EVAN JONES AND MARY HIS WIFE WHO DYED THE 2d of 7tber ANO d m 1716 AGED TWO YEARS.
Pe diuch nag wyluch yn gaeth Dyfaruch Darfu ty milwrneih Ilyn o gnawd i hynny gwnaeth Prudd alwodd i pridd eilwaeth."
The latter part of this inscription was in the Welsh language, and was cut on the stone in very rude characters in lines perpendicular to the lines of the first part of the inscription. Mr. Joseph II. Bellis translated it. Ile said it was a verse of Welsh poetry :
"Do not, do not grieve to much, Repent ; I have finished my course. This flesh of mine for that was made, Earth called to earth again."
The stone was of rectangular shape, about three feet long, one-and- a-half feet wide, and four inches thick, with bevelled edges. It was steatite. and in excellent preservation.
The following was copied from a stone which had been lying at the east end of the church for many years :
"Here lieth interred the body of Mr. AMOS GARRETT of the city of Annapolis, in Anne Arundel county, in the Province of Maryland, Merchant, son of Mr. James and Mrs. Sarah Garrett, late of St. Olive street, Southwork, then in the Kingdom of England, now a part of Grate Brittain, who departed this life on March the 8th, 1727.
Ætatis 56."
The stone was of white marble, and the inscription is below a coat of arms consisting of fleur de lis and a griffin rampant.
This inscription possesses interest to Annapolitans, from the fact that Mr. Garrett was the first Mayor of our city. He kept a store in the house on Green street, now occupied by the Public School. It is said that after his death his body was arrested for debt, and kept for seven days, as was allowed by an old law of England.
The third St. Anne's was rebuilt the same year the second was de- . stroyed.
Hon. George Wells, president of the Farmers' Bank, and formerly presiding officer of the Maryland Senate, was one of the Wardens of St. Anne's when the furnace was put under the church. He remon- strated against it, and when the edifice was burned, he declined to
77
HISTORY OF ANNAPOLIS.
give anything to rebuild it. So the church went up and the bellless tower was finished. One day a thousand dollar bell was sent to the church. The good-hearted warden had kept his vow and also showed his generous spirit.
[1887.] A change has come over the spirit of her dreams since the days when St. Anne's dragged paltry tithes from unwilling tax-payers or threatened callous citizens with public prosecution unless they at- tended church services.
It is in the front rank of good works and charitable deeds ; its numerous societies for the benefit of its parishioners attesting its zeal, its piety, and goodly walk.
From the report of the rector of 1886. Rev. W. S. Southgate, it is found that St. Anne's has a Parish Church and two Chapels, 3 Sunday Schools, 44 teachers, 396 scholars. During the year there were Bap- tisms 60 ; Marriages 21 ; Burials 44 ; Communicants 359: Contribu- tions for the year (including completion of Chapel aud repairs of Rec- tory) $11,430.
St. Anne's Chapel, East Street, was begun in 1877; lower story being used for services in 1878. The Building was completed, as a memorial of Alexander Randall, in 1886. Total cost about $9,000.
St. Philip's Chapel-a place of worship for colored people-origi- nally built by Zion Baptists, was bought a few years ago and fitted up for the colored congregation now using it. It has about 35 communicants.
The bell, given by Queen Anne's, perished in the fire of 1858, but St. Anne's retains one proof of its honorable age. The set of communion vessels, now used in St. Anne's Church, consists of five pieces made in London by Francis Garthorne in 1695. They are all of solid silver and engraved with the arms of William III.
CHAPTER XX. KING WILLIAM'S SCHOOL.
1696-1785.
"For the propagation of the Gospel and the education of the Youth of this province in good letters and manners," the act of 1696, chap- ter 17, of the General Assembly of Maryland; provided that "place or places for a free school, or place of study of Latin, Greek, writing, and the like, consisting of one master, one usher, and one writing master or scribe, to a school, and one hundred scholars, more or less, accord- ing to the ability of the said free school, may be made erected founded, propagated established under your Royal patronage." This act was addressed "to his most Excellent Majesty, &c., Dread Sovereign," William the Third of England.
This law further enacted, "that the most reverend Father in God Thomas, by divine Providence Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, Primate
78
"THE ANCIENT CITY. "
and Metropolitan of all England, may be Chancellor of said schools and that. to perpetuate the memory of your majesty it may be called King William's School. and managed by certain trustees, to be chosen and appointed by your sacred majesty to wit : as also by the following trustees nominated and appointed by this present General Assem- bly. That is to say, by your Majesty's said Governor, Francis Nichol- son, Esq., the Honorable Sir Thomas Lawrence, Baronet, Col. George Robothan, Col. Charles Hutchins, Col. John Addison, of your Majesty's Honorable Council on this province : the Reverend Divine. Mr. Pere- grine Coney, and Mr. John Hewett, together with Robert Smith. Kene- lin Cheseldyne Henry Coursey, Edward Dorsey, Thomas Ennals, Thomas Lasker, Francis Jenkins, William Dent, Thomas Smith, Edward Boothy, Jno. Thompson, and John Bigger, gentlemen, or the great- est part, or the successors of them, upon and in a certain place of this province, called Anne-Arundel Town, (now Annapolis, ) upon Severn River."
The trustees were given power to hold land to the value of £1500 sterling and to accept all other personal effects given for the support of the various schools to be established under this act. The official title of the boards of management of the various schools was "the Governors, and Visitors and Trustees," who were limited to twenty and of whom "one discreet and fit Person shall be called rector." One hundred and twenty-pounds per annum was voted to each free school thus established.
In the proceedings of the House of Delegates, July 3, 1699, the follow- ing is found :
"The new elected members of this house give to the use of the free schools, to wit :
£ toh. )
Mr. Jas. Crawford, 1,000 These gentlemen to be
Mr. Jenkins. 1,000 discharged from their own
Mr. Wm. Hutton, 1,000
Mr. Wmn. Helmsley, 800 subscriptions in their several countyes."
Mr. Geo. Ashman, 800
Major Wm. Barber, 800
This evidently went to King Williams school since these members were to be discharged from "subscriptions in their several countyes."
"Mr. Anthony Workman came before this house, (the same day) and gave £150 sterling to the building of a house upon a lott which his excellency had already given togther with tenn pounds sterlings towards building the said house, which is to be enjoyed by the said Anthony Workman during his natural life, and remayned over to the use of the free schools. Also, the said Mr. Workman promised to leave all improvements upon said lott in good and sufficient repair."
This house was built and King William's school succeeded to the ownership of it.
King William's school was thus established at Annapolis. Gov. Nicholson gave a lot and upon this the trustees immediately began the erection of a brick school house. This was on the south side of the State House, or court-house as it was often called, very nearly. if not on the site of the De Kalb Statue. The name of School street, the street that connects State House and Church circles-is doubtless a memento of this ancient seminary of learning. It was a plain building,
79
HISTORY OF ANNAPOLIS.
containing besides school-rooms, apartments for the teacher and his family. It was completed in the year 1701. The Bishop of Lon- don, sent over Mr. Andrew Geddess to take charge of the school, but, he, not finding it finished was sent to All Saints, Calvert county. The earliest mention of an officiating master of the school is found in the records of St. Anne's parish. They record, "Died, Nov. 9th, 1713. Rev. Edward Butler, rector of St. Ann's, and master of the free school, Annapolis." Mr. Butler was selected as rector April 14, 1711, and the fact, that he was a resident of Annapolis before that period, has raised the presumption that he had been master previous to being rector.
Unfortunately information regarding this interesting seminary, which educated the celebrated William Pinkney, is exceedingly meagre. The act of 1750, chapter 26, indicates, however, that the school was not without friends and supporters. By authorizing the sale of certain lands, it shows the school had some endowments beside the £120 voted it as its establishment. This act authorized the rector and visitors of said school to sell 650 acres in Dorchester county, devised to them by Thomas Swithson, late of Talbot county, and also several houses and lots in Annapolis "of which they are seized." The rector and visitors were directed to lay out the money "arising from the sale of said lands, and the said lots and houses in the city of Annapolis, at interest on good security, for the use of said school, and apply the annual interest arising therefrom towards the payment of a master, masters, or usher of the said school, and to no other use or purpose. whatever ; saving to his majesty, the Lord Proprietary, and all others not mentioned in this act, their several and respective rights."
By act of 1774. chapter 15, the "rector, governors, trustees, and visitors of King William's school in Annapolis." were empowered to receive any gift of lands or chattles, provided they were not to hold beyond £200 annual income. By the same act any seven of the above board were empowered to transact business in the absence of the rector. The register of the school, also by the same act was required, under a penalty of £20, to give notice to every member of the board, residing in Annapolis or any member whom he knows happens to be in An- napolis, of any intended meeting of the corporation. This sug- gests there may have been secret assemblies of a clique of the trustees for special purposes, and this act was to check these ancient "ways that were dark and tricks that were vain."
The new political condition of the province required in 1778, the passage of a law enacting that any number of the visitors, not less than three, who have taken the oath of fidelity to support the State, may manage the affairs of the school, and execute all the powers of the corporation, until some three, or more, shall have met and elected so many other visitors as are required to complete their full number. This election they were enjoined to make on or before the 15th of July following, out of the inhabitants of the State, "duly qualified who have taken the oath aforesaid."
By act of 1785, chap. 39, the property and funds of King William's School were conveyed to St. John's College. Among the chattles passed to the college was a number of "quaint and curious volumes of forgotten lore," which still remain in the Library of St. John's.
Few of the rectors of the school have come down to us, but about
80
"'THE ANCIENT CITY."
1756, and for nine years after, Mr. Isaac Daken is mentioned as mas- ter of the school. On the 17th of August 1784, Rev. Ralph Higgin- botham was appointed master of King William's School.
The record of the graduates of King William's School is lost, but one name remains-that proves its right to existence-William Pink- ney's.
CHAPTER XXI. THE SECOND STATE HOUSE IN ANNAPOLIS.
1706-1769.
After the first State House was burned in 1704, a committee of the Legislature reported that the old walls could be built upon in "form and manner as before," and it was rebuilt by Mr. W. Bladen, the ar- chitect of the other buildings. The price was not to exceed £1,000 sterling, Mr. Bladen was given the benefit of all "the materials saved out the fire which appertained to the old court house."#
During the erection of this building the House of Delegates held its sessions in the house of Colonel Edward Dorsey, in Annapolis, the assembly meeting twice a day, from 8 o'clock to 12 A. M., and from 2 to 4 P. M., and was called together by the beating of a drum.
Mr. David Ridgely, who wrote the "Annals of Annapolis" in 1841, says :
"This house," (the second State House, ) "was finished in 1706, and is recollected by some few of the present inhabitants of this city -and stood where the present state house now stands. It is de- scribed as having been a neat brick building. It was in form an ob- long square, entered by a hall-opposite to the door of which was the judges' seat, and on each side there were rooms for the jury to retire. Over the judges' .seat was a full length likeness of Queen Anne, presenting a printed charter of the city of Annapolis. In this house the General Assembly held its sessions. A handsome cu- pola surmounted the building, surrounded by balustrades, and furn- ished with seats for those who desired to enjoy the beautiful scenery around. The portrait of Queen Anne, just mentioned, is said to have been destroyed during the revolutionary war-when everything bear- ing the semblance of royalty was in bad odour with our republican sires.
"About the same period, an armory was built near the court-house, on the north side of it. It is represented to have been a large hall with seats around it, above which the walls were covered with arms, tastefully arranged. It was often used as ball room-from the vaulted roof was suspended a wooden gilt chandelier, which, when lighted up, produced a brilliant effect by the reflection of the light from the arms.
* The State House was often called Court House.
81
HISTORY OF ANNAPOLIS.
The walls of the hall were also decorated with full length portraits of Queen Anne and Lord Baltimore. The governor and council held their sessions in one of the apartments of this building.
"On the south side of the court-house, stood the memorable academy of King William."t
In the Treasury Building the Governor and Council also held their sessions, and, at one time, both Houses of the Legislature met there ; probably when the present State House was in course of erection.
October 1st, 1769, Mr. Eddis wrote of the State-house, then called the Court House.#
"The court-house, situated on an eminence at the back of the town, commands a variety of views highly interesting : the entrance to the Severn. the majestic Chesapeake, and the eastern shore of Mary- land, being all united in one resplendant assemblage. Vessels of va- rious sizes and figures are continually floating before the eye ; which, while they add to the beauty of the scene, excite ideas of the most pleasing nature.
"In the court-house, the representatives of the people assemble, for the dispatch of provincial business. The courts of justice are also held here; and here, likewise, the public offices are established. This building has nothing in its appearance expressive of the great purposes to which it is appropriated ; and by a strange neglect is suf- fered to fall continually into decay ; being, both without and within, an emblem of public poverty, and at the same time a severe reflection on the government of this country, which, it seems, is considerably richer than the generality of the American provinces.
"The council chamber is a detached building, adjacent to the former on a very humble scale. It contains one tolerable room, for the re- ception of the governor and his council, who meet here during the sitting of the assembly ; and whose concurrence is necessary in pass- ing all laws."
It was during this same year that the Legislature became imbued with sentiments similar to those entertained by Mr. Eddis, and de- termined to remove this " severe reflection on the government," and the second State House was pulled down to make room for the third.
CHAPTER XXII. THE ATTEMPT OF RICHARD CLARKE, IN 1707, TO BURN ANNAPOLIS.
[1707.] In the address of Gov. John Seymour, made to the House of Delegates of Maryland, on March 27th, 1707, he stated that among other duties the members of the Legislature would be called upon to
+ Ridgely's Anul- of Annapolis, D. 106.
# Eldi ' L -tters, p. 15.
6
82
''THE ANCIENT CITY. ""
perform, would be that of outlawing "Richard Clarke, whose crimes are so notoriously aggravated, they ery aloud for justice."
On March 31st, Col. John Contee, Mr. Robert Bradley, Mr. William Frisbey, Mr. John Watters, and Col. Pearce, were appointed a com- mittee to investigate the crimes against Clarke.
Annapolis, at this time, was the most important town in the province of Maryland. A plot that struck at it was no small conspiracy.
On April 4th, the Lower House, in its reply to the executive, made in accordance with custom, said to Gov. Seymour :- "We are very sensible of the Great and dangerous designs which have been carrying on by wicked people, enemys to Her Majestys Government, to destroy the records, arms, and ammunition, of this town, and all that was neces- sary to render this Government safe and secure, and we doe, in a very deep sence thoreof, returue you our hearty thanks for the great care and prudence you have showed in the preservation of all those things, and the preventing the effect of soe dangerous a conspiracy, and we doe humbly pray that your Excellency would be pleased to give order to the Atturney Generall to prosecute all such persons as now are, or shall be found to be, in the said conspiracy."
On the same day the committee, appointed to investigate the case of Clarke, elected Col. John Contee, chairman, and Mr. Richard Dallam, clerk, and after examining a large mass of testimony, worded in the quaint phraseology of those timss, and given at length in the manu- script copy of the proceedings of the Lower House of Maryland of 1707, and preserved in the Land office at Annapolis, made the following re- port to the House :
"The Committee having fully heard and considered the aforegoing declarations, doe humbly report to the House, that they find there was a design fram'd by Richard Clarke, Daniel Wells, and a certaine per- son who term'd himself a saylor, to take some vessell, and get what assistance they could, in order to disturb her Majestys peace and gov- ernment, here, to make an attempt upon the Town of Annapolis, and burn some houses there, and, whilst that consternation continued, to seize the magazine and powder house to furnish themselves with arms and ammunition to goe a privateering ; that they so farr prosecuted their designe as to gain several housekeepers of desperate fortunes, and other disaffected persons to their party, and that Clarke, by his prodigality in disbursing and spreading about the counterfeit money, (which he had coined himself, ) had so insinuated himself into the minds of several servants belonging to persons in and near the Towne of An- napolis and elsewhere, to joine with them in their cursed and wicked designe and intent ;
"That they had caballs together especially at Annapolis, where a time for their goeing was prefix'd to be some time in March last .
"That they had agreed to take Mr. Buff's boate and if that (was) not sufficient, Mr. Evans Jones' Shallup, or any other vessell fit for their turne, as soon as they had done their mischief here, to go to Carolina. That Clarke was assisted out of South River by Daniel Wells and him, called the Saylor, who afterwards came to Annapolis to prepare the others, but Wells having broke some of Clarke's money was in fear of being apprehended, whereupon he, the saylor and (William) Simpson had a meeting at the house of Smithers in An- napolis, and then Wells and the Saylor went off in a boat and pursued a shallop, wherein was Mr. Jacob Lookerma n, Jr., and one Edward
83
HISTORY OF ANNAPOLIS.
Taylor, bound for South River, but not gaining their intent made their way down the Bay and came within a day's journey of Clarke, sometime after several of them were apprehended in Annapolis and committed to prison (to witt) Simpson, Cooper, Williams, Peacocke, and Keyton where they now lye by his Excellency's orders, (who we thinke deserve the utmost thanks of the House for his care therein.) for had this cursed and villainaious design taken Effect, we and our prosterity might have been ruined by burning of the Records which we are of opinion was the Chief Intent and designe of these villaines.
"As to those persons that were Runing away with Mr. Gales' sloop at the Eastern, we are of opinion, was to the same intent of the others.
"As to the money, we conceive Clarke was the makerand it's plain his wife the disburser, therefor, to Mr. Carroll.
"As to Sylvester Welch, his selling the country powder, its very plain by the declaration of John Devall and Elezabeth Finley, that three pounds of the country powder was sold by Welsh to Wells, and it is the opinion of this committee, that the several persons now in prison, and concerned in the same design and conspiracy, be prose- cuted at the common law, and that the House give order to her Ma- jesty's Attorney General, to proceed according."
The committee also reported that William Simpson, whose deposi- tion was before the committee, was one of the "chiefe actors in the in- tended designe of Clarke and his accomplicies against her Majesty's Government, also that Wells and the privateer followed Clarke, came to Long Island in the Bay where Clarke had been the day before, and inquired after him, that they were in a small boat well armed, that Wells carryed powder and shot with him from home, pretended they were in pursuite of Clarke by order of Major Wilson, that Clarke pre- tended himself a merchant going to settle in News River in Carolina, said many people of Maryland were following him, and used many arguments to perswade the inhabitants about the Islands to goe with him."
The House concurred in the report.
Clarke's personal appearance was not prepossessing. He is de- scribed as "having a flat nose, peaked chinn, and under jaw outsetting the upper." He was also addicted to drunkenness.
The bill for the attainder of Clarke was passed by both Houses on the 9th of April.
But this was not the only proceedings had in the Legislature in re- gard to this nefarious plot. The records of the two Chambers show that the General Assembly was most intensely exercised over this conspiracy, which, if comsummated, would have been exceedingly in- jurious to the colony.
Capt. Sylvester Welch, on April 3rd, was called before the Council to answer the charge of selling the country's powder to Clarke's ac- complices. Capt. Welch replied that "he did spare Daniel Wells powder, but it was of his own-being asked what he had done with the country powder he had of his Excellency, he said what was left was at his house and the rest he had fired away in the summer."
"His excellency was pleased," continues the record of the proceed- ings of the council of 1707, "to tell him that he did not believe him, and discharged him from his command, and ordered that he should give good security for his behavior."
84
''THE ANCIENT CITY. ''
April 5th, Major Josiah Wilson, high sheriff of Anne Arundel county brought before the Council, "as he had been ordered to arrest them, John Spry and Thomas Brereton, the former the professed" skipper of the sloop Margaret's Industry, lately arrived from Virginia in South River, after the goods of some of the conspirators. The pro- ceedings say "neither of the said persons offering to make an Ingen- ious confession, but trifling with his Excellency and the board, were ordered to be committed to the custody of the Sheriff of Anne Arun- del county untill his Excellency and the Board had further leisure to Examine them."
It was, however, gathered that Clarke was at "Little Wicomico, in Virginia," awaiting the return of the sloop. It was also discovered, probably from the same source, "that Clarke haunts Cartewrights, at the Rosey Crowne, in Norfolk Towne."
Subsequently Brereton and Spry, in council, under oath, on the 7th of April, confessed that they had been sent by Clarke, after his wife, children, and household goods, with an open letter to Mr. Hill, who, in accordance with the paper, had given them assistance.
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.