USA > Maryland > Montgomery County > The history of Montgomery county, Maryland, from its earliest settlement in 1650 to 1879 > Part 4
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
and Samuel Riggs, of R. This was the largest tract of land owned by one person in the County, and gives an example of the wealth and influence enjoyed by these early Princes of the Manor. James Brooke was a descendant of Robert Brooke, who established a Protestant Colony at
Della Brooke, on the Patuxent, on the 29th of June, 1650, seventy-eight years previous.
John and Sarah, surveyed for John Philburn, December 21st, 1724, and contained two hundred aeres, includes the town of Unity.
Benjamin's Lot, surveyed for Benjamin Gaither, April 8th, 1725, for five hundred and sixteen acres. Located on the Patuxent River and embraces the town of Triadelphia, and includes the farms of Robert Brown, and others.
The Westminster road from Brookeville passes through "Bordley's Choice," "Gold Branch," "Addition to Brooke Grove" and "Benjamin's Lot," to the Patuxent Bridge.
New Year's Gift, granted to Thomas Bordley, October 11th, 1726, for eleven hundred and forty-three acres, and is situ- ated near the head-waters of Hawlings' River. The road from Unity to Damascus runs through it. While it embraces the farms of the late Thomas Griffith, A. B. Worthington, Charles Hutton and Richard H. Griffith.
With the granting of this tract, the settlements along the Patuxent, Hawlings, and head-waters of the Big Seneca Rivers seemed to come to a close, and remained so until about 1741, when they again commenced, and rapidly continued until 1775, when very little vacant land remained.
Returning again to Rock Creek on the west side and passing down on the south of the road leading from Rockville to Balti- more, Caleb Litton has found a suitable place and concludes to look no farther, and
Autra is surveyed for him, January 18th, 1720, and found to contain four hundred and five acres; since which time, Hon. Allen Bowie Davis found it covenient to add a portion of this tract to his Rock Creek farm.
Easy Come By, surveyed for William Pottinger, and con- tained three hundred acres, granted to him October 2nd, 1722. Adjacent to this, is
41
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
Mill Land, surveyed for Edward Dawson, March 10th, 1724, contained two hundred and fourteen acres, and is situated on the west of Rock Creek, and lies on the north side of the road from Rockville to Baltimore, and embraces the farms of Judge Richard I. Bowie, and others. Three miles from Rock- ville, on the east of Rock Creek, and about one mile north- easterly from " Mill Land," lies
Boyd's Delay, surveyed November 12th, 1725, and granted to John Boyd, June 6th, 1727, and contained two hundred and thirty-three aeres, afterwards increased by the addition of several tracts, both by purchase and grant. Many of his descendants are still to be found in the County. His great- grandson, the late Rev. R. T. Boyd, an eminent divine, and one of the founders of the Methodist Protestant Church, and father of the publisher of this volume, was born on this estate in -1794. His widow is still living and resides in Clarksburg of this County. The lands embrace the farms of William E. Muncaster, Roger B. Farquhar, and James F. Barnsly.
Magruder's Hazard, surveyed for Samuel and John Ma- gruder, November 23rd, 1726, and contained one hundred acres.
Paradise, surveyed for Thomas Gittings, September 17th, 1728, for two hundred acres. These two tracts lie on the east side of Rock Creek. The road from Redland to Muncaster's Mill passes through them.
Bernard's Desire, surveyed for Luke Bernard, February 1st, 1723, containing two hundred and thirty acres. The road from Rockville to Redland passes through this tract, as also through the farm of the late John Bean.
Wickham and Pottinger's Discovery, surveyed for Nathan Wickham and Samuel Pottinger, January 1st, 1721, and contained one thousand acres, and is situated on Piney Branch, and embraces the farms of N. D. Offutt, Mary M. Dodd, Samuel Jones, and others.
Partnership, granted to Henry Massey and John Flint, April 4th, 1722, and comprised two hundred acres, and adjoins "Dung Hill," heretofore mentioned. Watts' Branch runs through the land, which embraces at present the farm of Elbert Perry.
The Brothers' Industry, surveyed for James Wallace, April 16th, 1722, for one thousand four hundred and twenty- 4
42
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
nine acres, and includes the farms of Edwin Wallace, Solon Young, and others.
Deer Park, surveyed for Ralph Crabb, April 19th, 1722, and contained four hundred and seventy acres. It lies on the ridge separating the head-waters of Muddy Branch from those of Whetstone Branch, and embraces a portion of Gaithersburg, a station on the Metropolitan Railroad, and since its incorpora- tion as a city, has rapidly improved.
Fellowship, surveyed for Nathan Wickham and Samuel Pottinger, March 10th, 1723, and contained four hundred acres, and lies on the head-waters of Whetstone Branch, and embraces the farm of the late Charles Saffell and the late Nathan Cook's home farm.
Constant Friendship, granted to Joseph West and James Halmard in 1722, lies near Rockville, and includes the lands of Levi Veirs, and others.
As an èvidence of the rapid growth of the province of Mary- land during those early colonial days, it is only necessary to glance at the Records of the Counties, and by examining the land patents, as described in this chapter, it will be found that from the settlement of "Easy Purchase" in 1716, to the survey of "Constant Friendship" in 1722, comprising as it does a large portion of the County, was accomplished in the short space of six years. And again, by examining the names and titles given the various tracts, it will be found that our forefathers were gentlemen of education and refinement-unlike the emigrant of the present, who lands on our shores ignorant and penni- less-they came to the New World to establish a country and a home, where liberty of thought and freedom of speech were to be the fundamental principles upon which to base their struc- ture. They came and brought their wives, their children, and their household gods, determined to brave all dangers, that they might bequeath to their children an inheritance worthy of their noble sires.
CHAPTER VII.
LAND GRANTS-CONTINUED.
Wickham's Good Will. The Joseph. Middle Plantation. Ma- gruder and Beall's Honesty. Cleverwald Enlarged. Goose Pond. Bear Den. Prevention. Saint Mary's. Valentine's Garden Enlarged. Re-survey on Valentine's Garden Enlarged. Haymond's Addition. Flint's Grove. Happy Choice. Hopewell. Jeremiah's Park. Partnership. The Re-survey on Part of Forest. Bank's Venture. Abraham's Lot. Killmuin. John's Delight. Conclusion. Turkey Thicket. Benjamin's Square. Spring Garden. Abel's Levels. Moore's Delight. Pork Plenty, if no Thieves. Chestnut Ridye. Ralfo. Grandmother's Good Will. Cow Pasture. Peach Tree Hill. Errors Corrected. Very Good. Bite the Biter. Silent Valley. Trouble Enough Indeed.
I'r will be seen that the first settlements, commencing in 1688; in Montgomery County, were along the banks of Rock Creek, extending up both banks of the stream as far as Rockville. Thence they sought the Patuxent, and continued to spread along the banks of this fertile stream as far as Snell's Bridge. Then the country lying west of Rock Creek, towards the Poto- mac, and north and east of Rockville, seems to have attracted the attention of the settlers. Next came the Hat red lands along the Potomac, in the vicinity of Darnestown and Pooles- ville, which were surveyed and granted. Among the first was
Wickham's Good Will, surveyed for James Plummer in 1723, and contained two hundred and seventy acres. This tract is situated on Muddy Branch, near where the road from Gaithersburg to Du Fief's farm crosses the stream, and em- braces the farm of J. Hardesty.
The Joseph, granted Joseph West, July 1st, 1723, and con- tained three hundred acres, lying on Muddy Branch. The road from Rockville to Darnestown passes through the tract, which
+
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
has its beginning at a stone at the north-east corner of the bridge over Muddy Branch.
Middle Plantation, surveyed for Daniel Dulaney, May 30th, 1724, and embraced seven hundred and twenty-two acres. This tract is situated at the mouth of Great Seneca, where the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal passes through it.
Magruder's and Beall's Honesty, granted to Daniel Magruder and Charles Beall, May 16th, 1726, and contained one thousand seven hundred and twenty-six acres, extends from "Lecke Forest," described in a preceding chapter, in a south-westerly direction to the Potomac River, and down the river to Edmond Brooke's farm, then returns with, or parallel with "Friendship" and "Contention," before mentioned, and embraces the farm of William Reading. The Chesapeake and Olio Canal passes through it.
Clewerwald Enlarged, surveyed for William Offutt, July 17th, 1728, contains two thousand acres, and embraces the farms of the late Philip Stone, George Bradley, Joshua W. Offutt, and others.
Goose Pond, surveyed for John Chittam, November 4th, 1726, for one hundred acres, lies on the Potomae a short dis- tance above the Great Falls, and is traversed by the Chesa- peake and Ohio Canal. Just below this, and immediately opposite the Great Falls, is
Bear Den, surveyed for William Offutt, April 4th, 1729, and contained two hundred acres.
Prevention, granted William Beall and others, July 4th, 1727, for eleven hundred and eighty-two acres. Rock Creek runs through the tract. Veirs' Mill is located at the crossing of the Rockville and Washington Road. It embraces the Rock Creek farm of Judge Bonic, and others.
Saint Mary's, granted Caleb Litton, June 28th, 1727, for sixty-seven aeres, lies south of Rockville, on the city road. In a previous chapter it was stated that the original Rockville stood on "Exchange and New Exchange Enlarged." The additions will now be given :
Valentine's Garden Enlarged, surveyed for Arthur Nelson, June 17th, 1720, and contained nine hundred and fifty aeres, The same re-surveyed as follows:
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
Re-survey on Valentine's Garden Enlarged, for Henry Wright Crabb, April 10th, 1753, for two thousand and eighty-five acres. On this tract stands the first addition to Rockville, and lies mostly north and north-west of Rockville, and extends as far as the Washington Grove Camp Ground.
Haymond's Addition, surveyed for John Haymond, No- vember 10th, 1743, and contained three hundred acres. On this traet lies the second addition to Rockville, embracing that portion of the town recently laid out in the vicinity of the Metro- politan Railroad Depot and the Agricultural Fair Grounds.
About this time the tide of settlements slowly commenced to extend up the Potomac, and a neighbor is found for Richard Brightwell, who located near Edward's Ferry in 1695. For twenty-six years he had braved the perils of his "Hunting Quarter," and during this time had seldom visited the lower settlements, being content with his dogs, pet bears and deers for companions, until
Concord was granted to Daniel Dulaney, April 26th, 1721, for one thousand one hundred and six acres, which was located about one mile above "Brightwell's Hunting Quarter," on the Potomac River, and one hundred yards above the month of Broad Run, where the line begins and extends up the Potomac to some distance above White's Ferry, taking in most of the bottom lands, through which runs the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal.
Hanover, granted to Dr. Patrick Hepburn, March 16th, 1722, for one thousand five hundred acres. This tract is situ- ated on the head-waters of the Dry Seneca, and embraces the farms of Howard Griffith, Samnel Darby, the late Grafton Beall, and others.
Flint's Grove, surveyed for John Flint, July 4th, 1722, and contained three hundred acres, lies on Dry Seneca. and includes the farm of Thomas Fife.
Happy Choice, surveyed for William Black, May 20th, 1724, for eleven hundred and eighty-six acres, and lies on the road from Barnesville to Rockville. William O. Sellman's farm and others are included in this tract.
Hopewell, granted to John Norress, October 31st, 1726, for three hundred acres, lies on the Little Monoeacy, and is crossed
46
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
by the road running from the mouth of Monocacy to Mount Ephraim, and is also joined by the farm of William Price.
Jeremiah's Park, surveyed for Jeremiah Hays, December 10th, 1747, and includes the site upon which Barnesville stands. Sellman's Station and Post Office, one mile from Barnesville on the Metropolitan Railroad, also called Barnesville Station, are located on this tract.
Partnership, surveyed for Charles Diggs and John Brad- ford, April 16th, 1728, for two thousand acres, lies on Dry Seneca, and embraces the farms of Thomas Darby, Robert H. C. Allnutt, Samuel Dyson, F. S. Poole, John T. Fletchall, and others.
The Re-survey on Part of Forest, surveyed for Robert Peter, May 17th, 1784, containing one thousand seven hundred and ninety-six and one-fourth acres, embraces the lands in and around Poolesville. The first house in which was built by John Poole, in 1793.
Banks' Venture, surveyed for John Banks, November 29th, 1752, and contained one hundred acres, includes the pre- sent site of Redland.
Abraham's Lot, granted Cornelius Etting in 1732, on the Potomac River, near the mouth of Broad Run.
Killmain, granted to Daniel Carroll in 1735, and contains three thousand acres, lies on the Conrad's Ferry road, and in- cludes the lands of Indowick Young's heirs, and others.
John's Delight, granted and surveyed for John Harriss, June 14th, 1755, embraces the lands in and adjacent to Martins- burg and Conrad's Ferry.
Conclusion, granted Daniel Dulaney in 1731, embraces the farms of Joseph Dawson, Frederick Dawson, Col. George W. Dawson, and others,-all finely improved.
Turkey Thicket, granted and surveyed for John Magru- der, September, 1736, and embraces the farms of Zadok Ma- gruder, and others.
Benjamin's Square, granted Benjamin Wallingford in 1743, includes the farms adjacent to Goshen.
Spring Garden, granted Higison Belt in 1738, includes the farm of James Williams, and the lands near Laytonsville.
Abel's Levels, granted to Abel Brown in 1741, and
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
Moore's Delight, granted to Benjamin Penn in 1748, lies on the head-waters of the Great Seneca Creek, and embraces the farms of Col. Lyde Griffith, and others.
Pork Plenty, if no Thieves, granted to Nathan Ward in 1753, lies on the Patuxent, and embraces the lands in and around Duvall's Old Mill.
Chestnut Ridge, granted to George Buchanan in 1732, embraced the lands in and adjacent to Germantown Station, on the Metropolitan Railroad.
Ralfo, granted George Scott in 1740, includes a portion of Horace Waters' land, and others.
Grandmother's Good Will, granted to John Crampton, lies on the Little Seneca, and adjoins the farm of George W. Israel, south of Clarksburg.
Cow Pasture, surveyed for Henry Griffith, 10th February, 1761, for three thousand eight hundred and fifty-four and one- half acres, lies on both sides of Little Seneca Creek, near . Clarksburg.
Peach Tree Hill, granted Richard Watts, September 13th, 1750, and contained seventy-five acres, and adjoins "Cow Pasture." A re-survey was granted for this tract to include vacancies, and called
Errors Corrected, for Nicholas Ridgely Warfield, May 23rd, 1792, containing two hundred and twenty-eight and three- fourths acres. The Little Seneca Creek passes through the tract, as also the Old Baltimore Road, from Barnesville to Neelsville. This is the home farm and residence of Gassaway W. Linthicum, and is under fine cultivation.
Very Good, granted to John Dickinson in 1755; and
Bite the Biter, granted to Samuel Saffell, in 1756, are both near the village of Damascus.
Silent Valley, granted to Ellsworth Beane in 1756, lies east of Damascus.
Trouble Enough Indeed, granted to Thomas Whitten, in 1761, contains two thousand four hundred and ninety-two acres, lies between Clarksburg and Damascus, and embraces the lands near King's Distillery.
By glancing at the map of the County, and starting from a point on the Patuxent, east of Richard H. Griffith's residence, and draw a line to William Griffith's residence on Hawlings'
48
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
X
River, thence to Brookeville, thence to Redland, thence to Charles Saffell's residence, thence to F. A. Tschiffely's resi- dence, thence to where the river road crosses Watts' Branch, thence up the river road to the road from Poolesville to White's Ferry, thence west to the Potomac River, a tolerably well defined boundary line of the settlements made before 1730 will be had, excepting a few mentioned settlements made on the head-waters of the Great Seneca and the Dry Seneca. Beyond this bound- ary line but very few settlements were made previous to 1741. Within these limits the settlement went on regularly as before, but after 1741, the settlements again rapidly extended all over the County, so that by 1775 very little vacant land remained. After this period only here and there a vacancy was discovered, and then a re-survey on the adjacent tract would be made to include the vacancy or vacancies.
From the earliest settlement to 1700, the grants were given as lying in Charles County; from 1700 to 1745, they were given as lying in Prince George's County; from 1745 to 1776, they were given as lying in Frederick County; and since 1776, all grants have been from Montgomery County.
.
CHAPTER VIII.
Frederick City. Georgetown, D. C. Tobacco. Rolling Roads.
French War. Defeat of General Braddock. Massaere of the Settlers. The Revolution. Meeting at old Hungerford Tarern. Resolutions. Formation of Montgomery County, - Named after General Richard Montgomery. Rockrille,-the County Seat. Districts of the County. Orphans' Court. Registers of Wills. Members of the State Convention.
FREDERICK, now the second city of the State, was laid out 1745, and made the County town in 1748,-at which time Fred- erick County was formed, having been carved out of Prince George's.
GEORGETOWN was laid out in 1751 by an Act of the General . Assembly, which set forth there was a convenient site for a town at the mouth of Rock Creek on the Potormack River, adjacent to the Inspection House, called George Gordon's Roll- ing House, and that Captain Henry Wright Crabb, Jolin Need- ham, John Clagett, James Perrie, Samuel Magruder the 3rd, Josias Beall, and David Lynn, should be commissioned for Frederick County, and authorized to purchase sixty acres of Messrs. George Gordon and George Beall, at the place aforesaid, to be erected into a town called George Town. For the advant- age of the town and encouragement of the back inhabitants, the Commissioners were authorized to hold two Fairs annually, for three successive days, during which every one attending the same should be free from arrest, except for felony or breach of the peace. In 1783, a tract of land called the Rock of Dumbarton, mn belonging to Thomas Beall, was added to the town. In 1789, - the town was incorporated, and Robert Peter was appointed Mayor, and John Mackall Garrett, Recorder. Brooke Beall, Bernard O'Neal, Thomas Beall of George, James McCubbin
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
Lingan, John Thirlkeld, and John Peter, Aldermen, so long as they shall well behave themselves therein.
Falling within the limits of the "ten miles square" that were ceded to the United States, by the States of Maryland and Vir- ginia, in 1792, it has ever since formed a part of the District of Columbia.
The settlers multiplied and prospered, and the remunerative prices obtained for tobacco, which. could be so successfully grown on their new lands, stimulated their enterprise. There was a great stir and much activity displayed when the tobacco was ready for market. The huge and stout hogsheads were fitted up with rough shafts, fastened to cleets, in which revolved the strong axle like pins inserted in either end. A single horse was attached, and the driver walking by the side, began to "roll" his tobacco to the market-town, generally Georgetown or Elk Ridge Landing. Some of these roads are still known as "Roll- ing Roads."
Their lives were spent in harmony and peace, until the break- ing out of the French War, and the defeat of General Braddock in 1755, and the invasion of the western frontier of the province by the French and Indians from Fort Du Quesne. A period of terror and desolation ensued; the settlements were attacked and broken up; the outposts driven in; and some of the smaller posts captured and their garrisons massacred. More than twenty plantations were laid waste, and their occupants massa- cred or carried into captivity.
A force was organized from the lower district of Frederick County, (now Montgomery,) under Colonel Ridgely and Captain Alexander Beall, who went to the rescue and afforded protection to the settlers. General Braddock marched through this County on his ill-fated expedition, and encamped for one night within the present limits of Rockville. After the excitement attending the French and Indian War had subsided, nothing of military or political interest occurred, until the convulsions immediately preceding the Revolution.
When the news reached the people that the British had blockaded the port of Boston, a meeting was called at the famous old Hungerford Tavern, the proceedings of which were as follows:
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
"FREDERICK COUNTY, MD., RESOLUTIONS."
" At a meeting of a respectable and numerons body of the freemen of the lower part of Frederick County, at Charles Hungerford's Tavern, on Saturday, the 11th day of June, 1774. Mr. Henry Griffith, Moderator.
"1st. Resolved unanimously, That it is the opinion of this meeting, that the town of Boston is now suffering in the com- mon cause of America.
"2nd. Resolved unanimously, That every legal and constitu- tional measure ought to be used by all Americans for procuring a repeal of the Act of Parliament for blocking up the harbor of Boston.
"3rd. Resolved unanimously, That it is the opinion of this meeting, that the most effectual means for the securing of American freedom will be to break off all commerce with Great Britain and the West Indies, until the said Act be repealed, and the right of taxation given up on permanent principles.
"4th. Resolred unanimously, That Mr. Henry Griffith, Dr. Thomas Sprigg Wootton, Nathan Magruder, Evan Thomas, Richard Brooke, Richard Thomas, Zadok Magruder, Dr. Wil- liam Baker, Thomas Cramphin, Jr., and Allen Bowie, be a Committee to attend the General Committee at Annapolis, and of Correspondence for the lower part of Frederick County, and that any six of them shall have power to receive and communi- cate intelligence to and from the neighboring Committees.
"5th. Resolved unanimously, That a copy of these our senti- ments be immediately transmitted to Annapolis and inserted in the Maryland Gazette.
"ARCHIBALD ORME, Clerk."
Frederick County proper did not call a similar meeting until the 20th of June, nine days later.
The Committee which met at Annapolis appointed Matthew Tilghman, Thomas Johnson, Robert Goldsborough, William Paca, and Samuel Chase, members of the State Committee of Safety and Correspondence.
The territory now became too extensively peopled to remain under one municipal government, and, in 1776, was divided into three district municipalities, viz: Frederick County, constituting
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
the central; Washington County, the upper; and Montgomery County, the lower division. Montgomery County was named after the gallant General Richard Montgomery, who fell on the Heights of Quebec in 1775, yielding up his life in the heroic attempt to rescue the Canadas from the dominion of Great Britain, and secure them to the then struggling cause of liberty in the American Colonies.
This was the first County that ignored the custom of naming towns and counties after princes, lords and dukes, and adopting in their stead illustrious republican names. As subdivisions went on, and new counties were formed, such pretentious names as My Lord Baltimore, Lord Frederick, Lord Arundel, and Prince George, gave way before advancing ideas, and names made memorable, both in the civil and military service, ap- peared, viz: Washington, Carroll, Howard, and Garrett-all distinguished by a long and honorable career as eminent citizens and public officers.
The first efforts towards the organization of Montgomery County was made by Dr. Thomas Sprigg Wootton, a member of the State Convention, who, on the 31st of August, 1776, pre- sented to the President of the Convention, an Ordinance for the division of Frederick County into three distinct and sepa- rate counties,-which was read and ordered to lie on the table.
On the 6th of September following the Ordinance was again called up, and passed by a small majority. In relation to Mont- gomery County, it
Resolved, That after the first day of October next, such part of the said County of Frederick, as is contained within the bounds and limits following, to wit: Beginning at the east side of the mouth of Rock Creek on the Potomac River, and running thence with the said river to the mouth of the Monocacy, then with a straight line to Par's Spring, from thence with the line of the County to the beginning, shall be and is hereby erected into a new County called MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
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