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HISTORY
1
OF
KENT COUNTY
MARYLAND
1630-1916
By FRED. G. USILTON
154266 A
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INTRODUCTION
The superintendent of the schools of Kent County,
Prof. J. L. Smyth, in his long experience as a
teacher and in his present position, feeling the great
need of some historical data concerning our home
county of Kent and its county town, Chestertown,
requested the writer to compile this book, which is
here presented to the public. It is hoped that it
may, at least, be the foundation, or incentive, for
someone to produce a book, with other data dis-
covered and other facts recovered from the dim
ages of the past.
In the completion of this volume, "The History
of Kent County, Maryland," we realized the enor-
mity of the task when we began. Impressed, how-
ever, with the great need of some record in book
form of even a few of Kent's historical facts, we
have undertaken this work. It is based on a careful
study of the means at hand and of persistent effort
in exhuming facts contained in books, newspapers
and articles by various writers. Among the latter
to whom we are indebted are: Percy G. Skirven,
who contributed the chapter on the old Court
House, Caulk's Field and some P. E. Church his-
tory; Hanson's family history, Hon. James Alfred
Pearce, files of the Kent News, Mrs. Harriett Hill,
Swepson Earle, who furnished us six pictures of
old homes, and others whom we regard as authority
on the subjects discussed.
"There is nothing," says a well-known writer,
"that solidifies and strengthens a nation like read-
ing the nation's history, whether that history is re-
corded in books, or embodied in customs, institu-
tions, and monuments." It also is true as regards
a count3^ Not to know what has been transacted
within our own borders in former times is to be
always a child. If no use is made of the labors and
happenings of past ages, we must remain always in
the infancy of knowledge.
Kent, as a county, is rich in precious historical
gems, and the object of this book is to present in a
clear, connected and authentic manner some of these
events. The author has had three chief objects in
view^accuracy of statement, siinplicity of style, im-
partiality of treatment. .
It has been written in the midst of a busy life,
but if it shall give to the future generations a rea-
son to feel proud of this ^'Garden of Eden," and also
preserve the noted events in its life from extinction,
then our labor will not be in vain.
Frederick G. Usilton.
CONTENTS
Chapter. Page.
1. Events leading up to the founding of Kent County. 15
2. The Isle of Kent 24
3. The County of Kent 29
4. Tench Tilghman's ride through Kent 38
5. The battle of Caulk's Field 41
6. Burning of Georgetown and story of Kitty Knight. 64
7. Freedom of religious thought and worship — An-
cient Shrewsbury 72
8. Old St. Paul's Church, built in 1713 78
9. Emmanuel Protestant Episcopal Church — Where
the name originated 85
10. The Friends' Meeting House 88
11. Methodist records — Catholic Church — First Sunday
School — Colored Churches 92
12. Schools, public and private — Founding of Washing-
ton College 103
13. Records of first sailing vessel and early steamboat-
ing on Chester — The first railroad 114
14. Financial institutions and their official boards 123
15. First military organization — Musical organizations 129
16. Kent in the War of 1812-14 138
17. Four United States Senators from Kent — Other
notable men 140
18. Old records showing transfers of land in old Kent. 147
19. Some weather records of other days 157
20. Women vote in Still Pond, first place in State 160
21. Some records on the farm 162
22. Old-time Christmas in Kent 169
23. Chestertown — The County Town — Its early history 173
24. "The White House" Farm, on a part of which Ches-
tertown stands 179
25. Throwing tea overboard in the Chestertown har-
bor — Plays — Racing events — Novel ordinances... 182
26. The noted Chester Bridge — Lovers and fishermen —
Some noted events 190
27. Notable houses in Chestertown — Newspapers —
First hotels 197
28. Rock Hall — Its early history — Great oyster centre. 205
29. A noted resort — Tolchester Beach — Founded 1877.. 212
30. Fish Hall, Betterton's first house — A lonely place. . 217
31. Shell banks made by Indians — Happy council places 220
32. "Monomac" — An Indian tale 225
33. Some recollections — Old residenters — Kent's silver
mine — Vote on local option — A great prize fight —
Negro superstition — Crow Hill ZZ9
34. The old Court House " 241
COUNTY OFFICIALS.
Circuit Court.
Hon. Albert Constable, Chief Judge.
Hon. W. H. Adkins, Associate Judge.
Hon. p. B. Hopper, Associate Judge.
A. Parks Rasin, Clerk.
J. Thomas Haddaway, Sheriff; Mark Perkins, deputy.
Terms of Court: Third Monday in April and third Mon-
day in October for Jury terms.
Orphans' Court.
John H. Simpers, Chief Judge.
Edward A. Scott, Associate Judge.
J. Henry Thompson, Associate Judge.
OTHER OFFICIALS.
Police Justices.
R. Hynson Rogers, Chestertown.
W. H. Schwatka, Rock Hall.
Notaries Public.
Colin F. Buyer, Chestertown.
Harry C. Coleman, Chestertown.
Eben F. Perkins, Chestertown.
S. P. TowNSHEND, Chestertown.
James W. Crouch, Chestertown.
J. Raymond Simpers, Chestertown.
J. W. Clark, Still Pond.
Justices of Peace.
S. E. Burgess, Rock Hall.
G. C. Townsend, Millington.
J. M. Sutton, Betterton.
Vernon M. Barnett, Chestertown.
R. C. Morgan, Galena.
J. H. Kelly, Still Pond.
H. M. Massey, Massey.
Register of Wills.
Robert R. Hill. L. B. Russell, Jr., Deputy.
Treasurer.
Howard F. Owens, Ollie Estes, Deputy.
History of Kent County, Maryland 9
County Commissioners.
Carey W. Reinhart, President.
Olin S. Davis, John N. Bennett,
T. B. Crew, John C. Wood.
Samuel Hicks, Clerk.
School Board.
John P. Ahern, President.
John D. Urie, C. Romie Skirven.
Almshouse Board.
Harry T. Rash, Henry B. Rasin,
Louis E. Smith, M. Wilber Thomas,
Thomas W. Trew.
State's Attorney.
Harrison W. Vickers.
TOWN OFFICIALS.
Commissioners.
William L. Fowler, George R. Rouse,
Robert Moffett.
R. Groome Parks, Esq., Attorney.
Samuel E. Cooper, Day Bailiff.
Beverly Hyland, Night Bailiff.
U. S. Senators From Maryland.
Blair Lee, John Walter Smith.
County Representatives in State Legislature.
Henry Brown, Senator.
Harry Willis, House of Delegates.
Herbert Urie, House of Delegates.
Coroner.
Dr. Prank B. Hines, Chestertown.
Member Board of Managers Eastern Shore Hospital.
W. W. Beck, Esq., Chestertown.
Bureau of Immigration.
Harry C. Willis, Chairman, Worton.
10 History of Kent County, Maryland
Supervisors of Elections.
George R. Rasin, Kennedyville.
C. Feaxk Crow, Worton,
John C. Davis, Chestertown.
W. F, Russell, Jr., Clerk.
State Tax Commission.
L. W. WicKEs, Member of Board.
OwEx C. Smith, Supervisor of Assessments.
Lodge Directory.
P. O. S. of A. No. 34 meets every Tuesday evening in
Fraternal Hall.
P. O. S. of A. No. 87 meets every Tuesday evening in
Culp Building.
Daughters of America No. 58 meet every Monday eve-
ning in Fraternal Hall.
Jr. O. U. A. M. No. 177 meets every Wednesday in Fra-
ternal Hall.
Loyal Order of ]Moose No. 1496 meets every Friday night
in Westcott Building.
Modern Woodmen of America No. 8745 meet second and
fourth Friday evenings in Fraternal Hall.
Chester Lodge No. 115, A. F. & A. M., meets first and
third Wednesday evenings in Lyceum Theatre Building.
Red Men meet every Thursday evening in Fraternal Hall.
Heptasophs meet first and third Friday evenings of each
month in Fraternal Hall.
TRANSPORTATION LINES.
Train Schedule.
Train leaves Chestertown at 7.37 A. M. for Baltimore and
Philadelphia, connecting north and south, every day except
Sunday. Returning, train reaches here 11.02 A. M. In the
afternoon train leaves at 2.53, returning at 7.03 P. M. On
Sunday train leaves at 3.55 P. M., returning at 7.28 P. M.
Boat Schedule.
Boat leaves Chestertown for Baltimore at 7 A. M. Mon-
day, Wednesday and Friday, arriving in Baltimore at
1 P. M. Returning, leaves Baltimore at 1 A. M., arriving
in Chestertown at 7 on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
Auto Lines connect with day boat at Tolchester and with
train at Elkton.
History of Kent County, Maryland
11
DISTANCES IN KENT.
Chestertown to —
Worton 5.0 miles.
Lynch 6.0 "
Kennedyville ._ 8.2 "
Still Pond 9.4 "
Millington . . . 13.6 "
Galena 15.6 "
Masseys 17.1 "
Georgetown ... 17.1 "
Sassafras 20.9 "
Chestertown to —
Pomona . . .
Fairlee ....
Crumpton .
Chesterville
Tolchester .
Rock Hall..
Sandtown .
Betterton ..
4.0 miles.
6.0
9.0
10.7
11.6
12.4
13.0
12.5
POPULATION OF KENT COUNTY, CENSUS OF 1910.
District 1 — Masseys, including Galena and Milling-
ton towns 3,342
Galena town 262
Millington town 399
District 2— Kennedyville 2,391
District 3 — Worton or Betterton, including Betterton
town 2,041
Betterton town 308
District 4 — Chestertown, including Chestertown 2,941
Chestertown town 2,735
District 5 — Edesville, including Rock Hall town 3,207
Rock Hall town 781
District 6— Fairlee 1,700
District 7 — Pomona 1,335
16,957
The population of Kent County in 1900 was 18,786.
ALTITUDES IN KENT.
Chestertown 22 feet.
Blacks 80 "
Still Pond 70 "
Masseys 64 "
Sassafras 34 feet.
Millington 27 "
Edesville 24 "
Georgetown 5 "
ROADS IN KENT.
The Kent County Commissioners give the road mileage
as follows: First District and Second District, each 120
miles; Third District, 85 miles; Fourth District, 60 miles;
Fifth District, 100 miles; total, 480 miles.
12 History of Kent County, Maryland
REGISTERED VOTE OF KENT COUNTY, 1915.
i Prec. S
Q Q
i
1
-0
c
Q
4>>
6
1
1. 1
. ... 248
131
3
• • •
...
3
272
113
385
2
... 232
133
• • •
• a •
4
6
250
125
375
2. 1
... 155
130
• • •
4
• • •
1
174
116
290
2
... 169
143
2
2
198
118
316
3. 1
... 194
104
1
2
• • •
3
212
92
304
2
... 135
110
1
• ■ •
1
4
159
92
251
4. 1
... 232
206
• • •
5
• • •
7
269
181
450
2
... 210
111
1
3
11
238
98
336
b. J. . . . .
. ... 345
95
• • •
• • •
5
10
408
47
455
2
... 254
104
• • •
• • •
2
• • •
275
85
360
6
... 183
231
1
1
• • •
• • •
204
212
416
7
... 148
184
2
2
3
184
155
339
Totals.. 2505 1682 9 17 14 50 2843 1434 4277
TOTAL ASSESSMENT OF PROPERTY IN KENT
COUNTY, 1916.
Real and Personal, $9,477,889.00.
Ordinary Business Corporations, $24,118.69.
Bonds and Securities, $501,966.64.
KENT COUNTY, MARYLAND
BY FRANK H. RUTH, GALENA.
With the dawning of creation, when the earth began to roll
Through the mazes of countless planets, with the Master in control ;
When its broad expanse of verdure turned its face first toward the sun.
There was just one little corner that he straight pronounced well done.
There the undulating acres spread themselves in vast array,
With their sparkling streams of nectar lost in clouds of silver spray ;
There the sleepy knoll and dingle were the essence of delight.
And the murmur of the breezes crooned the glory of His might.
'Twas a pleasing land ecstatic, just where heaven touched the heath.
Where the green and gold of nature intermingled in a wreath
Thro' the woodlands bold and stately, where they crowned the verdant shore
Of dark meandering rivers now replete with mystic lore.
It was just the spot ideal, where the son of man might roam
With thrills of wild abandon 'neath the blue empyrean dome ;
Where he saw in rich profusion all the earth had to display.
In one gorgeous panorama like the charms of Mosellay.
'Twas the masterpiece primeval, of the great creative God ;
Once the rendezvoua of angels, when its heather was untrod.
"The hidden soul of harmony," where the lotus brewed its spice.
In lordly, proud magnificence stood the world's lone paradise.
Now that favored land elysian to our* vision yet appears.
As the ages turn their pages after twice ten thousand years ;
'Tis the same today as ever — still a land of sweet content.
Still the pearl to which man's pleasure has affixed the name of Kent.
Ah ! those perfumes so delicious where the living roses blow.
Where the moons are more effulgent, where the suns more kindly glow,
Where her solitudes will lull you into dreams of Eden's bow'r.
And a world of wonders greet you in the cycle of an hour.
Yes, she blooms today as ever in her robes of green and gold,
Whilst the splendors of her raiment will remain for aye untold ;
'Tis to see this "Isle of Beauty," feel her ozone in your veins.
Feel the tingle of enchantment as you scan her fair domain.
Then you'll realize what blessings are about you to enjoy,
Not a shadow of disquiet to discourage or annoy ;
Here you'll see man's art has failed him to enhance one single charm.
And the dream of life has centered 'bout "an old Kent County farm."
'Bout her bayous, coves and meadows — -'bout each pebble on her strand —
'Bout the wind scarped bluffs and headlands where the Chester laves her sand.
Where the moonglades are idyllic, where the loveleis entrance.
Where the whole is an oasis and a perfect necromance.
'Tis the scene of joys exquisite, lulling life's sojourn away.
Blissful rhapsodies of pleasure in an endless roundelay
Lull the soul to dreamy fancy, into reverie and muse —
Oh, ye gods ! what have you better to enthrall man — to enthuse ?
Seek sequestered vale and mountain, tread the globe from pole to pole.
Not one spot like "Old Kent County" has the charm to reach the soul.
'Tis the bourne at which, men marvel, 'tis the one supremely blest,
'Tis the "fairest of ten thousand" and of God's creation— BEST.
\
CHESTER RIVER SCENE, NEAR CHESTERTOWN, MD.
History of Kent County, Maryland 15
CHAPTER I.
Events Leading Up to the Founding of
Kent County.
Blood Shed and Dissensions — Claihonie Wins Good
Will of Indians — Jealousy of Oicnership Beticeen
Virginia and Maryland — The Old Desire For More
Territory Plainly Seen.
The Virginia colony was jealous of Maryland
chiefly for three reasons. First, Maryland had once
been a part of the territory of Virginia; secondly,
Maryland was ruled bv Catholics, while Virginia
was Protestant ; thirdly, the commercial rights and
priyileges of Maryland were much greater than
those of Virginia. Thus for a time Maryland's sister
colon}^ and nearest neighbor unfortunately became
her worst enemy. The ^^irginians Ayere represented
by William Claiborne, their Secretary of State.
This man, not unjustly called the eyil genius of
Maryland, was the prime moyer of mischief from
first to last, and deyoted all the energies of his un-
usually determined and perseyeriug nature to the
task of ruining the Maryland colon A^ For twenty
Axars his influence seriously affected Maryland his-
tory, and more than once nearly brought about the
colonA^'s destruction.
Claiborne's opportunity came in the following
manner. Coming oyer to Virginia in 1G21 as sur-
veyor, his force of character brought him rapidly
into notice, and at the time of the settlement on the
St. Mary's he was Secretary of State for Virginia
16 History of Kent County, Maryland
and a member of the Governor's Council. He began
to engage to some extent in the fur trade with the
Indians. In this he was so successful as to induce
a firm of London merchants to employ him, as a
special agent or partner in the business of trading
with the Indians. Claiborne then established a post
on Kent Island, in the Chesapeake Bay, for this
purpose, and obtained licenses to trade; but he
did not secure any grant of land. A few dwellings
were erected, which were paid for by the London
merchants, Cloberry and Company. To complete
the claim of Virginia, it should be noted also that
Palmer's Island had been occupied by traders, and
trading expeditions had been conducted by Henry
Fleet, John Pory, and possibly other Virginians.
The Maryland charter spoke of the country as
^'hitherto uncultivated" ; but this was descriptive
merely, and not a condition of the grant, and if it
had been, the traders had not settled or cultivated
the country.
The instructions of the proprietary regarding
Claiborne were very generous. Acting according to
these instructions. Governor Calvert notified Clai-
borne that his post was within the limits of Mary-
land. He was given to understand that he would
be welcome to the land he had occupied, but that
he must acknowledge the authority of Lord Balti-
more, and hold the land from him and not from
Virginia. Claiborne, on receiving this notice, asked
the Virginia Council what he should do. Their
answer was, that they wondered at his asking such
a question ; could there be any more reason for giv-
ing up Kent Island than any other part of Virginia?
History of Kent County, Maryland 17
Thus Claiborne made his OAvn cause and that of
Virginia one, and feeling sure of support now, he
returned an answer to Governor Calvert in which
he utterly refused to acknowledge the authority of
Maryland and Lord Baltimore.
The Dispute Leads to Bloodshed,
The proprietary's instructions i)rovided that if
Claiborne should refuse to acknowledge the jurisdic-
tion of Marvland, he was to be undisturbed for a
year. But trouble soon arose. The Indians, hitherto
so friendly and sociable, became cold and reserved —
a change which alarmed the people greatly. On
investigation, Claiborne was charged with telling
lies to the Indians for the purpose of stirring them
up against the Marylanders, but in justice it must
be said that when the Indians were questioned in
his presence they declaimed that he had never done
anything to prejudice them against the people of
Maryland.
But there was trouble of a more serious nature
when a vessel of Claiborne's, under the command of
Thomas Smith, was seized in the Patuxent river for
trading without a license in Maryland waters. In
return, Claiborne fitted out an armed vessel, the
Cockatrice, under the command of Lieutenant
Ratcliffe Warren, which he sent out with orders
to capture any Maryland vessel that might be
met. When news of these mighty doings came
to the ears of Governor Calvert, he promptly
armed and sent out two vessels, the St. Mar-
garet and the St. Helen, under the command of
Captain Thomas Cornwallis. "The two expeditions
18 History of Kent County, Maryland
met at the mouth of the Pocomoke on April 23d, and
then and there was fought the first naval battle on
the inland waters of America." Several men were
killed and wounded on both sides, Lieutenant War-
ren being among the killed, and the Cockatrice sur-
rendered. A second fight took place a few days
later, in which Thomas Smith commanded the vessel
of Claiborne, resulting in more bloodshed.
The Capture of Kent Island.
For a time Claiborne remained in undisturbed
possession of Kent Island. But his afi'airs presently
took on a different color, for his London partners,
Cloberr}^ and Company, became dissatisfied with his
management, and sent out an agent named George
Evelin to take charge of their propert3\ Claiborne
tried hard to induce Evelin to promise not to give
up the island to the Marylanders, but could not suc-
ceed. He then went to England and engaged in a
lawsuit with the London merchants who had em-
ployed him. Evelin went to St. Mary's, after a time,
and there he heard the other side of the story, and
was fullv convinced of the riffht of Marvland's claim
to the island. On his return, he called the people
together and explained the situation to them, and
Lord Baltimore's authority was recognized. Gov-
ernor Calvert then appointed Evelin commander of
the island.
But the matter was not vet settled. A number of
persons were arrested for debts owed to Cloberry
and Companj^, and Thomas Smith (the same who
had already taken part against the Marylanders)
and John Butler (a brother-in-law of Claiborne) used
History of Kent County, Maryland 19
every opportunity to stir up dissatisfaction. The
matter finally amounted to a rebellion, and Governor
Calvert, after several warnings, proceeded to the
island himself, with a body of armed men, to offer
a little more forcible persuasion. The attack was
a complete surprise, and Smith and Butler were
captured. The Maryland flag was first used in this
battle and was known as Baltimore's flag. The
Governor then offered to pardon all others who
would come in at once and submit themselves to the
government of Maryland, ^'whereupon," says Gover-
nor Calvert, in a letter to his brother, the proprie-
tary, "the whole ileand came in and submitted them-
selves." Smith was tried before the Assemblv on
charges of piracy and murder, was convicted and
sentenced to death; Butler, not being accused of
crimes so serious, and having shown a better dispo-
sition, was pardoned by the Governor and afterward
came to hold office in the province.
In England the final blow was now struck against
the cause of Claiborne. The quarrel over Kent
Island had been referred to the Board of Commis-
sioners for the Plantations (a body having charge
of colonial affairs), and they decided that as Lord
Baltimore had a grant from the King of England,
while Claiborne had merely a trading license, the
title was undoubtedly with the former. This was
due to the fact that Virginia had forfeited its rights
to all territory and it was within the King's right
to grant to whomsoever he chose any part of the
land that had been within the Virginia Company's
jurisdiction.
20 History of Kent County, Maryland
Claiborne refused to submit to the Lord's Pro-
prietary's demand, and in September, 1634, he was
forced to withdraAV, and fled to Virginia ; he was
attainted and his property confiscated. GoYernor
Harvey refused to surrender him to the authorities
of Maryland or to protect him, but, under the pre-
tense of high respect for the King's license, sent
him to England, with the witnesses, to await the
royal pleasure. Claiborne never forgot or forgave
this conduct of the authorities of Virginia, and
brought it bitterly to their remembrance in 1652.
Claiborne went to England a bitter, vindictive
and unrelenting enemy to the Lord Proprietary.
He petitioned the King for a confirmation of his
former license to trade, for a grant of other lands
adjoining Kent Island, and the power to govern
them. The King, influenced by Sir William Alex-
ander, his Secretary for Scotland, and one of Clai-
borne's associates in the license, issued the order.
The matter was finally adjudicated, in April, 1638,
and determined "that the right to all the territory,
within which Claiborne's settlements were made, was
vested in Lord Baltimore."
The next year, as an humble supplicant, he begged
of the Governor and Council of Maryland the resti-
tution of his confiscated property. This was sternly
and harshly denied. Failing in this, in 1644, he
instigated the Indians to make war upon the colony.
As soon as peace was restored to the afflicted people,
he associated himself with Kichard Ingle, a pro-
claimed "traitor to the King," excited and led a re-
bellion against the Proprietary's government, and
actually drove the Governor out of the colony. For
History of Kent County, Maryland 21
more than a year lie held possession of the govern-
ment, during which time valuable records of the
province were lost or destroyed.
The Governor, Leonard Calvert, did not long sur-
vive his restoration. He died at St. Mary's the 9th
day of June, 1047. Among his last acts, and pe-
culiarly interesting to us, Avas the reconstruction
of the government of Kent Island.
After this, when King Charles had been beheaded
(30th January, 1G19), and the Commonwealth was
established, the irrepressible Claiborne, with Fuller
and others, was commissioned, in September, 1G51,
by Cromwell's Council of State, to subjugate the
province whence he had been lately driven as a rebel.
They were empowered ''to reduce and govern the
colonies within the Chesapeake Bay." Here was a
fine and open field for Claiborne to glut his ven-
geance, and he was swift to avail himself of the
opportunity. Never did a towering hawk more
eagerly swoop upon a poor, mousing owl than did
Claiborne, straight as an arrow from a bow, seek
and find his quarry. He paid his respects first to
Virginia — performed his agreeable task of "reduc-
tion" neatly, cleanly and expeditiously. Then, like
a falcon, he plumed his feathers, and in March, 1652,
borne upon the wings of the wind, pounced upon St.
Mary's. He treated Governor Stone with insolent
indignity, violently seized upon his commission, and
deposed him from office.
Claiborne, then, the 29th of March, appointed a
council, of which Robert Brooke was made presi-
dent and acting Governor, took possession of the
records, and abolished the authority of the Proprie-
22 History of Kent County, Maryland
tary. In July, 1652, Stone submitted, and was re-
instated and permitted to retain and administer the
government ''in the name of the keepers of the
liberty of England." Claiborne again took posses-
sion of Kent Island and Palmer's Island, at the
mouth of the Susquehanna. Having triumphed, this
man of Belial was master of the situation, and the
power of Lord Baltimore was overthrown.
A proclamation, in the name of Cromwell, was is-
sued, dated 22d day of July, 1654, and a commission
appointed for the go^^rnment, at the head of which
was Captain William Fuller.
As soon as convenient. Lord Baltimore made an
effort to regain his rights, and directed Stone to
require all persons to take the ''oath of fidelity"
and re-establish the Proprietary government. This
was done in the latter part of 1654. As soon as
Claiborne heard of these proceedings, with one fell
spring he grappled with all his foes. At the battle
of Providence (now Annapolis), 25th March, 1655,
he took Stone prisoner, and compelled him again to
submit. He condemned Stone to be shot, but the
soldiers loved the amiable Governor, and refused to
execute the cruel order.
In 1658 the government was, happily, restored to
the Proprietary by treaty, and the claims of Vir-
ginia and Claiborne at once and forever ex-
tinguished.
History op Kent County, Maryland 23
^i'&k
9
'CUSTOM HOUSE" ON HIGH STREET— H. L. BOYD'S AND J. B.
SAPPINGTON'S HOMES ON MILL STREET— T. W. ELIASON'S
RESIDENCE ON SPRING AVENUE— SACRED HEART CHURCH
AND OLD RECTORY.
24 History of Kent County, Maryland
CHAPTEE II.
The Isle of Kent.
This beautiful island was settled, as we have seen,
between the years 1627 and 1630, by William Clai-
borne, its government organized as a colony of Vir-
ginia and as such represented in the General As-
sembly of Virginia, which was held at James City
on the 21st of February, 1631-2.
It appears that, toward the latter part of the year
1637, the Isle of Kent had been in some measure
reduced to the obedience of Lord Baltimore. Clai-
borne had failed in his attempts to regain possession
of it, by force, and had, as before stated, been sent
b}^ the Governor of Virginia to England, to seek
what remedy he might find there.
It now became necessary to extend and establish
the civil authorit}^ of the Lord Proprietor over the
Island, as a part of the Province of Maryland. Ac-
cordingly, on the 30th day of December, 1637,
Leonard Calvert, Governor of Maryland, constituted
and appointed his ''good friend Captain George
Evelin, of the isle commonly called Kent," "to be
Commander of the said Island and the inhabitants
thereof," with power to elect and choose a Council,
and to call a "court of courts," to hear and deter-
mine "all causes and actions whatsoever civil" not
exceeding in damages or demands the value of ten
pounds sterling, and with the criminal jurisdiction
of "justice of peace in England," not extending to
life or member, etc.
History of Kent County, Maryland 25
Notwithstanding, and although, Claiborne was ab-
sent, many of the inhabitants did not hesitate to
express their contempt for and resist the constituted
authorities; and it was deemed necessary that the
Governor, assisted by Captain Thomas Cornwallis,
one of the Council, and a competent armed force,
should proceed to the Island and reduce its seditious
inhabitants, by martial law if necessary.
The Governor thought the emergency a serious
one, and he appointed Mr. John Lewger, his secre-
tary, to act in his stead during his absence from
St. Mary's.
On the 22d day of April, 1638, Governor Calvert
appointed William Brainthwayte to be ''Commander
of the Isle of Kent in all matters of warfare by sea
and land necessary to the resistance of the enemy
or suppression of mutinies and insolencies,-' in all
matters civil and criminal to exercise the jurisdic-
tion of a Justice of the Peace, to hold a court of
courts, and to hear and determine all causes civil
''not exceeding in damages or demands to the value
of one thousand weight of tobacco."
A General Assembly met at the Fort of St. Mary's
on Mondav, the 25th of Februarv, 1638-1639. Mr.
Nicholas Browne, planter, and Mr. Christopher
Thomas, appeaiied among the Burgesses, as the dele-
gates from Kent. Their credentials, the returns
from the Isle of Kent, were certified by twenty-four
signatures. Supposing these signatures to have
been the names of all the male heads of families,
then on the Isle of Kent, as they most probably
were, it would afford a tolerable datum from which
might be inferred the aggregate white population
26 History of Kent County, Maryland
of Ihe Island at this period of time. Accounting
five to a famil}^, the usual computation, the popula-
tion would amount to one hundred and twenty souls.
At this Assembly (1638-1639) the powers of the
Commander w^ere more clearly ascertained, and a
''court of record" was erected, to be called the Hun-
dred Court of Kent; of Avhich the Commander of
the Island was to be the judge, and from which
court an appeal lay to the County Court at St.
Mary's. Provision was also made for the Supreme
Court at St. Mary's to sit occasionallv on the Isle
of Kent.
In consequence of dangers arising from the hos-
tility of the ''savages/' Captain Giles Brent, Esq.,
one of the Council, "was commissioned, February
3d, 1639, to be Commander of the Isle of Kent,"
with military powers. This was for special and
temporary purpose. He remained on the Isle, in
commission, but a few months, for it appears that
on the 14th day of August, 1640, William Brain-
thwayte was acknowledged by the Governor as Com-
mander of the Isle, and ''Giles Brent," as the treas-
urer of the province.
The Indians had again become so hostile that the
Governor on the 10th day of July, 1641, issued his
proclamation, prohibiting all persons Avhatsoever to
harbour or entertain any Indian, under pain of the
penalties of martial law, and declaring it unlawful
for any inhabitant whatsoever of the Isle of Kent
to shoot, wound or kill any Indian whatsoever com-
ing upon the said island.
On the 16th day of December, 1642, Mr. Giles
Brent was appointed, by commission, to be Com-
History op Kent County, Maryland 27
mander of the Isle and County of Kent; to be Chief
Captain in all matters of warfare; and to be Chief
Judge in all matters civil and criminal, happening
within the said Island, not extending to life or mem-
AN OLD LOG CABIN ON ROAD TO MILLINGTON.
ber or freehold. In the same commission also, Wil-
liam Ludington, Richard Thompson and Eobert
Vaughan were appointed to be commissioners within
the said Island to all powers and effects as to com-
missioners of a county by the law of the province da
or shall belong. Commissioners of a county appear
to have been then considered as having not only the
power of conservators of the peace at common law,
28 History of Kent County, Maryland
but as thereby authorized to hold a county court.
These gentlemen seem, therefore, to have been now
first authorized to hold a county court in the Isle of
Kent.
If any such court was held by them the record,
and all evidence of it, has been lost.
History of Kent County, Maryland 29
CHAPTER III.
To Be Known as Kent County.
The Isle of Kent, the proud but beautiful Virgin
Queen of the Chesapeake, was now joined in the
bonds of holy wedlock with Maryland ; changing her
state she also changed her name, and, together with
all her possessions, will hereafter be known as Kent
County, until irreverent hands carved away with
invisible lines her ancient domains; and herself,
sole relic of the olden time, deprived of her mar-
riage croAvn, was given as a dowry to the daughter
of her elder sister.
Governor Calvert, the 18th day of April, 1647,
commissioned Robert Yaughan to be chief captain
and commander of all the militia of the Isle of Kent,
and invested him with the power of martial law.
He further authorized the said Captain Robert
Vaughan to award all process necessary, according
to the law and custom of this province, etc. ; and
he also authorized the said Captain Robert Vaughan,
William Cox, Thomas Bradnox, Edward Comins,
Philip Conner and Francis Brooke, or the major part
of them, whereof the said Robert Vaughan ta be al-
ways one, to hear, try and judge, according to the
laws of this province, all actions and causes civil,
except where the freehold of any one shall come
in question, provided that it shall be lawful for any
man, at any time before execution served, to appeal
unto the provincial court ; and he also invested them
with criminal jurisdiction, excepting when the life
or members of any one person shall come in question.
30 History of Kent County, Maryland
He further aulliorized Captain Yaiighan, by com-
mission dated the 31st of May, to collect, demand and
receive, for the use of the Lord Proprietary, all cus-
toms, confiscations, forfeitures and escheat, by any
means and at any time, due to his said Lordship
upon the said island, and also by two other commis-
sions to Mr. Francis Brooke, he was required to take
into his custodj^ all neat cattle belonging to his said
Lordship in the said island, and particularly all the
estate of John Abbott, late of said island.
These were the last acts of Governor Leonard
Calvert. A few days afterwards, on the 9th of June,
1647, he died, after having appointed, by a verbal
nomination, Mr. Thomas Greene as his successor.
The first parliament of Maryland assembled in
April, 1649, at St. Mary's, fifteen years after the
landing of the Pilgrims under Governor Calvert.
Kent was the only other county within the limits
of the principality. Captain Nicholas Martin rep-
resented the County in the parliament and was paid
twenty-six pounds of tobacco each day (|1.56). In
1650-60 arrived the families of Burgess, Ringgold,
Hynson, Jones, Wickes, Smyth, Leeds, Paca, Chase,
Pearce, Chambers, Tilghman, Thompson, Frisby,
Wroth and other well-known names w^hose descend-
ants figure prominently in Kent.
This county was named after the English shire
from whence came most of the early settlers, who
saw in its smiling landscape a replica of the fairest
county of England. It has an area of 315 square
miles, of which about 75 miles are water. It has
435 miles of county roads.
History of Kent County, Maryland 31
To what sort of country did our colonist come?
Notliing small or mean greeted the eve. There was
the magnificent expanse of the Chesapeake Bay;
there was the beautiful Chester, beside which it can
well be said, ^'the Thames was but a rivulet" ; there
were mighty forests stretching as far as the eye
could reach, unchoked by briers, and containing
"strange and beautiful trees" ; there were banks and
groves dotted with the early flowers of spring ; there
were myriads of water fowl and flocks of wild tur-
keys; there were new and wonderful birds — the jay
with his coat of blue, the tanager in his feathers of
scarlet, and, strangest of all, the oriole in a dress
of black and green — and this was Kent. No scarcity
of food ever existed. The bay and rivers were teem-
ing with fish and covered with water fowl, while
the forests held multitudes of wild turkeys, deer,
bears and small game. As for corn harvests, they
were so bountiful that corn was almost immediately
sent to New England and there exchanged for salt
fish and other supplies.
In 1GJ:8 the county had 135 persons. In 1652-3
there were 66 white males and 330 white souls in
Kent. In 1910 there were 10,795 white inhabitants
and 5,162 colored. The assessment was |9,880,450
on real estate and |30,629.40 on stocks.
It is separated from Delaware on the east by a
line run by Mason and Dixon. The western boun-
dary is formed by the upper portion of the Chesa-
peake Bay, while the Sassafras Eiver separates it
from Cecil and the Chester River from Queen Anne's
County. The county is located between the parallels
of 39 degrees and 39 degrees 22 minutes, south lati-
32 History of Kent County, Maryland
tude, and between the meridians of 75 degrees 42
minutes and 75 degrees 16 minutes, west longitude.
In 1910 the farms in Kent were estimated at 956,
and the average acreage 179.
Tobacco was the most common currency of the
province, and in 1650 one pound of it w^as worth
three pence of English mone}^ Our ancestors sat
upon stools, dined without forks, made free use of
the napkin, and paid especial attention to the furni-
ture of their bed chambers. The walls of their prin-
cipal rooms were wainscoted; tea and coffee were
rarely tasted; cider and sack were drank freely;
plenty of fish, oysters and canvasback ducks.
History of Kent County, Maryland 33
CHAPTER IV.
Tench Tilgh man's Ride Through Kent.
Beneath the broad and extending shade of a noble
oak in old St. Paul's Cemetery, there rest the re-
mains of James Tilghman, once Provincial Coun-
cilor of Pennsylvania, the father of Colonel Tench
Tilghman, the confidential secretary and aide-de-
camp to Gen. George Washington. On the surrender
of Cornwallis, October 19, 1781, Tilghman was
selected by Washington to carry his official dispatch
to the Congress at Philadelphia, announcing that
glorious and all-important event.
Taking boat in York Harbor, he was lost one night
aground on Tangier shoals. On reaching Annapolis
he found a dispatch from the Count de Grasse
dated on the eighteenth, to Governor Thomas Sim
Lee, had reached there a day ahead of him and been
forwarded to Philadelphia. Without stopping he
pushed on across the bay to Kent, having lost a
whole day in a calm between Annapolis and Rock
Hall. From there to Philadelphia is about eightj^
miles as the crow flies. De Grasse's courier had
passed through Kent a day ahead. The people were
on tiptoe to hear the news from York. Their hearts
stopped as they imagined they heard the great guns
of the English and the French booming over the
waters in the still night. All looked with wistful
eyes to the South for some sign of the issue of the
weary struggle.
It was the supreme efl'ort of American liberty.
It was the very crisis of freedom. But the flower
34 History of Kent County, Maryland
of Maryland was in that fight, and the lower coun-
ties on the Delaware had sent their bravest and best
to back their brethren of the Eastern Shore. One
of the miracles of history, attested time and again
by indisputable evidence, is that when the minds of
a whole people are at white heat of excitement and
expectation, knowledge comes to them independent
of the senses. The victory of Pharsalia was known
in Rome at the time it occurred, and the events of
Waterloo Avere discussed on the London Stock Ex-
change before it adjourned, on the 18th of June;
and in June, 1863, the attack of Ewell on Milory was
heard and the result detailed in Eichmond, 150
miles away from Winchester, where the battle took
place, on the Sunday afternoon on Avhich it occurred.
There were no telegrams or possible means of com-
munication.
So when Tench Tilghman landed at Rock Hall he
was furnished a horse for his hundred miles' ride
through the countrj^, and found the hearts and
minds of men and women aglow with divine frenzy.
They felt what had occurred without knowing it,
and were Avild for confirmation of knowledge. Up
through Kent, without drawing rein, this solitary
horseman sped his way. He followed the old post
road through this county by way of Forktown (now
Edesville), passing by old St. Paul's Church, then
to Chestertown and on to Georgetown, where he
crossed the Sassafras River. When his horse began
to fail he turned to his nearest kinsman — for they
were mostly of the same blood — and riding up to
the lonely farmhouse in old Kent would shout,
"Cornwallis is taken; a fresh horse for the Con-
History of Kent County, Maryland
35
gress I" and in a minute lie would be remounted and
pushing on in a free gallop. All the night of the
twenty-second he rode up the peninsula, not a
sound disturbing the silence of the darkness except
the battle marker at caulk's field.
the beat of his horse's hoofs. Every three or four
hours he would ride up to a lonely homestead, still
and quiet and dark in the first slumbers of the night,
and thunder on the door with his sword : "Corn-
wallis is taken; a fresh horse for the Congress!'^
Like an electric shock the house would flash with
an instant light and echo with the pattering feet of
women, and before a dozen greetings could be ex-
36 History op Kent County, Maryland
changed and but a word given of the fate of the loved
ones at York, Tilghman would vanish in the gloom,
leaving a trail of glory and joy behind him. So he ^ ,,
sped through Kent, across the head of the Sassafras,'-:^
through Christiana, by Wilmington, straight on to
Philadelphia. The tocsin and the slogan of his news
spread like fire in dry grass, and left behind him a
broad blaze of delirium and joy.
'^Cornwallis is taken!" passed from mouth to
mouth, flew through the air, was wafted on the
autumn breeze, shone with the sunlight. "Cornwal-
lis is taken! Liberty is won! Peace is come! Once
more husbands, fathers, sons, lovers shall return to
the hearts that gave them to the cause! Once more
shall joy set on every hearth and happiness shine
over every roof tree!" When or where in all the tide
of time has such a message been carried to such a
people?
Liberty with justice!
Peace with honor !
Victory with glory ! Liberty, peace, victory, honor
and glory now and forever, one and inseparable!
These were the tidings that Tench Tilghman bore
when he rode into Philadelphia at midnight of the
twenty-third, four days from the army of York. The
dispatch from De Grasse had been received, but the
Congress and the people waited for Washington.
Nothing was true but tidings from him. Rousing
the President of the Congress, McKean, Tilghman
delivered his dispatch to him and the news was
instantly made public. The watchmen as they went
their rounds cried : "Twelve o'clock, all is well, and
Cornwallis is taken!" In a minute the whole city
History of Kent County, Maryland 37
was wild; lights flashed from every window; men,
women and children poured into the streets. The
State House bell rang out its peal of "Liberty
throughout the land to all the inhabitants thereof !"
And thirteen sovereign and independent States were
proclaimed to the world.
TENCH TILGHMAN'S RIDE THROUGH KENT.
By the Rev. Dr. Oliver Huckel.
The sword of Cornwallis was yielded in shame;
The twenty-eight regiments, called out by name,
Their colors surrendered. The whole British host
Marched out 'twixt the ranks of America's boast,
And laid down their muskets. Redcoat drummers with
frown
Beat the old English air— "The World's Upside Down!"
And the great war was ended; the last battle fought,
And freedom was won, so long eagerly sought!
'Twas October nineteen, and the year eighty-one.
When at Yorktown full triumph crowned great Washing-
ton;
The vet'ran's bronzed check was wet with a tear,
But ne'er had his heart known dishonor or fear.
Who shall carry the message to Congress afar.
That Cornwallis is taken, and ended the war?
Who shall spread the glad tidings to hamlet and town
That freedom is won with an honored renown?
What trustiest courier, swiftest and strong,
Shall bear the glad news they have waited for long?
The General looked anxious and pondered awhile,
Then selected his man, and with confident smile
Spake, "Tilghman, to horse! And speed night and day!
Take this message to Congress without a delay!"
'Twas a sprightly young officer, long his close friend.
Who had served in the war from beginning to end.
Then swift to the stirrup Tilghman leaped at the word,
Snatching holster and pistols and girding his sword;
He stopped not a moment, but with joy on his face
He was off like the wind in the desperate race;
The dispatch buttoned tight, naught else would he heed.
But northward as fast as his good horse could speed.
38 History of Kent County, Maryland
He reached the York Ferry as dusk darkened the day
And chartered a sloop for quick course up the bay.
The white stars crept out as they drove swift along;
The fresh gale seemed singing a patriot song,
As it sped the glad news, like a swift-flying dart —
The glad news of victory thrilling his heart.
Now Chesapeake Bay can be mild as a lamb,
With softest of zephyrs and waves smooth and calm.
That night came a thunderstorm. Fierce lightnings
crashed
And the sloop rocked and reared as the angry waves
dashed;
For hours were they driven till the tempest was past,
And on far Tangier Shoals they had drifted at last.
A whole night had been lost. As the morning dawned
gray.
They got off the shoals and went driving away
Up the Chesapeake under full canvas. They steered
For Annapolis shore. Oh, how slow time appeared!
Through the day, through the night, drive they swift as
they can.
And at last they could hear the faint bells of St. Ann.
So they came to the wharf of Annapolis soon —
On Sunday as the worshipers came forth at noon;
They found all excitement, for the good Count de Grasse
Had writ Governor Lee what must sure come to pass;
So they shout with great joy when Tench Tilghman
appears,
And the good news is told amid answering cheers.
Where the Peggy Stewart burned the people went wild;
They thronged around the State House, every man, woman,
child;
The guns roared salute, great fires glory lent.
But Tilghman must haste on his voyage 'cross to Kent.
He cried: "Take the message to old Baltimore,
I must speed on my way through the far Eastern Shore!"
Now again did the elements hinder his way.
For smooth as a mill pond was Chesapeake Bay;
No wind — not a breath — and they lay like a log
All night on, the water becalmed in a fog;
The night and the water were calm as the morn,
But Tench Tilghman's hot heart with a tempest was torn.
History of Kent County, Maryland 39
At Rock Hall he landed; found horse; off they go
Like a well-chosen arrow let loose from the bow;
Through rich meadows they pass, over bridges they shoot,
By gardens and orchards hung heavy with fruit.
He rode 'cross the head of old Sassafras stream,
And on through the green hills as fleet as a dream.
More than once as he rode this peninsular way
His horse trembled and sank. Whether night, whether
day.
He cried to some farmhouse: "Ho, good folks, awaken!
A fresh horse for Congress I Cornwallis is taken!"
Lights flashed, quick feet echoed, a strong horse was given.
And Tilghman was off like a courier of Heaven.
"Hurrah!" cried the farmers from meadow and door,
And cheers rent the air at the good news he bore;
Wives and children rushed out as the horseman went by
And laughed with delight at his jubilant cry;
And bonfires were lit and church bells were heard
As the countryside roused into joy at his word.
'Twas dark when old Wilmington loomed like a dream.
And they swam through the shallows of Brandywine
stream ;
The ships on the Delaware plainly in sight.
But eerie and strange in the gathering night.
He galloped through Chester with rollicking song,
"God speed!" cried they all, as he thundered along.
Four days and four nights had he ruthlessly sped.
By horse, boat, and horse again, forging ahead;
Scarce stopped he to sleep, but drove on like blind fate;
Oft ate as he rode, for his news could not wait;
Tens of thousands were longing, as keen as could he.
For word of war ended and the Colonies free.
'Twas just after midnight, on a mare strong and fleet.
He rode swift over Schuylkill and down Market street.
Philadelphia slumbered beneath peaceful roofs.
The cobblestones echoed the beat of the hoofs;
Then a-sudden with one dreadful shudder and groan
His black steed fell dead — but Tilghman ran on!
"O where is the President, Thomas McKean?
Dispatches for Congress!" But no one was seen.
At last came a sleepy watch pointing the way,
And off Tilghman rushed like a roysterer gay.
He knocked and he shouted. The watch bade him cease
And threatened arrest for disturbing the peace.
40 History op Kent County, Maryland
But he shouted the louder: "Cornwall is is taken!"
And at last the deep-slumbering town did awaken;
Lights flashed from the windows and forth came a throng
To make the streets gay with their laughter and song;
And the bell in the State House was rung by glad hands,
Again sounding liberty all through the lands.
'Twas a night of rejoicing for the staid Quaker town,
A great night of hist'ry and of noble renown.
Cried the ancient night watch, with his lantern and bell:
"Cornwallis is taken — three o'clock and all's well!"
And couriers set off for New York and "down East,"
To tell the good news for the Thanksgiving feast.
Dawn came, and a dozen great cannon boomed forth
The jubilant news that had come to the North;
And Congress met early, the dispatches were read.
And orators praised both the living and dead;
And they crowded to church and laid by the sword
With hosannas from thousands of hearts to the Lord.
And gallant Tench Tilghman, the hero of all,
Was feted in homes and high honored in hall;
Congress voted him thanks, a great sword chased with
gold.
And the noblest black steed with accoutrements bold;
And America ne'er in its patriot pride
Shall forget his good news and his glorious ride!
History of Kent County, Maryland 41
CHAPTER V.
'^The Battle of Caulk^s Field."
This Battle Was Fought In The Early Morning
Hours of Angust 31, ISlJf, on the Soil of Historic
Old Kent, Near What Is Now Knoivn As The
Well-Known Summer Resort, Tolchester.
Of the land battles of the war with Great Britain,
1812-1814, the battle of Caulk's Field was of signal
importance upon the result of the battle of North
Point and the defense of the City of Baltimore
(September 12, 1814). The war had been in prog-
ress nearly two years and neither country had been
able to force its conclusion.
Wearying of the rather desultory fighting, at last
Great Britain determined to make a final effort to
terminate the struggle with the United States. In
August, 1814, she directed her war vessels to again
enter the Chesapeake Bay. The ^^A.nnual Register"
of 1814, a British publication, says : ''The opera-
tions of the British Armaments on the coast of the
southern American States had hitherto been on a
small scale and calculated rather to alarm and irri-
tate than to produce any considerable effect — but in
this year the resolution was taken of striking some
important blow in these quarters." Tactics in that
war were similar to those of earlier date and Eng-
land's policy of burning the defenseless shore towns
and villages, as well as the pillaging of farms that
laid along the water courses, was expected by the
American citizens and soldiers at that time.
42 History of Kent County, Maryland
The previous year the British had burned Havre
de Grace and Frenehtown at the head of Chesapeake
Bav. Thev then went into the Sassafras River and
burned both Georgetown and Frederiektown — inci-
dentally bringing to light the heroism of Kitty
Knight, which is herein fully told.
The Maryland forces were preparing to defend
the city, and soldiers were being drilled throughout
the State with the expectation of going to the aid
of Baltimore's defenders when they were needed.
Across the Chesapeake on the Eastern Shore, bodies
of volunteers were camped ready to move at a mo-
ment's notice. In Kent the Twenty-first Regiment
of Maryland Militia under Col. Philip A. Reed was
encamped at Bellair, now known as Fairlee, a little
village about five miles from the bay shore and about
seven miles west of Chestertown. The regiment con-
sisted of five companies of infantry, one cavalry and
one artillery company, in all just 174 men. They
had five pieces of artillery and were fairly well
equipped with guns, pistols and swords, but had only
twenty rounds of ammunition for each man. It is
needless to say that Colonel Reed was kept posted
by the citizens of the county, and he quickly received
news from the bay-shore farms whenever a strange
sail was seen out on the waters of the Chesapeake.
Late Saturday afternoon, August 27th, news
reached Colonel Reed that a frigate was headed up
the bay about abreast of Swan Point, and with her
were two smaller vessels. A strong southerly breeze
filled their sails and they came bounding up the
Chesapeake over the white caps presenting a beauti-
ful sight. This ship was the "Menelaus," com-
History of Kent County, Maryland 43
manded hy Captain Sir Peter Parker, Bart. She
carried iu addition to lier regular cre\\' about one
hundred and twenty soldiers. She ^vas armed with
thirty-eight guns — only six less than our then
famous warship '"Constitution."
That Sir Peter Parker was ordered to make a
''diyersion'' on the Eastern Shore is yeritied by the
following extract from a letter to the Admiralty
written September 1st, 1814, by Vice-Admiral Coch-
rane, then on board the flagship "Tonnant" in the
Patuxent Riyer. ''Captain Sir Peter Parker on the
'Menelaus' with some small yessels was sent up the
Chesapeake aboye Baltimore to divert the attention
of the enemy in that quarter."
The most important part of ''diyerting the atten-
tion of the enemy" Ayas to preyent the troops from
crossing the bay to the assistance of Baltimore.
Captain Sir Peter Parker was ordered to capture
when possible the small bodies of American soldiers,
to burn the farmhouses along the bay shore and to
harass the people in eyery possible way.
Following the instructions of his superior officer,
he brought his yessel to anchor late Saturday night
off the mouth of Fairlee Creek. Sunday morning,
August 28th, Captain Parker landed about one hun-
dred men on the farm known as "Skidmore," then
owned by Mr. John Waltham, where they burned
eyery building on the farm, together with all the
wheat in the granary, as well as in the stacks in the
fields. According to a letter written from Chester-
town on September Gth, 1811, to the ''Weekly Star,"
published in Easton, Talbot County, Maryland, (a
copy of this old paper can be seen in the library of
44 History of Kent County, Maryland
the Maryland Historical Society) Mr. Waltham sus-
tained a loss of eight thousand dollars. On the fol-
lowing Tuesday morning, August 30th, the farm be-
longing to Richard Frisby, Esq., then living in
Baltimore, was raided and buildings burned. His
farm of 422 acres in Kent County just north of
Fairlee Creek was part of the grant known as "Great
Oak Manor." He sustained a loss of not less than
six thousand dollars.
That night the "Menelaus" dropped down the bay
and anchored off the shore about a mile north of
the farm on which Tolchester Beach is now located,
abreast of "Chantilly," the farm recently owned by
Captain William I. Rasin. The day had been hot
and sultry and the ship's crew as well as the ma-
rines welcomed the cool evening breezes off the bay
as the vessels swung to their anchors.
Captain Parker had watched from the deck of the
''Menelaus" the golden path on the waters of the
Chesapeake that led straight out to the great red
orb — had watched with thoughtful gaze the great red
sun set behind the hills of the Western Shore. His
thoughts were of home and loved ones. Far away
in his home in England his wife and three little sons,
Peter, Charles and George, were looking forward to
his return to them. When Sir Peter was twenty-two
years of age (in 1809) he had courted and married
Marianne, second daughter of Sir George Dallas,
Bart. To her he now sat down and wrote :
"H. M. S. Menelaus,
August '60, 1814.
My Darling Marianne:
I am just going on desperate service, and entirely depend
upon valor and example for its successful issue. If any
History of Kent County, Maryland 45
thing befalls me, I have made a sort of will. My Country
will be good to you and our adored children. God
Almighty bless and protect you all — Adieu, most beloved
Marianne, Adieu!
Peter Parker.
P. S. I am in high health and spirits."
That he had a premonition tliat his end was near
is borne out by this very touching letter to his wife.
Certain are we that he realized tlie risk he was tak-
ing, and as certain are we that he did not shirk what
he regarded as his duty. He had been told by one of
the negroes on Mr. Frisby's farm that morning that
about two hundred militia were encamped behind a
woods about a half mile inland from where his vessel
lay at anchor. The negro intentionally misled them
as the troops under Colonel Reed were five miles
away ! Sir Peter Parker determined to surprise and
capture this body of soldiers later in the night. It
has recently been stated in one of the weekly papers
printed in Chestertown that Sir Peter Parker made
the statement on leaving the vessel that night that
he would eat his breakfast in "Chestertoivn or hell."
This statement is entirely without foundation and
is an unwarranted aspersion on the character of the
man. There is no historical evidence that he even
thought of attacking Chestertown. Captain Sir
Peter Parker, his chief officer, Henry Crease, and his
Lieutenant Pearce together discussed that evening
the proposed attack on the American camp. They
formed their plans and determined to w^ait until
after midnight to land the soldiers and seamen on
the shores of historic old Kent.
The night was hot ; the breeze had died out and the
mist hung over the water, almost shutting out the
46 History of Kent County, Maryland
shore, along which the little waves chased one an-
other on the pebbles. The '4ap" of the waves and
an occasional plaintive call of a whippoorwill in the
woodland bordering the shore were sounds that
added to the oppressiveness of the night.
At Bellair, out in the country about five miles
from where the vessels lay at anchor, Colonel Keed,
who had fought the British in the War of the Revo-
lution, discussed with his officers and a few of the
leading citizens of the county the plans to meet the
threatened attack of the British. He had sent pick-
ets to the bay shore to give warning when there was
a landing made by Sir Peter Parker.
About twelve o'clock at night one of those pickets
brought word to Colonel Reed that Captain Parker
''had landed about one hundred and fifty men" and
was marching eastward out the road past the north
end of the "Big Swamp." The moon had risen and
thrcAV long shadows over the fields, making objects
in the mist less distinguishable than they otherwise
would be. Colonel Reed lost no time, but ordered
the militia to advance at once. They proceeded
toward the Chesapeake Bay, crossing the ''Tulip
Forest," ''Eccleston" and the "Everest" farms, and
reached the ridge on the high ground on Mr. Isaac
Caulk's farm, just to the south of his house, at about
half -past twelve.
To the left of the ridge the main road ran down
towards the bay. To the right of this road a strip of
heavy timber stretched away to the west. Immedi-
ately in front of his position Colonel Reed could see
the open low land of "Moore's Field," fifty acres, per-
haps, of cleared land. Here Colonel Reed halted his
History of Kent County, Maryland 47
men, forming in position to cover the probable ad-
vance of the enemy.
The following letter written by Colonel Reed to
Brigadier-General Benjamin Chambers gives a very
excellent description of the arrangement of the
troops as well as a fair acconnt of the engagement
and result:
"Camp at Belle Air.
3d Sept., 1814.
"Sir:
I avail myself of the first moment I have been able to
seize from incessant labor, to inform you that about
half past eleven o'clock in the night of the 30th ult., I re-
ceived information that barges of the enemy, then lying
off Waltham's farm were moving in shore. I concluded
their object was to land and burn houses, etc., at Wal-
tham's and made the necessary arrangements to prevent
them and to be prepared for an opportunity which I had
sought for several days, to strike the enemy. During our
march to the point threatened it was discovered that the
blow was aimed at our camp.
"Orders were immediately given to the Quarter Master
to remove the camp and baggage, and to the troops to
countermarch, pass the road by the right of our camp, and
form on the rising ground about three hundred paces to
the rear — the right towards Caulk's House, and the left
retiring on the road, the artillery in the centre, supported
by the infantry on the right and left.
I directed Captain Wickes and his Second Lieutenant
Beck with a part of the rifle company to be formed so as
to cover the road by which the enemy marched, and with
this section I determined to post myself, leaving the line
to be formed under the direction of Major Wickes and
Captain Chambers.
The head of the enemy's column soon presented itself,
and received the fire of our advance party at seventy paces
distance, and being pressed by numbers vastly superior,
I repaired to my post on the line, having ordered the rifle-
men to return and form on the right of the line.
"The fire now became general along the whole line and
was sustained by our troops with the most determined
valor. The enemy pressed our front; foiled in this he
threw himself upon our left flank which was occupied by
Capt. Chambers' company. Here, too, his efforts were un-
availing. His fire had nearly ceased when I was informed
48 History of Kent County, Maryland
that in some parts of our line the cartridges were entirely
expended, nor did any of the boxes contain more than a
few rounds, although each man brought about twenty into
the field. The artillery cartridges were entirely expended.
Under these circumstances, I ordered the line to fall
back to a convenient spot where a part of the line forti-
fied when the few remaining cartridges were distributed
amongst a part of the line, which was again brought into
the field, where it remained for a considerable time, the
night preventing pursuit. The artillery and infantry for
whom there were no cartridges, were ordered to this
place (Belle Air).
The enemy having made every effort in his power, al-
though apprized of our falling back manifested no disposi-
tion to follow us up but retreated about the time our
ammunition was exhausted. When it is recollected that
very few of our officers or men had ever heard the
whistling of a ball; that the force of the enemy, as the
most accurate information enables us to estimate, was
double ours; that it was commanded by Sir Peter Parker
of the "Menelaus" one of the most distinguished officers
of the British navy and composed (as their ofiiicers admit-
ted in subsequent conversation) of as fine men as could
be selected from the British service, I feel justified in the
assertion that the gallantry of the officers and men engaged
on this occasion could not be excelled by any troops.
The officers and men performed their duty. It is, how-
ever, but an act of justice to notice those officers who
seemed to display more than a common degree of gallantry.
Major Wickes and Captain Chambers were conspicuous;
Captain Wickes and his Lieutenant John Beck of the rifle
corps. Lieutenant Enneck (Everest?) and Ensign Wm.
Skirven of Captain Chambers' company exerted themselves,
as did Captain Hynson and his Lieutenant Grant, Captain
Usselton of the brigade artillery and his Lieutenant John
Reed and Morgan Brown. Lieutenant Tilghman, who com-
manded the guns of the volunteer artillery in the absence
of Captain Hands, who is in ill health and from home, was
conspicuous for his gallantry; his ensign Thomas also
manifested much firmness. 1 am indebted to Captain Wil-
son of the Cavalry who was with me for his exertions and
also to Adjutant Hynson who displayed much zeal and
firmness throughout. To Dr. Blake, Dr. Gordon and to
Isaac Spencer, Esq., who were accidentally in camp I am
indebted for their assistance in reconnoitering the enemy
on his advance.
You will be surprised, Sir, when I inform you that in
an engagement of so long continuance, in an open field,
when the moon shone brilliantly on the rising ground
occupied by our troops, while the shade of the neighboring
History of Kent County, Maryland 40
woods under the protection of which the enemy fought
gave us but an indistinct view of anything but the flash of
liis guns, tliat under the disparity of numbers against us,
and the advantage of regular discipline on the side of the
enemy we had not one man killed, and only one sergeant,
one corporal and one private wounded, and those slightly.
The enemy left one midshipman and eight men dead on
the field and nine wounded, six of whom died in the course
of a few hours. Sir Peter Parker was amongst the slain;
he was mortally wounded by a buck-shot, and died before
he reached the barges to which he was conveyed by his
men. The enemy's force consisted of marines and mus-
keteers, was in part armed with boarding pikes, swords
and pistols, no doubt intended for our tents, as orders
had been given by Sir Peter Parker not to fire.
Many of these arms, with rockets, muskets, etc., have
fallen into our hands, found by the picket guard, under
Ensign William Skirven which was posted on the battle-
ground for th(; remainder of the night. Nothing but the
want of ammunition saved the enemy from destruction.
Attached are the names of the wounded; and as an act of
justice to those concerned, I enclose you a list of every
officer and soldier engaged in this affair. Certain inforn a-
tion from the enemy assures us that his total loss in killed
and wounded was forty-two or forty-three, including two
wounded lieutenants.
I am, sir, your most obedient humble servant,
Phil. Reed,
Lieut. Col. Commanding"
"Names of the wounded of Captain Chambers' Company:
John Magnor, Sergeant, slightly in the thigh;
Philip Crane, Corporal, a ball between the tendons and
the bone of the thigh, near the knee.
Of Captain Page's Company:
John Glanville, a private, shot in the arm,"
The ''Menelaiis" and her two companion vessels
were withdrawn on Wednesday night, Augnst 31st,
after taking aboard the body of Sir Peter Parker
and the wounded men and an anchorage made across
the bay off Pool's Island, Her acting commander,
Henry Crease, reported the Caulk's Field engage-
ment to his superior officer, Vice-Admiral Sir Alex-
ander Cochrane.
50 History of Kent County, Maryland
Under date of September 1st, 1814, lie says in
part: '^Witli grief the deepest, it becomes my duty
to communicate the death of Sir Peter Parker, Bart.,
hite commander of His Majesty-s Ship ''Menelaus,"
and the occurrence attending an attack on the en-
emy's troops on the night of the 30th ult., encamped
at Bellair."
''The previous and accompanying letters of Sir
Peter Parker will, I presume, fully point out the
respect the enemy on all occasions evince at the
approach of our arms."
"An intelligent black man gave us information of
two hundred militia being encamped behind a woods,
distant half a mile from the beach, and described
their situation so as to give us the strongest hope
of cutting them off and securing the largest part as
our prisoners, destroying the camp, field pieces, etc.,
and possessing also certain information that one
man out of every five had been levied as a requisition
on the Eastern Shore for the purpose of 'being sent
over for the protection of Baltimore, and who are
now only prevented from crossing the 'bay by the
activity and vigilance of the tender and ship's
boats."
''One hundred and four bayonets with twenty
pikes were landed at eleven o'clock at night under
the immediate direction of Sir Peter Parker, Bart.,
captain, the first division headed bv mvself and the
second by Lieutenant Pearce. On arriving at the
ground we discovered the enemy had shifted his po-
sition, as we were then informed, at the distance of
a mile farther. Having taken the lookout picquet
(picket) immediately on our landing, Ave were in
History of Kent County, Maryland 51
assurance our motions had not been discovered, and
with the deepest silence followed on for the camp.
After a march of between four or five miles in the
country, we found the enemy posted on a plain sur-
rounded by woods, with the camp in their rear ; they
were drawn up in line and perfectly ready to receive
us. A single moment was not to be lost. By a smart
fire and instant charge we commenced the attack,
forced them from their position, putting them before
us in full retreat to the rear of their artillery, where
they again made a stand, showing a disposition to
outflank us on the right. A movement was instantly
made by Lieutenant Pearce's division to force them
from that quarter, and it w^as at this time, while ani-
mating his men in the most heroic manner, that Sir
Peter Parker received his mortal wound, which
obliged him to quit the field and he expired in a few
minutes. Lieutenant Pearce, with his division, soon
routed the enemy, while that under my command
gained and passed the camp. One of the field pieces
was momentarily in our possession, but obliged to
quit it from superior numbers. The marines under
Lieutenant Beynon and Lieutenant Poe formed our
centre, and never was bravery more conspicuous."
••'Finding it impossible to close on the enemy from
the rapidity of their retreat, having pressed them
upwards of a mile, I deemed it prudent to retire
towards the beach, which was effected in the best
possible order, taking with us from the field twenty-
five of our Avounded, the whole we could find, the en-
emy not even attempting to regain the ground they
had lost. From three prisoners (cavalry) taken by
us we learnt their force amounted to five hundred
52 History of Kent County, Maryland
militia, a troop of horse and five pieces of artillery,
and since, by flags of truce, 1 am led to believe their
numbers much greater. Repelling a force of such
magnitude with so small a body as we opposed to
them will, I trust, speak for itself, and although our
loss has been severe I hope the lustre acquired to our
arms will compensate for it."
This engagement upon the soil of old Kent, though
participated in by few men on either side, was hotly
contested, and no one can accuse either side of being
cowardly. It is reasonable to suppose that the
American forces expected to find at least two hun-
dred men on the British vessels under Sir Peter
Parker. On the other hand, the British captain had
been purposely misinformed as to the number of the
American force opposing them.
Colonel Philip A. Reed, who commanded the Mary-
land militia at this battle of "Caulk's Field," was a
native of Kent County and at the time of the battle
was in his fifty-fourth year. At the age of sixteen
he had joined a volunteer company enlisted in Kent
County by Nathaniel Kennard, Jr. This company
was inspected and passed for service in the Conti-
nental Army by William Henry on July 22nd, 1776,
just sixteen days after the signing of the Declaration
of Independence at Philadelphia.
Having seen hard service in the Revolutionary
War, having risen from private to the rank of cap-
tain, Philip Reed returned to his home in Kent at
the close of the war, where he entered the public life
of his county. He was a member of the ''I. U." Par-
ish of the Protestant Episcopal Church and attended
services in the little brick parish church at "I. U."
History of Kent County, Maryland 53
In 180G he was elected to the United States Senate.
He served that time one year, and was re-elected and
served until 1813. In that year he was made a
lieutenant colonel of the volunteers of the State of
Maryland, and, as previously stated, commanded the
Twenty-first Maryland Militia until peace was re-
stored with Great Britain. Colonel Reed became a
charter member of the Maryland Society of the Cin-
cinnati and was elected vice-president of the society
in 1828. He lived to be 69 years old, dying on No-
vember 2nd, 1829. He was buried in Christ Church
Cemetery at "I. U." and a memorial slab marks
the grave of this one of Kent's most distinguished
citizens.
Captain — afterwards known as Judge — Ezekiel F.
Chambers commanded the first company of the regi-
ment under Colonel Reed. He was born in Chester-
town on the 28th of February, 1788, acquired his col-
legiate education at the famous old Washington Col-
lege, where he received his degree. In 1808 he was
admitted to the bar, and soon developed into an able
advocate. He became identified with the local mili-
tary organization and was a loyal and capable
soldier, rising, as I have already stated, to be captain
of his company at the age of twenty-six.
At the election of 1824 he was sent to the upper
house of the Maryland Assembly. The legislature of
1828 elected him United States Senator, to which
office he was re-elected in 1832. The following year
Yale Universitj^ conferred upon him the degree of
L. L. D. To fill a vacancy occurring upon the bench
of the Court of Appeals, he was appointed Chief
Judge of that body in 1834, which place he retained
54 History of Kent County, Maryland
until 1857. Owing to ill health he was forced to
decline the portfolio of Secretary of the Navy,
offered to him by President Fillmore at that time.
The famous old Bedingfield Hands Mansion, facing
the Chester Eiver, in Chestertown, became the home
of Judge Chambers. Here he died in 1866. This
beautiful example of Colonial architecture is now
the home of Mr. Wilbur W. Hubbard.
Joseph Wickes was second in command, with the
rank of Major. He was a brother-in-law to Captain
Chambers, and from him was descended two of
Kent's prominent men, Judge Joseph A. Wickes, and
his brother. Judge Pere L. Wickes of Baltimore.
Col. Joseph L. Wickes of Baltimore and Lewin W.
Wickes of the State Tax Commission are also de-
scendants.
Time will not permit reference to the other men
who took part in the defence of old Kent; we will
let this suffice at this time. It is, however, proper
to speak of the distinguished British officer who was
killed in the Battle of Caulk's Field. As has been
stated, his body was taken aboard the "Menelaus,"
and as soon as possible taken to Bermuda, and there
buried with military honors on October 14th, 1814.
The following Spring his body was taken up and
carried to England, where on the 14th of May, 1815,
it was placed in the Parker family vault at St. Mar-
garet's Church, Westminster. While the ceremonies
took place at the early hour of six in the morning,
many notables of the British Government were
there, to show their respect for the memory of this
distinguished citizen and soldier.
History of Kent County, Maryland 55
Caiilk's Field farm was in possession of Mr. Isaac
Caulk at the time of the battle. He had inherited
the property. It was part of a tract known as
''Arcadia," which was granted as 1,000 acres to
Michael Miller, one of the first vestrymen of old
St. Paul's Church, Kent County. This particular
part of "Arcadia" had belonged to Isaac Caulk's
uncle, John Moore, and upon the death of Mr.
Moore, in August, 1812, the property became Isaac
Caulk's. The War Department records at Washing-
ton call the engagement the "Battle of MoorefieM'
or "CaiiWs Field." It is also thus spoken of in
"Niles' Register." The bricks in the gable of the
old Caulk's Field House show that it was built in
1713. It is one of the oldest buildings now stand-
ing in Kent, and is now owned by Mr. E. J. Watson.
On the initiative of the late Rev. Chris. T. Den-
roche, in 1902, then rector of St. Paul's Parish in
Kent, a handsome granite battle-marker was placed
beside the main road that leads from Chestertown
to Tolchester, on ''Caulk's Field." Assisting Mr.
Denroche in raising the necessary funds to erect
the marker were Capt. Columbus A. Leary, Charles
0. Hopper, Fred G. Usilton, L. B. Russell of
Kent, Col. Wm. M. Marine, James E. Carr, Jr., Mr.
Thomas Hill and W. H. Gill of Baltimore.
That there can never be offence given to those
who by chance should pass that way the monument
bears the following inscription:
''ERECTED TO COMMEMORATE THE PATRIOTISM AND
FORTITUDE OF THE VICTOR AND VANQUISHED.'^
56
History of Kent County, Maryland
List of Soldiers.
Among the old papers now in the librar}- of the
Maryland Historical Society we find a "list of offi-
cers and men who were in the action at Caulk's
Field on the night of the thirtieth of Angust last
under Colonel Eeed," in the issue of October 4th,
1814, of the RepiiWcan Star or General Advertiser^
published at Easton, Talbot County, Maryland. The
names of the companies and the men in each com-
pany are as follows :
Of Captain Chambers' Company:
Ezekiel F. Chambers, Captain
Thomas Eunick, Lieutenant
William Skirven, Ensign
Alford, Aaron
Bordley, Thomas
Benton, Benjamin
Chambers, David
Chambers, Benjamin Lee
Crane, Philip
Coleman, Isaiah
Coleman, James
Comegys, Lemuel
Constable, Robert
Coleby, Edward
Dugan, Thomas
Dunk, Alexander
Deal, Samuel
Elliott, William
Falls, David
Floyd, Samuel
Gooding, James
Griffith, Samuel
Haltzman, George
Hickenbottom, James
Herbert, Zabedel
Haley, James
Jones, John
Kennard, Richard
Kennard, Thomas J.
Kemp, John (drummer)
Lassell, William S.
Lasell, William C.
Magnor, John (sergeant)
Mansfield, James
Miller, James D.
Notts, William
Rumney, Samuel
Russell, Theophelus
Robinson, James
Toulson, Andrea
Usselton, John
Vickers, James
Vickers, Jesse
Watts, George
Wickes, Joseph (4th)
Wickes, Thomas
History of Kent County, Maryland 57
Of Captain Hand's Company: (Captain Hand was too ill
to serve).
(Volunteer Artillery.)
Henry Tilghman, Lieutenant
Richard S. Thomas, Ensign
Barnes, Robert
Brown, James F.
Copper, Henry
Eccleston, John B.
Edwards, James
Elbert, Samuel
Gibbs, Joseph
Hyland, William
Hague, William
James, Thomas J.
Maslin, James
Middleton, James
Martin, William
McGuire, Robert
Nicholls, Jeremiah
Parsley, Arthur
Ringgold, James, Jr.
Redue, Joseph
Robertson, Henry
Seymour, Richard
Staveley, Wilson
Tonson, Nathaniel
Taylor, Thomas
Vickers, Thomas
Wilcox, James
W'ilmer, Lemuel
, Wilmer, John R.
Of Captain Wickes' Rifle Corps:
Simon Wickes, Jr., Captain
Joseph Brown, First Lieutenant
John Beck, Second Lieutenant
Airy, John
Beck, Peregrine
Beck, John
Coleman, Samuel
Bowling, Eliphar
Fricks, Richard
Fellingham, Robert
Hartley, Thomas
Hyland, John
Jones, John
Kennard, Richard
Lamb, William
Pearce, John
Rolinson, Levin
Sparks, Bazilla
Stokes, Horatio
Smith, James
Smith, Richard
Swift, Elisha
Tharp, James
Urie, Henry
Wickes, Samuel C.
Yates, James
Of Captain Griffith's Company:
Samuel Griffith, Captain
Joseph Thomas, Lieutenant
Baker, Samuel
Brown, Hiram
Crouch, John
Crouch, James
Dank, Henry
De Course, Barney
Harriss, Jonathan
Jones, David
Kendall, William
Simmonds, George G.
58
History of Kent County, Maryland
Of Captain Hynson's Company:
Thomas B. Hynson, Captain
Richard Grant, Lieutenant
Hague, William
Love, Robert
Whaland, Peregrine
Shaw, James
Warum, John
Of Captain Page's Company:
Samuel Wickes, Lieutenant
Merritt Miller, Ensign
Ashley, George
Alloway, Gabriel
Beck, Elisha
Benton, Thomas
Bryan, Stephen
Covington, Thomas
Covington, Jesse
Coleman, Ezekiel
Clark, Jesse
Cleaves, Nathan
Crouch, Thomas
Collin, Robert
Downey, James
Dudley, Nicholas
Dunn, John
Eagle, James
Frisby, William
Glanville, John
Hynson, Benjamin
Humphrey, John
Hudson, James
Ivry, William
Legg, James
Miller, William
Simons, William
Spencer, Thomas
Warum, Abraham
Wickes, William, Jr.
Yearley, John, Jr.
Artillery Company
Aquilla M. Ussleton, Captain
John Reed, Lieutenant
Morgan Brown, Lieutenant
Apsley, William, Jr.
Apsley, Dulaney
Carroll, Philip
Cannon, Edward
Dugan, John
Forman, Ezekiel
Gedley, Joseph
Hatcherson, James
Leatherberry, Charles
Nicholson, Edward
Pennington, Benedict
Rasin, Siras
Rasin, Philip, Jr.
Stewart, Henry H.
Ussleton, James
Ussleton, William T.
Wickes, Mathias
Weaver, William
Part op Caulk^s Field Story.
The British official list of their killed and
wounded reported by Henrj^ Crease, acting com-
History of Kent County, Maryland
59
mander, were: Killed, Sir Peter Parker, baronet;
Capt. J. T. Sands, midshipman ; R. Friar and R.
Robinson, quartermasters; J. Perren, swabber; T.
Dorris, sailmaker; G. Hall, ordinary seaman; J.
Evans, sergeant-of-marines ; W. Hooper, W. Davis,
THE THOS. HILL CAULK'S FIELD HOUSE.
Built in 1743 and now owned by E. Jos. Watson.
R. Johnson, W. Rogers, W. Powell and R. Jones,
marines, a total of fourteen acknowledged to have
been killed. The wounded were reported to be: T.
Fitzmaurice, boatswain's mate, severely ; J. McAllis-
ter, J. Mooney, seamen, severely ; M. Cullen, seaman,
slightly; J. Cooper and J. Malcolm, seamen,
severely; A. McArthur, captain of the forecastle,
severely; W. Noel, seaman, slightly; T. Taffield,
quartermaster's mate, severely; M. Halligan, quar-
60 History of Kent County, Maryland
tei'-guuuer, slightly; B. G. Beynon, lieutenant-of-
mariues, seyereh ; G. Poe, similar officer, slightly;
J. List, J. Haryey, J. Schriber, G. Morrell and W.
Smith, marines, slightly ; W. Golatham, E. Turner
and W. Pritchard, marines, and J. Manderson, a
seaman ; J. Eowe, landsman, and G. Hobbs, captain
of the foretop, seyerel3\ A total of 28 admitted to
haye been wounded, some of whom subsequently
died.
The Americans buried the fallen British by the
roadside, Ayhere a hedge now grows in thrifty luxu-
riance. About the year 1830, a small boy (the late
Columbus A. Learj ) on his way home from school
saw some Ayorkmen opening a mound on the road-
side; he stood and watched the dirt-heayers. The
friends of the dead midshipman had sent across the
ocean to bear the relics of their loyed ouie over the
sea. He was identified and his remains conyej^ed to
England, where he sleeps, perhaps, in one of those
beautiful country churchyards where sublime still-
ness hoyers oyer the sward. The earth was thrown
back and has not since been disturbed. The dead
Britons haye graves secured against depredations,
in which they will rest securely until the Judgment
Day.
The late Columbus A. Leary has placed a rough
stone in the hedge, on a located spot where the
graves are supposed to be.
History of Kent County, Maryland 61
THE BATTLE OF CAULK'S FIELD.
(By Dr. P. Wroth.)
I sing of War, and all its thousand woes,
Of bloody wounds and death's convulsive throes,
Descend, oh Muse, and while thy Vot'ry sings.
Let thine own fingers touch the sounding strings.
'Twas noon of night when round the frozen Pole
His sluggish form the Bear was seen to roll.
And earth and ocean wide-extended lay
Beneath pale Cynthia's sleep-inviting ray.
When hostile barges moored upon our shore,
And Albion's flag the peerless Parker bore:
That flag Avhich Gaul's proud Tyrant long had braved,
Which wide o'er Europe's bloody plains had waved —
No more alas! for victory won to wave-
But shroud Sir Peter in his bloody grave!
Three hundred warriors, a selected band,
With dire intention by their Chief's command.
Propelled by sails and oars soon reached our shore,
Their native Britain doomed to reach no more.
Thus some dark cloud, driven on by Eurees' blast.
Which bows the trees and bends the lofty mast —
Dispersed by rising Zephyr instant flies
And scowling, darkens all the eastern skies!
And thus Goliah's boasted prowess yields
To God's anointed Shepherd of the fields.
One hundred youths, Columbia's chosen seed.
Led on by gallant, dauntless god-like Reed;
With shining muskets gleaming from afar.
And bristly bayonets, stood the tug of war.
High in the midst, the bravest of the brave
(Like Calpi's mound amidst old Ocean's wave).
Stood Tilghman firm, while loud his cannon roars,
And ghastly deaths in swift succession pours.
The battle rages now and warmer grows.
Each hostile chief with burning ardour glows,
Here brutal Mars — his garments bathed in blood,
And there Billona, war's dire goddess, stood;
When Tilghman rose, and cast his eyes around —
He spoke — and quick the hills returned the sound.
"My friends, my comrades, brave compeers in arms —
Who stand unmoved Billona's dread alarms —
Mark yonder Chief who towers amidst his friends —
Whose voice of thunder heav'n's blue concave rends —
The shield, the buckler of the hostile host —
See that he falls — and all their hopes are lost."
C2
History of Kent County, Maryland
He spoke, unerring Nicols heard the sound
With fatal speed his cannon wheeled around;
Out flew the ball— Sir Peter bit the ground-
Life's purple current issued from the wound!
Affrighted Cynthia veiled her radiant eyes
In clouds of Smoke, and fled beyond the skies!
The polar star and all who walk the rounds
From the eastern limits to the western bounds,
Concealed their orbs — and dyed old Ocean's flood —
Oh! strange to tell, with streaming tears of blood!
Sir Peter slain, the hostile squadrons fled;
The woods and valleys groaned beneath their dead!
Regained their barges — plied the lab'ring oars.
And fled forever from our blood-stained shores.
Incidents Preceding the ^^Caulk^s Field^^ Battle.
The success attending the operations of the British
during the early part of 1814 encouraged them
to carry out the determination of the Admiralty to
strike some formidable blow. The army under Maj.
History of Kent County, Maryland 63
Gen. Sir Robert Ross consisted of 4,000 picked
troops and these were landed in the Patuxent River
about the middle of August. They marched upon
Washington, burned Bladensburg as they went,
and, meeting with only a feeble resistance from the
American army who were supposed to be defending
the national capital, the British entered the city,
burned the President's house, the Capitol, the Navy
Yard and the vessels therein. This was on the 24th
day of August, 1814. They returned to the fleet in
the Patuxent and under the immediate command of
Vice- Admiral Sir Alexander Cochrane proceeded up
the bay to attack Baltimore. The city was then the
home of the famous "Clipper ships" and ''privateers"
that were the persistent foe of the British navy and
it was determined if possible to capture the city and
destroy her shipping. That was the '^important
blow" spoken of in the "Annual Register."
64 History of Kent County, Maryland
CHAPTEK VI.
Burning of Georgetown and Fredericktown on
THE Sassafras.
The ThriUing Story of How the Valiant Kitty
Knight Saved Georgetoicn, From the Pen of Mrs.
Harriett L. W. Hill, a Scion of One of the Old
Families of Kent.
The eyes of one looking for the unique and beau-
tiful would dance with admiration at the romantic
story and facts connected with the burning of
Georgetown and Fredericktown on the borders of
the Sassafras Eiver during the war with England in
1812 and 1813.
This story has to do with the Kitty Knight home
now standing at Georgeto^ni.
Miss Kitty Knight was one of the most beautiful
and accomplished women Kent County has ever
known. She was a great-aunt to Mr. William
Knight, of Baltimore, and related to the Knights of
Chestertown and Cecil County. Miss Kitty was tall
and graceful, with hair dressed high on her head
in colonial style and represented as queenly in
appearance. She attended one of the great State
balls in Philadelphia during a session of the Con-
tinental Congress in that city and danced with
General Washington.
Mrs. Harriett L. W. Hill has spent much time
delving into hidden incidents of historv, and savs :
''The attack is said to have been led by Admiral
Cockburn. Mrs. Ireland, an old lady (living in
History of Kent County, Maryland
Go
Cliestertown Avlieii I was a child) related her per-
sonal experience at the time the British landed at
Georgetown, which place was then her home. Great
was the consternation at the rumored approach of
the British soldiers. The men of all classes, and
boys able to shoulder a musket or use any other
weapon, hastily collected, carrying whatever arms
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they could procure and marched out of the town
to meet the foe, and prevent, if possible, his nearer
approach.
Only old men, women and children remained to
guard their homes and household treasures. From
time to time, alarming news came of the continued
onward march of the enemy and the firing of guns
at length was distinctly heard by the refugees from
the town as they hastened in search of a place of
66 History of Kent County, Maryland
safety. This natural desire to escajje the impending
destruction of their homes Avas, of course, universal,
also the wish to carry away with them as much of
their money, silver articles and other valuables as
was possible in their hasty flight.
Mrs. Ireland said that only her small children and
their nurse remained at home with her; all terribly
friohtened. She hastened to her stable and har-
nessed a horse to an old-fashioned, high swung, two-
wheeled ''gig'' such as was used in those days, in
which she took her children and their nurse to a
thick woods about two miles away from the town,
where she left them together, hastening back to her
house, catching up her table silver, valuable papers
and other small articles, returning with them to the
woods and putting them on the ground near her
children. Again and again did she make these trips,
emptying bureau drawers and closets of clothing;
taking in her small conveyance anything else she
could, urging her horse to his utmost speed each
time, thus saving some few of her things from the
fire which afterwards consumed the town.
It was a time of great distress to the stricken
people, who were experiencing only a common result
of warfare. We can readily imagine the inconveni-
ence and loss, the burning of even these two small
towns on the Sassafras Eiver caused the inhabitants.
These little details help us to realize historical oc-
currences far more vividlv than the bare mention of
facts. The story of Miss Kitty Knight, of course,
has varied in some minor points, from the number
of narrators. I was told that her youth and beauty,
added to a stately carriage, made a strong impres-
History of Kent County, Maryland 67
sion upon all who saw her iu those da^s, and that
wheu the British soldier w^eut from house to house
in Georgetown, bearing the command of his officer
in charge of the troops for the inmates to vacate
their homes, as the torch would soon be api)lied.
Miss Kitty, with head erect and flashing eyes, re-
plied : "I shall not leave; if you burn this house, you
burn me with it." This defiant reply being reported
to the officer, while some of the houses were alreadv
in flames, he came himself to repeat his command.
Miss Kitty received him with the same courage,
reiterating her resolution not to leave. The young-
officer was struck with admiration at the daring of
the handsome, high-spirited American damsel, feel-
ing that she would keep her word and be immolated
if he persisted in his design of a general conflagra-
tion. Twice when the attempt was made by British
soldiers to fire the house Miss Kitty extinguished
the kindling flame. At last, the officer, in deference
to her coolness and courage, gave the order to spare
the Knight house and the one next to it — both of
which are still preserved.
In addition to this storv of Miss Kittv Knight's
vouthful davs, I was told later bv a friend who
knew Miss Kitty Avell (describing her as continuing
to wear in her old age a turban in the quaint and
stately style of a bygone fashion), that twenty-five
years after our war with Great Britain in 1812, an
iVmerican gentleman of Kent County, Maryland,
traveling in Europe, met the same British officer on
the "riviera" who commanded the attack upon
Georgetown.
68 History of Kent County, Maryland
This officer, learning that the American belonged
to Maryland, expressed to him his recollection of
the incident of Miss Knight's courage saving lier
home from the torch. Learning that she was still
living, the officer inquired particularly about her,
and sent her his sincere compliments.
BALLAD OF THE SASSAFRAS UiVFK.
Kitty Knight in Song.
By Rosalie Mitchell Schuyler.
The beautiful river Sassafras
Flows onward in its pride,
Between the level fields of Kent
And Cecil rolling wide.
Fair river, on thy sunny banks
Peach orchards spread their bloom.
Where red men once chased fallow deer
Beneath the harvest moon.
Along the creeks and reedy swamps,
Where stately cat-tails grow.
The furry muskrat makes his home,
And lazily caws the crow.
The wild ducks seek their feeding place
Far from the haunts of men —
The water snipe struts proudly free
Along the marshy fen.
Fish hawks, alert upon their nests,
High up a gnarled old tree.
Watch, dip, and plunge — a wriggling perch
Is caught successfully.
There was a time, there was a time —
Full four-score years gone by.
When on these peaceful banks was heard
The sound of musketry.
When quiet Georgetown on the hill,
And Fredericktown below.
Were menaced by a British fleet,
A reckless, dreaded foe.
History of Kent County, Maryland 69
When loyal sons of Kent arose,
A gallant little band.
While Cecil, to repel the foes,
Stretched forth a helping hand.
Then valor struggled hard against
The soldiers of the crown,
But Cockburn sent his shot and shell
Upon the helpless town.
Destruction grim, and ruin then,
Seemed wrangling in the air,
And every heart was beating fast
With terror and despair.
When suddenly a kerchief white
Waved o'er the smoking streets,
The cruel guns a moment ceased
Aboard the British fleet.
A maiden fair, with courage bold,
With spirit pure and high.
Displayed her flag of truce, and all
For poor humanity.
She feared not shell, nor British guns,
Nor soldier of the king —
Her kerchief waved above the smoke.
Her voice aloud did ring.
"Not for myself I speak," she said,
"Though all my lands are lost.
But for two orphan children.
Whose lives are tempest-tossed."
"Spare them their little homes I plead,"
Her eyes were sparkling bright;
They rested on the admiral.
And — well! they stopped the fight.
Tradition sings a sweet old song,
A song of long ago.
That Kitty Knight, of Georgetown,
Struck then a fatal blow.
An officer was vanquished.
Not by the battery's raid,
But by a dart of Cupid
Shot by a fearless maid.
The British fleet has sailed away, -
Adown the shadowy past;
Now, only memories drift along
The lovely Sassafras.
70 History of Kent County, Maryland
Burning of Georgetown and Fredericktown.
May 6, 1813, the streets of Georgetown and Fred-
ericktown, her twin sister across the Sassafras,
resounded with the tramp of British soldiery and
received a baptism of tire. About a mile below the
old breastworks at Pearce's Point show where the
citizen militia made a vigorous defense to the
British soldiers as they rowed up the river, having
anchored their ships in the Chesapeake otf the moutb
of the Sassafras. The valuation of property
destroyed in Georgetown in this battle was as
follows :
Amos Bagwell Furniture, etc. . . $156.UU
Smith & Bagwell, heirs Shoemaker's
shops 200.00
Margaret Downes Dwelling, etc. . . . 150.00
Denis Donlevy Apparel, etc 3,744.1.5
Thomas Dollis Furniture, etc.. . . 110.00
Margaret Jackson Money, etc 1,865.75
Arthur Nicholson's heirs Dwelling, etc 350.00
Mary Nicholson Furniture, etc.. . . 150.00
Joseph Jarvis Furniture, etc 67.12 i/o
Archibald McNeil House 200.00
Fanny McNeil Furniture, etc. . . 109.87y2
Philip F. Rasin Granary, etc 428.75
Isabelle Taggert ....Furniture, etc 134.56
Robert Usilton Furniture, etc 119.16
Mrs. Willson Dwelling, etc 800.00
William Ireland Stable, carriage
house, etc 850.00
Mrs. Bearer Dwelling, etc 850.00
Mrs. Mary Everett Carriage house. . 80.00
Jacob Roads .Old house 40.00
Heirs of Wm. Pope —
Tavern House Granary 1,000.00
Miss Staugueses ......Brick dwelling,
etc 2,500.00
Arthur Nicholson's heirs Brick dwelling,
etc 200.00
History of Kent County, Maryland 71
Isabelle Freeman Dwelling, etc 800.00
Mrs. Mary Henney Store house 250.00
Robt. Elliott Dwelling, etc 300.00
Stepliany Congo Dwelling 150.00
Ann Pearce , Kitchen and store
house 150.00
William Jackson Kitchen and store
house 500.00
Inois Spuran Dwelling, etc 1,000.00
Heir of Alex. Williamson Dwelling, etc 1,500.00
Total $19,755.81
The two red brick houses which escaped the havoc
in Georgetown still stand side by side near the pub-
lic road, and are two of the most substantial homes
in the little town, and are the only historic land
marks left of the original town.
The sum total of the property destroyed in
Fredericktown was i^l5,8Tl. 071/4, making a total of
135,025.881/4 destroyed by the British.
72 History of Kent County, Maryland
CHAPTER VII.
Freedom of Religious Thought and Worship.
Quakers, Catholics and Protestants Arrive Together
and Feel Free to Worshi]) God in Their Oivn
Way — Interesting Churches Grotv Up in Old
Kent — The Name ^'Protestant EinscopaV First
Given to the Church in Chestertown.
The little colony which came over from England
included Quakers, Catholics and Protestants, all to
have equal rights here. The}^ cut down a tree and
made a large cross of it, then, kneeling around that
cross, they all joined in worship and thanksgiving.
This was the beginning of the Christian Church in
Kent. Father White was the first priest of the
Ctitholics Avho began services in a wigwam donated
by Indians. Every one of these ''villagers" living
in 30 or 40 log huts and wigwams in the woods en-
jo^^ed religious liberty, being the only place in the
wide world where such liberty existed.
William Claiborne, a member of the Virginia
Company, established a trading post at Kent Island,
and brought there, in 1632, the Rev. Richard James,
who conducted the first services of the Church of
England within the territory known as Maryland.
Ancient Shrewsbury.
On the road between Kennedy ville and Locust
Grove, in the upper part of Kent County, stands
Shrewsbury Church. The first house was likely
built in 1G93. The present house of worship is the
History of Kent County, Maryland 73
third built by tlie parishioners, and several years
after its erection it was remodeled and beautified;
about twenty years ago a tower w^<xii added. While
it is the third church that was built on the present
site, it is quite probable that the first building was
SHREWSBURY P. E. CHURCH, NEAR LOCUST GROVE.
Founded 1692.
a very small affair and that it became necessary to
add to it very soon after the first year of the
eighteenth century.
After the enlarging of the church it does not
appear that any changes in the building were made
until the old wooden structure gave way for a more
pretentious one said to have seated 700 persons,
built in 1729, of brick. This brick church was
74 History of Kent County^ Maryland
torn down in 1829 and the present clinrch was
built in 1832.
There is reason to believe that the very first build-
ing erected for public worship within the present
bounds of Shrewsbury parish stood on the southern
bank of the Sassafras Eiver on "Meeting House
Point," on what is now known as Shrewsbury Neck,
and was there as earlv as 1680.
From 1680 to 1694 the population rapidly in-
creased along the south side of the Sassafras, being
materially augmented by emigrants from England,
who were granted land in this picturesque and fer-
tile section of the Province. Roads were cut
through the county and the travel, which had been
confined to the canoe and shallop, gave way, in a
measure, to travel by horse and the old gig or
chaise. Upon the laying out of the parish it became
necessary to find a central location for the place
of worship, and it was for this reason that the
present site of Shrewsbury was selected.
The ''Archives of Marvland" show that, "at a
court held for Cecil County the 22d day of Novem-
ber in the fourth year of their Majesties' Eeign, etc.,
Anno Dom 1692," the following Commissioners w^ere
present: Capt. Charles James, Col. Casperus Her-
man, Mr. William Ward, Mr. John James, Sr., Mr.
Humphrey Tilton, Mr. Henry Eigg and Mr. Wil-
liam Elmes.
There were four more of the Commissioners who
did not attend this meeting, at which the important
business of dividing the county into parishes was
consummated.
History of Kent County, Maryland 75
Two Parishes Are Laid Out.
When the ''Act of Establishment'- was passed by
the Assembly those of the Protestants who were
''Freeholders/' together with the Commissioners of
Cecil Conntv, met Xovember 22d, 1G92, at the conrt-
house on the Elk River and -laid out and divided
Cecil County into two parishes. That is to say,
one for Worton and South Sassafras Hundreds, and
the other for North Sassafras, Bohemia and Elk
Hundreds."
Worton and South Sassafras (afterwards Shrews-
bury) parish Avas bounded on the north and west by
the Sassafras Eiver and the Chesapeake Bay and
verv probablv extended as far south as Worton
ft- X ft/
Creek. The southern boundarv is vet unknown, but
ft- e, /
doubtless a line drawn in an easterly direction from
Worton Creek to the Chester River, to the vicinity
of the present site of Chestertown, divided this
parish from that of St. Paul's in Kent.
On March IS, 1697-8, a petition was sent to the
Assembly at Annapolis asking for a better division
of the two parishes ; and on April 3, 1698, an Act
of Assembly (Chapter 5) was passed authorizing
the running of the division line between St. Paul's
and Shrewsbury parishes nearly parallel to the old
line, but about three miles farther to the north.
This latter line began at the crossing of a branch
of Morgan's Creek east of William Bateman's house
and runs to the head of a branch of a creek issuing
out of the bav called Churn Creek. Bv reference
to the land record of Kent County, we find that the
line began where the main road from Chestertown
76 History of Kent County, Maryland
to Kennedy ville no AY crosses the stream at the foot
of Goose Hill. From there it ran northwest to the
stream that crosses the road leading from Hanes-
Yille to Still Pond, jnst south of where Christ
Church "I. U." now stands.
This line also serYed as the southern boundary of
Cecil County until, by Act of Assembly (Chapter 3)
in 1706, the Sassafras RiYer was made the southern
boundary of that county. Prior to this time the
present county of Kent was diYided into parts of
two counties, the upper part being in Cecil and the
lower a XJart of the old ''County of Kent." The resi-
dents were to attend court of the farther side of the
Chester and Sassafras RiYers. On June 8, 1692, the
folloAYing petitions were sent to the Assembly :
"A Petition preferred by the inhabitants of Kent
County on the north side of Chester RiYer praj^ing
that if the Island of Kent be separated from them
into a countY of itself a reasonable number of the
inhabitants of the south side of the Sassafras RiYer
may be added to them ;" also :
"A Petition by the inhabitants of the south side of
tlie Sassafras RiYer in Cecil County setting forth
that their court being held on the north side of
the said riYer to their great damage, incouYenience
and hazard in bad weather, pray, therefore, to be
joined to Kent County in the manner as themselYCS
the inhabitants of Kent County on the north side of
Chester RiYer haYC prayed."
Although these petitions were made in 1692, it
was the misfortune of these people to haYe to endure
the hardships for more than 14 years, the line
between the two counties remaining unchanged until
History of Kent County, Maryland 77
in 1706 Gov. John Seymour induced the Assembly
to act.
It is quite possible that when the two parishes of
St. Paul's and Shrewsbury were first laid out, the
Commissioners haying the matter in charge ran the
line from Worton Creek to the Chester Eiyer,
because this may haye been the dividing line (prior
to 1674) bietween Baltimore County on the north
and the ''County of Kent" on the south. The
''Archives of Maryland," Browne, Vol. 2, page 318,
state that at the session of the Assembly on Tues-
day, October 17, 1671, "This House will consent to
the Bill of Ferries, provided that a ferry may be
kept — over Chester River from Baltimore County,"
thus indicating that the Chester River was a
boundary of Baltimore County, and it is also very
probable that this has reference to the ferry that
crossed the river at the present site of Chestertown.
78 History of Kent County, Maryland
CHAPTER VIII.
St. Paul's Church, Kent County, Maryland.
Built ill 1113, It Is the Oldest Building in the State
Used Continuously as a Place of Worship— The
^Vestry House'' Was Built in 1116.
utr.
Previous to the foimdation of St. Paul's parish,
there is evidence of a church building on Eastern
Neck in 1GU3. It is supposed to have been some-
where near what was known as Xew Yarmouth.
The town of New Yarmouth was built upon land
purchased of Major Thomas Ringgold, b}^ a man
named Tovev. Tovev bought a hundred acres of the
tract of land called Huntingfield, which is stretched
across and to the south of Eastern Neck. In 1838
the farms of that tract belonged to George W.
Wilson, Esq., and others. Visitors to this locality
found the remains of a wharf, covered with rubbish,
and also manv stones which were not native to
Maryland, but which had been brought in ships, as
ballast, from England; said ships returned to Eng-
land having tobacco as chief cargo. The stones had
been used to pave the approach to the wharves, and
for other i:>urposes. In 1838 Thomas Browne owned
this land. New Yarmouth was, in its dav, a com-
mercial center, and a port of customs entry; the
court sat there, and ther-e the King's justices met.
In a short time, and to meet the convenience of
the northern trend of the settlers, and when the
parish of St. Paul's was founded by law, the church
site was moved from this New Yarmouth locality to
History of Kent County, Maryland 79
the place it now occupies at the head of ^'Broadnox
Creek."
The first vestry meeting- of St. Paul's Parish was
held in the house of Mr. Thomas Joce, of New Yar-
mouth, on or immediately after 30th January, 1693.
ST. PAUL'S, BUILT IN 1713. IS THE OLDEST BUILDING IN THE
STATE USED CONTINUOUSLY AS A PLACE OF WORSHIP. THE
"VESTRY HOUSE," BUILT IN 1776, IS AT THE LEFT.
The early vestry meetings w^ere held in the houses
of Mr. Michael Miller, of Lankford's Bay, Mr.
Thomas Joce, of New Yarmouth, and of Mr. Simon
Wilmer.
After several efforts on April 15, 1695, the Vestry
agreed with Mr. Daniel Norris to build a church 40
feet long and 24 feet wide. The church was built
upon a parcel of land belonging to Michael Miller,
being part of the land called Arcadia lying at the
80 History op Kent County, Maryland
head of ^'Broadnox Creek," for 2,000 pounds of
tobacco.
It would appear, then, that in 1707 there were two
buildings or churches, one built as a Parish Church
of St. Paurs, on ^'Michael Miller's land," the other
built "adjacent to the Parish Church of St. Paul's,"
on two acres from Charles Kinggold for which he
got 500 pounds of tobacco.
But of the church before mentioned as having
been built by Mr. Daniel Norris, it was not finished
according to contract; for the Yestry sued Mr. Nor-
ris for his unfulfilled contract, and on ]yovembei'
27, 1707, obtained judgment against him for 4,073
pounds tobacco and 299 pounds for costs of suit,
though he (Mr. Daniel Norris) gave a receipt on
6tli February, 1696, in full for x)aynient for building
the church.
May 10, 1711, Eev. Alexander Williamson, an
Orthodox minister of the Church of England, was
sent certified and recommended b}' the Eight Hon.
and Rev. Father in God, Henry, Lord Bishop of
London, to officiate within this province.
At a meeting of the Vestry at the Parish Church
of St. Paul's in Kent County, August 27, 1711:
Rev. Mr. Alex. Williamson, Mr. Wm. Scott, Capt.
Edw'd Scott, Mr. Wm. Harris, Capt. Jas. Harris,
Mr. Wm. Frisby, Sr., contracted with Mr. Jas. Har-
ris, as undertaker, to build a church for the use of
this Parish of St. Paul's, in Kent County, 40 feet
long in the clear and 30 feet wide in the clear ; to be
16 feet from the ground.
Mr. James Harris, William Pott and James Smith
gave bond to the Vestrymen in one hundred and
History of Kent County, Maryland 81
fifty thousand pounds of good, sound, merchantable
leaf of tobacco, and cask to contain the same, for the
completion of their contract.
The Vestrymen gave bond to Mr. James Harris
for 140,000 pounds of good, sound, merchantable
leaf tobacco, on behalf of St. Paul's Parish, for the
due performance of their agreement. At a meeting
of the Vestry on 2d February, 1713, Capt. James
Harris having complied with his obligation to the
Vestry about building the Church, made his delivery
of the church and took up his bond. A tax of ten
pounds of tobacco on each tax-payer was continu-
ally levied each year, pursuant to an Act of Assem-
bly, for repairing, beautifying, or building churches.
In 1717, 20th November, the Vestry of St. Paul's
Parish met in the court house in Chester Town.
The Vestry House was built in 1776, for 20,000
pounds of tobacco. 27th October, 1800, the Kev.
George Dashiel held services at St. Paul's only every
other Sunday; but what he did, or where he went,
on the other Sundays, is not said. On 27th October,
1800, there occurs the first mention of dollars, where
a necessary 50 dollars is to be raised to do the
repairs of the church that must be done immedi-
ately. 11th May, 1801, Simon Wilmer is elected as
lay delegate to the convention at Baltimore. 27th
May, 1801, William Voss rented the Vestry House
for a school house at three pounds per annum, Mr.
Voss to keep the house in repair and mend at all
times any broken windows.
In 1812 St. Paul's Church was used as a barracks
for the troops, during some time of the war of that
date with England. Captain Scott, who was mater-
82 History of Kent County, Maryland
nal grandfather to Mrs. George Jessop (nee Maria
Harris), Avas quartered there.
26th November, 1843, the church was repaired. It
was consecrated to the service of Almighty God by
the Eight Rev. William Rollinson Whittingham,
Bishop of the Diocese of Maryland. The Rev.
Thomas B. Flower, Rector; Thomas Miller, Wm.
B. Wilmer, Jamjes P. Gale, James F. Browne, James
Browne, Horatio Beck, x\lex. W. Ringgold, Henry
W. Carvill, Vestrymen; J. N. Gordon, Sr., Register;
Thomas Miller, Esq., Delegate to Convention.
January 10, 1845, G. C. Griffith was made sole
supervisor of the cemetery. Ordered that no
separate inclosure should be made for any grave.
At this time St. Paul's owned a slip of land of an
acre, more or less, lying between the main road and
Dr. Houston's land, beginning at a boundary of
Houston's land, on the Bellair road, and running on
with Houston's land to the Rock Hall road. Said
slip of land was afjpropriated for a Sexton's House.
The Yestry voted in 1878 that it meet once a
month regularly and any member not attending or
even fifteen minutes late, to be fined |1. That
Vestry meant business!
Pews were first let by lot, then in 1862 the rent
amounted to nearly |500. From 1862 they were
sold to the highest bidder. Pews were made free on
the 1st of May, 1870, and again levied in 1872.
Since 1887 it has been supported by voluntary con-
tributions and subscriptions.
History of Kent County, Maryland 83
Old St. Paul's Cemetery.
Between nature's grand provision and art's care-
ful supply, this cemetery of St, Paul's is second to
none for quiet grandeur and exquisite beauty. It
is situated on the summit of a gentle slope, with
the sacred spot at l u. church— big oak.
a pretty, bright stream of water at the foot of the
hill, while the dear old church, at its brow, rises
from its 200 years of foundation in a call of peace
and rest with God. Gi'^at giant oaks make the
scene majestically beautiful from the hand of nature,
and art has done her part in promoting most sweet
loveliness. The tree tops of the great giant oak trees
tower their lofty heads as reaching for the skies,
and stretch out their tops as fingers ever pointing
heavenward. Their great lower limbs reach out
84 History of Kent County, Maryland
their wondrous length in unusual size and strength,
as though topical of the great loving arm, of the
Good God, stretched out over His own Sacred Acre,
in merciful care of His faithful departed holy dead.
Hosts of evergreen and other trees and shrubs are
in irregular beaut}- all around the grounds. The
graves are all neat and well-cared for, the walks
clean and hard. Flowers in abundance adorn the
scene and bright green grass everywhere colors and
closely covers the whole cemetery. For many years
it was under the managment of the late Thomas W.
Skirven and now his son occupies the same position.
The oldest stone-marked grave has inscribed on its
foot-stone :
Here lies ye body of Daniel Coley.
He departed this life Oct. ye 20, 112^.
Cut by John Godfrey.
The head-stone is as follows :
Behold & see now here I lye
As you are now so once was I
As I am now so must you be
Therefore prepare to follow me.
The next oldest has : "Here Ives ve Bodv of Even
Evans. He departed this life June ye 30, 1735." The
next is of Benjamin Vickers, Esq., 1790. There are
a number of very old graves, Avith rough head and
foot-stones, but which bear no inscription at all.
(The Rev. Chris. T. Denroche, rector of this church, 1893,
issued a Souvenir History of the Parish of St. Paul's for
the Bi-Centennial Celebration of its foundation in 1693,
to whom we are indebted for much of the above informa-
tion.)
History of Kent County, Maryland 85
CHAPTER IX.
Emmanuel Protestant Episcopal Church —
Chestertown.
The Act of the General Assembly of Maryland,
through which the present Episcopal Church was
erected, was passed in ITGS, with an appropriation
attached, in addition to five hundred pounds in cur-
rency subscribed by the people for the purpose of
erecting a chapel in Chestertown, in place of the old
church. For greater convenience, the act read that
it should be erected on a part of the public court
house ground, 90 feet on High street and 120 feet
on Cross street. The provision in former acts not
proving sufficient, another act was x>assed in 1770,
assessing three hundred and sixty pounds currency
on the parish, to be applied by the trustees for the
finishing of the chapel and enclosing the burying
ground.
In June, 1781, the war being over, the Rev. Dr.
Smith, the President of Washington College, called
a meeting of the Episcopal clergymen who could be
found in different parts of the country, to meet at
Washington College, for the purpose of organiza-
tion; but on account of the small attendance noth-
ing was effected. Another meeting was called and
due notice served on the clergy to meet in the chapel
at Chestertown the following October. At this
meeting the name Protestant Episcopal Church was
adopted as the name of the church, under which
name the convention met in May of the following
year at Bordentown, N. J. It had previously been
86
History of Kent County, Maryland
known as the Church of England. Emmanuel
Church is the local name. The rectory, on Queen
street, was purchased in March, 1866, of John
Greenwood, for |3,500.
The present church building, of itself, has an
.^^^SMfe.^
EMMANUEL P. E. CHURCH, CHESTERTOWN, MD., BEFORE IMPROVEMENTS
ADDED.
interesting history. The brick of which it is con-
structed came from England, and the mechanical
laying of the walls — peculiar to the olden time — is
an interesting feature of the building today. This
building was at first considerably taller than at
present, and had a belfry at the west front, in which
was held the bell which served for so many pur-
poses of public utility as well as for the call
to church worship. In 1881 the building was
thoroughly remodeled inside and a choir building
History of Kent County, Maryland 87
erected on the site of the robing room. The former
interior had galleries on three sides, with choir space
and organ in the western end. The pulpit was
located on the northern side and the main entrance
was on High street. H. M. Stuart was the contrac-
tor for the improvements, and his most important
work was to lower the walls, which he did, without
tearing off the roof.
The Vestry at that time was as follows : Geo. B.
Westcott, Dr. W. H. Meeteer,, W. N. E. Wickes,
Joseph A. Wickes, Wm. S. Walker, G. W. T. Per-
kins, James A. Pearce. Wardens — N. G. Westcott,
Thos. S. Wickes. The following comprise the pres-
ent Vestry : James A. Pearce, i^llan Harris, E. F.
Perkins, George B. Westcott, Lewin W. Wickes, Wm.
W. Beck, C. E. Crane, T. G. Wroth. Dr. Henry B.
Martin is rector, succeeding Dr. S. C. Koberts in
February, 1900.
Dr. Roberts, who received the call here in Decem-
ber, 1871, had a continuous pastorate of twenty-nine
years. Some of Dr. Roberts' predecessors were Par-
sons Jones, Gordon, Bradley, J. R. Hubard, A. A.
Curtis (afterwards a Bishop of the Catholic
Church), E. H. C. Goodwin and others.
A splendid addition to this church has been built
during the rectorship of Dr. Martin. This addition
is used as a Sunday School room and chapel, and
has all modern conveniences, such as kitchen, gas
ranges, etc. A new bell was also bought and placed
in a new tower.
88 History of Kent County, Maryland
CHAPTER X.
The Friends^ Meeting House.
A part of Kent Comity known as Quaker Neck
was named in honor of the industrious and even-
tempered Friends or Quakers. Among these early
pilgrims were the Trews, Avho settled in Quaker
Neck in 1668. The representatives of this "colony"
now living are: Mr. Bartus Trew and his family,
in Quaker Neck ; Thomas W. Trew, of Pomona ; Miss
Josephine Trew, of Chestertown; Mr. Joseph Trew,
near Kennedyville ; Mrs. Virgil Kendall and sister,
of Chestertown, and Mrs. T. Benjamin Durding, of
Rock Hall. The original dwelling was a log cabin
on the shore of Lankford's Bay on the farm now
owned by Mr. Bartus Trew. The Trew family, or
at least the largest part thereof, has lived in Quaker
and Broad Necks ever since the establishment of the
original homestead. They have impressed their in-
dividuality upon the community in which they have
lived for years, and the history of Quaker Neck, all
that pertains to its development in all walks of life,
could not be accurately written without the inclu-
sion of the great part which the Trew family has
played in that development. Mr. Bartus Trew is
the oldest living member of the family today.
The old meeting house which stood for so many
years at the fork of the road has been torn away,
but the cemetery was used for some time later. This
Friends' Meeting House was the center of all re-
ligious and social activity for many miles, but had
to give way to the march of time.
History of Kent County, Maryland
89
The commodious brick mansion in which Mr.
Trew has lived for these many years was built in
1781, and is, therefore, one of the oldest landmarks
in the county. Mr. Trew has in his home a grand-
father's clock which was brought to this country in
THE FRIENDS' MEETING HOUSE AT THE OLD QUAKER BURYING
GROUND, NEAR LYNCH.
1G68. It is in excellent running order today.
There are also in his possession sheets made
from flax grown on the farm and blankets made of
wool grown on the sheep and spun on the looms in
the home. These relics are precious heirlooms, and
are in a remarkable state of preservation. All these
and more of the links that bind the past to the pres-
ent mav be seen at the old homestead.
90
History of Kent County, Maryland
Another landmark of Kent is the Quaker Meeting
House at Lynch. John Lynch^ a Quaker, once lived
where the village is now, and the meeting house
stood on land once owned by him. The Quakers
named this the "Cecil Meeting," because at the time
(1698) it Avas erected or established it was within
THE BARTUS TREW HOME IN QUAKER NECK— 1781.
the bounds of Cecil County. It was a branch of
the Friends' Yearly Meeting established at Phila-
delphia by the great Quaker, William Penn, and
numbered many of Kent's best families as its mem-
bers. From its records the following names have
been taken : Turner, Dawson, Corse, Alston, Brown,
Thomas, George, Hodges, Atkinson, Trew, Maslin,
Norris, Simmonds, Parrott, Bowers, Easin, Neal,
1<"
History of Kent County, Maryland 91
Gale, Beck, Jones and Lamb. From this last-named
family came that great educator of the past decade — -
Eli Lamb — known to hundreds of men and women
as "Cousin Eli."
The early settlers of this neighborhood were: St.
Leager Codd, William Frisby, William, Daniel and
Gideon Pearce, Edward Scott, George Warner,
Charles James, George Oldfield, James Hepburn,
James Wroth, Edward Blay, John and Edward
Beck, Nathaniel Styles, George Skirven and Philip
Kasin. Later came Matthews Howard, Nathaniel
Kennard, Cornelius Comegys, John Wethered,
Charles Tilden, George Medford and many others
whose names appear on the register of Shrewsbury
Parish or the land records of the county.
92 History of Kent County, Maryland
CHAPTER XI.
Old "I. U." AND Still Pond — The First Church
IN WORTON.
Properlj' belonging to this county of Kent is old
Christ Church at "I. U./' built in 1765, at the head
of Churn Ci^ek, within whose walls have wor-
shipped men and women whose names are familiar
to all.
I. U. Church in Worton takes its name from
initials found on a large boundary stone near the
church. In early times the natives made a "J" like
an ^'I/' so that the letters are no doubt "J. U.," and
may stand for John, Jim or Jonas Ute, Usilton,
Urie or some other early resident of old Kent.
The Still Pond M. E. Church is probably the
oldest continuously organized Methodist Society on
the Del-Marvia Peninsula. The original edifice of
which the present is the successor Avas erected some
time during the Revolutionary War. Bishop As-
bury, the pioneer organizer of Methodism, estab-
lished a preaching place here in 1772. The present
pastor is Ransom P. Nichols. The trustees are:
F. H. Cornelius, A. J. Hackett, S. G. Rosebery, C.
P. Norris, R. D. Moore, F. B. Harper, L. A. Ford,
J. T. Baxter, R. G. Warren, J. N. Bennett, W. L.
Ford, J. W. Clark, W. H. Fogwell.
The name of the town — Still Pond — where this
church is located, takes its name from "Still Pond
Creek," whose name is ascribed to a very deep pond
at its source which is said to have never been frozen
I. U. CHURCH. NEAR CATT'S CORNER. IN WORTON.
94 History of Kent County, Maryland
over. This tradition may be taken for what it is
worth, but in the laud records of early times, as well
as on the map of Maryland in 1673 by the famous
Augustine Herman, of Bohemia, the name of this
creek is spelled ''Steelpone" Creek.
The First Church in Worton.
Prior to 1825, as far as we can learn, there was no
established place of worship in Worton. On August
5 an acre of land was purchased from William Tay-
lor and wife for the sum of |50, on which to erect a
church for the Protestant Episcopal denomination.
The church was called ''Parson Handv's Church,"
in honor of Rev. G. D. S. Handy, a Protestant Epis-
copal clergyman, who lived in the commuuit}^ and
who was its first, and, as far as known, its only
rector. This church afterwards became St. James'.
The records show that on June 21, 1832, St. James'
Church and lot were deeded to the Methodist
Protestants on the payment of the sum of five dol-
lars. The trustees at this time were Francis Lamb,
Emory Edwards, Joseph Kennard, William Copper
and David Arthur. There were but few members
and a small congregation. Eev. J. J. Murray, who
was sent as an assistant to Rev. Isaac Webster, savs :
''Kent Circuit then embraced Chestertown, Welsch's
Chapel School House, above Urieville, Quaker Neck
and Wesley Chapel. St. James' at that day was one
of the least hopeful of our appointments. I cannot
recall the name of one male member who belonged
to the class. My first visit to St. James' was on Sat-
urday in April or early in May. The country, as I
History of Kent County, Maryland 95
drove out in my sulky from Chestertown, seemed
poor and neglected. Fields without fences, over-
grown with sedge, dwarf pines, cedars and weeds,
and other indications of land overworked and left in
a state of nature appeared where the pleasing evi-
dences of culture, thrift and comfort are now seen.
The congregations were small."
In the midst of wheat harvest Dr. Murray held a
revival, which resulted in a number of conversions
and additions to the church. This marked a new
era in its history. St. James' became a live, aggres-
sive church, and has remained so to the present day.
In 1853 Dr. Murray returned to Kent Circuit as
superintendent, and during the second year of his
pastorate purposed the erection of a new church.
The response on the part of the people was so
prompt and encouraging that work was begun at
once. Winter came and found the building unfin-
ished. The following spring Dr. Murray was suc-
ceeded by Eev. John Koberts, under whose pastorate
the church was completed and dedicated. The
building committee was Messrs. John Gale, Isaac
Parsons, William Vannort, Robert Nicholson and
John T. Skirven. The contractors were George R.
Reed and Hyland P. Smith. The dedicatory serv-
ice was preached by Rev. John S. Reese. The present
pastor is Rev. H. B. Jester. Samuel Vannort is the
oldest living member, his name having been enrolled
in October, 1856. He was the superintendent of the
Sunday School for many years. The present super-
intendent is Robert G. Nicholson.
96 History of Kent County, Maryland
The Presbyterian Church in Kent.
Dr. W. S. Maxwell says: "The Georgetown and
Old JBrick (near E. B. Pennington's, Sr.) Presby-
terian Churches were built in Colonial days. As
Upper Kent was a part of Cecil County at that
time the records are no doubt at Elkton. Those
churches owned a lot in Chestertown, afterward
used as a burjing ground b}^ colored people. It was
on the road leading out to the Dr. Anderson prop-
erty. The Old Brick was used by the Methodist
Protestants some time preyious to 1860, when Key.
William Megee became pastor and they had a good
congregation for a number of years. The church
was torn down and material used in erecting the
present Presbyterian church in Kennedyyille, Ayhich
was dedicated in 1875. Georgetown Church was
built in 1872.
The Methodist Episcopal Church.
Fifteen years after the Christmas conference, in
1784, the Methodists of Kent, who had increased
wonderfully in numbers and influence, especially in
Chestertown and the region round about, resolyed
to construct a house of worship in Chestertown. In
endeayoring to secure a grant of land on the public
square in a day before this stone of Methodism,
which the builders rejected, had become the head of
the corner, great opposition was manifested by the
established church against the project. It was only
by calling up the bill in a night session, when many
of its opposers were absent, that its passage was
History of Kent County, Maryland 97
secured. Tlie enemies of the new church endeavored
to avenge themselves when in a majority on a com-
mittee to apportion tlie ground. The smallest al-
lotment possible was made on the western part of
the public square, where was erected the first Metho-
dist Church in Chestertown. The building stands
yet, opposite the Voshell House, owned by Harry
Thomas, son of Dr. Sjuiiuel W. Thomas, and occu-
pied by the Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Co.,
fraternal orders, John D. IJrie, Esq., and Dr.
Hughes.
Within these historic walls the voice of the great
apostle of Methodism, the tireless Asbury, first
Bishop of the Church, had been heard, as well as
scores of the illustrious fathers of the church.
Chestertown then became the center of the great
Kei^t Circuit, and manv noted events in the church's
history occurred here. But amid all the church grew
in numbers and power. A parsonage was built and
a strong organization formed. In 1868 the church
in Chestertown felt that its welfare would be en-
hanced by being made a station, and it was set off
from the old Kent Circuit, of Avhich it was the
head. The interest of the circuit in the parsonage
was bought for |2,000, and all arrangements in the
separation were amicable and satisfactory to all
concerned.
About 1870 the need of a new church edifice was
realized and preparations for building made. The
late Thomas W. Eliason, Sr., who had been a pillar
of the church for vears, was chairman of the build
f 7
ing committee.
98 History of Kent County, Maryland
Miss T. Bradshaw, a faithful member of the
church, bequeathed a legacy of |8,000 toward the
construction of the church, which was the nucleus
of the building fund. 'Squire John N. Usilton, a
prominent Methodist, since deceased, contributed
the present beautiful site, and the present church
edifice was soon completed, at a cost of about
120,000. It was dedicated to the worship of Al-
mighty God, free of debt, in 1877, and in 1878 the
Wilmington Conference convened in the new edifice.
A few years ago a pipe organ was erected and dedi-
cated at a cost of about |2,000.
The present pastor is T. F. Beauchamp, having
been sent here at the conference of 1916, succeeding
Dr. L. E. Barrett, who served as pastor seven years.
The M. E. parsonage was deeded to Benjamin Price,
Edw. Einggold, Thomas Stevens, Thomas Baker,
A. M. Merritt, Nathaniel Wiley and William Hayne,
trustees, by James Mansfield, on March 9, 1844, and
included the whole lot through to Cross street. In
November, 1868, this parsonage was deeded to the
church for |2,000.
This building was torn down in the spring of
1916, and at this writing a new brick structure is
under contract — Walter T. Pippin, contractor and
builder. It will cost about |5,000.
The Board of Stewards are: Joel E. Clements,
W. B. Copper, I. R. Leaverton, J. C. Davis, J. T. An-
thony, M. A. Toulson, M. E. Newsome, C. H. Jeffer-
son, W. C. Peregoy, Thomas S. Bordley, Charles S.
Hill, J. B. Mclntyre, Prof. Mark Creasy, George R.
Rouse. Trustees: T. W. Eliason, Prest., James
History of Kent County, Maryland 99
Brice, H. H. Klinefelter, M. A. Toulson, John 0.
Davis, H. E. Perkins, Prof. J. L. Smyth.
Sacred Heart Catholic Church.
Father Villager was the first Catholic priest to
visit Chestertown. He would write notices and the
members would meet him at Mr. Thomas P. Dixon's,
near town. As the congregation grew a larger place
of meeting became necessary, and Miss Josie Re-
Due's schoolroom was utilized. For about twenty-
five years Father Villager served the people, being
succeeded bv Father Henche, who made occasional
visits. Then in 1871 came Father Bradford, who
bought the present church property from Miss Lizzie
Voss, for |2,800. The old brick house was torn
away and the present church edifice erected, costing
|9,000. Mr. Samuel L. Usilton's property was pur-
chased for a parsonage at a cost of $1,600, and today
a fine rectory, costing |5,000, is the home of Father
Urner, the present pastor. This is one of the finest
church properties on the Shore.
Christ Methodist Protestant Church.
The first movement toward the organization of the
M. P. Church in Chestertown was inaugurated July
13, 1827, at which eTohn Constable presided and
James Harris acted as secretarv. In 1829 this or-
ganization of sixteen persons erected its first church
here, under the pastorate of Dr. John S. Reese. This
old whitewashed brick church was built off the main
street, in a quiet location. In 1859, during Dr.
1fidPR|:^A
100 History of Kent County, Maryland
Daniel W. Bates' ministry, the old white building
was torn down and a new one erected of a more
modern character. The building was dedicated on
January 30, 1859. Rev. Dr. John J. Murray preached
the morning sermon and a big revival followed. In
1878, during the pastorate of Rev. S. A. Hoblitzell,
the building was thoroughly repaired, and, with a
small frame chapel adjoining (now Hicks' black-
smith shop), first built on Queen street and then re-
moved to Cross street, the church was well equipped.
In 1887 a lot on High street w^as bought for |3,150,
and a meeting held to raise money for a new church.
Rev. W. R. Graham was pastor. A building com-
mittee, composed of the following gentlemen, was
appointed: J. K. Aldridge, J. W. Chapman, J. W.
Lambert, W. B. Usilton, T. R. Hubbard, W. J. Van-
nort, T. W. Russell, S. F. Smith, J. Harr^^ Simpers
and William Archibald, Jr. The result of this com-
mittee's work is before the Avorld, the total cost of
the improvement being |28,517.55. Milton Baker
was the contractor and builder, and for years has
been sexton of the church, caring for it like a mother
would her child. The bell was given by the "Little
Folks," and cost |350. The big pipe organ was given
by the "Young People's Association," and cost
|2,500. The twelve windows in the audience room
are beautiful memorials of jeweled cathedral glass.
These windows are in memory of M. Amanda Chap-
man, Marceline A. Chapman, Emeline E. Frazier,
Ann Rebecca Wickes, Elizabeth Walker, Milicent
Arthur, Katie Plummer, Daniel Collins, John T.
Dodd, Capt. Richard Baker, John Constable, Wil-
liam Vannort, C. D. Vannort, David Arthur, Wil-
History of Kent County, Maryland 101
liam Bacchus. The central front window is a me-
morial to the late Senator George Vickers; another,
''Our Dead" ; another in honor of Superintendent
William B. Usilton, and one in the pulpit for the
pastor. Dr. W. E. Graham. Rev. J. M. Gill was
pastor here in 1896, succeeded by Dr. D. L. Green-
"r^^C^ P^-, TT
4."
IE OLD PUBLIC SCHOOL AND M. P. CHURCH. NOW ENTERPRISE OFFICE,
CROSS STREET, CHESTERTOWN.
field in 1901; then came Dr. F. T. Little in 1907,
and Dr. Graham returned in 1913, followed bv the
present pastor, Eev. J. L. Ward. An elegant par-
sonage was erected on the site of the old house,
corner of Queen street and Maple avenue, in 1896,
by W. S. and A. M. Gulp, at a cost of |3,800. The
stewards of the church are : Lewin S. Fowler, J. W.
Lambert, C. S. Smith, Charles L. Dodd, J. W. Chap-
man, W. W. Hubbard, James W. Crouch, William
A. Wheatley, J. D. Bacchus, Fred G. Usilton, A. M.
Gulp, Robert Huey, Charles N. Satterfield, William
102 History of Kent County, Maryland
A. Burke, J. F. Wheatley, William B. Usilton, Jr.,
Walter U. Lusby, Ralph Barnett, J. W. Russell, Wil-
liam Yansant, T. D. Bowers, C. C. Jones.
The M. P. Conference met here in 1838, 1857, 1871,
and in April, 1890, presided over by Isaac Webster,
William Collier, D. E. Reese and W. M. Strayer, re-
spectively. An interesting fact in connection with
the large Sunday School of this church is the super-
intendency of the late William B. Usilton, who
served for more than forty years. His son, Fred G.,
was elected to succeed him in 1910.
Colored Methodist Churches.
The pride shown by the colored people in having
worthy places in Kent in which to worship is strik-
ingly presented in Chestertown. Janes M. E.
Church, located on Cross street, built in 1915, cost
over 112,000, while the A. M. E. Church, built on
College street, cost about |10,000. Both are of
brick and well equipped. These buildings replaced
frame structures erected in the early fifties.
First Sunday School in Chestertown.
A female Sunday School was organized in 1816,
with twenty-seven scholars. It was the first Sun-
day School in the town, its church connection not
being ascertained.
History of Kent County, Maryland 103
CHAPTER XII.
ScJiools, Puhlic and Private — Founding of Washing-
ton College.
The Hon. James Alfred Pearce, former Judge oL'
the Court of Appeals, has always felt a warm in-
GRAMMAR SCHOOL, CHESTERTOWN.
terest in the cause of education. After leaving
Princeton he was a tutor at Washington College, and
for more than thirty years secretary of its Board of
Visitors, and now President, succeeding Hon. Jos.
A. Wickes. For twelve years, from 1879 to 1890, he
104 History of Kent County, Maryland
was a member of the School Board for Kent County,
serving with Sewell Hepburn the elder, and Cor-
nelius J. Scott, and later w^ith Richard W. Jones.
In "looking back" at the School History of Kent,
and more especially of Chestertown, he says : ''If
any records were kept by the authorities in the
early daj-s of Kent County, none have been pre-
served, and the onl}^ available source of information
is personal recollection and tradition. My own
earliest distinct recollection of the Primarv School,
as it was then called in Chestertown, dates back to
about 1852. It was kept in an old two-story brick
dwelling standing on the site of Davis & Satterfield's
present establishment. It was dilapidated and for-
lorn beyond description, both in itself and its im-
mediate surroundings. The teacher, for there was
but one, was Squire James Graves, a former sea cap-
tain, whose qualifications, though limited, I am sure
were all that his salary could justly demand. I was
never a pupil there, but tradition says his discipline
was strict and severe, and this was a period when
it was commonly held that the rod was the most
efficient means of lifting the veil of ignorance, by
which was meant the learning to read, write and
cipher, with a little geography. There was no pre-
tense of systematic grading and little attempt at
classification. The schools in each county were gov-
erned by local laws. In Kent County there were
five trustees elected for each school district by the
white miale taxables of the district, and these trus-
tees directed the methods of instruction, employed
and discharged the teachers.
CHESTERTOWN HIGH SCHOOL— 1915.
EDESVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOL.
106 History of Kent County, Maryland
a"
•I am informed by one of the older citizens of
the town that he was a pupil under three teachers in
this school before Captain Graves, viz., William S.
Greenwood, Simon Wickes and Jacob Brown, all of
which taught in the house which stood where the
house now occupied by Clifton L. Jarrell stands, but
my own recollection begins with Captain Graves.
After a number of years he was followed by Charles
T. Ireland. Next came James M. Vickers, and after
him in succession, as principals with one or more
assistants. Professors Hanna, Montgomery, J. W.
Russell, McBeth, McQuay, Long, William M. Slay,
Vickers again, Peterson, McNeil, Fallowfield,
Ebaugh, Topping, Smyth and Creasy.
"The old system I have mentioned continued until
the Act of 1865, creating a uniform system of edu-
cation throughout the State, out of which has come
the present law, under which great advances w^re
made in methods of instruction, in numbers and
qualifications of teachers, and in buildings and
equipment. But some of the teachers in the old
schoolhouse were men of sterling qualities, from
which some of our best citizens received their only
schooling. Indeed, it should be remembered that
some of the most distinguished instructors of the
country were teachers in these early schools, notably
Professor Simon Newcomb, of Harvard University,
the great mathematician and astronomer, who, in
1853 and 1854, was the teacher of the primary school
at Massey, in this county.
"About 1867 Jesse K. Hines and I, with another
whose name now escapes me, were the district trus-
tees, and under our direction the long one-story
History of Kent County, Maryland 107
brick building containing three rooms was erected
by John T. Dodd on the site of the old house; a
great improvement on the latter, but wholly inade-
quate both in plan and accommodations. A few
years later a large two-story frame addition was
ROCK HALL HIGH SCHOOL— 1915.
made to the north end of the brick building, and
later still, the Methodist Protestant Church, now the
home of the Enterprise^ was bought and added to the
ill assorted group of buildings.
"In 1901 the elegant Grammar School was erected
by A. M. Culp on the Vickers-Hurtt lot on High
street, at a cost of |15,000. The Commission com-
prised Wilbur Eliason, J. W. Lambert, William B.
Usilton, J. K. Aldridge and M. A. Toulson.
108 History of Kent County, Maryland
"In 1915 the new High School was erected on
Washington Avenue at a cost of |3,700 for lot and
116,800 for building. A. M. Gulp was the contractor
and builder. The building committee was Messrs.
Curtis E. Crane, Thomas G. Wroth, Eben F. Perkins,
Professor J. L. Smyth and Charles S. Smith.
HOME OF HON. W. W. BECK, FORMERLY
USED AS A SCHOOL.
"The history of the school since the Act of 1865,
and especially from the time of Thomas B. Long, has
been a steady progress upw^ard. It is a far cry from
the meagre, shabby quarters in which James Graves
and his little flock toiled and struggled with each
other more than sixty years ago, to the ample and
well-equipped institutions."
The present Superintendent is Professor Jefferson
L. Smyth. Professor Mark Creasy is the Principal
of the High School, with these assistants: Misses
History op Kent County, Maryland 109
Nettie Gooding, Mamie Carroll, Barbara Willis,
Susie Roberts ; Miss Nellie Waters, Principal Com-
mercial Department; Miss Annie Copper, Domestic
Science; Professor Owen C. Blades, Manual Train-
ing. Miss Fannie Stuart is Principal of the Gram-
mar School, with these assistants : Misses Barbara
Anthony, Edith Harley, Rose Duyer, Emma H.
Davis, Louisa Urie and Ida Smith.
Large, modern, well equipped buildings were
erected in 1915 at Betterton, Millington, Kennedy-
ville and Rock Hall. The building committees were :
Betterton — Jefferson L. Smyth, Arthur H. Brice,
Howard F. Owens, W. Clarence Crew and Harry
Willis. Millington — J. L. Smyth, John P. Ahern,
Joseph Mallalieu, Charles M. Hurtt, R. E. Fedde-
man. Kennedyville — J. L. Smyth, William S. Hur-
lock, Harry J. Hill, Edgar R. Pennington, and John
Medders. Rock Hall — C. Frank Wheatley, Marion
T. Miller, J. L. Smyth, James A. Casey and T. B.
Durding.
Provision was made in 1916 for building a
new school at Galena ; committee — Dr. E. A. Scott,
Samuel G. Caldwell, Ervin L. Dempsey, John
Quinn and J. L. Smith. Also one at Fairlee;
committee — William G. Smyth, T. H. Morris Bram-
ble, Dr. Frank Smith, Harry C. Willis, J. L. Smyth.
A colored school in Chestertown Avas also provided
for.
In 1853 the residence now occupied by Ex-Senator
William) W. Beck on Water street was occupied by
Mr. Bassford as a seminary. This school gave
yearly concerts in the courthouse, and some of the
prominent families of the town attended this school.
110 History of Kent County, Maryland
In the house now occupied by J. Waters Kussell,
Miss Mollie Usilton conducted a private school.
The house formerly occupied by the "Brick House
Club/' on Princess street, was for many years used
as a private school house, and w^as taught by Miss
Lottie Spencer, now Dr. S. C. Koberts' widow.
Miss Josie KeDue for many years conducted one
of the largest private schools in town, both for music
and other studies, next to the custom house on
Water street.
Founding of Washington College.
Washington College, the oldest in the State, was
established by Act of Legislature in 1782, as part
of the proposed University of Maryland. George
Washington, then in camp at Newburg, consented
that his name should be given to the infant institu-
tion, contributed to its endowment, and visited it
in 1784. (The amount contributed by Washington
was 1283.33.) On this occasion the students played
the tradegy of Gustavus Vasa, in which reference
was made to him as the Gustavus of America. He
placed at this time his name on the records of the
Board of Visitors and Governors, of which he was
a member.
The college was based on a flourishing academy,
with one hundred and forty scholars, under the
Eev. Dr. Smith and his assistants, into which the
Free School of Chestertown, established as far
back as 1783, had previously been merged. The in-
fant college was organized with all its functions
immediately on the receipt of its charter in 1782.
History of Kent County, Maryland 111
It held its first commencement with six graduates
in May, 1783, when addresses were delivered in
Latin and French.
The original extensive structure, 160 feet in
length, whose corner stone was laid by Governor
WASHINGTON COLLEGE, CHESTERTOWN, MD.
Paca in 1783, was burned to the ground in 1827.
The exercises of the college were continued in Ches-
tertown until 1811:, when the central building of the
present group was erected upon the old site. The
corner stone was laid by Hon. E. F. Chambers. No
degrees were conferred from 1827 to 1849, as the
institution was at a low ebb, the appropriation
from the State having been at times Avithdrawn, or
reduced to an inconsiderable amount. It was only
112 History of Kent County, Maryland
by the persistent efforts of the Board of Visitors and
Governors that its existence was maintained.
In 1854 two brick buildings were erected, one on
each side of the main structure. The college steadily
increased in numbers from 1844 until the breaking
out of the Civil War.
In 1890 two residences were built for the prin-
cipal and vice-principal.
Iti 1892 through the liberality of the citizens of
Chester-town, a gymnasium was erected on the col-
lege grounds.
In 1896 the Legislature authorized the establish-
ment of a Normal Department for ladies, and gave
|5,000 towards its erection. A lot was purchased
of Mr. John Bell and a commodious building occu-
pied by lady students, but at the request of the Visi-
tors and Governors, the Legislature of 1910 repealed
the api^ropriation for scholarships in the Normal
Department and appropriated a like amount for
scholarships for male students in the college. By
this Act the college reverted to its original position,
as a place for a "liberal education in the arts and
sciences."
William Smith Hall, so named for the first presi-
dent of the college, was erected in 1906 at a cost
of 171,000. This building was used as an admini-
stration building. It was an imposing and hand-
some structure, but it was destroved bv fire earlv
Sunday morning, January 16, 1916. A new building
is being erected on the site of this burned structure
to take its place. A |50,000 gymnasium was com-
pleted in 1912. A tract of about five acres of land
on College avenue opposite the campus was bought
History of Kent County, Maryland 113
and fitted up as an athletic ground in 1906 and is
now known as Wasliington field. The James White
property on the w^estern corner of the campus was
purchased in 1915 from Fred. G. Usilton for |3,200
and is now a part of the campus. No more beauti-
ful or healthful situation for a college can be found.
At all times it has clung to high ideals of scholar-
ship and of character, yielding to the State and
the Nation a rich return in the training of young
men for good citizenship. The present faculty com-
prises James William Cain, President; James Roy
Micou, Vice-President; Edward J. Clarke, Secre-
tary; J. S. William Jones, Recorder; A. Sager Hall,
Professor of Physical Sciences ; Charles Louis
Townsend, Professor of German and French ; Mar-
ten Ten Hoor, Professor of Philosophy and Educa-
tion ; Julio Del Toro, Instructor in Spanish, Mathe-
matics and Science; J. Thomas Kibler, Director of
Physical Training.
the original college building.
114 History of Kent County, Maryland
CHAPTER XIII.
Records of the First Sail Vessel and Early Steam-
hoating on the Chester River — An Enterprising
GomjKiny — The First Railroad^ Its Cost, Oivner-
ship, etc.
In November, 1825, M. Tilghman advertises the
schooner 'Two Brothers" to carry letters, packages,
grain, etc., to Baltimore. He also ran the schooner
"Independence" from Travilla.
February 24, 1826, the fast-sailing, copper-bottom
sloop, "General LaFayette," Robert Constable, mas-
ter, left Chestertown on Wednesdavs at 9 A. M. and
Baltimore on Saturdays. "With a good wind can
make the trip in live and one-half to seven hours."
The first notice of steamboats is in March, 1827,
when the steamer "Maryland" is advertised as leav-
ing Baltimore on Monday at 5 A. M. and arriving in
Chestertown at 12 M., stopping at Queenstown ; fare,
|1.50 each way. "Lender no inducements shall more
steam be employed than is necessary for her
ordinary voyages." Lemuel G. Taylor was the com-
mander of the steamer.
Then came the "Patuxent," Captain Weems. Sail
vessels advertise a trip for |1.50, and meals; colored
passengers, |1 and found.
The steamer "Cambridge" was put on in 1849,
and competed with the "Maryland," Captain J. R.
Griffith. The "Osiris" was put on in September,
and left Baltimore every Wednesday and Saturday,
returning the same day. The "Hugh Jenkins" was
History of Kent County, Maryland 115
put on in April, 1851, and charged fl.OO for the
round trip. The Eastern Shore Steamboat Com-
pany, in 1852, gave Chestertown a boat as far up as
Crumpton thrice a week. The "Wm. Selden," Cap-
tain John D. Turner, was put on in the summer of
1852. The "Cecil" also ran here; Corsica and Kent
Island Avere the only wharves below here. The
steamer "Arrow" Avas put on in November, 18G0,
Capt. E. S. L. Young. The steamer "Balloon," of
the Eastern Shore Line, was put on in 1860.
The steamer "Chester" arrived in April, 1861.
Captain Young, of the "Arrow," took command, and
B. S. Ford, then clerk of the "Arrow," took Captain
Young's place. H. B. Slaughter was proprietor of
this line. The "Chester" and "Arrow" ran alter-
nately, making a daily line from this town.
Thompson's wharf was built in 1856-7 by Capt.
James Frizby Taylor. Kuth & Emory bought out
Hiram Brown in 1854, and Taylor bought from Ruth
& Emory, and the Chester River Company now holds
all.
The late Col. B. S. Ford, who had served with the
late Capt. E. S. L. Young in several capacities of
purser and captain in Slaughter's line, about this
time (1865) conceived the idea of forming a com-
pany, and with the valuable assistance of Capt. E.
S. L. Young, who was well acquainted with the
representative men of that time, procured a charter
from the Maryland Legislature for the corporation
known as the Chester River Steamboat Company.
This company purchased the steamers "Chester"
and "George LaAV," of the estate of H. B. Slaughter,
and organized for business by electing B. S. Ford
116 History of Kent County, Maryland
its president and general manager; the duties of
which office he ably fulfilled through the struggling
period of the young corporation's existence, until
the foundation was laid strong and deep for the
great success it has since achieved.
"RINGGOLD'S FORTUNE," 1762, NEAR ST. PAUL'S, OWNED
BY MRS. CAROLENE HYNSON AND TENANTED BY MR.
CHARLES M. BROWNE.
Well does the writer remember the initial trip of
the ''B. S. Ford." It having been well advertised
that she would come from Baltimore in charge of
her first commander, Capt. P. C. McConnor, on the
3rd, and take an excursion to Baltimore on the 4th
of July, 1877; the Avharves on the route were
History of Kent County, Maryland 117
crowded on the Nation's holiday to greet this Queen
of the Chester b}' an immense throng of people from
all sections of the surrounding country; many to
embark and many to admire her symmetrical beauty.
This event was hailed as a new era of comfort to the
traveling public and a marked advance in the busi-
ness of the company. Alas ! scarcely more than two
years of the bright new era had passed away when
the whole State was startled and many homes sad-
dened by the news of the death of Col. B. S. Ford
at Ocean City, July 28, 1879.
On Saturday night. May 5, 1881, the B. S. Ford
was burned at her wharf in Chestertown. She had
been off the line for several w^eeks for repairs, w^hich
had cost about |2,000. The Ford was insured for
$41,000, and cost when new |75,000. She was after-
wards rebuilt, and made her first trip to Chester-
town on Saturday, May 7, 1887, with Capt. John A.
Clark in command.
The elevation of Mr. George Warfield, of Bal-
timore city, to the presidency caused no surprise.
This gentleman had great experience in business far
remote from transportation, but like a good mariner
took bearings before venturing too far, and devoted
his time and talents to acquiring the experience re-
quired for his ncAV duties, and rapid progress he
made in that direction. By a wonderful develop-
ment of its interests, he proved the wisdom of his
election to the management of the company's affairs.
Under Mr. Warfield's administration the steamers
Corisca and Emma A. Ford were built and the
Gratitude purchased, which, with the B. S. Ford,
comprised the fleet. Capt. P. C. McConnor, Mate W.
118 History of Kent County, Maryland
S. Taylor and Capt. Jack Anthony with Capt. Wil-
liam M. Vandike for many j-ears were in charge of
the fleet. The Chester Elver Company with all its
boats and tine wharf property were sold to the
scene along the banks of the chester—
oysterman's ark.
Pennsylvania Railroad Company, since which time
it has been known as the Maryland, Delaware &
Virginia Steamboat Company.
Much wharf property has been added to the hold-
ings of the company and piers and warehouses built
that are not surpassed by any on the Chesapeake
Bay or tributaries. This rich section of the East-
ern Shore is highly favored in transportation and
History of Kent County, Maryland 119
mail facilities, and we indulge the hope that the
great West may yet find an outlet to the sea through
this peninsula.
Several times in its history has the company had
to contend with opposition, but they generally
managed to get them out of the way before they
grew formidable.
On Friday, April 24, 1868, a contract was entered
into for the construction of a railroad from near
Masseys, by way of Kennedyville, to Chestertown,
Bel Air, Eees' Corner, to the terminus on Swan
Creek, 32.09 miles; also wharf at Chestertown. The
entire work to be completed for |548,000, of which
1169,332 was to be paid in cash, |98,640 in Kent^
County bonds at par, and the balance in the bonds
of the company at par. The names mentioned as
contractors were A. F. Sears, Peter Sanford, Rod-
man Backus, of Newark, N. J.
Cost.
Masseys to Kennedyville $155,272.98
Kennedyville to Worton 95,218.31
Worton to Chestertown 64,003.34
Chestertown to near Fairlee 80,007.(55
Bel Air to Battershell Hill 48,383.89
To Deep Landing (Rock Hall) 105,118.83
Total . $548,000.00
On Friday, January 10, 1869, it was decided to
build a railroad on ""the ridge," and on May 15 the
following directors were elected : Hon. George
Vickers, T. W. Eliason, Isaac Parsons, J. B. Fenni-
more, W. B. Wilmer, William Janvier, Abel J. Bees,
Thomas J. Shallcross, and officered thus : President,
T. W. Eliason ; treasurer, Richard Hynson ; secre-
120 History of Kent County, Maryland
tary, Charles T. Westcott. Bishop & Ferguson con-
tracted to carry the U. S. mail between M/iddletown
and ChestertoAvn in a two-horse stage coach. On
Jnly 23, 1870, the Kent County Eailroad was em-
W-^ '< J-
. b^^ ^ -l^Sj-jl^ if ' ^^^'
/,£.9Z "yU " /*y?
iC^^^ -^ Ay~ JS
OLD COMEGYS home ON "COMEGYS BIGHT"-
OWNED BY H. M. BAKER— 1768.
ployed to bring the mail as far asi Kennedyville,
and from thence by stage. By this route the Balti-
more mail arrived in Chestertown at 3 P. M. in-
stead of 6. In August, 1870, the road had reached
Worton, and grading to town was begun, Mr. Jack-
son contractor. Mr. Eliason resigned the presi-
dency after a short service. J. K. Hines resigned
as superintendent, and Mr. Owens, of Queen Anne's,
History of Kent County, Maryland 121
was appointed. A stage ran from Hall's Hotel daily
at 6 A. M. ; retiiruiug-, would leave Worton at 1.3U
P. M., and the fare to Philadelphia was |3.30. In
April, 1871, the Board of Public Works appointed
the following directors : Abel J. Eees, Kobt. Nichol-
son, William S. Walker. A dispute arose, and the
road was not accepted until a year later. On Tues-
day, February 20, 1872, the first train arrived at
Chestertown. On Sunday, March 3, 1872, the train
was caught in a snow drift, and the Queen Anne's
engine had to come and get our train out. In 1871
a big strike occurred, and the mail to Worton was
carried to Worton on a hand car. On July 10, 1871,
the road was leased to M. W. Serat, president of the
company. In 1877 the road was sold at public sale
at the Yoshell House to Jay Gould, through J. F.
Bingham, Esq., for .f33,000 and other considerations.
Col. Fred Gerker leased from Gould, it is said, for
|1 a year, and B. F. Fleming was made manager.
Gerker gave it up on April 1, 1889, but previous to
this he was offered the road for |275,000. He re-
fused, but E. P. Thielens, of New Jersey, bought it
at 1375,000. The Jersey Central took |250,000, and
gave Thielens the balance. The latter w^as to pay
taxes and keep up the road with his one-third for
two years, and then the Jersey Central would as-
sume control. Col. E. P. Stacey was made superin-
tendent. The present corps of men comprise: Con-
ductor, J. D. Welch ; engineer, Horace Eeed. The
train arrives here at 11 A. M. and 7 P. M., two
trains per day besides a freight train running daily.
Propositions looking to the extension of this road
to the bav have been made, but at this time there
122 History of Kent County, Maryland
is but little prospect of the same being consum-
mated. The road bed at one time was finished as
far as Tolchester, but the company never placed a
track there and the land is now in cultivation.
History of Kent County, Maryland 123
CHAPTER XIV.
Flourishing Financial Institutions and Their
Officers — Banks and Loan Association — Kent
County Mutual Fire Insurance Comimny.
The Farmers and Mechanics' Bank was incor-
porated in October, 1849, with these directors: Geo.
Vickers, George B. Westcott, James B. Ricaud,
Richard Hynson, Hugh Wallis, William F. Smyth,
D. C. Blackiston, Wesley Wiley, Daniel Collins,
Thomas R. Browne, G. O. Trenchard; G. B. West-
cott, president; S. W. Spencer, cashier. They
started in the room occupied by C. H. Wickes, Esq.,
and a banking house was afterwards erected on the
McClain lot. The statement in 1852 showed deposits
of 115,037.37, and circulation |52,238.00 ; loans, |53-
891.25. The Kent National succeeded the Mechanics'
and closed its career in 1885, under the management
of the late George B. Westcott. It paid handsome
dividends.
The Chestertown Bank of Maryland is the suc-
cessor to the Chestertown National. The Board of
Directors are William W. Beck, president; Samuel
Vannort, vice-president; Allan A. Harris, cashier;
Jesse E. Ireland, assistant cashier; E. S. Valliant;
James W. Chapman, C. E. Crane, C. H. Price, James
T. Dixon, Wm. B. Usilton, E. A. Scott, James E.
Woodall, Jr., Merrick Clements, S. Scott Beck,
Arthur L. Harris.
They established a branch bank at Galena a few
years ago. The capital stock paid in is, |26,575.
124 History of Kent County, Maryland
The last statement in May, 1916, showed loans of
1199,095.75 ; deposits, |490,680.54 and a surplus sum
of 145,000. The total amount of business was |610,-
105.89.
The Second National Bank was organized in
June, 1890, and opened in the "Kent News Building."
On February 3, 1891, the bank moved into its new
building, which cost over |12,000. Its successor is
the Third National. This bank is doing a big busi-
ness and meeting the fullest expectations of its
friends. During the past twelve months this bank
paid nearly |23,000 to its savings depositors in in-
terest. Its capital stock is |50,000; surplus fund,
130,000; total business, |879,789.90. The Board of
Directors are James A. Pearce, Hope H. Barroll,
Wilbur W. Hubbard, Adam F. Huey, D. Thomas
Hurlock, T. B. Durding, L. Wethered Barroll, Geo.
D. Lofland, Elmer E. Leary, Thomas D. Bowers, W.
B. Copper. James A. Pearce, president; Hope H.
Barroll, vice-president.
The Ivent County Savings Bank was organized in
July, 1893, and located in the building opposite the
"Kent News Building." September 1, 1901, they
mloved into their magnificent new structure. The
contract price was |11,992. Capital stock, |20,000 ;
this was the first bank in Kent County to pay in-
terest on deposits. They all pay 4% at this time,
1916. The last statement shows total business,
1537,829.93; surplus fund |40,000. The Directors
are as follows: M. A. Toulson, president; Fred. G.
Usilton, vice-president; William F. Eussell, cashier;
Jefferson D. Bacchus, John D. Urie, James H.
Baker, Philip G. Wilmer, Lewin W. Wickes, James
History of Kent County, MxVryland 125
A. Casey, James E. Hurlock, Charles S. Smith,
Howard Turner, William F. Kussell.
The Kent Mutual Loan Association was formed in
18G9. It was succeeded by the Chester Loan Asso-
THE OLD MITCHELL HOME AT TOLCHESTER FARM, OWNED BY
WALTER U. LUSBY AND TENANTED BY C. D. WOOD— 1825.
ciation in 1880. The Kent Building and Loan Com-
pany is its successor. From |500 to |1,000 per
week is paid in by the members ; par value per share
|100 ; payments of 25 cents per share per week, and
the stock matures in about six years and six months.
The officers and directors are as follows : President,
L. Bates Russell, Vice-President, Fred. G. Usilton;
126 History of Kent County, Maryland
Secretary and Treasurer, J. Waters Kussell; Coun-
sellor, John D. Urie; Dr. H. Benge Simmons, Thos.
S. Bordley, Charles S. Smith, William F. Russell,
A. M. Culp, J. H. Sides, M. A. Toulson, Charles N.
Satterfield. Its assets December 31, 1915, were
185,500.93.
The People's Bank was organized in 1911. Capi-
tal stock 125,000; the last statement showed, sur-
plus fund of 110,000 and total business, |273,772.62.
Its Directors: Dr. H. B. Simmons, president; L. B.
Russell, vice-president; A. Parks Rasin, William. M.
Slay, Capt. Daniel Hill, William T. Brown, Wil-
liam G. Snwth, Joseph DoAvney, John C. Davis,
Howard F. Owens, R. Hynson Rogers. They have
established a branch bank at Rock Hall, one at
Massey and another at Betterton.
Another growing financial institution is the Mil-
lington Bank of Maryland, located at Millington.
The capital stock is |15,000 ; surplus fund, |5,000 ;
total business |138,571.81, according to the state-
ment. May, 1916. Its Directors are John P. Ahern,
president; Isaac Gibbs, vice-president; R. W.
Moffett, T. C. Roe, R. F. Powell, J. H. Wiest, Spen-
cer Merrick, J. S. Newman, Joseph Mallalieu.
The Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Kent
County is a successful financial corporation in
Chestertown, and was chartered in 1847. It has
saved to its policy holders at least |175,077.12 dur-
ing the past fifty years of its existence. The Direc-
tors are Thomas W. Eliason, president; George B.
Westcott, secretary and treasurer; Samuel Vannort,
James H. Baker, E. S. Yalliant, James A. Casey,
Edward W. Emery, R. G. Nicholson, Jefferson D.
History of Kent County, Maryland 127
Bacchus, Harry C. Price, James T. Brown, Fred G.
Usilton.
The Kent County Land Company was organized
in 1911 and has a capital stock of |22,500, and has
about 180,000 invested in land. The Directors are
J. Waters Kussell, president; William S. Collins,
Fred. G. Usilton, Alwyn M. Culp.
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History of Kent County, ^Iaryland 129
CHAPTER XV.
The First Military Organization — Music — Rendition
of the Beautiful Cantata^ ''Queen Esther''' and
"Rutn:'
In 1793-4 the first military company in Chester-
town was organized, the ""Chester Hundred Light
Infantry," Capt. William B. Rasin. He when seven-
teen years old enlisted, and after the battle of Cam-
den was made lieutenant. He was near Baron
deKalb when he fell and fought in the Revolutionary
War, dying at the age of 45 or 50.
In 1825 the ''Chester Republican Blues," "Chester
Independent Company," and "LaFayette Artillery,-'
celebrated the Fourth of July in Chestertown. The
speakers were Col. Fred Wilson, Major Simon
Wickes, Adjutant James Harris, Capt. Joseph
Wickes, Capt. A. B. Hanson, Capt. Wm. S. Las-
sell, Lieut. William Harris, Jr., Ensigns Benj.
Greenwood, Jr., and George Vickers.
Next came the "Reed Rifles," with fifty members,
organized in 1858, Capt. Eben F. Perkins; First
Lieutenant, Robert Stam; Second Lieutenant, John
N. McDaniel. In the News Ofiice there mav be
found the silk flag carried by Philip Reed at Caulk's
Field and presented to the Reed Rifles in 1857 by
George Handy. It was the property of Milton Baker
for some years. In August, 1858, Lieut. Robert
Stam died very suddeuh^ while the company were
on the way home from an excursion to Port Deposit.
This company was called out several times to quell
130 History of Kent County, Maryland
disorder on the occasion of excursions from Balti-
more, but was never ordered to battle. They dis-
banded at the breaking out of the Civil War and
many enlisted in the "Home Guards," which were
encamped at Camp Vickers, near the mill. Colonel
Massey, Capt. C. H. Wickes and Capt. William D.
Burchinal each had companies. The "Chester Blues"
were the rivals of the "Keed Kitles," Jesse K. Hines,
captain ; William H. Hamiilton, first lieutenant.
In May, 1861, a company was formed with Hon.
E. H. Chambers, captain; Jos. A. Wickes, first lieu-
tenant; James A. Pearce, Jr., second lieutenant. A
volunteer company was also formed with James A.
Shaw, captain ; William B. Usilton and Thos. S.
Dodd, lieutenants.
Capt. William I. Basin, who died Sunday, June
18, 191G, was born July 1, 1811, near Still Pond.
He was the son of Macall Medford Basin, who served
during three sessions of the legislature. In the
spring of 1861, Captain Basin entered the southern
army and though not then twentj^-one, he organized
a cavalry company of which he was chosen captain.
He was constantly engaged in the arduous duties of
that branch of the service, and participated in many
severe engagements. In one of these near Win-
chester, Va., his horse was shot under him and he
received a dangerous sabre wound in the head, but
soon returned to his command. Bev. Dr. Bandolph
H. McKim, of Gen. Jos. E. Johnston's staff, in his
^'Soldiers' Becollections," states that Captain Basin
at the head of his company led the first charge at
Appomattox. He says, "This was handsomely made
by the First Maryland Cavalry under the following
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132 History of Kent County, Maryland
circumstances as related to me by Col. Cary Breck-
enbridge, of the Second Virginia Cavalry. When
the enemy in full charge was seen coming at them
not one hundred yards distant, Capt. William I.
Basin, commanding the first squadron and riding
with Colonel Dorsey at the head of his regiment,
said, 'Colonel, we must charge them, it is the only
chance,' and as the words left his lips, Dorsey, who
had perceived the necessity, gave the command,
'Draw sabre — gallop — charge!' And this little band
of Marylanders hurled themselves against the heavy
columjn and drove them back. This was the last
blow struck by the army of Northern Virginia."
And in this charge William C. Price, of Captain
Rasin's Company, a native of Kent County, and a
son of Ferdinand Price, was killed. Two other
members of Company E from Kjent County were
also killed in battle. Thos. H. Gemmill, near Win-
chester, and John C. Spencer, at Greenland Gap,
Virginia.
Six men from Kent County, but in other com-
mands, were killed in battle. James Alfred Ken-
nard and Samuel L. Kelley, at First Manassas;
Henry C. Blackiston, at Bunker Hill, Va. ; Levi
Perkins, near Winchester; Benjamin C. Vickers, at
Shiloh, and James S. Price, son of Lewis Price, at
Franklin, Tenn. Soon after the close of the war,
Captain Rasin, with Col. Harry McCoy, formed a
partnership as commission merchants in Baltimore
under the firm name of McCoy & Rasin, in which
they established a successful business which was
continued a number of years, after which Captain
Rasin purchased from the estate of Judge Cham-
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C. N. SATTERFIELD'S RESIDENCE— J. D. BACCHUS' OLD HOME
ON CHESTER RIVER— THE ODD FELLOWS' HALL, CHESTER-
TOWN— SNOW SCENE, HIGH STREET, CHESTERTOWN, 1899.
134 History of Kent County, Maryland
bers the bajside farm near Tol Chester, where he
lived for some time. Later he became Deputy Col-
lector of Internal Revenue, in Baltimore.
Chestertown out of a voting population of less
than 200 furnished the first year of the Civil War
G2 soldiers in the Union Army.
Many exciting incidents are told of that patriotic
organization of soldiers, the ^'Eeed Rifles,'' for home
protection. In the exciting scenes before the actual
breaking out of the Civil War, and when our noble
commonwealth Avas in the throes of uncertaintv as
to whether her fortunes would be cast with the
South or with the Union — when railroads were torn
up and all travel between the nation's capital and
the North interrupted and Chestertown saw the
singular spectacle of strangers going through our
streets or stopping over night on the wa^' from Bal-
timore to northern cities — the State Legislature was
in flight to Frederick — our chief city appalled by
riot and blood-shed, and every flag of the Union
hauled down throughout the State — one flag only
remained flying and that was on the Reed Rifles'
armory in Chestertown ! Every member of the com-
pany rallied to its protection and though they loved
the South tliiey would not allow the old flag to be
lowered.
The old Town Hall, which stood in the center of
the now beautiful town park, and was for so long
the only hall and market house of the town, was
built by the Reed Rifles and owned by them until
the company disbanded.
Another great and memorable occasion was the
presentation of a magnificent banner by the ladies
History op Kent County, Maryland 135
of Chestertowu. The presentation was made by
Miss Wickes, daughter of Joseph Wickes, Esq., from
the porch of the family residence on Main street —
the same dwelling now owned and occupied by
Mrs. Joseph Wickes. This old banner is now in
the custody of Thos. S. Bordley, but it is greatly
marred by the ravages of time.
There were ten of these soldiers surviving in
1916, among them being James W. Chapman, Mil-
ton Baker, James W. Lambert, Alfred I. Benjamin,
Freeman Fiddis, William W. Copper. There were
sixty members in the original enrollment.
The "Kent Guards" was an offspring of the
"Reed Rifles," and was organized in the fall of
1878, with H. W. Vickers as captain, succeeded
afterwards by Thos. S. Bordley. This company had
a number of target contests, parades and wonderful
experiences. In 1880 J. S. Vandergrift won the
cup for the best shot.
The first musical organization of which we have
any record is the Chester Band, formed in 1850, and
was led by Mr. John ReDue. Mr. C. T. Westcott
was leader of the Kent Cornet Band for years, and
was succeeded by Mr. John N. Orem. Two boy
bands were in existence in 1884 and 1890, one led
by Carle Westcott and the other by William F. Rus-
sell. The "Worton Band" of four pieces is said to
have been the most comical organization ever in
town, having paraded here on Emancipation Day.
The instruments were bass drum, trombone, cornet
and bass horn.
In 1896 two orchestras were formed in the
Methodist Sunday Schools, and they were a credit
136 History of Kent County, Maryland
to the schools and town. The M. E. Orchestra con-
sisted of J. F. Thompson, L. B. Russell, Edw. Ring-
gold, D. P. Jones, Miss Anna G. Lambert. M. P.
Orchestra : A. M. Gulp, J. N. Dodd, W. H. McFeely,
Robert Garey, Warren Hurlock, John Gannan ;
Misses May Hurlock, organist, and Glare Vannort,
pianist.
Ghestertown has some of the finest singers in the
State and pianists that equal any other town on the
Shore. Operas, cantatas and plays have been pre-
sented by home talent that are hard to excel.
Among the fine productions was the rendition of the
oratorio of ''Queen Esther." The cast of characters
of its rendition, in January, 1888, was as follows :
Queen Miss Hallie Beck
Queen's Attendants Misses Belle Aldridge, Lillie
Hynson
Queen's Maids Misses Emma Gilpin, Edith
Hines
Queen's Pages Misses Lucie Hines, Carrie
Reiche
Zeresh Miss Mollie Parks
Zeresh's Attendants Misses Clare Vannort, Allie
Shuster
Zeresh's Child "Ida" Miss Amye Russell
Prophetess Miss Anna Lambert
Mordecai's Sister Miss Mary R. Aldridge
Maid of Honor Miss Emma Lambert
Angel Miss Grace Turner
King W. Walter Chapman
King's Pages Harry Rickey, Lenox CatliD
Haman Prof. Edw. J. Clark
Mordecai M. Wilbur Thomas
High Priest William A. Biscoe
Hegai Thomas S. Dodd
Scribe Fred. G. Usilton
Herald and Harbonah Horace W. Beck
Charles S. Smith
R. S. Thomas
Guards Harry Brice
Ellwood Baker
History of Kent County, Maryland 137
Pianist Mrs. Lulie Bacchus
Organist Miss Belle Pippin
Violinist L. B. Russell
DoJble Bass Viol Charles P. Hodgkin
Clarionet Edgar Ford
Cornetist I. L. Twilley
Director W. Harper McFeely
Since then the Chestertown Musical and Dra
matic Association under the direction of William
Walter Chapman has given ''Esther" in 1915 and
"The Coming of Ruth" in 1916, with great success.
Mr. Chapman was succeeded by Prof. Ten Hoor as
leader and Miss Mabel Toulson as president.
138 History of Kent County, Maryland
CHAPTER XVI.
Kent in the War of 1812-14.
The weekly Register printed in Baltimore City
in its issue of April 24, 1814, states that the Eng-
lish had landed on Pool's Island, where they ei'sected
a small battery to cut off trade in the upper bay.
Under date of April 28, six hundred of the enemy
landed in barges on Spesutia Island, nearly opposite
the mouth of the Susquehanna River. At the time of
the landing about one hundred persons (fishermen)
on the island escaped to Hartford County. News was
received from Kent that two persons suspected of
having supplied the British with provisions, were
arrested and sent to General Chambers, at ''Charles-
town" (evidently Chestertown). On April 26th
"The enemy's force, consisting of one 74, three fri-
gates, two brigs, two schooners, and a number of
tenders, are nowly off from Werton Point. They
are on shore on Pool's Island every day, having got
possession of it. On Saturday they made an at-
tempt to land at the mouth of Still Pond, but were
repulsed by the force collected on shore. ''On the
morning of the 3rd of May, Havre de Grace was
destroyed, but one house remiained uninjured. Stage
coaches, together with the baggage of their passen-
gers, were destroyed."
The following interesting extracts from a "letter
from Kent" and "Georgetown X Roads" are given.
The first extract says : "A ship of war passing down
the bay last Tuesday, commenced a bombardment on
History of Kent County, Maryland 139
S. Wilmer's house (of j^oiir city), and after firing
15 shots at the house, 6 of which lodged in the wall,
and two passed through the house; they also landed
at a Mr. Medford's with extreme rudeness, robbed
him of all his sheep, cattle, hogs, bacon and even
setting poultry and escaped with their booty thus
honorably obtained." The editor adds : ''We learn
by another channel that after killing Mr. M.'s
cattle, the militia came upon the British before they
could carry them off." The letter from Georgetown
said: ''The enemy landed at Mr. George Medford's,
at Plum! Point, in Werton, and robbed his meat
house, hen house and sheepfold; they even went into
the kitchen, stole the kitchen furniture and took
the negroes' weekly allowance of meat. The Maid-
stone frigate lies so near Howell's Point that she
has thrown some of her shot a mile into the
country."
It is also stated that while trying to effect a land-
ing in Fairlee Creek the British were attacked, and
it is believed, lost several of their number.
These old papers give some interesting quota-
tions of prices in 1813: Flour, |6 barrel; wheat,
.fl.25 bushel; corn, .fO.GS bushel; molasses, |1.15 gal-
lon ; pork, |21 barrel ; French brandy, |2.20 gallon ;
rye whiskey, |1 gallon ; brown sugar, |26.50 cwt.,
salt, 11.25 bushel; shot, |19.50 cwt.; teas (Hyson),
$1.95 lb. ; tobacco, |8 cwt.
The "free persons" given for Kent County in 1810
were given at 7,201 ; "white population," 11,450 ;
quota of direct tax, |4,213.95.
140 History op Kent County, Maryland
CHAPTER XVII.
Four United States Senators Furnished Ity Kent
Coimty — Tlieir Life History — Other Notaries.
It is seldom that a town the size of Chestertown
is so ably represented in the legislation of our
country as is the case with this towTi in Kent. It
has had the honor of furnishing four United States
Senators, all of whom were men of extraordinary
ability.
Senator Philip Reed was born in Kent County
about 1760, and died in 1829. He received an aca-
demical education, and served as captain in the
Revolutionary Armlf. Afterwards he was elected to
the United States Senate in place of Robert Wright,
resigned, and held the seat from 1806 to 1813. On
his return home he commanded, as colonel of militia,
the regiment of home guards that met and defeated
at Caulk's Field, Md., August 30, 1814, a superior
British force under Sir Peter Parker, who was killed
in the engagement. Col. Reed was elected to the
Fifteenth Congress, serving until the year 1823.
James Barroll Ricaud, jurist, born in Baltimore,
Md., February 11, 1808; died in Chestertown, Janu-
ary 26, 1866. He was educated at St. Mary's Col-
lege, Baltimore, studied law, and on admission to
the bar, entered into practice at Chestertown. He
was a memSber of the House of Delegates in 1843
and succeeding sessions, and a presidental elector
on the Harrison ticket in 1836, and on the Clay
ticket in 1844. Hie was elected a member of Congress
History of Kent County, Maryland 141
by the American party for two successive terms;,
serving until 1859. He subsequently sat in the State
Senate, but resigned on being appointed a Judge of
the Circuit Court, 1864.
Ezekiel Freeman Chambers was born in Klent
County February 28, 1788, and died in Chestertown
on January 30, 1867. He was graduated at Wash-
ington College in 1805, studied law and was ad-
mitted to the bar in 1808. He performed military
service in the war of 1812, and subsequently ob-
tained the rank of Brigadier-General of Militia.
Though elected in 1822 to the State Senate against
his will, he took an active part in the legislation of
that body, and in 1825 arranged a system for the
more effectual recovery of slaves. In 1826 he was
elected United States Senator from Maryland, and
in 1832 re-elected. He distinguished himself as one
of the ablest debaters and antagonists in that body.
In 1834 he was appointed Chief Judge of the Second
Judicial District and a Judge of the Court of Ap-
peals, which places he held till 1857, when the Mary-
land judiciary became elective. In 1850 he was a
member of the Constitutional Convention of the
State. In 1852 President Fillmore offered him the
post of Secretary of the Navy, on the resignation of
Secretary Graham, but the condition of his health
compelled him to decline. Yale conferred on him
the degree of LL. D. in 1833, and Delaware in 1852.
James Alfred Pearce, born in Alexandria, Va.,
December 14, 1805; died in Chestertown, December
20, 1862. He was graduated at Princeton in 1822,
studied law in Baltimore, and was admitted to the
bar in 1824, after whicli he began to practice at
Cambridge, Md. At the end of a year he went to Lou-
142 History of Kent County, Maryland
isiana ^yitll his father and engaged in sugar plant-
in"' for three years. He then returned to Maryland
and settled in Kent Count y, where he resumed the
practice of his profession. He was elected to the
Maryland House of Delegates in 1831; in 1835 to
Congress as a Democrat, and he seryed, except dur-
ing one term in 183941, until 1843, when he was
chosen to the United States Senate, where he re-
mained until his death. During his long seryice i:i
HON. JAMES ALFRED PEARCE.
the Senate he was especially interested in the library
of Congress, the Smiths cnian Institute and the
Coast Suryey. President Fillmore offered him a seat
on the bench of the United States District Court
of Maryland, which he declined. During the same
administration he was nominated and confirmed
Secretary of the Interior, but this honor was also
declined, on the ground that he could be of more use
to his country in the Senate. He took a deep in-
terest in educational matters, and in 1833 was
elected one of the Visitors and Goyernors of Wash-
ington College, in Ayhich institution he afterwards
History of Kent County, Maryland 143
lectured on law. Mr. Pearce was regarded as one
of the wisest and safest members of the United
States Senate. His son, Judge James A. Pearce,
holds an enviable position among all our people.
Hon. George Vickers was born in Chestertown
November 19, 1801, and died October 8, 1879. He
HON. GEORGE VICKERS.
acquired a classical education, was employed in the
county clerk's office for several yeai^, studied law,
was admitted to the bar in 1832, and practiced in
Chestertown. He was a delegate to the Whig Na-
tional Convention of 1852. When the Civil War
began he was appointed Major-General of the State
militia. He was a presidental elector on the McClel
Ian ticket in 1864, and one of the vice-presidents
of the Union Convention of 1866. In 1866-7 he was
a member of the State Senate. In 1868 he was
elected United States Senator for the term that
ended on March 3, 1873, in the place of Philip F.
Thomas, who had been denied the seat.
144 History of Kent County, Maryland
It being imfjortant that the new Senator should
reach Washington at the earliest period practicable,
the ice-boat Chesapeake was dispatched from Bal-
timbre on Friday evening, March 6, 1867, having on
board the committee of the Legislature to bring Mr.
Vickers to that city. The steamer reached here at
3 o'clock Saturday morning. Mr. Vickers was noti-
fied of his election and he left at once, the boat
breaking ice all the way to Baltimore, where a spe-
cial car was in waiting to convey the party to Wash-
ington. General Vickers was sworn in Monday and
took an important part in the acquittal of President
Andrew Johnson in the efforts of his enemies to
impeach him. He took a conspicuous part in the
debate on the Fifteenth Amendment to the Federal
Constitution also. His grandson, H. W. Vickers,
Esq., is one of the most prominent members of the
bar here.
Probably the first commander of the United
States Navy was Ale^xander Murray, who was bora
in the old Spencer house, Chestertown, in 1755, and
died in Philadelphia in 1821. He was a relative of
Mrs. Lottie Roberts, who has a well-preserved por-
trait of him. In 1776 he was appointed a lieu-
tenant in the Continental Navy, but there being no
employment for him afloat, he served through the
campaigns of 1776-7 as lieutenant and captain in the
First Maryland Eegiment, participating in the bat-
tles of Flatbush and White Plains. At the close of
the campaign of 1777 he was given the command
of a ship with a letter of marque, in which he was
captured by the British squadron and carried into
New York. After his exchange he served as lieu-
tenant on the Trumbull, in the action with the Iris
T. W. ELIASOl^'S HISTORIC HOUSE— THE J. K. ALDRIDGE
HOME— QUEEN STREET HOMES— FOUNDRY OR WILSON
PEALE HOUSE,
146 History of Kent County, Maryland
and Gen. Monk, off the moutli of the Delaware. In
1798 he was made captain, and served in the West
Indies in command of the Constellation. In 1802 he
commanded the Constellation in the Mediterranean,
and an attack which he made upon a flotilla of seven-
teen gunboats was the first affair of the war with
Tripoli. At his death he was in command of the
Navy Yard at Philadelphia, and was senior officer
of the navy.
Chestertown was the birth-place of Charles Wilson
Peale, one of the greatest artists of his day, so says
E. H. Butler's history. He was born in April, 1741.
He was bv trade a saddler and received instruction
in the art of painting from Hesselius, a German, to
whom he gave a saddle for the privilege of seeing
him paint. He was the first dentist in America who
prepared sets of enamel teeth. He was a universal
genius, making for himself a violin and a guitar. He
went to London in 1770 and became a pupil of Ben-
jamin West. Eeturning to America, he was the
chief portrait painter in this country. He was a
patriot and commanded a company in the battles
of Trenton and Germantown. In 1785 he com-
menced in Philadelphia the celebrated Peale's
Museum, which for many years was the largest and
most valuable collection of natural curiosities in
the United States. Its principal attraction was an
entire skeleton of a mammoth. He also established
a museum in Baltimore. Mr. Peale died, after a
a life of extraordinary exertion and temperance, in
1827, aged 85 years. His son Kenibrandt was an
artist of great merit. Mr. Peale's father was a
teacher in the old Free School at Chestertown.
History of Kent County, Maryland 147
CHAPTER XVIII.
Old Records Shoimug Transfers of Land in Kent.
Mr. Percy G. Skirven in his search, of historic
iuformation among the records in the Court House
in Baltimore City, contributes interesting facts.
Among the transfers of land may be found : Col.
Edward Carter, of upper Norfolk County, Virginia,
released a "bill of sale'' he held on land belonging
to his brother-in-law, Joseph Hopkins, February
28, 1667. This tract of land was known as "Buck
Neck" and described as "lying in the eastern side
of the Chesapeake Bay and at the head of a creek
in the bar called Worton Creek."
Four years afterwards, September 5, 1671, Daniel
Silvane, of Baltimore County, gave a quit-claim deed
to William Pearce, of the same county, for 150 acres
of this tract. The record states the land "is lying
and being in Chesapeake Bay, in Baltimore County,
and on the eastern side of the bay in a creek called
Worton Creek, being a part of a tract of land called
'Buck Neck,' formerly taken up by Joseph Hop-
kins, which said 150 acres were purchased by me of
William Pearce."
In March of the same year we find this one: ''To
all Christian people : Know ye, that I, Charles Nicho-
lett, minister of God's Word in the county of BaJ-
timore, within the Proyince of Maryland, and Jus-
tine, my wife, do, etc., sell to John James the tract of
land known as 'Lynn,' lying and being in Chesapeake
Bay and on the eastern side of said bay and in a
148 History of Kent County, Maryland
creek called Steelpone Creek, and on the north side
of the said creek, containing 150 acres." This deed
Avas dated March 5, 1671.
The following record is dated 1672 : Charles James
to Thomas Middlefield, carpenter. 200 acres known
» 4.
5
THE OLD MARKET HOUSE. CHESTERTOWN, MD.
as ^'Little Drayton," described as "being in Balti-
more County, in the eastern side of the Chesapeake
Ba}^, and in a bay called Steelpone Bay, and in a
creek in the said bay called Churne Creeke, and on
the west side of the said creeke."
On March 1, 1672, a deed was recorded showing
that Thomas How^ell sold to James Hepbourne 200
History of Kent County, Maryland 149
acres of land "lying in Chesapeake Bay on the
eastern side of the said bay in the county afoi'esaid
(Baltimore) and in a river, called Sassafras Elver
and in a creek in the said river called Fishing (now
Lloyd's) Creek and at the head of the said creek."
A little more than a year afterwards, August 2,
1673, William Salsbury, planter, and his wife Sarah,
sold 200 acres of land called ''Tamworth" to William
Morgan and William Welch, planters. This prop-
erty, too, was ''in Chesapeake Bay on the eastern
side of the said bay in the county of Baltimore in a
creek within the said bay called Worton Creek."
It adjoined the lands of Captain Cornwallis.
As late as June 3, 1674, just three days before
Lord Baltimore sent to Nathaniel Stiles, the ''high
Sheriff of Cecil County," his proclamation erecting
the county of ''Cecil," a deed was recorded in the
land records of Baltimore County showing that
Thomas Ramsav sold 200 acres of land called ''Fare-
all" to John West. This land is described as being
in the Sassafras River in a creek called "Toulson's
Creeke" and adjoining the lands of Andrew Toulson.
How Lord Baltimore Intended It.
These records do not prove conclusively that Bal-
timore County's southern boundary on the Eastern
Shore was as stated above, but from data bearing on
the erection of the counties of Cecil, Talbot and Kent
it is reasonably safe to say that a line drawn from
Worton Creek to the Chester River in the vicinity
of Chestertown and from thence with the Chester
River to the eastern boundary of the province was
150 History of Kent County, Maryland
what Lord Baltimiore, with what limited knowl-
edge he had of the geography of the country, in-
tended should be the southern boundary. Baltimore
County was probably erected in 1659, but the first
record of any court held in that county shows that
in 1661 court was held at the house of Capt. Thomas
Howell, very probably on HowelPs Point.
Previous to the building of a courthouse on the
Elk River an old building stood on the shore of what
is now known as "Ordinary Point," a long narrow
sand bar extending out into the Sassafras River from
the north shore, just opposite to the mouth of Tur-
ner's Creek. A well-authenticated description under
date of 1679 of this old building, which, according to
the story, was an ordinary house or inn and w^hich
was also used as a courthouse, is to be found in the
early historical records of the province. There are
many facts to lead us to 1 elieve that this was one
of the old courthouses of Baltimore Countv at least
for part of the time that this county extended its
borders across the Chesapeake.
Shrewsbury parish received its name from a town
"laid out" on the south side of the Sassafras River,
a little distance east of Turner's Creek. In Vol. 13,
Page 26, of the Archives of Maryland, we find that
on April 18, 1684, "upon motion of the delegates of
Cecil County, a towne is ordered to be laid out at
Meeting House Point, in Sassafras River, in the said
county." About this time the Rt. Hon. Charles Tal-
bot, Earl of Shrewsbury, was Principal Secretary of
State in England and the newly "laid-out" town may
have been so named in his honor. In the event that
this was not the case, however, it may have taken its
History of Kent County, ^Farylaxd 151
name from a shire town, Slirewsbui-y, in England.
^'Meeting House Point," so called lor the first
church or "meeting house," was an exceedingly ad-
vantageous location considered from the point of
BEFO' DE WAR.
accessibility by water transportation. At this time
— 1684 — there were few roads and almost all of the
visiting and churchgoing, as well as the commercial
traffic, was done by boats. Then, too, the ships
trading between England and the Province had bold
water at this point in the Sassafras and could
anchor close to shore for loading and unloading
their freight.
152 History of Kent County, Maryland
No records have been found as to how long
Shrewsbury Town was used as a port of entry or
Avhat the names of the streets were or who lived
tliere. That Shrewsbury Town had been abandoned
as a place ''where all ships and vessels trading into
the province shall unload and put on shore all
negroes, wares, goods, merchandise, and commodi-
ties whatsoever" is borne out by the following sec-
tion in the act of the Assembly of April 19, 1706,
establishing such towns or ports.
''The towns, ports and places hereinafter men-
tioned shall be ports, etc. : In Kent County ; in
Chester River, on a plantation of Mr. Wilmore's and
Edward Walvin's plantation (the present site of
Chestertown) ; in Worton Creek, on a tract of land
where Francis Barnes lives, formerly laid out for a
towne, and in Sassafras River, where Shrewsbury
Towne was." In a supplementary act to the one
above passed by the Assembly on April 15, 1707,
the following appears: "And that the place ap-
pointed be also deserted and laid out where the com-
missioners for towns in Kent County aforesaid have
purchased land for the same."
There is no doubt the place that the above act has
reference to is the present site of the pretty village
of Georgetown, which lies on the south bank of the
Sassafras River, some six miles to the east of where
the old town of Shrewsbury was ''laid out." The
act of assembly for laying out Georgetow^n was not
passed until 1736, but there are many reasons to
believe that it was "laid out" many years previous
to that date.
History of Kent County, Maryland 153
The following partial extract of a record found
among the land records of Kent County^ shows that
this y^^as so at least three years prior to the act of
assembly just mentioned : ''This indenture, made this
nineteenth day of March, Anno Dom, One Thousand
Seven Hundred Thirty and three, between Gideon
Pearce, of Kent County, Mar} land, gentleman of the
one part, and George Skirven, of the same place, gen-
tleman of the other part, withnesseth, etc., all that
parcel of land being two of the lotts of land in a
designed towne as now laid out and called George
Towne (lying now in Kent County, in Maryland,
upon the Sassafras Riyer), w^hich two lotts are
known and designed as No. 14 and No. 15 as by
platt and certificate of the designed Towne lodged
with the Surveyor of the said county. Also the
use of Lott No. 10 belonging to his daughter, Rachel
Pearce, for the benefit and advantages of Importa-
tion and Exportation of anything Whatsoever."
Lot No. 10 was at the foot of Front street directly
on the river shore.
The names of the principal streets in this old town
were King, Queen, Princess, Stop, Cannon, Kent,
Cross, Chestnut, Front and Calvert. George's lane
and Fish alley were names of smaller streets near
the water's edge. This beautiful old town with its
neighbor, Fredericktown, across the Sassafras River
in Cecil County, is mentioned in a ''Journal" pub-
lished by a clergyman in 1759. In traveling from
Annapolis to Philadelphia he stopped for the night
in Fredericktown and he writes: "Fredericktown is
a small village on the western side of the Sassafras
River built for the accomlmodation of strangers and
154 History of Kent County, Maryland
travelers ; on the eastern side, exactly opposite to it,
is another small village (Georgetown) erected for
the same purpose."
For nearlv five vears after the erection of Shrews-
bury parish there was no regular minister in
charge. In 1097 the Rev. Richard Sewell was sent
by Gov. Francis Nicholson.
While the Rev. Mr. Sewell was the first rector
sent by the Governor to these parishes, there had
been services held in Shrewsbury parish by the
Rev. Mr. Lawrence Vanderbush, then rector of St.
Paul's parish in Kent. Mr. Vanderbrush went to
St. Paul's in September, 16934, and he had held
services at least once a month in Shrewsbury parish
during the last year of his life, 1096, and very
probably from the first year that he went to St.
Paul's.
Too Much Work For One Man.
It was shortly after the death of Mr. Vanderbush
that Mr. Sewell went to Shrewsbury, and, as the
work was hard and the two parishes so large, he
found it more than he could do alone. In the church
records of St. Paul's parish there appear items show-
ing that the Rev. Mr. Stephen Bordley, who was sent
as rector of that (St. Paul's) parish in 1697, as-
sisted the Rev. Mr. Sewell in the work by holding
services at Shrewsbury church on the first Sunday
in each month during the years of 1699 and 1706. It
is very probable that this arrangement lasted from
the time of Mr. Bordley going to St. Paul's.
From the two mother parishes of St. Paul's and
Shrewsbury in the year 1765 Chester parish was
History of Kent County, Maryland 155
erected and a church built for that parish at the
present site of Christ Church "I. U." Its "Chapel
of Ease" was built at Chestertown where the present
Emmanuel Church now stands. It is authorita-
tively stated that the chapel at Chestertown was
made the "church" of Chester parish about the year
1809, "I. U." becoming the "Chapel of Ease."
Within the churchyard at Shrewsbury, now in-
closed with a handsome and substantial iron fence,
are to be seen the graves of many distinguished
colonists, of rectors who have laid down here to
rest when their work on earth was finished and of
the sturdy settlers who were none the less valuable
as citizens as well as churchmen. Today their
descendents point with pride to these mute evidences
of their ancestors, who, through courage and energy,
carved out of the wilderness both fortune and name
to be handed down to succeeding generations.
In looking through the old records of the parish,
the following names are to be seen prior to 1780;
Angier, Blackiston, Burgan, Blay, Browning, Boyer,
Brooks, Bellikin, Baird, Black, Briscoe, Comegys,
Christian, Campbell, Cole, Chandler, Cadwalader,
Clark, CreWj Cosden, Clayton, Cooper, Dinning,
Day, De Brewster, Dunnington, Donaldson, Davis,
Eccleston, Evans, Fisher, French, Freeman, Forres-
ter, Gale, Cleaves, Hall, Hopkins, Hynson, Holdman,
Hudson, Hepbron, Howard, Hailes, Hicks, Hull,
Hanson, Haley, Hatchison, Hazil, Hurtt, Ireland,
Jones, Jobson, Johnson, Knock, Kenton, Keating,
Lowe, Latham, Middleton, Medford, Merritt, Mil-
born, Massey, Mansfield, Maffitt, Norris, Pearce,
Perkins, Page, Piner, Redgrave, Ridson, Rasin, Reed,
156 History of Kent County, Maryland
Eeyner, Rogers, Riley, Sewell, Smothers, Skeggs,
Spencer, Stoops, Sutton, Smith, Symonds, Tillton,
Tilden, Turner, Truelock, Wallis, Wilson, Waite,
Wilmer, Woodland, Wethered, Wright and Yeates.
The first vestry was composed of the following
'^freeholders:" William Harris, Edward Blay, Wil-
liam Pearce, William Elm, Edward Skidmore and
George Skirven.
History of Kent County, Maryland 157
CHAPTER XIX.
Some Weather Records.
Tlie Coldest Winter and Summe?' — Men Wrapped in
Overcoats Drove Reapers July 4 — A Year When
Snoiv Fell and Sheep Froze to Death in June — -
Ice and Frost in July — and Crops Were Chilled
in August.
All are prone to look upon the "olden time" as
being remarkable for weather, as well as for many
other happenings. The record summer of 1816
stands as the most distressing of the nineteenth cen-
tury. June, 1816, was the coldest ever known in
this latitude; frost and ice were common. Almost
every green thing was killed ; fruit was nearly all
destroyed. This was the year when farmers were
glad to wear overcoats and gloves when cutting
wheat July 4 and fires on the hearth were welcome.
Snow fell to the depth of ten inches in Vermont,
seven in Maine, three in the interior of New York,
and also in Massachusetts. There were a few warm
days. All classes looked for them in that memorable
cold summer.
It was called a dry season. But little rain fell. The
wind blew steadily from the north cold and fierce.
Mothers knit extra socks and mittens for their chil-
dren in the spring, and wood-piles that usually dis-
appeared during the warm spell in front of the
houses were speedily built up again. Planting and
shivering were done together, and the farmers who
158 History of Kent County, Maryland
worked out their taxes on the country roads wore
overcoats and mittens.
In a town in Vermont a flock of sheep belonging
to a farmer had been sent, as usual, to their pasture.
On the seventeenth of June a heavy snow fell; the
cold was intense, and the owner started away at
noon to look for his sheep.
RURAL CARRIERS IN KENT BEFORE THE AUTO CAME.
"Better start the neighbors soon, wife," he said in
jest before leaving; "being in the middle of June I
may get lost in the snow."
Night came, the storm increased, and he did not
return. The next morning the family sent out for
help and started in search. One after another of
tlie neighbors turned out to look for the missing
man. The snow had covered up all tracks, and not
until the end of the third day did they find him on
History of Kent County, Maryland 159
the side of a hill, with both feet frozen, unable to
move.
A farmer who had a large field of corn in another
New England village, built fires around it to ward
off the frost; many an evening he and his men took
turns watching it. He was rewarded with the only
crop in the neighborhood.
Considerable damage was done in New Orleans in
consequence of the rapid rise of the Mississippi
Eiver; the suburbs were covered with water and
the roads were passed only in boats. Fears that the
sun was cooling off abounded, and throughout New
England all picnics were strictly prohibited be-
cause of the danger to health.
July was accompanied with frost and ice. On the
fifth, ice was formed of the thickness of the common
window glass throughout New England, New York,
and some parts of Kent County. Corn was nearly
all destroyed ; some favorably situated fields escaped.
August was more cheerless, if possible, than the
months which preceded it. Ice was formed half an
inch in thickness. Indian corn was so frozen that
the greater part was cut down and dried for fodder.
Almost every green thing was destroyed in this coun-
try and in Europe.
On the thirteenth snow fell at Barnet, forty miles
from London. Papers received from England stated
that ''it would be remembered by the present genera-
tion that the year 1816 was a year in which there
was no summer." Very little corn ripened in Eng-
land, and the Middle States farmers supplied them-
selves from corn produced in 1815 for seed in the
160 History of Kent County, Maryland
spring of 1817. It sold at from four to five dollars
per bushel.
Chestertown's oldest citizens state that the winter
of 1899 was the worst in their recollection. The
thermometer reached nine degrees below zero, and
for a week hovered around the zero mark, with ex-
cellent sleighing. Snow to the depth of three feet
fell during the week, and the train was six days get-
ting the mail to or from Chestertown. A blizzard
raged for two days, roads were blocked and but
little business was transacted. Navigation closed on
Thursday, February 9, and remained so until the
2:]rd.
HEADQUARTERS IN THE "OLD FIFTH" IN FORMER DAYS— EDESVILLE.
History of Kent County, Maryland IGl
CHAPTEK XX.
Women Vote in Kent— The First Place in State.
Three of Them Take Part in Election at Still Pond—
Fourteen Were Registered— Some of Those Who
Didn't Go to the Polls Explain Why They Let a
Glorious Opportunity Pass.
An act was passed by the Legislature of Maryland,
1908, incorporating the town of Still Pond. This
act, in Section 3, provides that the legal voters of
Still Pond, female included, who pay taxes and who
have resided within its corporate limits six months,
of the age of 21 years and upward, shall elect by
ballot on the first Saturday in May, 1908, three com-
missioners. Accordingly, on the first Saturday in
May at 2 P. M. a voting place was opened in the
public school room and Dr. W. S. Maxwell, Dr. J.
H. Kelley and C. B. Krusen acted as judges and
Wm. Medders and Wm. Krusen clerks.
There were 75 voters registered, 12 of whom were
white women and two colored. There were three
ladies who availed themselves of the unusual priv-
ilege of casting a ballot, thereby being the first
Avomen in the State of Maryland to exercise the right
of franchise. These w^re Mrs. Mary Jane Howard,
one of the best known residents of the town; Mrs.
W. S. Maxwell and Mrs. J. H. Kelley, wives of phy-
sicians and leaders of thought in the community.
These ladies voted early, but two of them voted a
losing ticket. Mrs. Howard was the exception, as
one of her candidates out of the three for whom she
162 History of Kent County, Maryland
voted was elected. It is said that some of the men
offered to write the tickets for these voters, but they
refused to be influenced and voted "independently."
Mrs. Howard stated that she felt very foolish
going to the polls, but wanted to avail herself of the
rare privilege to ascertain if there was really as
much in it as the men seemed to believe.
Still Pond was the only town in Maryland at that
time where the women have the right to vote in a
municipal election. Only three voted, but perhaps
many were prevented from voting by a rainstorm
which came up about 4 o'clock. One lady said she
didn't vote because she didn't want to get her new
hat spoiled. Another said she wanted to go about
the time it rained and after that she had to prepare
supper for the men folks. Another said that after
the rain baby awoke and she was compelled to re-
main with him.
The election resulted in the selection of Thomas
Bradley for three years, John B. Parrott for two
years, and C. B. Krusen for one year, as commission-
ers. The board named in the bill were Charles W.
Hague, John G. Schofield and Wm. Medders.
History of Kent County, Maryland 1G3
CHAPTER XXI.
Some Records on the Farm.
The agricultural resources of Kent County are far
superior to those of many other counties in the
State of Maryland. No county has a greater variety
of soils, or soils more fertile, more diversified, or
more certain in the production of crops. Here is an
abundance of raw material and rich soil, upon which
all fruits, and all the crops, and all the animals
necessar}^ for man's support and convenience can
be raised with less expense than in colder climates.
Here are mighty rivers and flowing creeks and purl-
ing rivulets, gushing springs of sparkling water
suitable for navigation and machinery, for stock,
for dairy and household. Here is a climate so genial
to the physical man that the very exuberance of
his spirit doubles pleasures, and robs adversity of
half its woes. This is the ideal home of the farmer
and skilled workman. Land is cheap and produc-
tive; skilled labor is in demand.
In writing this history we cannot help but note
the passing of a great industry — the peach. In the
'80's there were a million and a half of trees in
Kent and those were halcyon days to many a man.
The Harrises and others along the Bay still find the
peach a paying crop, but the blight and yellows have
discouraged most of the farmers from putting much
land in peach trees. Among the men who were first
to introduce this delicious fruit was the late Col.
Edw. Wilkins, who owned a lovely estate on
164 History of Kent County, Maryland
the Chester, now owned by Mrs. Jennie Viekers
Robinson. His crop had realized him as high as
160,000 in a single season. He sold 3,000 boxes of
white heath peaches one season for |18,000, which
was at the rate of |6 per box. Twenty to forty
thousand dollars per year clear was only an ordi-
nary crop to Colonel Wilkins in those days. In one
season he furnished one canner in Baltimore |56,000
worth of peaches and did not take up a dollar ; at the
end of the season he took the canner's note for the
whole amount until a market was found for the
canned article. ''Good old times" indeed were those !
For several years past the keiffer pear, assisted
by the tomato, has been the financial salvation of
many a Kent farmer. The keiffer pear was first dis-
covered near Philadelphia. The tree was a seedling
which came up on a vacant lot in 1876. It is sup-
posed to be a cross between the Chinese Send-Pear
and the Bartlett. In 1896 Mr. Scarborough, mana-
ger of four canneries in Kent, paid to the pear grow-
ers over 116,000. The total crop of the county, even
in this comparatively off crop year, is placed at
200,000 baskets. The popular price that year was
25 cents per basket, since which time the average
price has been nearer 15 cents. The intimate rela-
tion which the keiffer pear and the tomato crop have
borne to the financial fortunes of the Kent County
farmer sounds to the stranger like a fairy-tale of
a dream-dove but unrealized prosperity.
In 1912 there were raised in Kent County over
25,000 tons of tomatoes for which the farmers were
paid $9.60 per ton. Thus, the astounding sum of
1240,000. Clifton L. Jarrell says he cleared |35 per
History of Kent County, MxVryland 105
acre off a hundred acres. Thomas J. Davis picked
252 tons and 24 baskets off 23 acres. Thomas Fowler
on State's Attorney Vickers' Flatland farm sokl 120
tons off ten acres. H. C. Willis near Fairlee shipped
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the kennedy-lockwood farm, an up-to-date farm near
kennedyville— william jewell, tenant.
over tw^elve tons to the acre off ten acres the same
year.
Cooling stations established along the railroad in
Kent County have superseded the creameries, and
dairying has been given a new importance. The
industry is but in its infancy. Mr. John N. Bennett
in 1900 lived on Campbellworthmore, near Lynch's.
166 History of Kent County, Maryland
He kept a record of his creamery business, which is
here given for that year:
January 2,881
February 8,539
March 5,117
April 6,69G
May 12,273
June 12,002
July 7,836
August 9,282
September 7,238
October 5,134
November .. 4,361
December 3,159
$25.94
?1.60
$2.40
$21.94
29.31
1.75
1.25
25.31
46.05
1.30
2.25
42.50
50.22
.88
1.89
47.45
79.77
1.75
2.60
75.42
71.01
2.15
1.90
67.96
62.69
2.53
2.73
57.43
74.26
1.95
1.89
70.42
57.90
2.50
1.76
53.64
51.34
1.38
2.75
47.21
17.44
.25
1.25
15.94
22.52
.30
.98
21.24
Totals 79,519 $588.45 $18.34 $23.65 $546.29
Amount of calves • • • 197.64
Total revenue from 19 cows $985.74
Sold 16 calves — amount 155.29
Raised 3 calves at $15 each — amount 45.00
$197.26
Average amount from each cow 41.35
Average amount of lbs. of milk from each cow 4,185
During the past two years the following ship-
ments of milk have been made from the cooling sta-
tions along the Kent railroads :
Cans, 1914 Cans, 1915
Chestertown ' 10,811 10,906
Worton 12,157 10,158
Kennedyville 22.945 14,047
Blacks 99 12,780
Massey 16,210 14,787
Totals 62,622 62,678
Each can contains 11 1/^ gallons, so that the total
shipment in 1915 was 720,900 gallons of milk which
brought to the farmers thousands of dollars.
History of Kent County, Maryland 1(>7
The price for this milk varies from |1.20 to |2.00
per cwt., according to test.
Of course the staple crops of Kent Coimty are
Avheat and corn. About 50,000 acres are so\ved in
wheat, the average yield being about fifteen bushels
A CHARACTERISTIC BARNYARD SCENE IN KENT IN EARLY WINTER.
per acre. There are about 35,000 acres in corn, the
average yield being 27 bushels per acre.
In 1888 Eugene M. Bouwill reaped 52 bushels of
wheat per acre off his front field on his farm, near
Betterton.
One of tlie largest public sales of real estate ever
made in Kent County was that by Mr. Kichard
Hynson on June 20, 18GG, wlien he disposed of over
four thousand acres of land, included in which was
the large estate of Edward Comegys, of which Mr.
168 History of Kent County, Maryland
Hynson was executor. As a matter of interest
touching real estate values, it is not out of place
to note some of the sales and prices on the occasion
named. The Fairlee farm, 841 acres, was bought
by T. W. Eliason, at |50.25 per acre; the Carville
A TYPICAL PEACH ORCHARD IN KENT WHEN A MILLION AND A
HALF TREES YIELDED GREAT CROPS IN THE EARLY EIGHTIES.
farm, 628 acres, to Mrs. A. R. Curry, for |28.00 ; the
Freeman farm, 465 acres, to John M. Hudson, for
163 per acre ; the Stewart farm, 343 acres, to P. T.
Simmonds, for .f72 per acre; the home farm, 456
acres, to Mrs. O. P. Jones, for |50.50 per acre; the
Curry farm, 270 acres, to same, for same. Other
sales made the total 4,0003^ acres, which averaged
153.67 per acre, and a total sale by Mr. Hynson on
this occasion of |214,794.07i/2.
History of Kent County, Maryland 1G9
CHAPTER XXII.
Old Time Christmas in Kent.
Dr. Peregrine WroWs Picture of the Holiday i)i
Kent Written Nearly a Hundred Years Ago.
No more charming picture can be found of old
Yuletide customs in Kent County one hundred
years ago than is written by Dr. Wroth, a distin-
guished resident of Chestertown at that time.
Among other things he says : "The tires blazed with
a peculiar lustre at Christmas. Before the dawn
of the day so long desired and longed for, the
3'ounger members of the family (I am speaking of
the family in the country) were up and doing. The
young children had searched and emptied their
stockings, which had been hung up the night before,
of the good things which are annually supplied by
old Kris Kringle. The capacious bowl of egg-nog
was brewed; the hickory Yule log, which had been
prepared days before with all ceremony, crackled
and blazed on the ample hearth ; the servants, large
and small, with their shining ebony faces and teeth
of pearl, peeped through the half-open doors and
windows, and all was prepared to salute the rising
sun with the well-charged Christmas gun. As soon
as the sun appeared the echoes of the report were
brought back from the surrounding woods, where
the older servants, men and women, came from the
^'quarter," dressed in their new suits of home-made
kersey, leading the children who could walk, and
170 History of Kent County, Maryland
carrying in their arms those who could not, and en-
tered the 'great house' ("home of the master" was
so called) to receive their Christmas dram from the
hand of the master. This annual ceremony (daily
through Christmas week) being over, the servants
retired to the quarters, where they were regaled with
a plentiful breakfast. This being dispatched, the
banjo, a musical instrument which they brought
with them from Africa, was introduced, and the
merry dance began with the well-remembered words,
'Jack butter in the fat; hop and git over dat.' Here
we will leave them a while. In the great house, as
they called it, egg-nog was handed round and all
partook of the foaming beverage. After a breakfast
of hot buckwheat cakes, well buttered, rolls and bis-
cuit, and sometimes crackling Johnny cake and
coifee, garnished with stuffed sausages, the family
party began to assemble, and dining-room and par-
lor were soon filled. In the meantime the cooks
were busy in preparing the old gobbler for the spit,
and the large dinner pot hanging over the fire was
filled with a five-jear old ham and chines and other
pork, with stores of vegetables, such as cabbage,
potatoes, parsnips, etc. Potpies of goose or chicken
were not forgotten, and ample provision had been
previously made of minced pies, pumpkin pudding
and plum pudding and many other things, some of
them now unknown.
"While dinner was preparing — to be served at 1
o'clock, never later — the male members of the family
party would while away the hours by shooting at
a target or galloping around the neighborhood sip-
ping his neighbor's egg-nog and romping with their
History of Kent County, Maryland 171
daughters. Hilarity reigned throughout the coun-
try; but I assure you, my dear children, tliat in-
toxication was unknown in genteel circles. All were
cheerful but sober, and a modest kiss was considered
no breach of decorum.
''Let us now pay another visit to the 'quarter.'
The servants, who were persuaded that no man in
the country was so great as master, and who never
approached him without lifting the hat or scraping
the ground with the toe of the shoe, had their full
share of unrestrained mirth and jollity. In every
family there was a 'leader 0/ all sports' who regu-
lated the festivities of the season. In mv father's
'quarter this leader was Cuffee. He would place a
large log in the front yard of the quarter, and boring
a hole in it three or four inches deep with an auger,
till it with water and plug it with a black hole from
the fireplace. In the interval of the song and dance
he would spring from the door, and striking a heavy
blow with an axe on the hole in the log, jumj) high
in the air, and, striking his feet together three times
before he reached the ground, utter a loud shout as
an echo to the report from the log, almost as loud as
a gun. He would then return to his comrades in
the quarter and give out a line of his unpremeditated
song, to be answered by them in full chorus. The
rhythm of these songs was such as that in Africa
at this dav and was thence introduced into this
t.'
country. I give a specimen: Leader — 'Work away,
my brave boys.' Chorus — 'So, ho — ' (prolonged).
Another specimen: 'Raccoon foot and 'possum tail,
New Town gals will never fail.' "
172 History of Kent County, Maryland
TOWN OFFICIALS.
City Council — Robert Moffett, Wm. L, Fowler and George
R, Rouse.
Clerk to Council — James W. Crouch.
Attorney to Council — R. Groome Parks.
Officers — Samuel S. Cooper and Beverly Hyland.
Population, 1880—2,860, 1900—3,000; 1910—2,800.
Tax rate, $0.60.
VOSHELL HOUSE, CHESTERTOWN, MD.
History of Kent County, Maryland 173
CHAPTER XXIII.
Chestertown — The County Town of Kent — Its EavJij
History.
Chestertown is the ''Gem City" of the Peninsula.
Her feet are lightly touched by the placid and spark-
ling waters of the Chester Eiver, whose origin is
found in a spring near Smyrna, Del.; her head is
crowned with verdant fields of golden grain and
orchards of luscious fruits, while on her western
skirts runs a brooklet whose base is to be traced far
up the country. Her northern boundary is a rich,
grassy glade where the undulating surface answers
promptly to the agriculturist's demand, while on the
west hundreds of wide-branched oaks fling their
gnarled arms and waft breezes of purest ozone over
the little city.
The Tilghmans of The Hermitage, represented by
so many honorable men, including the President of
the Constitutional Convention of Maryland in 1774,
arrived about 1655. They came from Snodland, in
Kent. They took up many tracts, including ''Tilgh-
man-and-Foxley Grove," upon which Chestertown
was subsequently founded, then held, through an in-
termarriage, by the Wilmers of Kent. Miss Tilgh-
man, the original patentee of Chestertown, received
1,000 acres from the crown-head of England. She
died in 1688, leaving her property to Simon Wilmer
and his wife, Rebecca. Xo land was deeded until
more than one hundred years afterwards, except at
the mill and outlying sections. In 1735 the lot now
174 History of Kent County, Maryland
occupied by Col. Vannort, corner of Maple avenue
and Front street, was deeded to a Philadelphia cap-
tain, and finally came into the Colonel's hands.
In 1707 the place for the town and port, by pre-
vious act at Yarmouth, Grey's Inn, was ordered
deserted, and the town, with courthouse, etc., built
THE PEARCE HOME, OWNED AND OCCUPIED BY NATHANIEL
HYNSON, JR.. IN 1735. LOCATED ON WATER STREET, CHESTER-
TOWN. NOW OWNED BY MRS. M. C. RINGGOLD.
at Chestertown. All towns, rivers, creeks and coves
in Cecil, Kent and Queen Anne's, except Kent
Island, to be members of the Port of Chestertown,
on the Chester River. Fiftj^ acres were purchased
at Chester Ferry, and the large brick house on
Water street, foot of High street, was the custom
house. It now belongs to W. W. Hubbard, and its
vaults and tremendous rooms may be found in ex-
cellent condition.
History of Kent County, Maryland 175
Henry Collister, an indentured servant, having
acquired a fortune, owned the "town point" prop-
erty, on Chester River, where Chestertown now
stands, having become possessed of it in September,
1758.
In 1755 war was declared against the French and
their Indian allies, and Governor Sharpe called for
volunteers. The Gazette of Februarv 0, 1755, savs:
"At Chestertown several men enlisted before the
drum was beat, and the officer, who wanted but
thirty men, got his complement and marched with
them. Such is the commendable spirit of that
place." In September, 1756, a number of gentlemen
of Chestertown fitted out a fine new ship called the
"Sharpe," after the Governor, and commanded by
Capt. Edw. Scott. It carried 26 carriage guns and
20 swivels; 200 men manned her. This boat did
valiant service against the French.
The town was laid out by authority of an Act of
Maryland passed in 1706, and was named in the
law *'New Toa^ti." Its charter was revised in 1780
and the name Chester Town given to it. In 1730 an
ordinance was passed forbidding sheep, swine or
geese to be raised within the Iotsti limits. On Janu-
ary 27, 1806, "an act to appoint commissioners for
the regulation and improvement of Chester Town, in
Kent, and for other purposes," was passed. A meet-
ing was held in the old courthouse in May, 1806,
and F. A. Dinsmore, then clerk, fixed the bounds
as follows: Easterly, by the lands of Miss Smith;
northerly, by lands of Wm. H. Wilmer; westerly,
by the poor house lands; southerly, by lands of
Thomas Worrell and Robert Wright and Chester
176 History of Kent County, Maryland
River. The limits of the town at present include all
that property within a line beginning at the river,
near the residence of H. H. Barroll, Esq., and run-
ning thence and inclosing all the College lands to
OLD MASONIC HALL, NOW THE "KENT NEWS BUILDING."
centre of bridge at mill ; thence in a southerly direc-
tion through the John N. Usilton propertj^ to the
point of intersection of the lands of Walter Wright
Avith Hubbard's factory, and thence with the division
line between said lands to Chester River.
Among the first clerks were William Lassell and
David Arthur. In 1816 William Wheeler was bailiff,
History of Kent County, Maryland 177
and in 1821 James Dawson was wood corder ; in 1839
Thomas J. Carroll was market master; from 1856
to 1868 William Webb was bailiff and market master
and court crier; in 1860 Edward Ryland was weigh
master.
In George Washington's diary for August, Sep-
tember and October, 1774, we glean the following
interesting facts : "On September 1st, I breakfasted
at Queen Anne's, in Prince George's County, dined
in Annapolis and lodged at Rock Hall, and remained
there until September 2d, in order to await the
arrival of my two horses." Rock Hall was then the
upper or northern terminus of the Annapolis Packet
Ferry, where a good hotel was kept. From Rock
Hall there was a well-traveled road through Ches-
tertown, by the head of Sassafras to New Castle,
Del. The Rock Hall farm, in 1774, was owned by
Richard Spencer, who was a grandson of James
Spencer, of Spencer Hall, on Eastern Neck Island.
A part of Rock Hall was sold to James Ringgold, of
Huntingfield, in 1779, and the Rock Hall Ferry was
maintained up to about 1846, the old wharves being
still visible. Washington arrived in Chestertown, or
New Town, on the Chester, late in the afternoon of
September 2, 1774, and stopped at the tavern located
on the corner of Cannon and Princess streets. Not
only did Washington stop there, but all the delegates
who went to the Continental Congress in Philadel-
phia in 1774 did so. On his return, in October, he
is said to have stopped at the hotel kept in the build-
ing now occupied and owned by Mr. Thomas W.
Eliason, on High street. The whole cost for travel-
178 History of Kent County, Maryland
ing expenses was ten pounds, and for incidentals,
etc., the total amount was two hundred tifty-one
I)ounds.
MISS JOSIE REDUE'S OLD HOME, BUILT IN 1708, NOW REPLACED
BY HUBBARD DWELLINGS, ON WATER STREET.
History of Kent County, Maryland 170
CHAPTER XXIV.
''The 'White House' Farm."
History of the Old Colonial Estate on a Part of
Which Chestertoivn noic Stands.
Among the annals of colonial and subsequent
times that have happily been preserved, few are more
interesting among family records than some facts
connected with the hospitable and beautiful home of
the late Mr. Frisby Gordon, and for many years the
home of the late William S. Walker. It is now the
property of Walter Wright, a part of which is
occupied by the Kent and Queen Anne's Association.
Situated on the very edge of ChestertowTi, its fields
running to the river on one side, this pleasant, pic-
turesque home was called for many years "The
White House." The same family has owned it for
several generations, as Mrs. Walker is a lineal
decendent of the first proprietor. The original grant
of the land was conferred upon the early English
colonist, Dr. Richard Tilghman, and the tract thus
patented included what is now the site of Chester-
town.
By the will of Marie Foxley Tilghman, who sur-
vived her husband and was executrix of his estate,
we learn that one of their daughters named
''Rebecca" married Simon Wilmer (another colonist
from England) about 1679. Marie Foxley Tilgh-
man— the widow of Dr. Richard Tilghman— in 1088
conveyed by deed to this daughter, Rebecca Wilmer,
180 History of Kent County, Maryland
and her husband, a part of his estate, located on the
Kent side of Chester River known as ''Tilghman and
Foxley Grove," containing 1,000 acres and which
finally received the name of "Stepney," the "White
House" farm. The Day Star by G. L. L. Davis,
Esq., a Maryland historian, affirms that Chestertown
is located on the tract above mentioned as "Tilgh-
man and Foxley Grove." Their son, Simon, and
grandson, Lambert Wilmer, inherited this home
place ; their children intermarrying with the Gordon
family and the Tylden families; these last inter-
marrying with the Hynson family, make the chil-
dren of these branches lineal decendents of the first
Richard and Marie Foxlev Tilohman.
The "White House" remained in the possession of
the Wilmers until 1820, when it was conveyed by
one Simon Wilmer to his first cousin, Mrs. Marv
Frisby Gordon, whose mother was a Wilmer, and
whose granddaughter oA^Tied it until the last few
years when it was sold to Mr. Wright. Some of the
early Wilmers have long slept in the family burial
ground on this "White House" farm. Among the
later ones interred there is a sister of the late Judge
John B. Eccleston, whose husband was "Ringgold
Wilmer."
Rev. Simon Wilmer, the grandfather of the former
Bishop of Alabama, married his cousin, who was
called "the beautiful Miss Ann Ringgold," and lived
on this "W^hite House" farm. This Rev. Simon is
seen on horseback, wearing his broad-brimmed cleri-
cal hat, in the highly-prized landscape painting, by
Charles Wilson Peale, and on the porch are Mrs.
Wilmer and another ladv, either Mrs. Wilmer's
History of Kext County, Maryland LSI
sister or daughter, it is believed. lu the distance is
Chestertown, the Episcopal Church and A\'asliiiio--
ton College being the most prominent bnihlings in
view.
The original plot of the ^' White House" farm
designates it as a "tobacco plantation," showing but
one house from the river to the mill.
rHE WHITE HOUSE FARM— SITE OF CHESTERTOWN— RADCLIFF RACE
TRACK NOW ON PART OF IT— OWNED BY WALTER WRIGHT.
182 History of Kent County, Maryland
CHAPTER XXV.
Throtving Tea Overboard in the Chestertovni Earhor
— The Early Plays and Operas — Great Racing
Events — Home Novel Ordinances — Mail Facilities.
The brigantine Geddes arrived in Chester town in
1774 with a small lot of dutiable tea for some of the
neio^hborino; counties. The inhabitants assembled in
town meeting May 13, and held indignation meet-
ings and threw the tea overboard. This same day
the tea was thrown overboard in Boston harbor. In
June and July Chestertown received a letter from
Boston thanking citizens for benevolence towards
the poor of the metropolis. It seems as if this to^vn
was the only place in Maryland that sent subscrip-
tions to Boston and Charlestown, Mass. They sent
several vessels loaded with provisions.
In 1752 Hallam and Henry performed in a thea-
tre here the plays entitled ''Richard III" and "The
Beggar's Opera." Every fall and spring there were
races in Chestertown, back of what is now Mr. John
Bell's farm, commencing about 1750. The Chester-
town races were particularly celebrated, and on this
course Maryland and Virginia often contended
together, as also did the gentlemen breeders of Kent,
Queen Anne's and Talbot counties. On the 24th of
November, 1766, for instance, a race was run here
for a purse of 100 pistols (3.60) expressly offered
by the gentlemen of the place, in order to bring
together "the two most famous horses on the con-
tinent." These were Yorick, of Virginia, and Selim,
History of Kent County, Maryland 183
of Marjland. Yorick had won several matches and
Selini had never been beaten. The race was for 4
mile heats; a big crowd was present and Selim won.
Kaces lasted a week, and closed with a ball and
grand opera. Man}' ladies were present, w liile many
fine old Virginia gentlemen would be present and
DUNN'S "BROADNOX," BUILT ABOUT 1708, OWNED BY GEORGE D.
LOFLAND AND OCCUPIED BY J. H. SHRILLY.
bet their negroes on the result. Courts were
adjourned and schools dismissed. Endurance, rather
than speed, was the quality expected of the raceis.
In 1710 the Sheriff of Kent received GOO pounds of
tobacco for conveying letters and packages to and
from the Capital seat.
Some of the ordinances passed in ISOO did not
allow a negro or slave to be on the street after 10
o'clock at night without permit from master or mis-
tress. No negro residing out of town was allowed
to remain in town after T o'clock in winter ami in
184 History of Kent County, Maryland
summer. This was kept up until 1860. The church
bell on the Protestant Episcopal Church, the only
bell in town, was the signal for the colored people
to leave. A chimney sweeper was appointed by the
town, and for many years old Chester Wilmer was
the appointee.
In 1826 we find the people advertising for a school-
master and requiring that he must keep away from
"tippling shops."
In 1781 five men crossed the bav on the ice, and
in 1836, on February 16, five men came across the
bay on the ice and returned.
The postmaster of Chestertown in 1821 was
Joseph ReDue, who was Sheriff in 1827, and Inspec-
tor of the Port of Chester until abolished by Con-
gress in 1850. From 1826 to 1852 he was President
of the Board of Town Commissioners. In 1870 the
salary of the postmaster at Chestertown was |780;
Kennedyville, |200; Still Pond, |125; Millington,
1220; Rock Hall, |65, and Chesterville, |200. The
mail route between Lankford and Chestertown was
established in 1870. In February, 1899, a mail route
was established between Price's Station and Ches-
tertown, and an afternoon mail given to the citizens.
The present postmaster is T. D. Bowers, who suc-
ceeded M. Wilbur Thomas. The salary is about
|2,300, with allowance for rent, clerk hire of five
men and fuel. There are rural routes starting at
Chestertown served by W. B. Ashley, Rock Hall;
D. B. Kendall, over bridge in Queen Anne's; Thos.
Willis, Fred. S. Russell, Walter Hadaway, Charles
E. Woods.
History of Kent County, Maryland 185
MRS WM. B. USILTON'S RESIDENCE. WHERE A GUNSMITH
MKb. wivi. ^^^^ WEAPONS DURING THE WAR.
186 History of Kent County, Maryland
Col. Henry Hollingsworth, at Elkton, and Elisha
Winters, at ChestertoAvn, were large manufacturers
of muskets for the army of the Revolution, and the
grain mills of Cecil and Kent furnished large sup-
plies to the soldiers. Col. Isaac Perkins, of Kent,
was indefatigable in his work of purchasing corn
and wheat for the militar}- authorities, and in or-
ganizing the militia, and was an efficient and gallant
officer in the held. The house on High street, Ches-
tertown, now owned bv Mrs. Wm. B. Usilton was
one of the places where guns were made by a man
named Smith and the house was afterwards used as
a carriage factory, paint shop, etc.
Private capital, aided by the government of Mary-
land, conducted a large armory here during the Rev-
olutionary War, and an old relic in the shape of a
cannon was found and has been preserved to this
da}^ This is the cannon that stood for so many
years in front of the old Market House, then put in
the school yard on Cross street, on the site of Davis
& Satterfield's plant. It was remioved by Mr. John
S. Vandergrift, a member of the old Kent Guards,
and for 16 vears was buried in front of his barber
shop and used as a hitching post. It now adorns
the grounds about the home of Hope H. Barroll,
Esq., on Chester River, near Chestertown. It weighs
2,500 pounds.
A sad incident of Fourth of July celebrations oc-
curred in Chestertown in 1845. The big cannon was
located near the old engine house and pointed down
Cross street. Just as one of the salutes was being
fired, a colored woman, with a baby in her arms, was
crossing over from A. L. Spark's (Candy Kitchen)
History of Kent County, ^[aryland 187
corner to Bordley's corner. The wad from the can
non struck the child, which was the daughter of
Captain Vanhorn. and killed it instantly.
In July, 1898, a meeting was held in Stam's Hall
and resulted in the formation of the Ladies' Town
Improvement Society. Every citizen and visitor
points with pride to the results accomplished by
this society. The public squares attest to their taste
and aesthetic skill. ^Irs. Thomas W. Eliason was
the first president. The Fountain Day in Chester-
town was a great occasion. Through the kindness
of Dr. C. A. Grise, of WilnVington, the fountain
which now adorns Kent Square was brought to the
attention of the ladies. Wednesday, June 15, 1890,
a committee consisting of Mrs. Hope H. Barroll,
Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur W. Hubbard, and Fred. G.
Usilton purchased the |1,200 fcmntain. The honor
of unveiling the fountain was won after an inter-
esting contest by Miss Ida Orem Smith, daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. Charles S. Smith. Hon. James A.
Pearce presided, and addresses were made by Gen.
F. C. Latrobe, Harrison W. Vickers and Col. Wil
liam J. Vannort. Without detracting from the work
of the ladies, the personal supervision given to
grading, laying walks and arranging for the foun-
tain and park by Mr. W. W. Hubbard is worthy of
recognition.
Mrs. Hope H. Barroll, Mrs. James A. Pearce, ^Mrs.
W. W. Hubbard, Mrs. W. B. Copper, ^Irs. M. A.
Toulson, Mrs. William J. Vannort, Mrs. J. H. Spen-
cer, Mrs. James Brice, Mrs. Joel R. Clements, Mrs.
W. F. Jarrell, Mrs. Physick, Mrs. J. D. Bacchus,
Mrs. R. H. Collins, Mrs. C. E. Crane, Mrs. L. W.
188 History of Kent County, Maryland
Wickes, Mrs. William F. Kussell, Mrs. Allan A.
Harris, Mrs. H. G. Simpers, Mrs. Merrick Clements,
Mrs. C. R. Twilley and other ladies have given much
time to these public improvements. A public drink-
ing fountain is the gift of the Hon. James A. Pearce
and occupies a place on the edge of the square on
Cross street. Mrs. Harriett L. Hill donated a foun-
tain near the News Building, at the head of Center
Square. Only those who remember old conditions,
and can now see the wonderful changes, can appre-
ciate the magnificent work done by these ladies in so
short a time. Unsightly buildings, such as the mar-
ket house, engine house, have disappeared ; dump
heaps in the center of the town have given place to
grass plots, and a fountain sends up a cooling spray
within a few feet of where was before a grazing lot
for livery horses, or, after a rain, a pond for wading
birds; shade trees now throw cooling shadows along
cement walks through the large square. Woman as
a factor in town improvement has been a brilliant
success in Chestertown. She has done in three years
what the men of Chestertown would not have accom-
plished in three centuries.
The first horseless carriage (automobile) ever
seen in Chestertown, on the Eastern Shore of Mary-
land, arrived in Chestertown Tuesday, August 8,
1900. It came from Tolchester, driven by Mr. Clark,
accompanied by John S. Vandergrift. It took just
50 minutes to make the run. It was not many
months afterwards wiien Mr. J. H. Sides and Dr.
H. B. Simmons each were driving horseless car-
riages.
History of Kent County, Maryland 180
H
"A
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O
H
W
H
M
w
Q
o
190 History of Kent County, Maryland
CHAPTER XXVI.
The Noted Chester Bridge — Paradise for Lovers —
A Rendezvous for Fishermen — Some Events That
Have Transpired in Chestertoicn.
Chester Bridge, which spans Chester River, was
begun in 1802 by tlie following committee: Robert
Wright, Benjamin Chambers, Samuel Chew, Wil-
liam McKenney and Richard Tilghman, of Chester-
town ; James Brown, William Chambers, R. E. Har-
rison, Charles Vanderen and W. B. Hackett, of
Queen Anne's. S. Betz, Thomas S. Burgess and
Richard Frisby were afterwards named to fill vacan-
cies. Chapter 76 of 1821 states that the bridge has
been actually built and authorized a lottery to be
drawn to reimburse those who erected it by private
subscriptions. It was built by William Vannort, of
Trenton, X. J., the grandfather of Col. William J.
Vannort, Samuel Vannort and Mrs. J. H. Simpers.
Mr. Vannort fell into the river the day it was
completed and died a few days later from pleurisy.
The stock of the company was put at |40,000, at |50
per share. The bridge was afterwards burned, the
drawer changed and the whole rebuilt by lottery.
In July, 1890, the bridge was purchased by the two
counties of Kent and Queen Anne's for |11,400, and
made free, it being previous to that time a toll
bridge. As high as 500 teams crossed this bridge
in one day during 1895. Cupid has found many a
victim on this structure.
As for fishing, this bridge is sometimes lined with
white and colored anglers, and some fine rock, perch
History of Kent County, Maryland UM
and catfish have been hinded. In earlier years, wlien
wild game was more plentiful than now, this was a
favorite place from which local sportsmen brought
down wild ducks.
It was over this bridge that many of the sliows
came to town, and many remember when the pro-
prietors of a large circus made the elephant swim
the river because of the reported unsafe condiliou
of the bridge.
The State Roads Commission took over this bridge
in 1914 and propose to replace it with a magnificent
concrete structure, it being a part of the imjiroved
macadam road which has been built bv the State
from the Delaware line clear through to Ocean Citv.
CHESTER RIVER.
By Geofge Alfred Towxsexd.
Wise is the wild duck winging straight to thee,
River of summer; from the cold Arctic sea,
Coming like his fathers for centuries, to seek
The sweet, salt pastures of tue far Chesapeake.
S^vift 'twixt thy capes like sunset's purple coves.
Shallow the channel glides through silent oyster groves.
Round Kent's ancient isle by beeches brown.
Cleaving the fruity farms to hustling Chestertown.
Still like thy water-fowl yearly do I yearn
In memory's migration once more to return,
Where the dear old college from the gentle ridge
O'erlooks the sunny village, the river and bridge.
On the pier decrepit I do loiter yet.
With my crafty crab lines and my homespun net,
Till the silver fishes in pools of twilight swam.
And stars played round my bait in the coves of calm.
Sweet were the chinquapins growing by thy brink.
Sweet the cool spring water in the gourd to drink.
Beautiful the lilies when the tide declined,
As if night receding had left some stars behind.
192 History of Kent County, Mary^land
But when the peach tints vanished from the plain.
Or struggled no longer the shad against the seine.
Every reed in thy marsh unto music stirred,
And to gold it blossomed in a singing bird.
Silent the otter, stealing by the moon
Through the marshy places, hears the howl of the loon;
Motionless the setter in the dawnlight gray,
Shows the happy hidden cove where the wild ducks play.
Hrmely are thy boatmen, venturing no more
In their dusky pungies than to Baltimore,
Happy when the freshet from northern mountains sweeps.
And strews the bay with lumber like wrecks upon the deep.
From the mightier Empire of the solid land,
A pilgrim infrequent I seek thy fertile strand,
And with a calm affection would wish my grave to be
Where falls the Chester to the bay, the bay unto the sea.
The records show that as early as 1648 the dig-
nity of the court and the sacredness of the oath
was most jealously gnarded in Kent, bnt at the same
time it shows that perjnry was not unknown, as
was attested by the sentence of one John Gonore,
who was convicted of swearing falsely "att a conrt
held at Henry Morgan's att Kent, 22nd January."
John Gonore, not having anything to say for his
defense, more than that it was the first time that
he ever committed the like offense, the court
adjudged him to be nailed by both ears to the pillory
with a nail in each ear, and the nails to be slit out,
and afterwards to be whipped with 20 good lashes.
And this to be executed immediately before any
other business of court be proceeded upon.
Two clippings from the old Maryland Gazette
throw light upon that period in the life of the
town :
'^Friday, May 3, 1745 — At Kent county school in
Chestertown, Maryland, young gentlemen boarded,
History of Kent County, ^Mauylaxd lOli
and taught the Greek and Latin Tongues, Writing,
Arithmetic, Merchants, Accounts, Surveying, Navi-
gation, the use of the Globes b}' the hirgest pair in
America; also any other parts of the Mathematics,
by Charles Peale.
"N. B. Young gentlemen may be instructed in
Fencing and Dancing by very good blasters.''
In the issue of the Maryland Gazette of Friday,
June 14, 1745, was this item: "On Friday last
Hector Grant, James Hornev and Ester Anderson
were executed at Chester, in Kent County, jiursuant
to their sentence for the murder of their late mas-
ter. The men were hanged, the woman burned.
They died penitent, acknowledging their crimes and
the justice of their punishment.-'
What the ground for the barbarous discrimina-
tion between the punishment of the men and of the
woman does not appear, and its justification would
seem to be difficult.
During the late Civil War Chestertown, like hun-
dreds of other places, became the temporary home
of the soldier. From October 7, 1861, to February
7, 18G2, a regiment of Federal soldiers known then
as the 2nd Eastern Shore Maryland Volunteers, un-
der the command of the late Col. Edward Wilkins,
encamped on the land of the late Dr. Thomas H.
Whaland, near Chestertown.
Dr. Whaland's lands were at the time of the en-
campment in hay and wheat, and during tlie six
months' occupancy these crops were totally de-
stroyed. Up to the present time the Government
has never made any payment to Dr. \\'haland or
his heirs in the discharge of what seems to be a
194 History of Kent County, Maryland
debt incurred purely in the interest of the United
States.
One of the biggest events in Chestertown's his-
tory was on August 8, 1851, when three men were
hanged for the murder of William Cosden and fam-
ily, on the Moody farm. They were taken to the
Whaland lot, adjoining Chester cemetery, seated in
an open wagon, followed by two troops of dragoons
commanded by Captains Beck and Wallis of Kent,
also a troop from Queen Anne's and a civil corps of
200 men, all under Col. William Camp. There were
8,000 people in town, five steamers being at the
wharf, and many people slept all night in tents so
as to be here at sunrise.
Another notable event was that of the celebration
of the ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment to
the Constitution of the United States by the colored
people. Over 3,000 persons were in line, with flags,
transparencies and decorated wagons. The ''Wor-
ton Band" gave a second rendition of the "Old Cow"
with variations. Speeches were made in the woods
by General Crawford, H. K. Torbert, Rev. H. H.
Garnett and a number of others.
On October 11, 1882, the Democratic Judicial Con-
vention met in the old Armory and nominated Hon.
John M. Robinson for chief judge and Hons.
Joseph A. Wickes and Frederick Stump for asso-
ciates. At night the nominees were serenaded at
the Voshell House by the Excelsior Band, and
speeches from the balcony were made by ex-Gov-
ernor Philip Frank Thomas, Col. William Henry
Legg and others.
History of Kent County, Maryland 195
On August 28, 1893, one of the higliest tides ever
known was witnessed in Chestertown, as the result
of a heavy rain and strong east wind. Rowboats
skimmed about Water street as far up as Mrs.
Brown's residence, and persons from ;>rrs. A\'atts'
boarding-house (the old Chambers residence) had
to be boated across to High street. The water was
nine feet above the mean level, and, according to Mr.
Charles Estes, it was six inches higher than in 187G.
It was impossible to do any cooking in many of the
dwellings along the river, and many were compelled
to go elsewhere for eatables. The families living in
the submerged district were W. N. E. Wickes, Dr.
W. F. Hines, E. F. Perkins, Mrs. Barroll, Mrs.
Meeteer, B. F. Fleming, H. M. Brown, K. D. Hyn-
son, J. K. Aldridge, Mrs. M. E. Watts, E. C. Reiche,
John Brice.
An event of more than passing interest was the
great Children's Carnival, held at Chestertown in
May, 1898. Four hundred children, beautifully
costumed, paraded the streets to the music of two
bands, while several street pianos enlivened the
public square. Frizes were awarded for various
excellencies and ice-cream served to all. At night
declamation and singing contests were held in
Stam's Hall. Several thousand people were in town,
and every citizen vied in decorating and making it
a great occasion.
Monday evening, September 25, 1910, Chestertown
was the scene of the largest conflagration ever wit-
nessed here. The blaze started in Davis & Satter-
field's blacksmith shop at 7 P. M., and burned for
four hours. Twentv business houses and a half
196 History of Kent County, Maryland
dozen homes burned. Cheste^to^^^l's Volunteer Fire-
men, under Chief Harry Cannon, did heroic work
and got control of the flames when the}' reached
IMoffett's store on High street, across from Voshell
House. AYilmington sent aid, arriving here at 11.30
o'clock, and connected their hose with the river,
and did good work on the dying embers. Loss fOO,-
000, covered by insurance to about one-half. Tempo
rar}^ business structures were erected on the square
opposite the Court House until new places could
be constructed. Elegant brick business houses re-
placed the burned buildings.
History of Kent County, ^rAUYLANo III'
CHAPTER XXVII.
Notahle Houses in Chesfertotvn— First Hotels-
Chester Cemetery Donated — The Old Graveyard
— The Neivspapers.
Chestertown contains a number of stately homes
suggesting- the generous styles which prevailed
among those of wealth or influence. Conspicuous
among these was the Wright house on the river —
afterwards the home of Judge Ezekiel F. Chambers,
and now the residence of Wilbur W. Hubbard.
This is a fine example of the dignified architecture
of the period. The old Bowers home in the center
of the town, owned and occupied by Judge John B.
Eccleston, was most impressive by reason of its
surroundings. It occupied almost an entire large
square, enclosed b}' a high brick wall, pierced by
several grated gates which gave charming glimpses
of the noble grove of horse chestnuts in which the
house was set. The dwelling was of simple archi-
tecture, with ample hall and rooms, long sloping
roof embracing a deep porch, and with unobtrusive
view of the river at the foot of the street. It yielded
in 1863 or 1864 to the march of improvement and the
grounds are now the site of the princii>al hotel of
the town, the home of Samuel Vannort, and of the
Methodist Episcopal Church.
T. W. Eliason's building was in use in 1775 as a
hotel, the oflice occupied by Wm. Eliason being
used as a bar room. In 1855 Mr. Eliason purchased
it of the heirs of the original patentees of the town,
198 History of Kent County, Maryland
and since then it has been used for mercantile pur-
poses. This building was a contemporary of B. F.
Fleming's home, Mrs. DeCorse's "Beck" house, the
Westcott Foundry House, and other buildings. It
was in this building, now replaced by dwellings, that
the society known as the ''Sons of the Revolution"
was formed. A hotel was kept on Queen street,
where Mr. William Robinson's shoe shop and house
stood. It was kept hj a Mr. Poston, and afterwards
by a Mr. Ware, and in June, 1861, by Charles
Thompson, giving way in later years to a private
house.
The old jail was built in 17934, and cost 1,200
pounds. The commissioners were Jeremiah Nichols,
Richard Tilghman, Benjamin Chambers, Simon
Wilmer, James Smith; Thomas Worrell, sheriff.
The present jail was built in 1881, by H. M. Stuart,
contractor, at a cost of |13,500. The commissioners
were C. P. Loper, John B. Parrott, R. C. Smyth, V.
Hendrickson and J. Charles Wheatley; John W.
Parsons was sheriff. The present Court House was
built in 1860, Mr. Thomas W. Eliason being at the
head of the committee; Judge Chambers on the
bench. The county levied |12,000, but the cost was
only 111,254.
Armstrong's hotel was built in 1879, and is now
turned into a garage and rooming house.
In January, 1784, a market was established on the
^^Square," afterwards improved by the old Market
House, which was torn down in 1895, and for years
all wagons were compelled to come to this place to
sell their vegetables, poultry, etc. A wood corder
History of Kent County, Maryland 1!)0
was appointed in 1792, and he got six-pence for each
cord. A cord was 8 feet long and 4x4.
Tlie Voshell House was opened in 18G4, and tlie
cost was 128,000. C. T. Kinggold was the con-
■ "MHB'y^ !^
BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OF PARKS IN CHESTERTOWN— ARRANGED CY
LADIES OF town.
tractor. It is now the property of J. S. Bradley,
who bought it of Capt. W. D. Burchinal, for |11,300,
and managed by Geo. Lambert and his mother,
''Aunt Tempie."
In 18G3 the whole square now occupied by the
Methodist Episcopal Church, Samuel Vannort, Mrs.
Moody and others was purchased by :\rrs. A. W.
Voshell for |5,506.
200 History op Kent County, Maryland
In 1883 the first steps w ere taken to discard the
old graveyard that was walled around and estab-
lished in the last century. When the new jail was
built the remains were taken up and removed to
other burial places. Among the remains were Capt.
Aquilla M. Usilton, who commanded a company of
artillery at the battle of Caulk's Field; he died in
1838; Anthony Banning, died December 27, 1787,
aged 47; and Capt. James Crane, who lost his life
from falling off his horse in April, 1798.
Chester cemetery was donated by Hon. George
Yickers in 1861, and is one of the most beautiful
burying places in the State. In 1880 H. W. Yickers,
Esq., was elected president of the company. A neat
iron fence incloses the grounds. The first body in-
terred there was that of the late Senator Jas. A.
Pearce.
The Watts House was known as the "Exchange
Hotel" in 1827, and was kept by George Neal. The
late John Hall kept the place for many years, and
was followed by S. H. Crawford. T. W. Eliason
bought the property several years ago and improved
it. Miss Watts now conducts the house successfully.
Chestertown was poorly provided with a town hall
until Colin F. Stam, one of its enterprising citizens,
constructed the hall which now bears his name in
1886, at a cost of about |15,000. The town clock was
placed there b}^ subscriptions from citizens of the
town, at a cost of about |1,000. On account of the
failing health of Mr. Stam, he concluded to sell this
property for |12,500 to the following company: H.
H. Barroll, T. E. Hayes, Thos. G. Wroth, H. W.
Yickers, E. H. Collins. Mr. Stam died in August,
History of Kent County, Maryland 201
^
An old'
timo hatol
now belonging to THOMAS W. ELIASON, ON HIGH STREET.
CHESTERTOWN.
202 History of Kent County, Maryland
1898. It was afterwards sold to a company headed
by L. B. Russell, remodeled and greatly improved
and the name changed to Chestertown Lyceum. The
Postoffice was moved into this building in 1914 and
the Stam Drug Company took the building opposite.
Books were opened in 1827 to receive subscrip-
tions to build Masonic Hall, now known as the Kent
News Building. The ground, 60 x 40 feet, was given
the order (Clinton Lodge) by an act of the Legisla-
ture in 1826. It has been changed over and over
again, and is noAV occupied by S. Scott Beck, Beck-
Walker Co., Frank V. Simpers and the "Xews." It
is owned by Fred G. Usilton, who purchased it in
1896. The Kent News removed to this building in
December, 1851. In 1825 the Chestertown Tele-
graph, the first newspaper ever published in the
county, was under the proprietorship of a Mr.
Michael, who was succeeded by Mr. Cann. In the
'30- s the name of the paper was changed to the Kent
Bugle and was published for some years by Capt.
Wm. P. Mathews. A copy of the Bugle dated
September 9, 1837, gives the market as follows:
Wheat, white, |1.60 and |1.70; red, |1.50 and
11.55; corn, yellow, 90c. and 92c.; white, 90c.
and 95c.; rye, 70c. oats, 30c. Captain Mathews
was succeeded by George Vickers, then came
Spencer and Crane, then owned by the late
Senator Vickers. In 1839, the name of the paper
was changed to the Kent News. In 1849 to '58
it was published by Edward Mansfield. James M.
Vickers took charge and published the paper until
November, 1860. On the 17th of November, James
H. Plummer and Wm. B. Usilton became the editors.
History of Kent County, Maryland lMI3
It is now owned hj Wm. B, Usilton's sons, FilmI. (}.
and William B.
The second oldest paper is the Transcript, founded
by Eben F. Perkins, Esq., in 18G0. Major Perkins
front of th^ old ^tijlG
THE LATE HON. JOSEPH A. WICKES' HOME.
was succeeded in its publication bv the late Samuel
E. Sullivan, formerly publisher of the Centreville
Times. Mr. Sullivan was succeeded by Mr. Casper
G. Woodall, also of Queen Anne's, who disposed of
the paper to Collins & Hopper, both of well-known
Queen Anne's families. They were succeeded by a
company and the editors are R. Harrison Collins
and Thomas D. Bowers.
204 History of Kent County, Maryland
An incident of that period of 1860 is here given :
General Schenek had charge of the Department of
Maryland with headquarters in Baltimore; John
Frazier was '^provost marshall of Kent County/' and
military law was in the ascendant. The county
elections were about to take i^lace. J. B. Ricaud
was the Union candidate for State Senator and J.
K. Hines for clerk. John Frazier wanted to be clerk
himself, and a full ticket was put out with his name
at the head, and on the day before the election two
large government transport steamers arrived in
Chester town loaded with soldiers — cavalry and in-
fantry. The military officers proceeded to arrest
every one presumed to be in the way of Frazier's
ambition for the clerkship ! Hines and Ricaud, Col.
Edw. Wilkins and other candidates were seized ; the
jail was forced open and prisoners released, and
Deputy-Sheriff Benjamin placed under arrest; next
came the judges of election — John T. Dodd, Charles
Stanley and Thomas Baker — who were accompanied
by a squad of soldiers to the prison steamer to keep
the others company. Lastly the News office was sur-
rounded by soldiers and an armed squad invaded
it and issued orders for the conduct of the election
which was to take place the following day. In
troubling the types they ruined their cause. The
editors Avere directed to print a certain circular
order, which they refused to do at first, but after-
wards wisely changed their minds. They printed the
order and retained a copy. It w^as to the effect that
at the election next day nothing but a League ticket
should be voted and soldiers at every poll in Kent
County were directed to see this carried out. The
History of Kent County, Maryland LM).";
editors were then honored like the others — tli;il is,
placed in charge of armed soldiers and niarcluMl to
the wliarf, where they found in the dark h)\ver
saloon of one of the steamers the distinguished citi-
zens previously arrested. About ten o'clock the
steamers landed the prisoners in Baltimore; on the
Avay over they met two transports loaded with Home
Guards coming home to vote. Imagine their sur-
prise upon reaching home to find Avliat had been
done. Great indignation was expressed and an in-
formal election was held in one of the camps wlien
Hines beat Frazier ten to one. George Vickers and
George B. Westcott went to Baltimore by rail and
the infamous political plot was exposed to General
Schenck. The General expressed great indignation
and said: ''Gentlemen, if there is a steamer in Bal-
timore harbor that can be had that can do it, you
shall be landed at Chestertown bv davbreak I" He
made his word good. Just as the day was breaking
the "prisoners-' were landed at Thompson's wharf,
and before noon Frazier and his man Tevis were
under arrest and on their wav to Baltimore.
Rock Hall — Its Early Days.
Somewhere about 1707 Rock Hall, that liabitat oC
the watermen, was picked out by the cohniists as a
place of abode, and since then has grown into a
thriving town of many hundreds. New Yarmouth,
Grey's Inn, was picked out as the capital some years
previous, but this was changed in 1707 ;uid moved to
Chestertown. The old Rock Hall packet is now only
a memory. It landed the mails, passengers and
206 History op Kent County, Maryland
products of the land and water three times a week
on Bowly's wharf. Kain or shine, wind or calm, the
packet came. It was owned by Captain Harris, who
could not see that steamboats must take the place
of his sailing packet. For some years he fought
against his harbor being a landing, although the
natural outlet for Kent County, being in the bay
and the nearest point to Baltimore, and in former
days the route by which passengers reached the
South, a regular daily packet sailing for Annapolis,
which was fitted up with every convenience for man,
beast and carriages. George Washington and other
noted men in their diaries refer to the trip from
Annapolis to Kock Hall on a large schooner. The
opposition of Captain Harris, who feared the steam-
boats would ruin his packet business, compelled the
steamboat owners to select another point, Grey's
Inn, for a landing place, which, although only two
miles from Eock Hall, was twenty-five miles farther
from Baltimore, and a four to five hours' trip, in-
stead of less than two, as at present. The Govern-
ment has had the old landing at Rock Hall dug out,
and a fine, safe harbor is now open to the public,
with one of the best piers and warehouses to be
found on the bay. But owing to the fact that Cap-
tain Sharp, the owner, wanted to dictate a certain
schedule for steamers, the Chester River Steamboat
Company bought land and built a wharf at Grati-
tude, which has continued to be used to this day.
The Sharp wharf was used for a few years as a stop-
ping place for the Enterprise Company. It was no
uncommon thing to see a hundred carriages there
waiting for the arrival of the packet, which seldom
History of Kent County, Maryland 2fl7
failed to arrive on time, as the packet was fitted up
with sweeping oars and hands to work them in case
of a calm. In former times Rock Hall was only
known as a landing, with an old house, postottice
and stabling, but now the farm on the bay, known
from the earliest date of Kent's history as Rock
Hall, taking its name not from the rocks, of which
there are none to be seen, but from a large haul of
rock fish before Baltimore had a corporation.
Lately the name has been usurped by the village
of Rock Hall, which is one of the most thriving and
handsome villages on the shore, with a number of
stores, two schoolhouses — one with 200 scholars, the
other some 75 to 80 — a first-class bakery, two barber
shops, drug store, hotel, blacksmiths, lumber yard,
livery stable, two butchers, carpenters and painters.
The chief source of prosperity comes from the
water — fish, oysters and crabs. There is here a fine
canning plant, giving work to many hands during
the canning season.
It is said since the channel was cut to deep water
in the bay, through which the tide runs rapidly, the
crabs and fish have been more abundant, and it is
no uncommon thing to ship one to five hundred bar-
rels of crabs to Baltimore and Philadeli)hia daily.
Thousands of bushels of ovsters are tonged dailv
when weather permits the oyster fleet to go on the
bar.
Owing to the extraordinary' health of the neigh-
borhood, it is becoming a great resort in summer
for those seeking health and pleasure, and during
the past four seasons the Rock Hall boarding houses
have been filled with boarders from the city.
208 History of Kent County, Maryland
With the view of obtaining a supply of pure water
another artesian well has recently been sunk by the
OAvner of the landing and farm, and the geological
formation passed through is of interest, as certain
facts were developed that were not known before —
e. g., the thickness of the strata above the u})per
])ortion of the lower cretaceous or chalk rock from
which the flowing waters come. This latter forma-
tion had never been found before on the Eastern
Shore, although many deeper wells have been sunk
down the bay. Three hundred feet of the miocene,
eocene and upper cretaceous strata were passed
through, and at the bottom of the latter a hard pan
or crust was reached, Avhich, after much difficulty in
drilling through the lower cretaceous strata, was
found directly under the crust a water-bearing white
sand, from which the Avater flows eight feet above
tidewater with a uniform temperature of GO degrees.
The water is remarkably free from all mineral or
organic matter, except a slight trace of iron, which
is held in solution by carbonic acid, of which there
is abundance in the Avater. The inference is that the
water passes under the bay toward the ocean, and
comes from the elevated cretaceous sand of the
Severn.
A Thousand Sail Out for Opening of the Tonging
Season.
Eock Hall is the center of the Kent County oyster
industry, and this sketch is from the memory of the
Avriter during the earlier days before the gasoline
engine came nor the |5.00 per day jobs in j)owder
plants.
HiSTOiiY OF Kent Cuuxtv, Mahvla
XI >
I'd!)
lu piepariug for the opening- of tlie season nil was
activity and life. Every little detail was heiii*;- at-
tended to and made ready for the "first day's catch/'
Some of the quaint little arks in which the ovster-
A TONGING SCENE OFF ROCK HALL BEFORE THE MOTOR BOATS
CAME.
men live had been towed to their si a lions on ihe bav
shore, in proximity to the distant oyster beds. Some,
however, were still being fitted out. Beds and blan-
kets were being stored away in the bnnks. and
bright new pans and cooking utensils were nnpacked
in readiness for honsekeei)ing. Over the door of
every one of the arks is nailed an old horseshoe for
210 History op Kent County^ Maryland
good luck. About G50 boats make Rock Hall their
headquarters during the season, and upward of 2,000
persons are engaged in this industry. The average
tonger's outfit consists of a pair of large rakes, one
pair of tongs and a pair of nippers for shallow
water. They have also a culling board, culling ham-
mers, two half-bushel baskets and an iron half-bushel
measure.
When the sun arose this first morning 1,000 sails
dotted the waters of the Chesapeake Bay off Rock
Hall and on the oyster beds of Chester River to be-
gin the tonging season. About midnight the little
oystering village began to stir, and about 2 o'clock
in the morning the early birds set sail to catch the
first oysters of the new season. The miain body of
the great fleet of prettily painted boats did not get
under way, however, until about daylight. The out-
look for oysters is good, and one old oysterman who
has spent 55 seasons between the shafts of the oyster
tongs, after scanning the little bay, in which was a
forest of masts of oyster craft, said : ^'The boys
ought to gather up 3,000 bushels tomorrow."
It is said that the Maryland oyster of good size
lays about 16,000,000 eggs, and if half of these were
to develop into female oysters we should have from
a single female 8,000,000 female descendants in the
first generation, and in the second 8,000,000 times
8,000,000, or 64,000,000,000,000. In the fifth genera-
tion nearly 33,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,-
000,000 female oysters and as many males, or, in
all, about 66,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,-
000. If each oyster fills eight cubic inches of space,
it is argued, it would take 8,000,000,000,000,000,000,-
History of Kent County, Maryland 211
000,000,000,000,000 to make a mass as large as the
earth; thus it may be seen that the five generations
of descendants from a single oyster, if allowed to
accumulate, would cover the world eight times. As
the oyster lives for many years, however, and lays
eggs each year, the possible rate of increase is very
much greater than shown. The enormous propor-
tions of these figures are beyond the conception of
the human mind, but they serve to give an idea of
the possibilities of Maryland's resources when the
oystermen of the State once become alive to the sit-
uation and begin measures tending toward the pres-
ervation of this vast gold mine of wealth.
There seems to be no end to the varietv of articles
taken from the Chesapeake Bav ovster beds bv the
tongers and dredgers. Last year a Rock Hall oys-
terman brought up a tombstone. About ten days
ago a tonger was astonished to find a human skull
in his tongs, and several days ago a fully equipped
gasoline stove came up with the tongs.
LJ12 History of Kext County, Maryland
CHAPTER XXIX.
A XoTED Resort.
TolcJiester Beach Famed Far and Wide — The Life
Work of One Man — Founded in 1877 and Used
for Picnics.
The history of the Tolchester Beach Improvement
Company of Kent County is practically the life
story of one man, Ayho in his boyhood days heard
the irresistible call of Ayind and Ayaye and wisely
yielded to their witchery. Even so practical a place
as a man's business office gradually acquires a cer-
tain suggestion of the personality of its OAvner, and
hv(» objects framed and hung upon the walls of the
ottice of the Tolchester Steamboat Company, on
Light street, Baltimore, convey to the observing eye
and mind a strong suggestion of the mental charac-
teristics of Captain William C. Eliason, organizer,
])resident and manager of this company. The first
is a colored drawing of the model of the hull of a
steamboat — the little craft Lamokin — that once
plied upon the Delaware, and was the first boat
with which the man was associated; the other is
five lines of verse printed in large letters, neatly
framed in dark wood and so hung that it meets
the eje from almost any jjart of the room. The
verse reads :
It is easy enough to be pleasant
When life flows by like a song,
But the man worth while
Is the man who can smile
When everything goes dead wrong.
History of Kent County, ^rARYLAXi* 2\?*
For several years under the supervision of the
Messrs. Taggart, Captain ICliason was identified
with the excursion and regnhir steand)oat naviga-
tion of the Dehiware. Then the steamer IMlot Bov
HIGH TIDE AT TOLCHESTER, 1916.
being for sale, the Messrs. Taggart conceived Ihe
idea of purchasing it, buying some hmd upon the
bay shore of Maryland, securing a wharf in lialli-
more and opening an excursion resort witliin a few
hours' ride of the city. They offered Captain Elia-
son the management of the enterprise, provided lie
purchase a one-fourth interest in the boat and
undertaking.
214 History of Kent County, Maryland
It was a big risk for a young man to stake his all
upon an uncertainty, but the opportunity also had
exceptional advantages. So the enterprise was
launched in a very modest way in the year 1877.
Ten acres of land comprised the company's posses-
sions at Tolchester Beach, in Kent County, 23 miles
east of Baltimore, on the Eastern Shore of Mary-
land, and 12 miles from Chestertown.
The beach was then a crude picnic ground. There
was a little wharf, one small building, a couple of
sheds, a diminutive hand-propelled flying-horse ma-
chine and a hand organ. These were the modest im-
provements, but the tree-crowned bluff was a pic-
turesque one, the beach a white-shelled, white-sanded
slope, with bracing salt-water bathing.
The company opened its resort with the announce-
ment that the place would be strictly under temper-
ance management, with no liquor sold upon the boat.
This was a distinct innovation, and it was predicted
that an excursion line founded upon temperance
principles was foredoomed to a brief and profitless
existence. Far from these gloomy predictions being
realized, the example of temperance management
set by the Tolchester Company has been followed
since by most of the excursion boats now navigating
the Chesapeake Bay.
So to this little bayside resort plied the tiny
steamer Pilot Boy, whose capacity w^as 600 passen-
gers. Captain Eliason was manager, clerk of the
steamer, clerk of wharf, excursion agent — even deck-
hand, as necessity required it. Under the energetic
direction the enterprise expanded like the Biblical
grain of mustard seed. Each vear a few more acres
History of Kent County, ^Faryland 21 :
01 ^j
of land or some improveuients were added as the
patronage steadily increased.
From the small beginning with the Pilot Boy the
Tolchester Company has grown under the enthu-
siastic and progressiye management of Captain Elia-
son to the proportions of one of the most important
steamboat corporations of Maryland. Tolchester
Beach now embraces 155 acres, with a picturesque
and commodious hotel perched breezily upon a bluff.
From its wide yerandas a beautiful sweep of the
Chesapeake Bay is yisible, and the grounds sur-
rounding this summer inn are terraced to the beach
and shaded with wide-spreading trees. In early
spring the sod is blue with yiolets, and locust trees,
laden with, white and perfumed blossoms, outline
the curving shore. Inland from the beach are sev-
eral lakes, hedged with green trees and flowering
shrubs, on w^hose quiet waters float the broad leaves
and wondrous blossoms of the water lily.
The Tolchester Company now owns and oi)erates
the steamers Louise, Emma Giles, Susquehanna and
Annapolis. In addition to the Tolchester Hotel
and excursion grounds the company has wharf
property in Baltimore and Annapolis and on the
West, Little Choptank, Sassafras and Susquehanna
Rivers.
The officers of the company at tlie present time
are: President and manager, William C. Kiias(m;
secretary, William H. Hudson; treasurer, John ^L
Naudain. The offices of the company are at Piers
14, 15, 16 and 17 Light street.
In 1899 the Sassafras River Steamboat Company
was absorbed bv the Tolchester Line and the steam-
216 History of Kent County, Maryland
ers and property of that company added to the lat-
ter company, thus securing the steamers Sassafras
and Kitty Knight to the Tolchester fleet. Both of
these boats were rephiced by better boats. The Kitty
Knight ran out of Worton Creek for many years
and Ayas known as the Trumpeter or Van CourUier.
History of Kent County, ^rAUYr^AXD 'J 17
CUArTEK XXX.
''Fish Hall/' the Most Jitterestiny .Spot in Bctlcilon.
To the westward old ''Fish llali;' tlir firsl lioiiso
ever built in Betterton, stands like a li.nhiliouse (»ii ;i
cliff. The bricks in its chimney were broiiolii froin
old England more than a century ago. When (he
first of the Crew family, ^]d^vard Cre^v, sailed from
the old country and settled upon the farm where
Betterton is now located, a friendly tribe of Indians
who liyed in the rayine below helped him to cut and
hew the trees and assisted in lading the fonndalioii
of old ''Fish Hall." Here Edward Crew and liis
wife, Elizabeth Hanson, reared a family of sous who
early loyed to sail and fish upon the beautiful
waters of the hay and rivers stretching beyond llieir
home. For generations the Crews of "Fisli Hall" had
watched the incomings and outgoings of th'^' fmuy
tribe until now old Chesai)eake has attracted crowds
of inhabitants to the high bluffs and slopiug vales
of the modern village. Here on a summer's uiorning
the light skiff's are steered to the lishiug banks or
wrecks with the light and airy motion of seagulls.
This old relic was torn down a few uumdis ago, and
beneath the floors were found skulls whicli were sujt-
posed to keep the "spooks'' away. A more beautiful
scene is hard to find than is beheld from the ]»oitico
of Turner's Rigbie as we look out upon the broad
s^yeep of splendid vista. The distant Susquelianua,
the fair and lovely Sassafras, High Point, the Grove
dividing it by a thin line froui the flowing Elk. the
Island of lr^pesutiae and the bold front of Turkey
Point, Avith its friendly signal light that never fnils.
218 History of Kent County, Maryland
SHADBAKE AT BETTERTON.
By the Bentztown Bard.
Ten miles of Chesapeake, crossing the bay:
Ten miles of Kentland across the blue way.
Shadbake at Betterton all afternoon.
Deep in the dream of the spring magic rune.
Shad out of Eden, in Eden prepared,
Hot rolls like those that were made when they fared
On golden ambrosia in Helicon's prime.
When lips sang of love and the honey dripped rhyme.
Shadbake at Betterton! Don't make a noise
This is a sort of a sacrament, boys!
Food on the Chesapeake isn't just eat.
But something artistic and sacred and sweet:
Something quite matchless and magic and rare.
Like goblets of dew on a breaker of air
When clover has ripened and wheat's on the way
In footsteps of music o'er meadows of May.
Ten miles of Chesapeake — maybe it's m.ore!
Ten miles of Kentland, with naiads on the shore.
And sea nymphs and gods of old legend to guide
Your feet to the table, with youth on your side,
And shad served in glory as nowhere on earth
'Tis served with a flavor that turns into mirth
Each mouthful you swallow — your eyes turned above
As you taste baked elation, and beauty, and love.
Shadbake at Betterton — ten miles away
Gleams the loved Kentland and sings the blue bay!
Morning has served it with skies of soft blue,
Songs of cock robin and honey and dew.
Gods on Olympus still wonder at night
Where Betterton shadbakes have been, for a bite;
There in the grass searching early and late
For one little crumb someone left on a plate.
History of Kent County, ^r.vRYLAND 219
"FISH HALL," THE FIRST HOUSE BUILT IN BETTERTON, IN 1698,
AND OWNED BY EDW. CREW.
220 Hlstouy of Kent County, Maryland
CHAPTER XXXI.
SJiell BanJiS Made hij Indians — Happy Bunting
Gronnds.
The central part of Kent County and that portion
which lies on Chesapeake Bay comprise a district
the greater part of which is very fertile, and pos-
sesses commercial advantages equal if not superior
to any part of the State. Intersected in every direc-
tion by broad and navigable creeks, bounded on the
north bv the river Sassafras, on the south bv the
Chester, and on the west b}^ the beautiful expanse of
the Chesapeake, our great commercial emporium is
brought within a convenient distance to every
farmer.
Among the most imj)ortant of these creeks may be
mentioned the following, viz :
Langford's Bay, Gray's Inn, Swan, Tavern, Mor-
gan's, flowing into the Chester; Still Pond, Churn,
£. Worton, Farley, emptying into the Chesapeake, and
E.- Turner's and Llovd's, which flow into the Sassafras.
Many of these are a quarter of a mile wide and
. are navigable by vessels of 50 tons nearly to their
sources.
The face of the country is equally" removed from
the mountainous region and the continued plain.
Gently swelling hills, covered with forest trees,
everywhere adorn the surface, and fertile fields and
winding streams add to the variety and beauty of
the prospect.
History of Kent Colxty, Mauvi.and L'lM
Worton, Faii'lee and the bayside generally, from
the Sassafras to the Chester, form a district remark
able for its fertility, and the nnmerons shell l>anUs
along the shore constitute a source of manure at
once rich and inexhaustible.
The origin of these immense collections of shells
has long been a subject of dispute. It is generally
ackno>vledged that the peninsula comprehended be-
tAveen the Avaters of the Delaware and Chesapeake
is an alluvion. It is, however, certain that the pe-
riod at which the waters receded must be extremely
remote. The depth of the soil, which is indisputably
of A^egetable origin, and the large growth of timber,
which covers, or (to speak more strictly) did at the
time of its settlement cover, the Avhole face of the
country, must be the work of many centuries.
The first opinion respecting the formation of these
shell banks is that they assumed their present form
in consequence of the currents and tides of the sea,
at a time when the whole country was in a state of
submersion. In support of this hypothesis it is
urged that the aboriginal population must have ex-
ceeded all calculation hitherto made, otherwise
these numerous and extensive banks could not have
been formed by them. The advocates of this theory
also have recourse to the well-known fact ol the
existence of collections of the exuvia? of testaceous
animals and limestone quarries, in situations far
inland, universally believed to have been submerged
at some remote period.
On the other hand, it is argued that the aborigi-
nal inhabitants drew their subsistence entirely from
two sources, hunting and fishing; and when it is
222 History of Kent County, Maryland
considered that many thousands or hundreds of
thousands of Indians inhabiting the extensive coun-
try between the Delaware Bay and the Alleghany
Mountains must have derived a considerable portion
of their food, for probably some thousands of years,
from the Chesapeake and its branches, it cannot
appear so unreasonable to account for the formation
of shell banks in this way. It is worthy of notice
that these banks are not intermixed with sand
(which, on the supposition of submarine formation,
would be the case), but with a rich black vegetable
mould, and that some are found at places where tra-
dition informs us Indian towns were situated, on
creeks where no species of shell fish are now known
to exist. Without violating probabilities, we can
easily suppose that the oysters may have been taken
in the rivers and conveyed in canoes to the settle-
ments. These settlements, or solitary cabins, were
always located on the water.
This intermixture of vegetable mould puts it be-
3^ond question that these collections could not have
been formed while in the state of submersion. One
other circumstance, of some weight in deciding the
question, may be noticed. These collections are well
known to consist entirely of oyster shells, together
with the bones of deer and other animals of the
chase. Now if they were of submarine formation,
these collections would be found to consist of all
kinds of shells which exist in our waters, of which
there is a considerable variety.
Along the haj shore on Kennard's Point, Howell's
Point, Fairlee Farm, and other places these shell
beds may be found, some extending from 15 to 25
History of Kent County, Maryland 223
feet in deptli. Kelics consisting of Indian arrows,
etc., have been dug up and even an Indian skull.
Oysters in abundance could be caught off these
points some years ago and it is said that these oys-
ter-shell banks grew up from frequent councils lu'ld
by Indians of the colonies who held their meetings
here frequently. Mrs. W. S. Maxwell, of near Still
Pond, has a splendid collection of relics found in
these shell mines.
Time, the destroyer of all things, has broken down
these shells, and reduced them to a state of imper-
fect calcination; and being intermixed, not in alter-
nate strata, but irregularly through the whole mass,
with a rich mould, they form a manure which ex-
tensive experiments have proved to be of a superior
quality.
To the residents of this Bay Shore the encroach-
ments made upon their lands by the bay have been
remarkable. One of the best examples is to be found
on ''EUendale," ow^ned by Smith Bros., midway be-
tween Rock Hall and Tolchester, a half-mile race
track was made between the house and bay some
years ago, but today the water has encroached to
within a few yards of the house.
Captain John Smith Discovers '^'^Tochwogh" (Sas-
safras) River.
Capt. John Smith (he of the Pocahontas story
known to every school child), after discovering the
Susquehanna river (1608) sailed down from the
mouth of that river along the eastern side of the
bay. Upon reaching the river now known as the
224 History of Kent County, Maryland
Sassafras he gave it the name of '•Tochwogh" in
honor of the tribe of Indians of that name he found
living on its southern banks. In his report of his
voyage up the bay he states : On the eastern side of
the hsij is the river Tochwogh, and upon it a people
that can make one hundred men (Avarriors) seated
some seven miles within the river, where thev have
a fort very well pallizadoed and mantelled with
barkes of trees. Entering the river Tochwogh, the
savages all armed in a fleet of boats, after their
barbarious manner, round invironed us; so it
chanced one of them could speak the language of
Powhatan, who persuaded the rest to a friendly par-
ley^ — the}' conducted us to their pallizadoed towne
mantelled with the barkes of trees, with scaffold like
mounts brested about with breasts ver}^ formally.
History of Kent County, Marylaxd 225
CHAPTER XXXII.
'^MoNOMAC^'— An Indian Tale. By P. Wroth, J/. D.
In pursuing my professional vocation, I often
visited that locality (in Kent County) where tlie
Churn and Still Pond Creeks, by one coniinon
estuary, empty their waters into the Chesapeake
Bay. On one of those visits I remember to have
walked to the high bluff which looks down on the
bay and to have stood under the shade of a ven-
erable oak which stood near the edge of the bluff.
Towards the south the eye took in the wide expanse
of water to the mouth of the Patapsco River — on
which the city of Baltimore is built — and north-
ward to the mouth of the noble t^usquehanna.
I sometimes indulge in a trip to the regions of
Fancy, and on that ocasion my thoughts took a
backward range and embraced the time when the
Susquehannas, the Chesapeakes and the Nanti-
cokes, numerous and powerful tribes of the aborig-
ines, ranged over this extensive region as Lords of
the Soil.
The spot where I stood Avas near one of those
immense shell banks which, doubtless, had been the
site of a large Indian town. It is known tlial the
aborigines drew their subsistence entirely from the
woods and waters by the chase and taking fish and
oysters, but many hundreds of years must have
been required for the accumulation of those masses
of shells.
This venerable tree, I could not doubt, had shel-
tered the heads of the Indians from the rays of the
226 History of Kent County, Maryland
sun more than 500 years ago; and Fancy carried
me back to the time when their council fires had
blazed under perhaps this very tree. I fancied my-
self present at one of these councils about the time
when Colonel Clayborne settled Kent Island with
a colony from Virginia, which some years before
"SHEPHERD'S DELIGHT," A PART OF CAMELL'S WORTHMORE,
BUILT ABOUT 1682 AND NOW THE HOME OF DR. SEWELL S.
HEPBURN. LOCATED NEAR STILL POND STATION.
I thought that
had been colonized from England.
I saw the Grand Sachem of the Chesapeake rise in
all his native dignit}", and heard him thus address
the assembled Avarriors :
''Brothers !
''More than ten thousand moons have waxed and
waned since the Great Spirit — the God of our
Fathers — brought us to these hunting grounds. Our
fathers had disobeyed his commands by worshipping
History of Kent County, Maryland 2'2
idols — gods made with hands — and He drove our
fathers from that bright and pleasant land, where
the sun casts his first and brightest beams, to this
western wild!
"Brothers and braves! Our fathers repented —
and the good and great Spirit commanded the sun
to melt the snows which covered the Alleghany
Mountains which lie towards the setting sun.
"From these snows, as from a fountain, flowed
the beautiful Susquehanna River. He planted the
bottom of this wide water at our feet — the noble
Chesapeake — with delicious oysters and animated it
with fish. He caused the raccoon, the bear, the elk
and the deer to fill our forests and cover the grassy
plains.
"Thus the land of our exile became even more
plenteous than the first home the Great Spirit had
given to our fathers.
"Braves and brothers! Our hearts have become
proud and ungrateful — and we too, like our fathers,
are doomed to be driven from these loved hunting
grounds !
"Brothers and braves! Last night I was resting
under this tree after the fatigue of the chase, when
the voice of the Great Spirit came over the dark
water and said ^Monomac — Monomac — stand up!
Look towards the island over which the sun stands
at midday.' I arose and looked through the shades
of night — when the heavens were clothed with a
black mantle and the lightning flashed through the
sky, and I saw mighty canoes, with wide-spread
wings, flying swiftly through the air towards our
shore like a hungrv eagle on his prey ! The canoes
228 History of Kent County, Maryland
were filled with beings like ourselves — but whose
skins were white as the snow which covers these
hills in winter! T spoke and said, ^Ave these the
messengers of good or evil?' The terrible voice re-
plied, 'Of evil to you; for they will drive you from
these hunting grounds far beyond the mountain
which looms up toward the setting sun ; but of good
to generations yet unborn!'
'^Braves and brothers ! I believe the words of the
Great Spirit — the God of our Fathers. Let us pre-
pare to wander where destiny calls us. There, if
we are humble and grateful, we may find the deer,
the bear, and the buffalo to feed us with their flesh
and clothe us with their skins,"
In imagination I saw the big tears welling down
their manlv faces as thev drew near to their be-
loved Sachem who had never turned his back to his
enemies ! And — at this moment returning from my
excursion to the region of Fancy, and looking
tOAvard the countrv where once roamed the savage
wild beast and the still more savage red man, now
covered with the golden harvest and other evidences
of civilization. Plain prose uoav took the place of
l^oetic fancy ; the facts of everyday life could not be
thrown aside, and I remembered that not one red
man had been in these forests for more than 2,000
moons !
I left the shade of the magnificent and venerable
oak — Avhich had braved the storms of seven or eight
hundred winters, and mounting my sulky, drove
rapidl}^ away.
History of Kent Coixtv, ,Mai:vi.am» i!l'II
CHAPTER XXXI II.
Some Recollections.
Kent County can i)()int with pride to tlic Iicalili
fulness of its climate and to the longevity of life ol"
many of her citizens. A good example is I'ound in
"Aunt Mary" Thomas. ''Aunt Mary" was yisited at
her home at the Clitfs, the lower part of Quaker
X^eck, by the writer when she was rounding oul her
ninety-sixth year.
She remembered with yiyid distinctness the yast
strides of progress in many departments of life. She
recalled to her interviewer a few of theui, as follows:
From cutting wheat with a sickle to self-binders;
from the slow old stage coach of our ''daddies," of
six miles an hour, to the express train of sixty
miles; from six months to get a letter from Europe
to six days, and the telegraph and all electrical iu-
yentions and improyements ; diamond-back terrai>in
at fiye cents each to |80 a dozen, oysters for the
picking up to a hard time to get a mess, fish so plen-
tiful that they Ayould almost bite you if you went in
swimming; from the old packet line of schooneis lo
an excellent and efficient steamboat service. Tweniy
years ago there were seyen gates to open or bars lo
let down to get to Mrs. Thomas' home from the main
road, now there is a good road to the water's edge.
Then her nearest neighbor was a (piarter of a niih>
off, now houses are within calling distance.
Mrs. Thomas says that she taught the lirst pri-
mary school in the county, at the forks of the roads
ft. •
leading to Rock Hall and Pine Neck, in a house
230 History of Kent County, Maryland
called ''Solomon-s Temple/' owned by Capt. Solo-
mon Marine. It was difficult at that time to get
teachers, and Mrs. Thomas was prevailed upon to
teach the young idea how to shoot, receiving $300
per annum. Col. Fred Wilson, James Adkinson and
her father were the trustees. She had 32. small
MRS. MARY THOMAS, 96, AND HER HOME NEAR THE CLIFFS, IN
QUAKER NECK.
scholars and a number of larger ones. General
Keed's daughter was an intimate friend, and the
"young school marm" was in the habit of making
fun of the General's large iron candlestick, saying
that so wealthy a man should have silver or gold.
He (the General) told her he would send this candle-
stick to her for a Avedding gift, and to her surprise
the General's daughter sent her the candlestick
after her marriage.
Another remarkable citizen was Mr. Henry Davis,
father of Mr. Harry Davis, at Still Pond, a former
History of Kent County, Maryland 2:^»1
County Commissioner. Tliis vcncral)lo man was !)7
years of age and retained eyery fa cully iiniiiii>airod.
It was no uncommon thing for ;Mr. Day is to "take a
little outing" of four miles on foot ''for his health."
One of the most remarkable women living in Kent
County today is Mrs. Carolene Hanson, the widow
MRS, CAROLENE HYNSON'S RINGGOLD FARM HOUSE— 1780-
OCCUPIED BY J. B. JACQUETTE, IN PINEY NECK.
of Richard Hynson. She is in her ninety-eightli
year, and has a most retentiye memoi'v and keeps in
close touch with her yaried farm and business in-
terests. She conyerses interesting!}' of events which
occurred before the memory of the average citi/.en
began. She lives on Water street, in the old Hyn-
son homestead. As an instance of her business abil-
ity, although 97 years of age, she planned and con-
tracted for the erection of the elegant home now
232 History of Kent County, Maryland
occupied b}^ her son's widow and cliildren. Tliis
home lies opposite Mrs. Hynson's residence.
Possibly the oldest colored person living in Kent
was Sarah Wilson, who, according to authentic rec-
ords, was 105 years of age. She died near Melitota
on January 24, 1893, and was buried near Green
Point.
The late K. T. Turner says that Clara Waters, who
died near Still Pond on June 8, 1885, was 101 years
old. Miss Caroline Thompson, a most interesting
resident of Chestertown, died here on July 11, 1885,
aged 99 years 4 months.
Kent^s Silver Mine.
In or about the 3 ear 1813 valuable and pure silver
was found near Galena. Mrs. M. H. Xickle of Bal-
timore says: ''Sufficient quantities were taken out
to be carried to Philadelphia and manufactured into
knee buckles, spoons, casters, and other such arti-
cles." The then open mine or valuable deposit was
closed, as it was owned by very ignorant white and
colored people and they were advised to close it, as
it was about the time the British came to George-
town, a place onh^ two miles distant. They were
told that if the English knew of this mine they
would claim it. They never made any more effort
to open it and the war and natural excitement which
succeeded the war prevented others from taking hold
of it, who otherwise would have done so. Two or
three years ago some specimens on this tract were
picked up and taken to Prof. W. Leslie Rumsell,
analytical chemist, and examined by him. They
History of Kent County, Maryland 2:53
proved to be horn silver, ver}- pure. Tlie present
owner says she is too poor to have it properly mined.
In November, 1878, local option was adopted in
Kent County by a vote of 1,984 for prohibition to
1,391: against, giving a majority of 590. Auotlier vote
was taken later upon petition of the litpior advo-
OLD BUNGY SCHOOLHOUSE ON BUNGY HILL. WHERE PROF. CLARK
TAYLOR taught, NOW A KITCHEN, IN PINEY NECK.
cates, but the prohibitionists won l)y over a thou-
sand majority, since which time tliere has been nu
agitation for another test.
A Great Prize Fight.
Wednesday, February 7, 1819, Rock Toint, mouth
of Still Pond Creek, was the scene of a gi-eat na-
tional prize fight. The weather was intens(dy coUl
234 History of Kent County, Maryland
and the fight was the talk of society refined and un-
refined for months beforehand. The participants
were Tom Hver, who stood 6 feet 2^ inches and
weighed 185 pounds, and Yankee Sullivan, 5 feet
KENNEDYVILLE high school— 1915.
1014 and an avoirdupois of 155 pounds. The stake
was 110,000. The daily papers contained lengthy
accounts of the fight. The principals, with their
backers, were chased hither and thither about the
Chesapeake Bay in order to prevent the fight. Fi-
nally they landed at Kock Point and pulled off the
fight. Hyer on the sixteenth round caught Sulli-
van's head under his right arm and punished him
History of Kent County, Maryland 2:>5
until he was satisfied, when he was forcibly taken
from the ring b}' his friends, liver chiiniing tlie
victory.
"Crow Hill."
About equal distance between Black's Station and
Chesterville is a settlement called ''Crow Hill." It
at the chambers house, on water street.
236 History of Kent County, Maryland
was given this name man}' years ago because of the
fact that all the crows within a radius of fifty miles
assembled there every day at dusk to spend the long,
cold nights of the winter. It is a barren spot, save
for the scattered trees which serve as a roosting
place for the birds. On a cold winter day its ap-
pearance is the very extreme of desolation and dis-
comfort, and one naturallv wonders wliv our friends
of the sombre raiment did not select a more shel-
tered spot. Here they have been gathering, however,
thousands upon thousands, from time immemorial.
Just now the place is uninhabited, because in the
early spring the crows i^air off and take to the
woods, where they build large, bulky nests of sticks,
and lay greenish eggs heavih^ spotted with dark
colors.
Negro Superstitions.
For weird mystery and a something that is past
finding out it is the proneness of many Kent negroes
to superstition. While the supernatural plays a
prominent part in all that he does or thinks, this
is peculiarly the case as regards the weather. For in-
stance, if rabbits in the fall show a tendency to bear
to the left when tliev are routed from their beds bv
the huntsman or his dog, the winter is certain to
be ''perishing cold." If, on the contrary, he turns
to the right, a mild winter must result. For the
winter, 1899, the fall maneuvers of the Kent County
cottontails indicated "an awful winter, sir, fur,
please de Lawd, dey turned almos' clean around to
de lef .' "
History of Kent C(hxtv. >rAijvi..\
.\i>
i':;7
Then, too, those tiiiie-lioiiored weatlier forecasters,
the immaciihite little imiskrats, instead of huildin.r
the walls of tlieir ''Xoali's ark of the marshes" lii<'h
and thick — forwarned, as it were, by some unknown
poAver of a desperatel.y cold winter, an old "ratter"
" llltfl
^lm^£Aak
'•JKUBJlfeJ^SP'
HOUSE BUILT IN 1687 ON "DUNCAN'S FOLLY." NEAR LYNCH.
OWNED BY J. W. CHAPMAN AND OCCUPIED BY S. J. LEE.
states that the}" burrowed into the higli river banks,
far above the reach of tides and ice. Corn-husks
Ave^-e thick, hornets' nest close to the ground, cliest-
nuts abundant, the bark of trees r(>u<ih and lieavy,
and still a winter of plienomenally liigh lenipera-
tures prevailed.
The negro mind, in a vast numl)er of instances,
clings to the superstitions of centuries l)ack. In the
pockets of many of them may be found two moles'
feet, neatl}" tied together, or a round, wliite stone,
238 History of Kent County, Maryland
taken from some abandoned fish-hawk's nest, known
as the ''liick stone." A dried eelskin is considered
a prevention against cramp, and a leather string
around a child's neck will drive back the whooping
cough. Of course, the foot of a graveyard rabbit
means unfailing "good luck." . ._
the palmer house on high street, chestertown, occupied
by MRS. ARAMINTA BURKE— 201 YEARS OLD.
One of the most widely-knoAvn and successful
fishermen never thinks of setting a net, or placing
a trap on the marsh, without adorning them with a
bunch of rags or a little bag possessing some
mysterious power to woo the coveted game. Even
the eel trap on the muddy flats is given this little
bag as a talisman of good luck. What these bags
contain, no one but the weather-beaten old trapper
History of Kent County, Maryland 230
knows, but his faith is like that of a little child, as
interesting and unfailing.
The weird dreams of the negro mind in the realms
of superstition would fill columns and these dreams
mark a most interesting phase of negro character.
But there is now a tendency, even on the part of the
colored people, to repudiate their former blind faith
in ghosts and ghostly things, but in many casc^ this
is only a make-believe, for while the old fellow savs,
in faltering tones, that he used to believe in spirits,
he has ''kind a lost faith,-' his pocket may then be
stored with moles' feet, luckstones and amulets of
many kinds. Many farmers are firm believers in the
effect of the moon, and never fail to consult their
almanacs as to the moon in planting corn or pota-
toes, as well as in butchering their porkers.
JUDGES SECOND JUDICIAL CIRCUIT
Constitution of 1776.
James" T ilghman, Queen Annes County — 1791. Chief
Judge— died 1809.
Richard Tilghman Earle, Queen Annes County. Chief
Judge — vice Judge Tilghman — 1809.
Edward Worrell, Kent County. Associate Judge — 1806.
' Lemuel Purnell, Talbot County. Associate Judge — 1806.
Robert Wright, Kent County. Associate Judge, 1822—
vice Judge Worrell, deceased.
Philemon B. Hopper, Queen Annes County. Associate
Judge, 1826 — vice Judge Wright, deceased.
John B. Eccleston, Kent County. Associate Judge, 1832—
vice Judge Purnell, deceased.
Ezekiel F. Chambers, Kent County. Associate Judge,
1824 — vice Judge Earle, resigned.
COXSTITUTIOX OF 1851.
Judge Eccleston, Associate Judge, Court of Appeals.
Judge P. B. Hopper, Circuit, Kent, Queen Annes, Caroline
and Talbot Counties.
Judge R. B. Carmichael, 1858— vice Judge Hopper,
Judge Jas. B. Ricaud, March 1, 1864— vice Judge Car-
michael, resigned.
240 History of Kent County, Mauyland
Constitution of 1864.
Second Judicial Circuit — Kent and Queen Annes.
Judge John M. Robinson.
Constitution of 1869.
Judge John M. Robinson, Chief Judge.
Judge Joseph A. Wickes, Associate Judge.
Judge Frederick Stump, Associate Judge.
Judge Geo. M. Russum, Chief Judge, January 14, 1896 —
vice Judge Robinson, deceased.
Judge James A. Pearce, Cliief Judge, December 4, 1897 —
elected November, 1897.
Judge Wm. R. Martin, Associate Judge, December 4, 1897.
Judge Edwin H. Brov^n, Associate Judge, October 4, 19U1
— vice Judge Stump, deceased.
Judge Wm. H, Adkins, Associate Judge, September 22,
1906 — vice Judge Martin, deceased.
Judge Austin L. Crothers, Associate Judge, March 29,
1906 — vice Judge Brown, deceased.
Judge P. B. Hopper, Associate Judge, July 31, 1907 — vice
Judge Crothers, resigned.
Judge Albert Constable, Chief Judge — elected November,
1912.
OLD PUBLIC SCHOOL AT KENNEDYVILLE.
History of Kext Coisty, ^rAuvi.wi. •_» 1 1
CHAPTER XXX IV.
TJiG Old Court House— To Kcntlmid's Green
Gardens.
THE OLD COURT HOUSE.
By Percy G. Skiuvex.
The administration of the affairs of a county re-
quires a buikling in which tlie judicial body of the
S^^g^^fliiUniiM
i:H!l!!iii;|ijii;ii!i'i!fiiiiJi||
THE OLD COURTHOUSE— BUILT 16'JS.
county can hold its sessions. In nddition to this
requirement there should be a i)lace in tlic hiiih]in«;
for filing the records of these meetings. Provision
must be made for the meeting of the Orphans' Court
and the filing of papers pertaining to the work of
this Court — wills, inventories of estates and admin-
242 History of Kent County, Maryland
istration accounts. Further provision must be made
for the meeting of the County Commisioners, which
is the administrative body handling the financial
affairs of the county. In the same building are kept
the records of all transactions pertaining to the
transfer and mortgaging of lands within the limits
of the county. These records are in the care of the
officer known as the Clerk of the County Court.
Such are the requirements of a building designed
to take care of the administrative affairs of that
division of a state known as a "county."
When Kent was made a county of the Province of
Maryland in 1642, the Governor appointed the
Commissioners of Justice. Giles Brent was made
Chief Judge in all matters civil and criminal. The
official document reads as follows:
"To Mr. Secretary,
These are to will and require you to draw a commis-
sion to Mr. Giles Brent to be Commander of the Isle of
Kent; and for Mr. William Luddington and Mr. Richard
Thomson to be joined with him in Commission.
Leonard Calvebt, Govr."
August 2nd, 1642.
Prior to that time the Isle of Kent had been a
"hundred^' of St. Mary's and Capt. John Langford
was the sheriff, he having been appointed in Feb-
ruary, 1637. He was reappointed in 1642 and the
Isle of Kent now became a county with the neces-
sary officers to govern it as such.
There arose the question of a place for the Jus-
tices to meet to hold Court. As the center of the
population of the new county was on the lower end
of the present Kent Island, it was decided in 1639
that Court should be held at the old Kent Fort.
History of Kent County, Maryland 243
That place soon gave way to one more convenient
on Broad Creek. It, too, soon fell into disuse
and the sittings of the Court were held at the houses
"ELLENDALE," ON CHESAPEAKE BAY, OWNED BY LOUIS E. SMITH.
of some one of the prominent colonists whose dwell-
ing was large enough to provide for the accommo-
dation of the Justices. For that accommodation
and use of the house the host was paid in tobacco.
In 1671 Charles Calvert, then Governor of the
^Trovince," appointed the Justices for Kent County
as follows: Thomas South, Joseph A^'ickes, James
Ringgold, John Hinson, Henry Hozier, Arthur
Wright, John Wright, Tobias Wells and William
244 History of Kent County, Maryland
Lawrence. On the back of the commission was
written by the Governor :
"I do hereby Order that the place for holding your
County Court be in some part of the Eastern Neck and
not upon the Island (meaning Eastern Neck Island) as
formerly.
Given under my hand the 2nd day of July, 1674.
Charles Calvert, Govr.''
For several years prior to this order the Court
had been held on Eastern Neck Island at the home
of one of the Justices, Mr. Joseph Wickes. His
plantation was known as ''Wickclitfe," and is today
one of the finest estates in Marvland.
At that time, 1674, the Provincial Assembly sit-
ting at St. Mary's passed an act providing for the
erection of court houses in each of the counties, and
in 1679 the Commissioners used a Court House
which the}' had built on the land of James Kinggold
at the town of New Yarmouth on Gray's Inn Creek.
In 1680 James Ringgold deeded the lot of land
(about half an acre) on which the Court House
stood to Charles Calvert, then the third Lord Balti-
more. There was also a jail standing on the lot and
it, too, had been built by the County Justices.
The Court for Kent Countv was held in the Court
House at New Yarmouth for sixteen years, but the
increasing population of the county made it im-
perative to hold court in a more convenient place.
The Commissioners Avere authorized b}' the Assem-
bly to buy a piece of land on the Chester River at
the present location of Chestertown. Court was
held in 1696 at the house of Mr. Isaac Caulk and he
received 1,020 pounds of tobacco "for expenses" in
entertaining the Justices.
History of Kent Coimi', Mahvlami 245
At the meeting of the Justices on Uetolxir 30,
1696, to levy tobacco to \n\y the current expenses of
the county and to meet the bills authorized at the
previous Court, 2,000 pounds of tobacco was placed
in the sheriff's hands to pay for the land on which
"TRUMPINGTON," DOWN THE COUNTY, THE HOME OF
MRS. JULIA A. RINGGOLD.
to build the Court House. The entry in the old
book, known as the Court Proceedings, now in ilic
Court House at Chestertown, says : "* * * (he
tobacco to remain in the Sheriff his custodie until
the right owner approved that can give a sufticient
and good title to the county for the same or lill
the Justices of this county shall otherwise order the
said tobacco." There evidently was some defect in
the title to the hind.
Simon Wilmer, then surveyor for the county, was
paid 200 pounds of tobacco "for laying out the land
for the Court House and recording the same."
246 History of Kent County, Maryland
A contract was made aa itli John Sutton, AA'itli Col.
Peter Sayer as his bond, for building the Court
House, and at this session of the Court (October 30,
1096) 6,000 pounds of tobacco AAas appropriated to
COURTHOUSE, CHESTERTOWN, MD.
pay for the house AN'hen completed — the sheriff to
keep the tobacco in his hands until authorized to
pay it to the builder.
As the next Court for making the Ica^a' A\'as held at
the house of Mr. Isaac Caulk on the 8th of Novem-
ber, 1697, it is evident that the Court House an as not
then finished. At that session of the Court Morgan
BroA\^n Avas paid 700 pounds of tobacco to build a
chimney on the Court House, and the "Plasterer"
History of Kent County, Maryland 2t7
1,000 pounds of tobacco iur plas(ciiii«» ilic ('(.ml
H^ouse. To Simon Wilmer's negro Janios 1!)0 pounds
01 tobacco was paid ''for hairs nsod in ]»laslcriii<; ilic
Court House/' and to Godfrey Tener J<5 jionnds of
tobacco ''for more nails for Ihe i)lasterer.'' Tlierc
WM. JANVIER'S HOME NEAR TURNER'S CREEK— ONE OF THE OLD
LANDMARKS.
were also appropriated 400 pounds of tobacco to be
paid to Mr. William Bladen "for drawino- the IJill
preferred to the House of Assembly for the Court
House land."
The land on which the Court House was built was
like all other lands in the province, subject to a
yearly quit rent to be paid into the treasury of the
Lords Baltimore and in the Debt P>ook of the Prov-
ince for the year 1757 the following entry appears:
"Kent County to part of 'Stepney,' Court House
248 History of Kent County, Maryland
land, 2 acres, Eent due at Lady's Day (March 25th,
1757) % pence." As the rent was i^ayable at the
two most principal feasts of the year — the Feast of
the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
March 25th, and the Feast of St. Michael the Arch-
THE JUDGE CHAMBERS HOUSE. ON CHESTER RIVER. OWNED BY
W. W. HUBBARD, COLONIAL AND BEAUTIFUI^PROF. MARK
CREASY'S NEW HOME ON HIGH STREET.
angel, September 29tli — the total rent for the year
]Daid by Kent Countj^ was one pence!
This interesting record shows that the land on
which the Court House was built and in fact the
whole of Chestertown was laid out was part of a
grant of land known as "Stepney" and a deed for
100 acres from Rebecca Wilmer recorded in the land
records for Kent County, under date of 23d of Sep-
tember, 1690, further confirms the fact.
History of Kent Coixtv, ^rAuvr.Axn 210
^^^^j
From Md.'s Colonial Eastern Shore.
COMEGYS HOUSE, CRUMPTON, KENT, BUILT ABOUT 1708.
Commanding a splendid view of the upper Chester River and the surround-
ing counti-y, this rai-e example of Dutch architecture that has been handed
down to the present generation is now the home of Dr. F. N. Sheiijjard. It
is one of two such houses now standing in this State. The other is in Fi-ed-
erick County. Each of the houses was built by the son of an emigrant from
Holland. William Comegys, who built this house, was the second son of
Cornelius Comegys, who emigrated to Virginia from Holland and who came
to Maryland from Virginia about 1666.
The house is built of old-style English brick, and is an addition to an old
log house still in good repair which first served to shelter William Comegys
and his family when he took up the land on which it stands. At the time
(1708?) William Comegys built this house there was a ferry at that part of
the Chester River now called Ci-umpton, then known as McAllister's Ferry. On
the Queen Anne side of the river William Cinjjnp took up a large tract of
land, and it was for him that the village was called Crumpton.
For years there had been a well-established route of travel from William-
stadt (now Oxford), Talbot County, to Philadelphia and the Northern settle-
ments. This route led past the o!d Wye Church in Talbot to Crumpton, over
the Chester into Kent ; across that county to Georgetown and Fredericktown.
250 History of Kent County, Maryland
As will be seen by the accompanying picture of
the old building a very substantial addition was
made to it, but just when this occurred I have not
been able to determine. The search of the proceed-
ings of the Court should show the date it was built
and the cost.
The old Court House was the scene of manv
notable events that occurred through the years from
its completion in 1698 down to the time when the
increased population of Kent County demanded its
removal to make room for a larger building. It was
found totally inadequate to meet the requirements
of the Court in the years just preceding the Civil
War and in 1860, that old Colonial relic was torn
down to make room for the building now standing.
TO KENTLANDS GREEN GARDEN.
By Folger McKixsey.
Over the bay on the B. S. Ford,
Over the bay to the garden of the Lord
Planted in Kentland with beauty and gleam
Of meadows and orchards in mirrors of dream —
Rock Hall and Queenstown and Bogles and Cliffs,
And then the green wheat, and the inbetween whiffs
Of locust and honey — my heart is a sailor.
Over the bay with my friend, Captain Taylor.
Ho! her cut-water
Away on the Ford
To Kentland's green garden,
The dream of the Lord!
Quaker Neck landing as twilight shuts down:
Rolph's and then the home stretch to sweet ChestertowD;
High street just dabbling its feet in the river
And rising far off to the sky, where the Giver
Of good and all goodness set here with his hand
The cream of all rivers; the rose of land.
To glimpse through blue vistas of beauty and bloom
Till hearts sink no longer in shadow and gloom.
All aboard, shipmates!
The Chester's loved stream,
Like a ribbon of rose,
Binds the heart in its dream.
Her nose tickles Deep Point and rippling we go
By Ashland and Wilmers, where willows bend low.
And catbirds are calling, and over the w^ay
They're frying fresh herring from loved Lankford Bay;
And Bookers is dreaming and yonder they wait
To take us to supper at Chestertown's gate,
Where the bridge over Chester walks many a span
To smile and shake hands with its neighbor. Queen Anne.
Here's the last bay buoy.
The Ford has steamed over
Unto the green wheatlands
Of Kent and her clover!
Ah, but my heart, how it sings like a sailor,
Over the bay with my friend. Captain Taylor!
The shy lights of twilight just quivering down
In love light and dove twilight o'er fair Chestertown —
And there, the old mansions, where fancy still sees
Before the fair daughters, till ear speaks to eye
Of field jumps and ditches, with hounds in full cry.
Water street, dreaming;
Ah, w^ake not the spell
Of the loved days of Kent
That the Lord loves so well!
.■^
auj,\.^\.'.-.H-i^^'^-f.
