The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1852-02-21
HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION OF
IEae Counties Of MARYLAND.
ALLEGHANY COUNTY.


The settlement of this county dates
from 1882, when Fort Cumberland was
established for the defence Of the ad-
vancing white population; but Colonel
Thomas Cresap is said TO have been the
first private individual who formed per-
manent residence within its limits. Col.
Crcsap was native of England, and 10,
Gated himself at Old Town. on the north
fork of Potomac, with his own and other
families, in 17ll. The corntrv formed
part Of Frederick from l7iS to 1916,
aud Of Washington from the latter year
TO 1889, when it was organized with its
present limits.
Hater.-Thurmal springs and springs
charged with sulpheretted hydrogen,
with some chalv occur in this
county. The water in some parts is i'm
pregnated with lime, but the mountain
water most abounds, being very clear
and pure.
Rochs.-Ihc prevailing rocks are the
varlously colored sandstoRes, which are
the most abundant; limestone often
travers"d by veins of quartz slate, and
shale and quartzitc.
F:rt5/j2er.-Lime is chiefly employed
as the fertilizer.
Oye.-lron orc abvunds in many parts
OF the county.
Coni.-There is within the county 2
continued series of beds of bituminous
coal, from three to fourteen feet in thick
ness, and from three to six miles wide,
known as the Cumberland coal, extend
ing from the Pennsylvania border to the
Potomac river.
The more mountainous districts pre-
sent broad valleys that bear evidence Of
having been the beds OF extensive lakes,
the waters of which have left behind
them deep deposites Of a clayey loan;
these tracts, which are called glodes, are
peculiarly adapted for grazing and dairy
farms. They furnish the celebrated
glades butter and moutain mutton.
ANNE ARUNDEL.
This county was settled in 1642 BY
English Puritans, who having established
themselves as congregation in Virginia,
had increased to such an extent as to
attract the attention of the government
OF that colony, and they were expelled
the province under the laws then in force
there, which tolerated no dissent from
the church of England. The main por-
ton OF this congregation, with Richard
Bennett as a leading man among them,
took up their residence upon and around
the site of Annapolis, calling their set
Element Providence. Here also they de-
clined compliance with the conditions
prescribed for settlers by the proprietary
government of Lord Baltimore, and re-
fused to take the oath of fidelity to him,
because, they alleged, to do so would be
to recognize the Roman Catholic Church.
They occupied their lands without for
NAL grants, and formed a community,
independent of the government of the
colony, until July 1850, when their plan
tations were erected into the county OF
Anne Arundel.
Surtace.-The surface of this county
is broken and billy along the river, and
undulating elsewhere, save in that Sec
ton known as the swamps.
Soil.-The soils in the upper parts
have been produced by the disintegra-
ton and decomposition of the subjacent
rocks, and varies according to the nature
of the rocks. The soil of the lower por-
ton OF the county is chiefly composed
of sand and clay. There is in this part