The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1866-07-06
Things Of the Past.

The duties of our profession required us, Il few
days ago, TO examine with some care many of
the records remaining in the offices of the Clerk
forming this duty, we necessarily took many
notes of the transactions which took place in the
early days of the county.
About the year INA this county was separa-
rated from Baltimore county, of which up to
that time it was part. The records in the
Clerks Office run back to the 22d day of March,
IVA, on which day the bond of Alexander Law
son, as Clerk Of Hartford county Court, was re-
corded, and is the first instrument Of writing
that ever was recorded in this court. The bond
is made to the Lord Proprietary of the Province
of Maryland, with Il penalty of one thousand
pounds, and with John Lee Webster and John
Wilson as securities.
The first deed on record in the Office of the
County Clerk is from John Paca 10 Richard Dal-
lam, bearing date on the 18th day of February,
INA, signed in the presence of Robert Birney
Lendrum and JOSEPH Stiles, and acknowledged
before Benedict Edward Hall and Amos Garrett
The tract conveyed contained five hundred acres,
and was known as ''Stony Ridge Enlargement"
and the consideration set forth in the deed is
five hundred pounds current money and one
thousand pounds sterling.
The first will that appears to have been re-
corded In this county, is that of Thomas Rem
shaw, dated on the 18th day Of April, TIA, by
which he devised to his son Thomas tract of
land containing eighty-two acres, lying between
Deer Creek and Broad Greek, and called "Thom-
ass Desire" The Register of Wills at that time
was j. George Bradford, and the Deputy Regis
teri. Beal Howard.
Since the recording of the will of Thomas
Renshaw, period Of ninety-two years, there
have been admitted to record in the office of the
Orphans Court seventeen hundred and twenty
one wills, being an average of little less than
nineteen wills year
The earliest marriage license issued in this
county, of which there is any record, is that Of
Thomas Wright and Ann Green, issued on the
18th day of March, 1901 since which time
there have been issued three thousand seven
hundred and three marriage licenses, running
bpiouBb pciiou vi ycdi6j anu oe-
ing little more than an average of forty-nine
marriages per year. Hereafter this part of our
record will, we suppose, be more full and salts
factory. In consequence of the enlightened legis-
lation Of late years, our children will be able to
discover from the record the ages and various
shades of color of all who may seek the hymene.
al altar through the office of the Clerk of the
Circuit Court for Hartford county.
In speaking of old times, we must not forget
to mention that the great Pennsylvania anti
mason and pegro-equality champion, Thaddeus
Stevens, was, on the 9th day of August, 1916,
admitted to practice as an attorney of Hartford
county Court. This was, we think, before
Mr.. Stevens settled in Pennsylvania. He is
an Eastern man, and after his admission TO the
bar here, he settled in York county, Pennsyva-
mia, and after short time removed to Adams
county, and from thence to Lancaster city, where
he now resides.